

Other researchers define ball possession “as the proportion of time each team held the ball” (p. 100) and registers its duration as comprehensive measure.

Literature often defines ball possession starting “when a player on the analysed team had sufficient control over the ball to enable a deliberate influence on its direction” (p. The indicator receiving the most attention in performance analysis in soccer is ball possession. Yet researchers investigate certain performance indicators trying to elicit their influence on successful performances. Comprehensive research was concentrating on those two aims as scoring goals may be the only or at least the most valid performance indicator to determine team’s success. In soccer, teams aim to achieve two major aims: Scoring goals and prevent the opposing team from doing so. Taking this into account, how do we differ between both approaches? Can we measure it just by using ball possession percentage? Even more important, how can we evaluate the tactical performance of a team and could this be an indicator for success? We will answer these questions within our approach and give some practical suggestions based on our findings. Bayern Munich has implemented some aspects of the direct play approach into their game, as well as Borussia Dortmund likes to play ball dominant in phases of a game. More precisely, if you take a closer look of the style of play of both teams it even made matters worse. Unfortunately, this close encounter did not provide clarification that one of the approaches is superior to the other as it was decided by a goal out of accident. Their counterpart, Borussia Dortmund, prefers the direct play approach by using an intensive pressing and looking to score immediately after capturing the ball from their opponent. Bayer Munich is known for its dominant possession play which led them to recent success advancing to the Champions League Final three times in four years. But furthermore, it was the battle of two different tactical approaches to succeed: possession play vs. Introduction 2013 was one of the best years in German soccer, as two German teams faced each other in the Champions League final. Furthermore, we could show that successful teams prefer possession play and that game control (measured via Index of Game Control, IOC) is the most important variable of success irrespective of the tactical approach.ġ. IOB was able to reliable distinguish the two common tactical approaches in soccer: possession and direct play.
Tactical soccer analysis software#
To evaluate the indexes data of 676 official games (German Bundesliga 2009/10, & 2010/11, FIFA World Cup 2010) were analysed using the “MathBall”- notation software (Algorithma Ltd., 2009). Within this study, we introduce a new index (Index of Offensive Behavior, IOB) that combines different variables of offensive actions to evaluate tactical behavior. So fare tactical behavior is mostly determined by using one or two variables, like ball possession or number of passes. A specific tactical approach may present the difference between winning and losing, especially in the highest level of competition.
Tactical soccer analysis professional#
Measuring and evaluating tactical behavior is one of the main goals in performance analysis in professional soccer.
