Evaluation of research using computerised tracking systems (Amisco and Prozone) to analyse physical performance in elite soccer: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Technology improvements in elite soccer have enabled the performance of individual players and teams to be analysed in extreme detail. The volume and immediate availability of this information allows coaches and sports scientists to make more informed decisions about current and future needs, thus increasing the teams' potential to perform. In the last decade, one of the most valuable technologies used in elite soccer is the Computerised video tracking system that quantifies technical and physical performance parameters, although new applications are being developed. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review aims to evaluate the pertaining research literature that has specifically used the Amisco and Prozone Computerised video tracking systems to analyse the physical performance of elite players. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, PsycINFO, ProQuest, and Teseo were used for the literature search. RESULTS: After two selection phases, a total of 38 studies were reviewed, which revealed that the majority of studies were of a high standard with most fulfilling the majority of the quality criteria. A critical appraisal of this literature was conducted to assess issues regarding sample size, positional subsets, variables measured, and possible future applications. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review demonstrates that Computerised video tracking systems are a valuable data collection tool to enable sports scientists to identify the current physical demands placed on players in competition to allow them to apply data to training and testing protocols. Current Computerised tracking systems in elite soccer still provide adequate detail on the physical and technical performances of players but must develop further to compete with the array of additional parameters offered by new technologies such as global or local positioning system technology. However, physical parameters are highly dependent on the role played by technical and tactical factors, and thus improved knowledge of these parameters is needed to allow a more complete understanding of their impact on physical demands.

Análisis del espacio de interacción en fútbol / Analyzing the space for interaction in soccer

El objetivo del trabajo es conocer cuál es la dinámica en el uso del espacio de interacción que los equipos desarrollan en un partido de competición. Se estudiaron seis partidos de la Liga española, registrándose la ubicación espacial de jugadores y el balón en cada una de las posesiones individuales de balón (N = 6793) que dispusieron los jugadores durante la competición. Los registros se codificaron a partir de la salida de datos que aporta la tecnología video tracking del sistema AMISCO Pro® que permitió registrar variables como: amplitud (AMP), profundidad (PRO) y superficie (SUP) del espacio de juego efectivo del equipo, la altura de la defensa (AD) en relación a la portería que defiende, la distancia entre la línea retrasada de un equipo respecto a la adversaria (DD) cuando los equipos tuvieron o no posesión del balón, y las distancias del balón respecto a la banda derecha (BD) e izquierda (BI) para el equipo en posesión del balón. Las variables espaciales se contextualizaron en relación a la ubicación del balón en el eje longitudinal del espacio a partir de la subdivisión del terreno de juego en cinco zonas transversales. Los resultados fueron los siguientes: valores superiores estadísticamente significativos con relación a las variables espaciales AMP, PRO y SUP cuando el equipo tuvo posesión del balón respecto a cuando no la tuvo, no así para las variables BD y BI, así como para AD y DD con relación a las 5 zonas transversales del terreno de juego con y sin posesión del balón. Las conclusiones de este trabajo permiten aumentar el conocimiento referente a la interacción de los equipos que disputan un partido, y en consecuencia, gestionar la importancia de los requerimientos estratégicos espaciales con relación a la dinámica del juego y al rendimiento (AU)

The aim of the study was to determine ways in which soccer players make spatial use of the pitch during a competition match. Six matches from the Spanish league were studied, recording the spatial location of the players and ball in each individual instance of ball possession (N = 6793) during competitive play. Coding was performed using data obtained from the AMISCO Pro® video tracking system, which enabled the following variables to be recorded: the width (WID), depth (DEP) and surface area (SFA) of a team’s effective playing area; the position of the defensive line (PD) in relation to the goal being defended; the distance between a team’s defensive line and the opposing team (DD), both when the team was in possession of the ball and when it was not; and, for the team with the ball, the distance between the ball and the right touchline (BR) and between the ball and the left touchline (BL). The spatial variables were contextualized, considering the longitudinal location of the ball by dividing the pitch into five transverse zones. The results showed that the values of WID, DEP and SFA were significantly higher when the team was in possession of the ball, as opposed to when it was not. However, this was not the case for the BR and BL variables. Ball possession was, however, associated with significant differences in the case of the PD and DD variables with respect to the five transverse pitch zones. The results of this study shed further light on interaction between soccer teams, and they should help coaches to manage the strategic use of space so as to improve performance (AU)