Games in Elite Youth Soccer Players

Eight elite male soccer players from a Premier League Soccer Academy completed 4 v 4 and 8 v 8 games. The physiological responses to match-play were determined for each player by recording their heart rates during all the games and filming each player to determine individual work-rate profiles and evaluate technical actions. Mean ± SD heart rate for 4 v 4 and 8 v 8 matches were not significantly different (4 v 4, 175 ± 10 beats/min; 8 v 8, 168 ± 6 beats/min). Total distance covered during games was also similar (4 v 4, 778 ± 160 m; 8 v 8, 693 ± 103; P>0.05). The total distance covered by walking, jogging and sprinting did not significantly differ with the number of players included in the game. Significant differences were noted for utility (backward and sideways) movements (P<0.05) with greater distances covered in 4 v 4 (140 ± 68 m) than 8 v 8 (107 ± 51 m) games. Reductions in the number of players significantly (P<0.05) increased the number of individual ball contacts per game from 13 ± 7 in 8 v 8 to 36 ± 12 in 4 v 4. The data from this investigation suggest that the number of players involved does not seem to be a crucial determinant in the demands of match-play. This observation is in contrast to more technically related actions that are significantly influenced by player number.