Research in Sports Medicine

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Effects of the pitch configuration design on

players’ physical performance and movement
behaviour during soccer small-sided games

Diogo Coutinho, Bruno Gonçalves, Sara Santos, Bruno Travassos, Del P.

Wong & Jaime Sampaio

To cite this article: Diogo Coutinho, Bruno Gonçalves, Sara Santos, Bruno Travassos, Del P.
Wong & Jaime Sampaio (2019) Effects of the pitch configuration design on players’ physical
performance and movement behaviour during soccer small-sided games, Research in Sports
Medicine, 27:3, 298-313, DOI: 10.1080/15438627.2018.1544133

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/15438627.2018.1544133

Published online: 05 Nov 2018.

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RESEARCH IN SPORTS MEDICINE
2019, VOL. 27, NO. 3, 298–313
https://doi.org/10.1080/15438627.2018.1544133

Effects of the pitch configuration design on players’ physical

performance and movement behaviour during soccer small-
sided games
Diogo Coutinho a,b, Bruno Gonçalves a,b
, Sara Santos a,b,c
, Bruno Travassos b,d
,
Del P. Wonge and Jaime Sampaio a,b
a
Department of Sports Sciences, Exercise and Health, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila
Real, Portugal; bResearch Centre in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development, CIDESD,
CreativeLab Research Community, Portugal; cUniversity Institute of Maia, ISMAI, Maia, Portugal;
d
Department of Sports Sciences, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal; eSport Science Research
Center, Shandong Sport University, Jinan, China

ABSTRACT ARTICLE HISTORY

This study aimed to identify the effects of different pitch config- Received 12 March 2018
urations on youth players positional and physical performances. Accepted 30 October 2018
Forty players participated in a Gk + 5vs5 + Gk small-sided game KEYWORDS
under four conditions: regular condition (regular), pitch with the Tactical variables; Global
direction of competitive matches; sided condition (sided), goals Positioning System; time-
were changed to width; different pitch orientation (≠orientation), motion analysis; spatial
performed in side-to-side line compared to competitive matches; references; soccer;
dynamic pitch (dynamic), boundaries were randomly changed variability; complex system
every minute by: regular pitch; decrease 6 m width; diamond
shape. The following variables were considered: players’ effective
playing space, distance between teammates’ dyads time spent
synchronized, average speed and a ratio between the distance
covered at different intensities and distance covered while reco-
vering. Overall, players exhibited better performances in pitches
that are more representative of the environmental information
seen during competitive matches (regular and ≠orientation).
However, coaches may also use different boundary conditions to
promote the players’ ability to adapt to different context
information.

Introduction
Soccer is an invasion team sport where two opposing teams dynamically compete in
space and time to gain advantage over the opponents (Folgado, Duarte, Fernandes, &
Sampaio, 2014a; Passos, Araújo, & Davids, 2016). This advantage is dependent on the
players’ ability to interact with the environmental information and unfold functional
movement behaviours (Coutinho et al., 2018a; Gonçalves, Marcelino, Torres-Ronda,
Torrents, & Sampaio, 2016b; Passos et al., 2016; Travassos, Gonçalves, Marcelino,
Monteiro, & Sampaio, 2014). However, since this information changes over time, training

CONTACT Diogo Coutinho damcoutinho@utad.pt Research Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and
Human Development, CIDESD, CreativeLab Research Community, Quinta de Prados, Ap. 202, Vila Real 5000-911,
Portugal
© 2018 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group
 RESEARCH IN SPORTS MEDICINE 299

