Latest research in football - week 23 - 2019

#1 Fundamental Motor Skills Mediate the Relationship Between Physical Fitness and Soccer-Specific Motor Skills in Young Soccer Players
Reference: Front Physiol. 2019 May 28;10:596. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00596. eCollection 2019.
Authors: Kokstejn J, Musalek M, Wolanski P, Murawska-Cialowicz E, Stastny P
Summary: Fundamental motor skills (FMS) are the basic elements of more complex sport-specific skills and should be mastered at the end of early childhood; however, the relationship between FMS and sport-specific skills has not yet been verified in prepubertal soccer players. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the role of FMS in the process of acquiring soccer-specific motor skills (measured using speed dribbling) with regard to physical fitness and biological maturation. Forty male soccer players (11.5 ± 0.3 years of age) at the highest performance level participated in the study. The test of Gross Motor Development - second edition and Unifittest 6-60 were used to assess FMS and physical fitness, respectively. The role of FMS in a complex theoretical model with the relationships between physical fitness, biological maturation and speed dribbling was analyzed by multiple regression path analyses (MRPA). Moderate to strong correlations were found between FMS, physical fitness, and speed dribbling (r = 0.56-0.66). Biological maturation did not appear to be a significant predictor of physical fitness or speed dribbling. The MRPA model using FMS as mediator variable between physical fitness and speed dribbling showed a significant indirect effect (standard estimation = -0.31, p = 0.001; R 2 = 0.25). However, the direct correlation between physical fitness and speed dribbling was non-significant. Our results showed that FMS significantly strengthened the influence of physical fitness on the performance of speed dribbling, a soccer-specific motor skill, and thus play an important role in the process of acquiring sport-specific motor skills in prepubertal soccer players. When considering the long-term training process, especially during childhood and before puberty, a wide range of FMS activities should be applied for better and possibly faster acquisition of soccer-specific motor skills.


#2 Tart Cherry Juice: No Effect on Muscle Function Loss or Muscle Soreness in Professional Soccer Players After a Match
Reference: Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2019 Jun 12:1-21. doi: 10.1123/ijspp.2019-0221. [Epub ahead of print]
Authors: Abbott W, Brashill C, Brett A, Clifford T
Summary: The purpose was to investigate the effects of tart cherry juice (TCJ) on recovery from a soccer match in professional players. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design, 10 male professional soccer players from the reserve team of an English Premier League Club (age 19 ± 1 y, height 1.8 ± 0.6 m, body mass 77.3 ± 6.4 kg) consumed 2 × 30-mL servings of TCJ or an isocaloric cherry-flavored control drink (CON) before and after a 90-min match, and 12 and 36 h after the match. Muscle function (countermovement jump-height [CMJ], reactive strength index [RSI]), subjective well-being, and subjective muscle soreness (MS) were measured before and 12, 36, and 60 h after each match. CMJ height was similarly reduced in the days after the match after TCJ and CON supplementation, with the greatest loss occurring at 12 h postmatch (-5.9% ± 3.1% vs -5.4% ± 2.9% of baseline values, respectively; P = .966, ηp2 = .010). Decrements in RSI were also greatest at 12 h postmatch (TCJ -9.4% ± 8.4% vs CON -13.9% ± 4.8% of baseline values), but no group differences were observed at any time point (P = .097, ηp2 = .205). MS increased 12-60 h postmatch in both groups, peaking at 12 h postmatch (TCJ 122 ± 27 mm vs CON 119 ± 22 mm), but no group differences were observed (P = .808, ηp2 = .024). No interaction effects were observed for subjective well-being (P = .874, ηp2 = .025). Tart cherry juice did not hasten recovery after a soccer match in professional players. These findings bring into question the use of TCJ as a recovery aid in professional soccer players.


