AUTHOR=Springham Matthew , Williams Sean , Waldron Mark , Burgess Darren , Newton Robert Usher 

TITLE=Large Reductions in Match Play Physical Performance Variables Across a Professional Football Season With Control for Situational and Contextual Variables

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Sports and Active Living

VOLUME=2

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sports-and-active-living/articles/10.3389/fspor.2020.570937

DOI=10.3389/fspor.2020.570937

ISSN=2624-9367

ABSTRACT=<p>This investigation examined match play physical performance across a professional football season using a multicamera computerized tracking system. A linear mixed-effects model, controlling for situational and contextual variables, identified decreases in team average total distance (TD): season quarter 1 (Q1) (11,047 m) &gt; season quarter 2 (Q2) (10,473 m) (<italic>P</italic> = <italic>0.002</italic>; ES = <italic>Small</italic>), season quarter 3 (Q3) (10,449 m) (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.001; ES = <italic>Moderate</italic>), and season quarter 4 (Q4) (10,385 m) (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.001; ES = <italic>Moderate</italic>); work rate (WR): Q1 (115 m/min) &gt; Q3 (108 m/min) (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.001; ES = <italic>Moderate</italic>), Q4 (107 m/min) (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.001; ES = <italic>Moderate</italic>); Q2 (109 m/min) &gt; Q4 (107 m/min) (<italic>P</italic> = 0.003; ES = <italic>Small</italic>); high-speed running distance (HSR): Q1 (1,051 m) &gt; Q2 (813 m) (<italic>P</italic> = 0.006; ES = <italic>Small</italic>); number of high-speed runs (NHSR): Q1 (87) &gt; Q2 (65) (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.001; ES = <italic>Small</italic>), Q3 (64) (<italic>P</italic> = 0.002; ES = <italic>Small</italic>); sprint distance (SD): Q1 (202 m) &gt; Q4 (130 m) (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.001; ES = <italic>Moderate</italic>), Q2 (179 m) &gt; Q3 (165 m) (<italic>P</italic> = 0.035; ES = <italic>Small</italic>), Q4 (130 m) (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.001; ES = <italic>Moderate</italic>) and number of sprints (NS): Q1 (20.4) &gt; Q3 (10.2) (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.001; ES = <italic>Moderate</italic>), Q4 (8.3) (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.001; ES = <italic>Large</italic>); Q2 (14.9) &gt; Q3 (10.2) (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.001; ES = <italic>Moderate</italic>), Q4 (8.3) (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.001; ES = <italic>Large</italic>). Within-position changes were observed for WR: Q1 (122 m/min) &gt; Q4 (113 m/min) (<italic>P</italic> = 0.002; ES = <italic>Large</italic>) in central midfielders and for NS: Q1 &gt; Q3 in wide defenders (21.7 vs. 10.8) (<italic>P</italic> = 0.044; ES = <italic>Large</italic>) and central midfielders (18.1 vs. 8.3) (<italic>P</italic> = 0.002; ES = <italic>Large</italic>); Q1 &gt; Q4 in central defenders (13.1 vs. 5.3) (<italic>P</italic> = 0.014; ES = <italic>Large</italic>), wide defenders (21.6 vs. 7.1) (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.001; ES = <italic>Very Large</italic>), central midfielders (18.1 vs. 8.5) (<italic>P</italic> = 0.005; ES = <italic>Large</italic>), and wide midfielders (20.8 vs. 12.2) (<italic>P</italic> = 0.012; ES = <italic>Large</italic>); Q2 &gt; Q3 in central midfielders (16.9 vs. 8.3) (<italic>P</italic> = 0.002; ES = <italic>Large</italic>) and Q2 &gt; Q4 in wide defenders (16.3 vs. 7.1) (<italic>P</italic> = 0.005; ES = <italic>Very Large</italic>), central midfielders (16.9 vs. 8.5) (<italic>P</italic> = 0.004; ES = <italic>Large</italic>), and wide midfielders (20.8 vs. 12.2) (<italic>P</italic> = 0.007; ES = <italic>Large</italic>). The match-play physical performance was reduced across the competitive season. The most notable reductions were observed in wide defenders, central midfielders, and wide midfielders in sprint performance indices.</p>