Methodology to Detect Gaps in a Soccer Defence

The purpose of the present study was to create a methodology which can provide information about gaps in an opposing team’s defence. To illustrate the methodology, a defence was tracked during a game in the danish Superliga using ZXY radio tracking and analysed using the methodology. Results showed that at certain passing speeds, an opposing defence is well coordinated with no gaps, but if the passing speed is changed, gaps can occur that the defence is unable to defend. Even though the used methodology at time being is based on some crude approximations, it can at a later point be used to identify gaps in a defence for the offence to take advantage of.