#3 Macronutrient Intake in Soccer Players-A Meta-Analysis
Reference: Nutrients. 2019 Jun 9;11(6). pii: E1305. doi: 10.3390/nu11061305.
Authors: Steffl M, Kinkorova I, Kokstejn J, Petr M
Download link: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/11/6/1305/pdf
Summary: The nutrition of soccer players is an important topic and its knowledge may help to increase the quality of this popular game and prevent possible health problems and injuries in players. This meta-analysis aims to estimate the current dietary trends of three basic macronutrients in junior and senior soccer players during the first two decades of the 21st century. We analyzed data from 647 junior players (mean age 10.0-19.3) from 27 groups, and 277 senior (mean age 20.7-27.1) players from 8 groups from altogether 21 papers in this meta-analysis. Weighted averages were calculated for each macronutrients. Protein intake is higher than recommended in both juniors, 1.9 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.8-2.0 g/kg/day, and seniors 1.8 95% CI 1.6-2.0 g/kg/day. However, carbohydrate intake is still below the recommended values in both groups (5.7 95% CI 5.5-5.9 g/kg/day in junior and 4.7 95% CI 4.3-5.0 g/kg/day in senior players). The proportion of fat as total energy intake is in concordance with the recommendations (31.5 95% CI 32.0-35.9% in junior and 33.1 95% CI 29.9-36.2% in senior players). In particular, due to possible health complications, the small carbohydrate intake should be alarming for coaches, nutritional experts, and parents.


#4 How anterior pelvic tilt affects the lower extremity kinematics during the late swing phase in soccer players while running: A time series analysis
Reference: Hum Mov Sci. 2019 Jun 5;66:459-466. doi: 10.1016/j.humov.2019.06.001. [Epub ahead of print]
Authors: Alizadeh S, Mattes K
Summary: Anterior pelvic tilt has been proposed to predispose the hamstring in soccer players to injury at the late swing phase during a sprint, however the mechanism on how the changes in the alignment would affect the kinematics are still unclear. Thirty-four male amateur soccer players were recruited for this study. Pelvic tilt was measured using the DIERS Formetric 4D. Lower extremity angles were recorded using an 8-camera Vicon motion capture system at 200 Hz while the athlete performed a high speed run on a motorised treadmill. Late swing phase was extracted from 5 running cycle which were later analysed using statistical parametric mapping (SPM). The results show that the increase of anterior pelvic tilt angle was significantly correlated with hip (r = -0.421 to -0.462, p = 0.015) and knee flexion (r = -0.424 to -0.472, p = 0.026) values. No other correlation was found between the anterior pelvic tilt and the angles at the coronal plane. By using time series analysis it was shown that the anterior pelvic tilt measured in a standing position would affect the adjacent segments' kinematics while running as suggested in the kinetic chain theory; which would potentially predispose the soccer athletes to hamstring injury by maintaining knee extension.


#5 Gaining or Losing Team Ball Possession: The Dynamics of Momentum Perception and Strategic Choice in Football Coaches
Reference: Front Psychol. 2019 May 28;10:1019. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01019. eCollection 2019.
Authors: Briki W, Zoudji B
Summary: Grounded in the dynamical systems approach, the present research examined the influence of team ball possession (TBP) in soccer on coaches' perceived psychological momentum (PM) and strategic choice (i.e., game-based "stick" vs. "switch" choices) during a simulated match. Experienced soccer coaches imagined being the coach of the team involved in a highly important match that was displayed on a wall in a lecture hall. The match scenario was manipulated so that the coach was exposed to either a positive momentum sequence (i.e., ascending scenario of TBP) or a negative momentum sequence (i.e., descending scenario of TBP). Results revealed that positive (or negative) momentum sequence increased (or decreased) perceived PM and increased stick (or switch) choices. Perceived PM globally evolved linearly, while strategic choice displayed a dynamical pattern of "critical boundary" (thus showing a nonlinear change). Nonetheless, both variables displayed asymmetrical effects, in the sense that: (1) the strength of positive PM appeared to be easier to decrease than to increase; and (2) the greater the positive PM (or the negative PM), the lesser (or the greater) the coaches' tendency to make a change in the organization of their teams. This investigation evidences that TBP can powerfully influence coaches' perceptions and strategic decisions, and that coaches are more likely to be sensitive to negative events than to equivalent positive events.


