8 March, 2019

POSITION SPECIFIC AND POSITIONAL PLAY TRAINING IN ELITE FOOTBALL: CONTEXT MATTERS

Analysis and Sports Technology
Team Sports
Team sports performance
160K

Those who have watched elite football across the last decade, realise that the game is more demanding than ever1. This places more emphasis on training methods to prepare players for the rigors of the game2. If we use the mantra of ‘train like you play’ it might be wise to complement existing practices with conditioning drills related to a players’ tactical role3(position specific) and even elements of the club’s playing style/energetic profile4(positional play). Thus, this piece will explore how such a stimulus can be incorporated into two areas of football conditioning: (1) team training and (2) individual end stage rehabilitation. Examples are presented from two European clubs.

 

1. Positional Approaches to Team Training: Using Examples from FC Barcelona

FC Barcelona employ a unique training model, incorporating a general and positional stimulus4. The distinct playing style adopted informs training. Emphasis is placed on passing and combinationplaywhile loading players physically5Adding an extra layer of detail to training, staff examine match physical performances of each position/player to prepare game scenarios5. For example, GPS data captured from FC Barcelona players reveal that centre backs and forwards have lower physical match demands than full backs and midfielders4,5. This is combined with football specific context to create conditioning practices for the collective but also positions and individuals. Conditioning modes used at the club include simulated situations in the form of team circuits, small sided games and positional play drills.

 

Simulated Situations: Position Specific Team Circuits

Circuits were developed to physically load players in relation to position specific activities while adhering to the teams playing style and individual player traits. For instance, players occupy common pitch areas for their respective positions. One version of the circuit commences with a defensive midfielder heading a ball at the halfway line, before dribbling and passing the ball wide to a full back. The full back then dribbles it before passing to a supporting midfielder so he can overlap at high intensity before turning rapidly to recover to a defensive position. Three midfielders then switch the play. The opposite full back runs down the channel while one forward drives inside. The full back receives the ball from a midfielder and dribbles along the flank before crossing into the box. All forwards break into the box while the centre backs defend the cross. This sequence can end after this or be extended by a recovery run. This can be varied to challenge players with different scenarios with load controlled by manipulating rules/drill configuration, work/rest, reps etc. Drills in which all positions are worked in unison with specific ball work adds variety to training while loading physical qualities alongside some tactical elements. However, these circuits do lack dynamic, unpredictable scenarios whereby individual and collective positioning needs to adapt and react accordingly, hence the complemented use of position play drills (see below).

 

Simulated Situations: Team Positional Play Drills

Other simulated situations used by FC Barcelona that have a subtler positional stimulus but align with their playing style are adapted small sided and positional games. These games are more dynamic than the circuits above as players have priority areas in which space is tailored to the player’s customary context in competition but without any rules restricting the players’ space during the task.6Some games adhere to the principle of ‘positional play’ whereby players collectively work with a high tempo to pass the ball to each other in close spaces to draw in pressing players so they can pass to a wide open player to exploit space (e.g. Paco Seirul•lo methodology). Although these drills are certainly not position specific they require selected roles to position themselves intelligently (e.g. full backs are wide and move up and down the line while central players move between the lines in highly dense middle areas) and the team works dynamically and collectively in unison. These positional play games do place different physical demands on selected roles. For example, using ‘joker’ players (also known as ‘floating’ players) encourages ball retention and generates numerical superiority for the team in possession.6Thus, ‘joker’ players only experience an offensive role, in possession, thus this can be tailored towards distinct players. The physical demands placed on the ‘joker’ players in the figure below are lower than that imposed on others in the game (particularly for 8v8+3 versus 4v4+3 formats)6. Additionally, game scenarios in 3v2+2v1 also physically overload players in their offensive/defensive roles but are not necessarily position specific but mimic common dynamic positional scenarios while conditioning players. Rules, player numbers, area, work/rest can all be adjusted based on the conditioning aim (speed or high-intensity aerobic training etc). Thus, game context is absolutely key for training prescription7. For instance, factors such as the conditioning aim of the drill, the style of play of the team in addition to the position of each player can be accounted for. These are important pieces of the jigsaw in order to prepare training tasks so players can perform effectively. Using this approach, some of FC Barcelona’s conditioning has a distinct positional element to it (e.g. position-specific and/or positional play). In the following video you can see some simulated situations in the form of positional games and a variation of a tactical circuit.