sessions should develop players’ ability to deal with these complex and dynamic
environments (Sampaio & Maçãs, 2012). Based on these assumptions, small-sided
games (SSG) seems to be considered as a useful training tool to develop players’
physical, technical and tactical behaviours (Clemente et al., 2018; Clemente, Wong,
Martins, & Mendes, 2014; Coutinho et al., 2018b; Hill-Haas, Dawson, Impellizzeri, &
Coutts, 2011; Selmi, Gonçalves, Ouergui, Sampaio, & Bouassida, 2018), while it also
exposes the players to these changes in the environmental information (Davids,
Araújo, Correia, & Vilar, 2013; Ric et al., 2016). Furthermore, an advantage of SSG is
that by manipulating specific task constraints it is possible to highlight the relevant
information from the environment, that the players should use to support their move-
ment behaviours (Davids et al., 2013; Gonçalves et al., 2016b; Travassos et al., 2014). For
example, a previous study analyzed the players’ performance during a 5-a-side SSG
while manipulating the number of targets from 2 to 6 (Travassos et al., 2014). It was
found an increase in the time spent in the defensive sectors and in the lateral corridors,
as well as a higher distance between teams during the SSG with 6 targets. Accordingly,
the change in the number of targets, and consequently, the environmental information
promoted different tactical behaviours on the teams. In this regard, both coaches and
sport scientists should acknowledge how the different changes in the task rules may
modify the information available, and consequently, the players’ movement behaviour.
Several studies have been developed to better understand how changes in the task
constraints, such as pitch size or spatial references, impacts the players physical perfor-
mance (Clemente et al., 2018, 2014; Gonçalves et al., 2016a; Hill-Haas et al., 2011;
Lacome, Simpson, Cholley, & Buchheit, 2018; Olthof, Frencken, & Lemmink, 2017;
Owen, Wong, McKenna, & Dellal, 2011). For example, Casamichana and Castellano
(2010) analyzed the effect of three pitch sizes on the players physical and physiological
performances and found that players covered more total distance, distance covered in
low, medium and high-intensity running, distance covered per minute and maximum
speed when the pitch size was increased. While the results clearly show that increases in
pitches size lead to higher physical demands, to our knowledge no study to date has
identified the players’ activity demands in pitches with different configurations. For
example, playing in a pitch with higher width than length (width x length, 36 × 25 m)
may induce different physical demands than in a pitch with the opposite configuration
(25 × 36 m). Understanding the physical impact of each training task on the players have
been considered as fundamental by the available literature, since these tasks should
allow the players to be exposed to stimulus similar to those that they face during the
competitive matches (Abade, Gonçalves, Leite, & Sampaio, 2014; Martin-Garcia, Gomez
Diaz, Bradley, Morera, & Casamichana, 2018). For instance, players are continuously
required to modify their movement pattern from low intensity to high-intensity activities
during matches (Carling, Gall, & Dupont, 2012; Martin-Garcia et al., 2018; Taylor, Wright,
Dischiavi, Townsend, & Marmon, 2017). As so, it is important to monitor and control the
training tasks (Selmi, Marzouki, Ouergui, BenKhalifa, & Bouassida, 2018), in order to
promote optimal training adaptations that allow players to be prepared for the compe-
tition demands (Abade et al., 2014). However, the literature is scarce in describing the
intermittent activity of the players during pitch with different configurations designs.
Considering that coaches seem to use these type of tasks during training sessions, e.g.
300 D. COUTINHO ET AL.

pitches with higher width than length (Matkovich & Davis, 2009), it is important to
understand its effects on the players’ physical demands.
While the analysis of the physical profile variation according to the task constraints
has been extensively investigated, in turn, the effects of manipulation of the different
constraints on tactical behaviour are still scarce (Aguiar, Gonçalves, Botelho, Lemmink, &
Sampaio, 2015; Frencken, Van der Plaats, Visscher, & Lemmink, 2013; Gonçalves et al.,
2016b). For example, Frencken et al. (2013) analysed how decreasing the pitch width,
pitch length and both pitch width and length compared to a control situation affected
players’ movement behaviour. The results showed that players decreased their long-
itudinal and lateral inter-team distance, as well as the surface area, a result of decreasing
the pitch size. While this study adds important and novel findings regarding how players
adapt their movement behaviour according to changes in the pitch width and length, in
turn, no study to date has analyzed how different pitch orientations (e.g. playing in the
official pitch length direction or in the pitch width direction) might lead to different
movement behaviours.
Overall, these game-based situations help players to be attuned to the key informa-
tion that sustains the emergence of functional movement behaviours over the game
(Coutinho et al., 2018a; Davids et al., 2013; Travassos, Duarte, Vilar, Davids, & Araujo,
2012). In this regard, the coaches aim is to manipulate the key task constraints to
highlight the relevant information and help players to properly sustain their movement
behaviours on this information. Considering that this information is constantly changing,
coaches may increase the levels of task variability to promote also the ability to cope
with these dynamic environments. In fact, the variability has been related to higher
levels of learning (Herzfeld & Shadmehr, 2014), better attunement with environment
information (Seifert, Button, & Davids, 2013) and leading to the emergence of functional
exploratory behaviours (Coutinho et al., 2018c; Santos, Memmert, Sampaio, & Leite,
2016; Schollhorn, Mayer-Kress, Newell, & Michelbrink, 2009). While the previous reports
claim the key role of the variability in overall performance development, in turn, no
study to date has analyzed how this variability may modify players behaviour during
game-based tasks. Accordingly, this variability may be achieved by modifying the tasks
constraints during the task itself, such as modifying the pitch size during the game
without having to stop it. This type of dynamic constraints may emerge as a useful
solution to increase variability so that the players may be required to constantly adapt
their actions based on the new configurations of play and the resultant information
available. However, research in this domain is scarce and it would be important to
understand how players adjust their movement patterns during these dynamic tasks.
Despite previous considerations, the manipulation of SSG and the effect of such
manipulations should also account with the age, the level of expertise or the level of
game knowledge of the players (Bekris, Gissis, Ispyrlidis, Mylonis, & Axeti, 2018). In fact, it
has been suggested that players from different age groups interact differently with the
surrounding information, leading to distinct movement behaviours (Barnabé,
Volossovitch, Duarte, Ferreira, & Davids, 2016; Folgado, Lemmink, Frencken, &
Sampaio, 2014b; Olthof et al., 2017). For example, Folgado et al. (2014b) found that
older age groups showed higher commitment with the soccer principles of play, such as
stretching and creating space. However, more information on how youth players deal
with different task constraints is needed, as well as how their movement behaviour
 RESEARCH IN SPORTS MEDICINE 301