#6 Time before return to play for the most common injuries in professional football: a 16-year follow-up of the UEFA Elite Club Injury Study
Reference: Br J Sports Med. 2019 Jun 10. pii: bjsports-2019-100666. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2019-100666. [Epub ahead of print]
Authors: Ekstrand J, Krutsch W, Spreco A, van Zoest W, Roberts C, Meyer T, Bengtsson H
Download link: https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/bjsports/early/2019/06/10/bjsports-2019-100666.full.pdf
Summary: The objective was to describe the typical duration of absence following the most common injury diagnoses in professional football. Injuries were registered by medical staff members of football clubs participating in the Union of European Football Association Elite Club Injury Study. Duration of absence due to an injury was defined by the number of days that passed between the date of the injury occurrence and the date when the medical team allowed the player to return to full participation. In total, 22 942 injuries registered during 494 team-seasons were included in the study. The 31 most common injury diagnoses constituted a total of 78 % of all reported injuries. Most of these injuries were either mild (leading to a median absence of 7 days or less, 6440 cases = 42%) or moderate (median absence: 7-28 days, 56% = 8518 cases) while only few (2% = 311 cases) were severe (median absence of >28 days). The mean duration of absence from training and competition was significantly different (p < 0.05) between index injuries and re-injuries for six diagnoses (Achilles tendon pain, calf muscle injury, groin adductor pain, hamstring muscle injuries and quadriceps muscle injury) with longer absence following re-injuries for all six diagnoses. The majority of all time loss due to injuries in professional football stems from injuries with an individual absence of up to 4 weeks. This article can provide guidelines for expected time away from training and competition for the most common injury types as well as for its realistic range.


#7 Keep Your Head Up-Correlation between Visual Exploration Frequency, Passing Percentage and Turnover Rate in Elite Football Midfielders
Reference: Sports (Basel). 2019 Jun 6;7(6). pii: E139. doi: 10.3390/sports7060139.
Authors: Phatak A, Gruber M
Download link: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/7/6/139/pdf
Summary: Statistical analysis of real in-game situations plays an increasing role in talent identification and player recruitment across team sports. Recently, visual exploration frequency (VEF) in football has been discussed as being one of the important performance-determining parameters. However, until now, VEF has been studied almost exclusively in laboratory settings. Moreover, the VEF of individuals has not been correlated with performance parameters in a statistically significant number of top-level players. Thus, the objective of the present study was to examine the relationship between VEF and individual performance parameters in elite football midfielders. Thirty-five midfielders participating in the Euro 2016 championship were analyzed using game video. Their VEF was categorized into scans, transition scans, and total scans. Linear regression analysis was used to correlate the three different VEF parameters with the passing percentage and the turnover rate for individual players. The linear regression showed significant positive correlations between scan rate (p = 0.033, R 2 = 3.0%) and total scan rate (p = 0.015, R 2 = 4.0%) and passing percentage but not between transition scan rate and passing percentage (p = 0.074). There was a significant negative correlation between transition scan rate and turnover rate (p = 0.023, R 2 = 3.5%) but not between total scan rate (p = 0.857) or scan rate (p = 0.817) and turnover rate. In conclusion, the present study shows that players with a higher VEF may complete more passes and cause fewer turnovers. VEF explains up to 4% of variance in pass completion and turnover rate and thus should be considered as one of the factors that can help to evaluate players and identify talents as well as to tailor training interventions to the needs of midfielders up to the highest level of professional football.


#8 Tackling Similarity Search for Soccer Match Analysis: Multimodal Distance Measure and Interactive Query Definition
Reference: IEEE Comput Graph Appl. 2019 Jun 12. doi: 10.1109/MCG.2019.2922224. [Epub ahead of print]
Authors: Stein M, Janetzko H, Keim DA, Schreck T.
Summary: Analysts and coaches in soccer sports need to investigate large sets of past matches of opposing teams in short time to prepare their teams for upcoming matches. Thus, they need appropriate methods and systems supporting them in searching for soccer moves for comparison and explanation. For the search of similar soccer moves, established distance and similarity measures typically only take spatio-temporal features like shape and speed of movement into account. However, movement in invasive team sports such as soccer, includes much more than just a sequence of spatial locations. We propose an enhanced similarity measure integrating spatial, player, event as well as high level context such as pressure into the process of similarity search. We present a visual search system supporting analysts in interactively identifying similar contextual enhanced soccer moves in a dataset containing more than 60 soccer matches. Our approach is evaluated by several expert studies. The results of the evaluation reveal the large potential of enhanced similarity measures in the future.