Barcelona players displays variations of these drills.
 

2. Positional Approaches to End Stage Rehabilitation: Using an Example from Liverpool Football Club Academy

Throughout the rehabilitation process, elite players are exposed to various conditioning to enable a return to training and games8. Once players enter end stage rehabilitation and are medically cleared to perform maximal running and changes of direction, there is a need to prescribe drills based on the demands of training. Such drills not only prepare players for the physical demands of training but also the unique movements, skills and tactical actions required for their distinct position9. Players continue developing their aerobic fitness during end stage rehabilitation, therefore position specific drills can supplement on-going endurance training. In addition to providing a training stimulus, position specific drills that include sprinting, jumping, kicking and changing direction also place extra demands on the neuromuscular system ensuring players are robust and able to cope with training10.

 

Position Specific Speed Endurance Drills: Individual End Stage Rehabilitation

Drills using intervals enable practitioners to target certain physical qualities to ensure players adapt and thus return successfully. An effective mode for this stage of rehabilitation is speed endurance training, as it improves football endurance and sprinting abilities11. This requires a player to perform intense football activity for 20-30 seconds using recovery periods between 40-180 seconds, which is repeated 8-10 times dependent on the aim of the drill. This taxes players aerobically and anaerobically whilst involving the ball, so is ideal preparation before a return to team training (complementing drills emphasizing other qualities)12Liverpool FC Academy fitness/conditioning staff use an appropriate blend of science gathered from match analysis and the art of coaching to design position specific speed endurance drills. Match analysis demonstrates that intense running during games is greatest for wide midfielders and lowest for centre backs, with full-backs, central midfielders and centre forwards falling somewhere in-between9. Contextualised match data provides insight into purposeful efforts in and out of possession and not just ‘blind’ distances and frequencies9. For example, in possession, centre forwards performmore efforts in the offensive third, whilst driving through the middle, running in behind, and breaking into the box. Whilst full backs and wide midfielders produced more efforts overlapping and running the channel 9. They also perform more crosses after these runs due to efforts finishing in wide attacking areas. Out of possession, positions with a major defensive role in the team like centre backs, full backs and central midfielders produce more intense efforts covering space or team-mates and recovery running, whilst all positions perform frequent efforts closing down the opposition9. Thus, these patterns were translated into isolated position specific conditioning drills for players during end-stage rehabilitation. An example for a wide midfielder can be seen in the video and figure below, driving inside was specifically related to the teams tactics for this position. Data captured from GPS units worn by Liverpool FC Academy players returning from injury revealed that wide midfielders and full backs covered more intense running across these drills, which is consistent with match trends13. Furthermore, centre backs and forwards covered the lowest overall distance but performed more intense accelerations and decelerations12. This format can be useful for ‘top up’ sessions when players are not getting game time or additionally multiple positions can be worked in unison to add a more dynamic scenario and stimulus.

 

The conditioning coach not only prepares players for the demands necessary for training but also familiarizes them with ball striking, discrete positional movements, orientation of space on the pitch, whilst providing a reactive stimulus so players are exposed to uncontrolled movements when training with additional players. Elite clubs should use their analysis department to study player movements to create bespoke drills that are not only position specific but ideally individual specific (moving away from ‘blind’ distances/frequencies). This may enable practitioners to identify movement dysfunction and improve mechanics such as turning off a particular shoulder or body position when decelerating to press an opponent.

End Stage Rehabilitation Drill for a Wide Midfielder. (1) play bounce pass with coach A and make a run down the channel. (2) receive pass from coach A, run with the ball, perform a trick in front of mannequin. (3) execute in-swinging cross into mini goal or mannequin, then perform recovery run. (4) receive another pass from coach A, perform a trick and run with the ball driving inside the pitch before passing the ball wide to coach B. (5) break into the box to receive a cross from coach B and finish into mini goal. (6) perform recovery run back to original start position on half way line. Please note: players are given freedom for some decision making while the coach will vary the type of pass and cross e.g. players have option to perform trick and beat mannequin during phase (2) to perform out-swinging cross into mini goal.12 Individual player traits in terms of movements, tactical/technical events in training/games can also be added to conditioning drills for ecological validity purposes. Given the complexity involved in returning a player to training after injury, this drill is only one example from the players detailed end-stage rehabilitation plan.
 