adapts to dynamic task constraints. Therefore, the present study aims to identify the
effects of different pitch configurations design on positioning and physical behaviour of
U13 and U15 soccer players.

Methods
Subjects
Forty youth soccer players from two age groups, under-13 and under-15 participated in
this study (Table 1). The sample size was calculated with G*Power (Version 3.1.5.1 Institut
für Experimentelle Psychologie, Düsseldorf, Germany) for an effect size of 0.6, an α of
0.05, and a power of 0.8 (1–β) (Faul, Erdfelder, Lang, & Buchner, 2007). The total sample
size computed by this method was a minimum of 19 players. Two goalkeepers were part
of the study but were excluded from the data analysis, once their positioning is very
restricted to a specific pitch area and their game dynamics are different from the outfield
players. An informed and written consent was provided to the coaches, players, and
their parents, as well as by the club, before the beginning of the study. All participants
were notified that they could withdraw from the study at any time. The study protocol
followed the guidelines stated in the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the
Local Ethics Committee.

Procedures
All players were tested during two sessions in the competitive period (February). While
in the first session, the players were familiarized with SSG conditions, the second session
was used for testing purposes. Four teams of the same age performed each game
situation, accounting for 2 game situations in each condition per age group. Before
the experimental tasks, the players performed a standardized 15-min warm-up based on
running and a ball possession game (5-a-side without goals), followed by the 4 condi-
tions. Accordingly, each condition lasted for 6-min, interspersed by a 3-min of passive
rest between conditions, accounting for a total time of 33-min. All SSG were played with
the official game rules, apart from the offside that was not applied. Before the SSG, the
players were instructed to perform the task according to their own playing positional
role. Several balls were placed around the field to ensure its replacement as fast as
possible, decreasing the time that the ball was out of play. No coach feedback or
encouragement was allowed during the conditions.

Table 1. Participants characteristics.

Training Training
Playing sessions session Competitive Official
Age Age Height Mass Experience per duration Matches per Pitch Size
Groups N (years) (cm) (kg) (years) week (n) (min) week (n) (m)
Under-13 20 11.3 ± 0.5 152.3 ± 6.9 38.0 ± 9.3 4.9 ± 2.7 3 ~90 1 64 × 43 m
Under-15 20 13.3 ± 0.6 161.4 ± 8.1 55.8 ± 6.9 7.0 ± 1.6 4 90–105 1 104 × 64 m
302 D. COUTINHO ET AL.

