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An investigation into the effects of game location upon performance in professional soccer. / Wayne Tucker

Swansea University Author: Wayne Tucker

Abstract

Although the existence of an overall home advantage in professional soccer is well established, there is little empirical information examining the specific effects upon the technical and tactical performance of teams. Consequently, the aim of this thesis was to investigate the effect of playing at...

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Published: 2005
Institution: Swansea University
Degree level: Master of Philosophy
Degree name: M.Phil
URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa42371
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Abstract: Although the existence of an overall home advantage in professional soccer is well established, there is little empirical information examining the specific effects upon the technical and tactical performance of teams. Consequently, the aim of this thesis was to investigate the effect of playing at home upon team performance in professional soccer. Building upon the existing home advantage literature, study one compared the performance of home and visiting sides using a random sample of matches (n=30), then, in order to provide a more idiosyncratic assessment of soccer performance, study two utilised a case-study approach to examine game location effects in a sample of matches (n=15) from a single team. Data was collected from the 2001/02 and 2002/03 domestic seasons of the English Premiership using the Noldus Observer Video-Pro package via a pre-designed coding system, enabling technical and tactical performance indicators to be compared with respect to game location (home versus away teams) using non-parametric procedures (Wilcoxon signed ranks, Kruskal-Wallis, and Mann-Whitney U). Additional analysis compared the effects of potential confounding variables upon team performance including weather conditions (wet and dry), kick-off times (morning, afternoon, and evening) and game status (winning, losing, and drawing). In study one the home teams performed a greater number of successful technical behaviours (e.g., tackles, crosses, and shots) than the away teams. With regard to tactical behaviours, the home teams performed more aerial challenges and committed more fouls than away teams in the attacking third of the field. In the defensive third of the field, the away teams performed more interceptions, aerial challenges, and clearances than home teams. When the effect of potential confounding variables were considered, some significant differences were evident in the technical and tactical performance of teams as a function of weather conditions, kick-off times, and game status (e.g., more attacking indicators and fewer defensive indicators were performed when teams were losing compared to when winning). In study two, the case-study team was found to perform a greater number of successful technical behaviours at home (aerial challenges, blocked shots, and comers) while more successful clearances were performed when playing away. With regard to tactical behaviours, more dribbles, aerial challenges and difficult passes were made in the attacking third of the field at home. In the defensive third of the field, more losses of control, interceptions, clearances and received tackles were observed when away. The findings suggest that aspects of technical and tactical performance differ as a function of game location. Specifically, teams perform a greater number of successful technical behaviours associated with a functional aggressive response at home (e.g., tackles, aerial challenges, and shots at goal). In addition, more attacking tactical behaviours (actions in the attacking third of the field) appear to be exhibited at home and more defensive tactical behaviours (actions in the defensive third of the field) performed when away. The findings also suggest that variables such as game status and weather conditions may cause teams to alter the type of tactics or strategies adopted. Future research should explore these preliminary findings with larger samples both within leagues and individual teams and allow for the effects of additional confounding variables such as crowd attendance, distance travelled by the away side, and team quality/form. Team strategies also need to be considered in relation to the actual playing tactics adopted by the respective coaches and managers.
Keywords: Kinesiology.;Sports Management.
College: Faculty of Science and Engineering

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