Summary

Elite football training requires a blend of science and the art of coaching to design appropriate team and individual drills7. The approaches presented (position-specific and/or positional play) illustrate that context really does matter when implementing personalized conditioning practices. It might be advantageous to supplement training with a stimulus related to a players’ tactical role in the team and even elements of the club’s playing style/energetic profile. It’s important to stress that there are many effective ways to accomplish this type of work and we have only provided a few examples for the interested reader (e.g. many approaches can be used that are specific to the methodological and cultural aspects of clubs). Future work should ideally detail football specific context when providing conditioning guidelines and integrated match analysis could be advantageous for this purpose7,9,12,14,15.

 

Paul S Bradley

Reader in Sports Performance at Liverpool John Moores University & FC Barcelona Consultant

 

Andres Martin-Garcia

U-19 Fitness Coach at FC Barcelona

 

Jack D Ade

U23’s Fitness Coach at Liverpool Football Club & PhD Researcher at Liverpool John Moores University

 

Antonio Gomez Diaz

First team Fitness Coach at FC Barcelona

 

Sign up to Certificate in Training for Team Sports

 

References

  1. Bradley PS, Archer DT, Hogg B, Schuth G, Bush M, Carling C, & Barnes C. Tier-specific evolution of match performance characteristics in the English Premier League: it’s getting tougher at the top. J Sports Sci. 2016;34(10):980–987.
  2. Ade JD, Harley JA, Bradley PS. Physiological response, time-motion characteristics, and reproducibility of various speed-endurance drills in elite youth soccer players: small-sided games versus generic running. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2014;9(3):471–479.
  3. Bush M, Barnes C, Archer DT, Hogg B, Bradley PS. Evolution of match performance parameters for various playing positions in the English Premier League. Hum Mov Sci. 2015;39:1–11.
  4. Martín-García A, Gómez AD, Bradley PS, Morera F, & Casamichana D. Quantification of a Professional Football Team’s External Load Using a Microcycle Structure.J Strength & Cond Res. 2018; 32(12):3511-3518.
  5. Martín-García A, Casamichana D, Díaz AG, Cos F, & Gabbett TJ. Positional Differences in the Most Demanding Passages of Play in Football Competition.J Sports Sci & Med. 2018; 17(4), 563-570.
  6. Casamichana D, Díaz AG, Morera FC, & Martin-García A. Jugadores comodines durante diferentes juegos de posición [Wildcard Players during Positional Games]. Educación física y deportes. 2018; 3(133), 85-97.
  7. Bradley PS, Di Mascio M, Mohr M, Fransson D, Wells C, Moreira A, Castellano J, Gomez Diaz A, & Ade J. Can Modern Football Match Demands Be Translated into Novel Training and Testing Modes? Aspetar Sports Med J. 2018; 7, 46-52.
  8. Morrison S, Ward P, & duManoir GR. Energy system development and load management through the rehabilitation and return to play process. Int J Sports Phys Therapy. 2017; 2 (4) 697-710.
  9. Ade JD, Fitzpatrick J, & Bradley PS. High-intensity efforts in elite soccer matches and associated movement patterns, technical skills and tactical actions. Information for position-specific training drills. J Sports Sci. 2017;34 (24), 2205-2214.
  10. Vanrenterghem J, Nedergaard NJ, Robinson MA, & Drust B. Training Load Monitoring in Team Sports: A Novel Framework Separating Physiological and Biomechanical Load-Adaptation Pathways. Sports Med. 2017 47, (11) 2135-2142.
  11. Bangsbo J. Performance in sports – with specific emphasis on the effect of intensified training. Scand J Med & Sci Sports. 2015; 25 (Suppl. 4), 88-99.
  12. Ade JD, Drust B, Morgan O, & Bradley PS. Physiological Characteristics and Acute Fatigue Associated with Position Specific Speed Endurance Soccer Drills: Production vs Maintenance Training. BASES Conference, Free Communication – Sport & Performance. 2018.
  13. Bradley PS, Sheldon W, Wooster B, Olsen P, Boanas P, & Krustrup P. High-intensity running in English Premier League soccer matches. J Sports Sci. 2009; 27, (2), 159-168.
  14. Bradley PS, Evans M, Laws A, Ade JD. ‘Context is King’ when interpreting match physical performances. Football Medic & Scientist Magazine. 2018; 24:42–45.
  15. Bradley PS, Ade JD. Are current physical match performance metrics in elite soccer fit for purpose or is the adoption of an integrated approach needed? Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2018; 13: 656–664

RELATED NOTES

THE INFLUENCE OF THE COACH’S LEADERSHIP STYLE ON INJURIES IN ELITE FOOTBALL

Having all players healthy and ready for competition is one of the main training objectives in top-level football.