Experimental task
The team composition was established by the head coach based on his subjective evalua-
tion of the players technical, tactical, physical skills and participation in competitive
matches (Casamichana & Castellano, 2010). Accordingly, each team played in the
Gk + 1 + 3 + 1 formation, and therefore, it was composed by one goalkeeper, one central
defender, three midfielders and one forward. The SSG consisted of a Gk + 5vs5 + Gk SSG on
an artificial turf pitch measuring 36 m × 25 m (length × width), and it was played once by
each team under four experimental scenarios (see Figure 1): (i) regular pitch (regular), the
SSG was performed in the same goal-to-goal direction that players usually play in reference
to official match pitch (average playing area per player = 75 m2); (ii) sided pitch (sided), the
targets locations were changed from the pitch length to the pitch width (higher width than
length; average playing area per player = 75 m2); (iii) different orientation pitch (≠orienta-
tion), taking as reference the official pitch, the SSG was performed in the side line to side
line direction (lateral to lateral; average playing area per player = 75 m2); (iv) dynamic pitch
(dynamic), the pitch boundaries were randomly changed at every minute for one of the
following scenarios: regular pitch (average playing area per player = 75 m2); small pitch
(average playing area per player = 58 m2); diamond pitch (average playing area per
player = ~ 29 m2). The order of the SSG was kept constant in both teams and age groups
to allow the comparison of the results. However, in the last condition (dynamic), there were
three scenarios that were firstly random assigned (e.g. regular, diamond, small, regular,
small, diamond), and then applied in the same order to all teams and age groups. In
addition, during this last condition, the players were exposed twice to each space (2 min).

Figure 1. Schematic representation of the SSG pitch designs.

 RESEARCH IN SPORTS MEDICINE 303

All the conditions have the same pitch area (900 m2), apart from the dynamic condition, in
which the small and diamond shape scenarios presented smaller areas (small = 700 m2; and
diamond shape = 350 m2).

Pitch positioning derived-variables

Positional data, the distance covered and game pace during the SSG conditions were gathered
using 5 Hz global positioning system (GPS) units (SPI-PRO, GPSports, Canberra, ACT, Australia).
Validity and reliability of these systems had already been provided (Coutts & Duffield, 2010;
Johnston et al., 2012). The typical error measurement is below 5% when considering the total
distance covered and between 5% and 10% during peak speed (Johnston et al., 2012). During
data collection, the number of satellites connected with each device was 9.2 ± 1.1. The players’
latitude and longitude coordinates obtained through the GPS units were exported and
processed using appropriate routines in Matlab® (MathWorks, Inc., Massachusetts, USA) (see
Folgado et al. (2014a) for data correction guidelines). The total distance covered was used and
three distance ratios were processed to relate the distance covered at high to very high (Higher
Ratio: above 16 km/h), moderate (Moderate Ratio: 10.0–15.9 km/h) and low intensity (Lower
Ratio: 7.0–9.9 km/h) with distance covered at very low intensities (0.0–6.9 km/h) normalized for
each 100 m to allow comparisons (Abade et al., 2014). These type of work ratios have been
used by the available literature to compare and describe the activity demands between
different conditions (Casamichana, Castellano, & Castagna, 2012; Coutinho et al., 2018b;
Ferraz et al., 2018). From a practical application point of view, this variable allows under-
standing how much distance the players cover at the different speeds taking into considera-
tion 100 m while walking. From a processing perspective, and taking the high ratio as an
example, it is calculated with the following formula: (distance covered in the high ratio/
distance covered while walking)*100, i.e. if a player covered 200 m while walking (<6.9 km/
h) and 25 at high speed (>16.0 km/h) during a game situation, the player’s ratio is 12.5 m,
meaning that for each 100 m covered while walking, 12.5 m were performed at high speed.
Also, the players’ average speed displacement (km/h) was used to identify the game pace. The
dynamic positional data of the players were used to determine the team effective playing
space, processed from the smallest convex hull, that is the smallest polygonal area that it is
delimited by the peripheral players (Gonçalves et al., 2018, 2016b). Also, the distance between
teammates’ dyads (n = 10 dyads per team) was computed (Folgado, Duarte, Marques, &
Sampaio, 2015). The level of intra-team coordination tendencies was assessed through the
time that teammates dyads spent synchronized in both longitudinal and lateral directions.
These two last variables were calculated using the Hilbert transform (Palut & Zanone, 2005) and
applied for all possible dyads for the five outfield teammates. The near-in-phase synchroniza-
tion of each dyad was quantified according to the percentage of time spent between −30º to
30º bin (near-in-phase mode of coordination) (Folgado et al., 2014a).

