TITLE:
Interaction between Players during a Sequence of Small-Sided Soccer Games: Effect of the Game Compartment
AUTHORS:
Kais Ghattassi, Ahmed Graja, Jamel Halouani, Mohamed Amine Bouzid
KEYWORDS:
Interaction, Soccer, SSG, Team-Mates, Performance
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Physical Education,
Vol.7 No.4,
November
3,
2017
ABSTRACT: It is well known that the interaction between athletes has a positive effect on performance. In a sequence of small-sided games,soccer players must analyze their interactions (interaction between forwards and defenders) to adjust their position and engage in the creation of opportunities to score a goal.The aim of this study wasto investigate the effect of interaction or relationship practices between players in football (forwards and defenders) through soccer small-sided games (SSG).Eighty soccer players (18.2± 1.01 years, 1.80 ± 0.05 m and 75.0 ± 7.6 kg; mean ± SD)were volunteered to performtwo sessions for four minutes with a recovery period of two minutes in a football court measuring 35 × 30m with small-sidedgames.Participants were divided in eightgroupsandeachteam was composedof five players with three defenders and two forwards(3D + 2F) for the first team, and three forwards and two defenders (3F + 2D)for the second team.The first session consistsof playingthe two teamsagainst each other whereas the second session consists of playing the forwards against the defenders(5Fvs. 5D).In each session, numbers of passes were recorded using video analysis. Additionally, interaction between players was obtained with sociometry questionnaire.The mainresults showed a significantdifference of the interactionin favourof the same player’s compartment compared to the players of different compartment(p0.05). However,the players of the same compartment emit the greatest number of passes and goals(p0.05). In conclusion, it’seffective during the sequences of soccer SSGto play groups of the same compartment. This homogeneity in the compartments may allow better performance during football matches.