KINEMATIC DEMANDS IN FIELD HOCKEY. HOW DO PLAYERS MOVE DURING A MATCH?

The introduction of the Global Positioning System (GPS) technology into the world of sports enables us to gain specific information about the speeds reached or distances travelled during training and competition.

HOW STADIUMS ARE HELPING IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE

World-renowned clubs have decided to convert their infrastructure into pioneers of innovation in the field of renewable energies and in reducing their carbon footprint.

THE USE OF VR/AR/MR TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE IN SPORTS

Virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality are establishing themselves in a society which is becoming ever more accustomed to the use of new technologies for entertainment, consumption or information.

PRE-SEASON DESIGN: THE INFLUENCE OF INITIAL RESULTS ON A TEAM’S FINAL RANKING

One of the first decisions a club’s coaching staff must take is the design of pre-season training.

PRE-SEASON. GETTING READY TO SHAPE THE PHYSICAL FITNESS OF PLAYERS

The objective of the pre-season is to seek the best individual and collective physical fitness of the team before beginning the competition.

SMALL-SIDED GAMES IN FOOTBALL. ARE ADAPTATIONS THE SAME FOR PROFESSIONAL PLAYERS AND AMATEURS?

Small-sided games (SSG) are very common training tasks for any team.

THE USE OF WELLNESS QUESTIONNAIRES IN FOOTBALL

Training load (TL) management is a key component for optimising performance. Understanding TL will allow us to evaluate fatigue and to anticipate overload and overtraining in order to minimise injury risk.

APPLYING THE PRINCIPLES OF JOHAN CRUYFF TO DATA SCIENCE

With such an ambitious goal, the Barça Innovation Hub has presented its research at this year’s world-renowned MIT Sloan Sports Analytics international conference.

EVALUATION OF THE INTERNAL LOAD IN FOOTBALL: FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE

The development of elite sports has meant that players are constantly exposed to higher training loads, busier competition schedules and shorter rest periods.

A PIONEERING RESEARCH ON SHOULDER MUSCLE ACTIVATION IN HANDBALL PLAYERS

Handball is one of the sports that are encompassed by the term overhead, a concept that includes sports based on a movement in which the arm is brought above the head.

FOOTBALL IS FOR FOOTBALLERS

FC Barcelona recently held a conference entitled “Barça: Female and Diverse” to coincide with the International Women’s Day, organized at the Camp Nou facilities.

MAXIMUM DEMAND SCENARIOS IN POSITIONAL PLAY: ARE THEY EQUALLY REPLICATED ACROSS ALL POSITIONS?

Players’ conditional response during competition, for example, distance covered at a run, has traditionally been described using the average value covered during a half or full game.

THE INFLUENCE OF THE PERCEIVED EXERTION RATING ON FOOTBALL TRAINING AND COMPETITION.

Monitoring training load is one of the fundamental tools for optimising the performance of both elite athletes in general and football players in particular.

HOW DO THE NUMEROUS CONSTRAINTS AFFECTING ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE RELATE TO ONE ANOTHER?

We know that athletic performance is a complex phenomenon that depends on numerous constraints, but do we know how these constraints relate to and interact with each other?

A SIMPLE AND INNOVATIVE INDICATOR FOR WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL AND WHEELCHAIR RUGBY TRAINING

Despite the growing interest in Paralympic sports, research into performance in elite wheelchair sports has seen very little development.

ENTROPY, A NEW MEASUREMENT IN STRENGTH TRAINING

The ability to sprint is essential in the majority of team sports, including rugby, soccer, and basketball. But this ability is not developed in stable and controlled conditions: players are constantly subjected to variable demands, whether receiving, carrying, passing, hitting, or throwing the ball.

ARE SMALL-SIDED GAMES THE SOLUTION TO ALL OUR PROBLEMS?

One of today’s most attention-grabbing topics among sports researchers, coaches and managers have to do with the study of maximal demand scenarios, also known as “worst case scenarios”.

VALIDATING THE DIFFERENT TRACKING SYSTEMS IN FOOTBALL

In November 2018, the Football Technology Innovation department at FIFA and Victoria University, conducted a research study in collaboration with the Barça Innovation Hub at the Mini Estadi, to explore the validity of the Electronic Performance Tracking Systems (EPTS) of 16 different companies.