Statistical analysis
The comparisons between the conditions were analyzed with a specific spreadsheet for
post-only crossover trial (Hopkins, 2006; Hopkins, Marshall, Batterham, & Hanin, 2009). The
physical and positional related variables effects were estimated in percent units through
log-transformation (to reduce the non-uniformity of error) and uncertainty in the estimate
304 D. COUTINHO ET AL.

was expressed as 90% confidence limits. Smallest worthwhile differences were measured
using the standardized units multiplied by 0.2 (Hopkins, 2004). Uncertainty in the true
effects of the conditions was assessed based on non-clinical magnitude-based inferences.
Probabilities were reported using the following scale: >5%, unclear; 25 to 75%, possibly; 75%
to 95%, likely; 95% to 99%, very likely; >99%, most likely (Hopkins et al., 2009). Standardized
(Cohen) mean differences and respective 90% confidence intervals were also computed as
magnitude of observed effects, and, thresholds were: <0.2, trivial; 0.6, small; 1.20, moderate;
2.0, large; and >2.0, very large (Hopkins et al., 2009).

Results
Physical performance
Table 2 and Figure 2 shows the physical variables outcome comparisons among considered
SSG scenarios in U13 age group. Overall, higher values were found in the regular condition.
Accordingly, higher game pace and total distance covered were found in the regular
scenario, which shown very likely higher values than sided and dynamic conditions, and
possibly higher than ≠orientation scenario. Similarly, higher distance covered at higher
speeds was found in the regular condition, which shown very likely higher values than the
sided condition and likely higher than the ≠orientation and dynamic scenarios. Also, the
regular condition presented most likely higher values in the moderate ratio than sided
scenario and very likely higher than the dynamic condition. The results also showed higher
values in the low ratio in the regular condition than the other scenarios.
Table 3 and Figure 3 shows the physical variables outcome comparisons among
considered SSG scenarios in U15 age group. The results revealed higher mean values in
all variables for the regular condition. In this sense, the regular condition showed most
likely higher values in the game pace and total distance covered than the sided and
dynamic conditions and then the ≠orientation scenario. The regular condition has also
presented likely/most likely higher mean values in the distance covered in the moderate
and low ratios than the sided, than the ≠orientation and the dynamic condition.

Tactical behaviour
Table 2 and Figure 2 presents the comparisons of the positional variables among
considered SSG scenarios in U13 age group. The results showed a likely lower EPS
values in the regular condition compared to the ≠orientation condition, however the
regular condition it also presented possibly higher values in the EPS than both sided and
dynamic conditions. In the regular condition, there was a most likely decrease in the
distance between dyads compared to the ≠orientation scenario. The percentage of time
spent synchronized in the longitudinal direction revealed most likely higher values for
the regular than sided, and a very likely higher values for the regular scenario when
comparing with both the ≠orientation and dynamic.
Table 3 and Figure 3 presents the comparisons of the positional variables among
considered SSG scenarios in the U15 age group. The results from the EPS showed higher
values for the regular scenario, with possibly higher values compared to the sided and
most likely higher than the dynamic condition. Following the higher values in EPS, the
Table 2. Descriptive physical and movement behaviour variables (mean±SD).
Difference in means (%; ±90% CL)
U13 Age Group Uncertainty in the true differences
Regular Sided ≠Orientation Dynamic Smallest Worthwhile Regular vs Regular vs Regular vs
Variables (Mean±SD) (Mean±SD) (Mean±SD) (Mean±SD) Change (%) Sided ≠Orientation Dynamic
Positional Variables
Effective Playing Space (m2) 62.94 ± 14.18 57.66 ± 9.90 75.81 ± 25.33 58.43 ± 14.61 5.0 −7.5; ± 10.8 17.2; ±15.9 −7.5; ±10.6
Possibly ↓ Likely ↑ Possibly ↓
Distance between Dyads (m) 8.19 ± 1.92 8.07 ± 1.93 9.29 ± 2.48 8.22 ± 1.97 4.9 −1.6; ± 3.5 12.5; ±4.6 0.2; ±3.6
Likely Most Likely ↓ Very Likely
Trivial Trivial
Longitudinal Synchronization (%) 61.61 ± 8.23 46.28 ± 7.88 56.56 ± 13.64 54.25 ± 12.70 4.2 −25.2; ±3.5 −10.0; ±5.3 −14.2; ±6.5
Most Likely Very Likely ↓ Very Likely ↓
↓
Lateral Synchronization (%) 49.36 ± 9.74 49.27 ± 10.62 47.23 ± 13.79 37.63 ± 12.27 5.8 −0.6; ±5.4 −6.9; ±6.6 −26.8; ±7.0
Likely Possibly ↓ Most Likely ↓
Trivial
Physical Variables
Game Pace (km/h) 5.12 ± 0.87 4.58 ± 0.84 4.88 ± 0.70 4.27 ± 0.86 3.9 −10.6; ±3.0 −4.2; ±4.4 −17.1; ±4.1
Most Likely Possibly ↓ Most likely ↓
↓
Total Distance Covered (m) 511.38 ± 87.92 458.16 ± 84.37 488.23 ± 69.95 427.41 ± 86.32 3.9 −10.5; ±3.1 −4.0; ±4.3 −16.9; ±4.1
Most Likely Possibly ↓ Most likely ↓
↓
High Ratio (m/100 m) 5.59 ± 5.90 1.74 ± 2.95 2.73 ± 3.35 2.91 ± 4.25 27.0 −74.0; ±19.7 −51.9; ±31.3 −59.6; ±32.2
Very Likely Likely ↓ Likely ↓
↓
Moderate Ratio (m/100 m) 44.65 ± 23.18 30.07 ± 13.83 38.06 ± 14.69 29.22 ± 13.36 11.9 −28.7; ±8.1 −5.3; ±18.5 −28.9; ±13.9
Most Likely Unclear Very Likely ↓
↓
Low Ratio (m/100 m) 148.32 ± 14.62 143.32 ± 17.01 144.90 ± 14.25 133.65 ± 12.13 2.1 −3.5; ±2.5 −2.3; ±3.3 −9.8; ±2.5
Likely ↓ Possibly ↓ Most Likely ↓
RESEARCH IN SPORTS MEDICINE