#9 Inter-relationship between sleep quality, insomnia and sleep disorders in professional soccer players
Reference: BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2019 Apr 24;5(1):e000498. doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2018-000498. eCollection 2019.
Authors: Khalladi K, Farooq A, Souissi S, Herrera CP, Chamari K, Taylor L, El Massioui F
Summary: Insufficient sleep duration and quality has negative effects on athletic performance, injury susceptibility and athlete development. This study aimed to assess the sleep characteristics of professional Qatar Stars League (QSL) soccer players. In a cross-sectional study, QSL players (n=111; 23.7±4.8 years) completed three questionnaires to screen sleep disorders: (1) Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), (2) Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and (3) Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Poor sleep quality was defined as PSQI≥5, excessive daytime sleepiness was defined by ESS>8 and insomnia was defined as ISI≥11. The prevalence of poor sleep quality (PSQI≥5) was 68.5%, with subthreshold insomnia (ISI≥11) 27.0% and daytime sleepiness 22.5% (ESS>8). Sleep quality was positively associated with insomnia (r=0.42, p<0.001) and daytime sleepiness (r=0.23, p=0.018). Age, anthropometry, body composition and ethnicity were not associated with any of the reported sleep quality parameters. The prevalence of poor sleep quality (68.5%) reported should concern practitioners. Increasing awareness of the importance of sleep relative to athletic performance, recovery, injury and illness appears prudent. Further, regular qualitative/quantitative sleep monitoring may help target subsequent evidence-informed interventions to improve sleep in those demonstrating undesirable sleep traits.


#10 Competitive Psychological Disposition and Perception of Performance in Young Female Soccer Players
Reference: Front Psychol. 2019 May 22;10:1168. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01168. eCollection 2019.
Authors: Olmedilla A, Ruiz-Barquín R, Ponseti FJ, Robles-Palazón FJ, García-Mas A
Summary: The athletes' psychological disposition is a factor that is increasingly considered by researchers as a key to sports performance, even as a mediator between the physical, technical and tactical abilities of the athlete and their competitive performance, thus acquiring great relevance in training and in sports performance. The purpose of this study is to analyze the psychological characteristics of young soccer players and their relation to their performance perception, made both by the player herself and by their coaches. The sample is composed of 108 women (M age = 15.53, SD age = 1.05), with ages between 13 and 17 years (13 years, n = 1, 14 years, n = 18, 15 years, n = 36, 16 years, n = 29, 17 years, n = 24), and with a sport practice experience of 7.27 years on average (SD = 2.64). For to address this aim, we used the Psychological Characteristics related to the Sport Performance Questionnaire (CPRD) and the Psychological Skills Inventory for Sports (PSIS). In addition, regarding the evaluation of performance perception, an ad hoc short questionnaire was created, composed by one question addressed to the player and one directed to the coach. The results indicate that the group of players of the under-16 category obtained higher scores in all the psychological dimensions than the U-18 players, showing significant differences in Team Cohesion (p < 0.048). Regarding the degree of congruence between the player's psychological features, and the player's and coach's performance perceptions, the results show statistically significant and negative correlations between the Team Cohesion factor and the athlete's own outcome perception for the match #1 (rxy = -0.479; p < 0.001), and match #2 (rxy = -0.402; p < 0.01). The results of this study may contribute to establish the differences between different constellations of psychological characteristics according to the categories of competition and their relationship with the perception of performance. This knowledge can be used by sports professionals: coaches, psychologists, physical educators, etc., in order to help athletes to reach their maximum performance.