PLAYER ORIENTATION, A KEY ASPECT OF PREDICTIVE MODELS IN FOOTBALL

In the OptaPro Forum this week, Carlos Rodríguez will be presenting a study currently being carried out by the club on the body orientation of players in different game situations. We sat down for a chat with him so that he could give us a brief explanation of the project.

WHICH VARIABLES DO WE TRAINERS LOOK AT TO HELP US MAKE DECISIONS?

Of all the variables provided by the systems that monitor and record our players’ activity, what is the most relevant information? This is a question that all coaches will probably face when they begin managing the large volumes of data generated in every training session.

AGAINST PSEUDOSCIENCE IN SPORTS

It would be completely inconceivable for education or professional practice in medicine, biology, or engineering not to be based on scientific evidence. However, although it is paradoxical, it is very common to find unscientific content in the science of sport and physical activity.

FC BARCELONA: HOW OUR NEW RESEARCH HELPED UNLOCK THE ‘BARÇA WAY’

For the first time, our new research may provide some insight into the training methodology and, potentially, the secrets of the club’s success. These “secrets” could be closely associated with the theories put forward by coach Paco Seirul·lo and how they link with cutting edge sports science.

HOW PHYSICAL DEMANDS ON FOOTBALL PLAYERS VARY BY THEIR POSITION

Although there are several studies on this topic, many of them have analyzed these demands by looking at just a few variables or using very broad timeframes. A new study completed by physical trainers from F.C. Barcelona has analyzed several of these details more closely.

INFLUENCE OF ANALYTICS ON SCOUTING FOR EACH TEAM PROJECT PHASE IN THE NBA AND THEIR APPLICATION TO CHAMPION LEAGUE TEAMS

RECOVERY NUTRITION FOR FOOTBALL: BUILDING A TEAM

Degrees of freedom or degrees of slavery?

The understanding of the modifying variables of the game, based on the degrees of freedom.

Soccer from First Principles

The goal of this post is to outline a series of principles that are considered to be crucial to understand the development of FC Barcelona’s playing style.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BIOSTATISTICS IN SPORTS SCIENCE AND SPORTS MEDICINE

Sports Analytics has grown exponentially thanks to IT sciences and it also encompasses other subareas (e.g. sports sciences, behavior sciences, medicine or data visualization) in addition to statistics with a focus that is more tactical and sports performance related.

ECCENTRIC EXERCISES: STUDYING “VACCINES” FOR MUSCLES

Training using eccentric exercises is important to prevent possible damage. However, intensive training can also cause muscle damage, so it is critical to be vigilant in order to keep injury risk to an absolute minimum.

AN OBJECTIVE CLASSIFICATION OF MUSCLE INJURIES

An objective and appropriate classification would improve the accuracy of prognosis, allow treatment to be adjusted and reduce the risk of re-injury.

STABILITY OR INSTABILITY, IS THAT THE QUESTION?

The importance of building a game model in football.

STUDY OF HIGH INTENSITY ACCELERATIONS AND DECELERATIONS IN SOCCER

A new dimension of analysis suggests that maximum accelerations occur with a frequency 8x greater than sprint actions.

THE LEVEL OF RESISTANCE AS A MODERATOR OF THE TRAINING LOAD

Cardiovascular endurance manifests as a moderator of the load result to which the athlete is exposed.

Spaces in Soccer from a Quantitative Perspective

In the words of Johan Cruyff, “Players, in reality, have the ball for 3 minutes, on average. So, the most important thing is: what do you do during those 87 minutes when you do not have the ball? That is what determines whether you’re a good player or not.” 

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE?

  • SUBSCRIBE
  • CONTACT
  • APPLY

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH OUR NEWS

Do you have any questions about Barça Universitas?

  • Startup
  • Research Center
  • Corporate

PLEASE COMPLETE THE FIELDS:

PLEASE COMPLETE THE FIELDS:

PLEASE COMPLETE THE FIELDS:

The Form has been sent successfully.

PLEASE COMPLETE THE FIELDS:

PLEASE COMPLETE THE FIELDS:

PLEASE COMPLETE THE FIELDS:

The Form has been sent successfully.

PLEASE COMPLETE THE FIELDS:

PLEASE COMPLETE THE FIELDS:

PLEASE COMPLETE THE FIELDS:

The Form has been sent successfully.