Difference in means and uncertainty in the true differences comparisons among the considered pitch SSG scenarios for the U13 age group
Note: CL = Confidence limits. Symbols: ↓ = decrease; ↑ = increase.
305
306 D. COUTINHO ET AL.

Figure 2. Standardized (Cohen) differences in the positional and physical variables between the SSG
scenarios according to the U13 age group. Error bars indicate uncertainty in the true mean changes
with 90% confidence intervals. Abbreviations: m = meters; Sync = Synchronization.

regular condition also revealed very likely higher values in the distance between dyads
than the dynamic condition. The results from the time spent synchronized in the long-
itudinal direction showed a most likely higher values for the regular condition than in
the sided condition (moderate effects), and likely higher than in the ≠orientation (small
effects). Finally, the regular condition presented possibly higher time spent synchronized
in the lateral direction than the sided and ≠orientation scenarios and likely higher than
the dynamic condition.

Discussion
This study aimed to identify the effects of different pitch configurations design on the
tactical and physical behaviour of U13 and U15 soccer players. Overall, different pitch
configurations impacted the players’ physical performance and their movement beha-
viour. Previous report has claimed that players’ exhibit better performances at home
matches, partially because they have a higher facility familiarity (Gómez, Gómez-Lopez,
Lago, & Sampaio, 2012). In this regard, is it possible that the higher values found in
almost all variables for the regular condition may be related with a higher attunement of
players to the key information that players should use to perform during both training
sessions and competitive matches.
From the physical perspective, higher mean values were observed for almost all of
the variables for the regular scenario. Accordingly, a better understanding of players
performance may be achieved if it is considered the complementary relation between
the time-motion variables and players positioning (Folgado et al., 2014a). In fact, pre-
vious research found that the total distance covered during a testing task performed in
the beginning and in the final of the preseason decreased as result of the increased
movement synchronization (Folgado, Gonçalves, & Sampaio, 2018). As so, and consider-
ing the teams were more dispersed and the distance between players were higher
during the regular scenario, is it possible that the players may have to perform more
demanding movements in specific moments, to improve the spatial equilibrium on the
field, such as ball loss moments. Furthermore, the regular condition revealed in general
higher movement synchronization in both longitudinal and lateral directions.
Accordingly, it has been shown that players are required to move in order to maintain
Table 3. Descriptive physical movement behaviour variables (mean±SD). Difference in means and uncertainty in the true differences comparisons among the
considered pitch SSG scenarios for the U15 age group.
Difference in means (%; ±90% CL)
U15 Age Group Uncertainty in the true differences
Regular Sided ≠Orientation Dynamic Smallest Worthwhile Regular vs Regular vs Regular vs
Variables (Mean±SD) (Mean±SD) (Mean±SD) (Mean±SD) Change (%) Sided ≠Orientation Dynamic
Positional Variables
Effective Playing Space (m2) 90.87 ± 20.03 84.87 ± 17.52 87.72 ± 12.58 72.76 ± 16.32 4.1 −6.0; ±7.8 −2.1; ±8.7 −20.0; ±6.8
Possible ↓ Unclear Most Likely ↓
Distance between Dyads (m) 9.94 ± 2.30 9.76 ± 2.30 9.90 ± 2.08 9.12 ± 2.17 4.6 −2.0; ±4.0 0.0; ±4.0 −8.3; ±3.3
Likely Likely Trivial Very Likely ↓
Trivial
Longitudinal Synchronization (%) 49.81 ± 8.30 38.59 ± 8.38 45.85 ± 15.61 51.11 ± 10.55 5.3 −23.2; ±4.3 −12.3; ±9.5 2.0; ±6.6
Most Likely Likely ↓ Likely Trivial
↓
Lateral Synchronization (%) 38.90 ± 11.15 36.46 ± 15.30 36.26 ± 11.93 33.21 ± 10.61 8.1 −11.0; ±11.5 −8.6; ±9.6 −15.2; ±9.7
Possible ↓ Possible ↓ Likely ↓
Physical Variables
Game Pace (km/h) 5.93 ± 0.48 5.22 ± 0.53 5.53 ± 0.41 5.13 ± 0.63 2.0 −12.2; ±2.1 −6.7; ±2.2 −13.9; ±2.9
Most Likely Most Likely ↓ Most Likely↓
↓
Total Distance Covered (m) 592.37 ± 47.22 520.57 ± 52.73 552.47 ± 40.38 512.17 ± 62.96 2.0 −12.3; ±2.1 −6.7; ±2.1 −13.9; ±2.9
Most Likely Most Likely ↓ Most Likely↓
↓
High Ratio (m/100m) 7.06 ± 5.81 4.03 ± 3.55 5.34 ± 6.47 4.34 ± 6.62 27.2 −29.7; ±45.6 20.5; ±95.5 −45.0; ±66.5
Unclear Unclear Unclear
Moderate Ratio (m/100m) 148.80 ± 36.76 105.15 ± 31.65 129.91 ± 39.54 105.62 ± 50.94 7.9 −30.5; ±6.7 −13.9; ±10.6 −35.5; ±12.1
Most Likely Likely ↓ Most Likely ↓
↓
Low Ratio (m/100m) 158.89 ± 16.63 146.24 ± 12.74 146.50 ± 10.93 143.11 ± 11.43 1.7 −7.8; ±2.4 −7.6; ±2.6 −9.7; ±3.1
Most Likely Most Likely ↓ Most Likely ↓
↓
RESEARCH IN SPORTS MEDICINE

Note: CL = Confidence limits. Symbols: ↓ = decrease; ↑ = increase.

307
308 D. COUTINHO ET AL.

Figure 3. Standardized (Cohen) differences in the positional and physical variables between the SSG
scenarios according to the U15 age group. Error bars indicate uncertainty in the true mean changes
with 90% confidence intervals. Abbreviations: m = meters; Sync = Synchronization.

this team synchrony (Gonçalves et al., 2016a), which may also have impacted their
physical performance. In addition, it has been highlighted that the training tasks may
apply a similar stimulus as those found in competition (Abade et al., 2014; Carling et al.,
2012). In this regard, it has been found that the amount of high-intensity running has
increased during the last years (Martin-Garcia et al., 2018), and therefore, the training
tasks may be able to cope with these demands. The results from this study revealed that
higher values at the high distance ratio were found in the regular condition. Therefore,
coaches may use this task to increase the distance covered at high intensity, while at the
same time promote team dispersion and movement synchronization.
The time that the players spent synchronized in both the longitudinal and lateral
directions have been used to better understand the level of interpersonal synchroniza-
tion within dyads of players (Folgado et al., 2014a, 2015, 2018). While this movement
synchrony seems to be dependent on the players’ local proximity during senior level
players (Folgado et al., 2014a), in turn, youth players may be more dependent on the
pitch spatial references. That is, in both age groups high values of longitudinal synchro-
nization were found in the regular condition. Thus, it may be possible that less experi-
enced players may not possess sufficient game knowledge to perceive and adapt their
movement behaviour based on teammates positioning, and therefore, they may rely
their position based on specific spatial references, such as target location.
Interesting results were also found in the time spent synchronized in the lateral
direction. Although the sided pitch presented higher width than length, this pitch
configuration did not lead to a higher time spent synchronized compared to the regular
condition. Accordingly, these results may be linked with a higher use of pitch length
than the width in younger age groups. In fact, previous reports have shown that less
experienced age groups usually show higher values of length than width, possibly
because they seek to approach the target as soon as possible by using the pitch length
(Barnabé et al., 2016; Folgado et al., 2014b; Olthof, Frencken, & Lemmink, 2015).
However, coaches could use pitches with higher width than length to expose players
to these situations so that they become more aware of perceiving and use the available
lateral space.
Higher mean values of team dispersion in both age groups were found in both the
regular and ≠orientation scenarios. Considering that youth players may adjust more
 RESEARCH IN SPORTS MEDICINE 309

their positioning based on spatial references, such as the distance and angle to the
target (Laakso, Travassos, Liukkonen, & Davids, 2017), the target location (Travassos
et al., 2014), or the sectorial and corridor lines (Coutinho et al., 2018a) and less on
teammates compared to senior players (Gonçalves et al., 2016a), it is possible proper
positioning’s in youth players may emerge when the task environmental cues are more
similar to those found in real match contexts. Therefore, players might have felt ease in
perceiving and using the available space in both the regular and orientation scenarios,
due to their higher similarity to competitive matches. While it has been highlighted that
training tasks should simulate the same perceptual motor-landscape that the players
face during the competition (Olthof et al., 2017; Travassos et al., 2012), the key role of
movement variability in developing players performance has also been increasingly
recognized (Seifert et al., 2013). Thus, exposing the players to different pitch configura-
tions, e.g. the sided or dynamic scenarios, may emerge as an optimal solution to induce
movement variability. Additionality, it is not surprising the higher values found in the
distance between dyads during the regular scenario for both age groups, since this
condition showed higher team dispersion.
This study points out new insights related with players’ movement behaviour and
physical performance according to different pitch configurations, however, the results
may be limited by the reduced number of game situations performed in each SSG
condition since it was only performed two game situations per SSG condition.
Additionally, despite the overall data collection did not exceed the 33-min, in turn, the
SSG conditions were performed always in the same order and thus is it possible that the
players’ performance in the last conditions may have been affected by their activity in
the first game scenarios. Therefore, future studies should account with the order of these
game scenarios to better provide an understanding of its effects. Finally, future studies
should also aim to compare the effects of the tasks between age groups.
Overall, coaches may use the regular condition to promote the players’ movement
synchronization, team dispersion and higher physical demands. Considering the similar
values between the regular and ≠orientation scenarios, coaches may use the second
situation during away games to decrease the players’ dependency on the spatial
references. Additionally, coaches may also use the sided and dynamic conditions, not
only to promote task variability, as well as to promote the players’ ability to adapt to the
different environmental information that sustains their individual and collective beha-
viour (Coutinho et al., 2018c). The results from this study suggest that the pitch config-
uration is an important constraint to be considered by the coaches when designing
training tasks for tactical and physical aims.

Conclusion
Changing the pitch configuration has greatly impacted players positional decisions.
Accordingly, higher values were found in the regular condition, which is the condition
most similar to full sized matches, suggesting that this type of tasks are more
representative in relation to available information with the one found in competitive
matches, mainly at home matches. However, considering that players may have to
deal with different spatial references in away matches, the ≠orientation may be more
suitable to decrease the players’ dependence on specific spatial references, since this
310 D. COUTINHO ET AL.

scenario has also revealed high values in most of the variables. Additionally, as youth
players seem to be dependent on references to sustain their positional decisions,
therefore using different pitch configurations might help players to improve their
ability to identify the most relevant cues that support the emergence of functional
behaviours.

Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT,
Portugal) through a Doctoral grant endorsed to the first author (SFRH/BD/105081/2014) under
the Human Potential Operating Program (POPH). Project NanoSTIMA: Macro-to-Nano Human
Sensing: Towards Integrated Multimodal Health Monitoring and Analytics, NORTE-01-0145-
FEDER-000016, Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER) - NORTE 2020.

Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Funding
This work was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT,
Portugal) through a Doctoral grant endorsed to the first author (SFRH/BD/105081/2014) under
the Human Potential Operating Program (POPH). Project NanoSTIMA: Macro-to-Nano Human
Sensing: Towards Integrated Multimodal Health Monitoring and Analytics, NORTE-01-0145-
FEDER-000016, Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER).

ORCID
Diogo Coutinho http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6605-9505
Bruno Gonçalves http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7874-4104
Sara Santos http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4090-5790
Bruno Travassos http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2165-2687
Jaime Sampaio http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2335-9991

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