Table 6. Methodological approaches of included articles.
| Referente (year) | Study purpose | Experimental approach | Methodological procedures | Data collection (Device specification) | Statistical and mathematical analysis | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match-play | Training set | Game format | Physical/ physiological |
Positional/ tactical |
Other dimensions | |||||
| Baptista et al. (2020) | Identified the effects of playing formations on tactical behaviour and external workload during SSG. | ✗ | SSG | GK + 7 vs 7 + GK | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | MATLAB® routines (MathWorks, Inc., Natick, MA, USA) | Non-differential 5 Hz GPS (ND) | Cohen’s d SWC MBI ApEn Voronoi algorithme |
| Canton et al. (2021) | Identified how positioning the goals in diagonal configurations on the pitch modifies the external training load and the tactical behaviour during SSG. | ✗ | SSG | GK + 5 vs 5 + GK | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | MATLAB® routines (MathWorks, Inc., Natick, MA, USA) Lince software® (Gabin et al., 2012), |
10 Hz GPS units (WIMU PRO, RealTrack Systems, Almeria, Spain) | Cohen’s d SWC MBI NHST |
| Coutinho et al. (2017) | Examined the effects of mental fatigue and additional corridor and pitch sector lines on players’ physical and tactical performances during SSG. | ✗ | SSG | GK + 6 vs 6 + GK | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | MATLAB® routines (MathWorks, Inc., Natick, MA, USA) | CR10-scale (RPE) Portable optical timing system (Optojump, Microgate, Bolzano, Italy) 15 Hz GPS (SPIPRO, GPSports, Canberra, ACT, Australia) |
Cohen’s d SWC NHST |
| Coutinho et al. (2019b) | Identified the effects of adding spatial references during SSG on players’ tactical and physical performance. | ✗ | SSG | GK + 6 vs 6 +GK | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | MATLAB® routines (MathWorks, Inc., Natick, MA, USA) | 5 Hz GPS (SPI-PRO, GPSports, Canberra, ACT, Australia) | CV ApEn MBI NHST |
| Coutinho et al. (2019a) | Identified the effects of different pitch configurations on players’ positional and physical performance. | ✗ | SSG | GK + 5 vs 5 + GK | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | MATLAB® routines (MathWorks, Inc., Natick, MA, USA) | 5 Hz GPS (SPI-PRO, GPSports, Canberra, ACT, Australia) | CV ApEn MBI NHST |
| Coutinho et al. (2020) | Compared players’ performances when manipulating the external markings of the pitch during SSG. | ✗ | SSG | GK + 5 vs 5 + GK | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | MATLAB® routines (MathWorks, Inc., Natick, MA, USA) LongoMatch software (Longomatch, version 1.3.7., Fluendo) |
5 Hz GPS (SPI-PRO, GPSports, Canberra, ACT, Australia) Digital video camera (Sony NV-GS230) |
CV ApEn MBI NHST |
| Coutinho et al. (2022b) | Explored how the number of allowed ball touches per player possession affected the performance of different age groups during SSG. | ✗ | SSG | GK + 6 vs 6 +GK | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | MATLAB® routines (MathWorks, Inc., Natick, MA, USA) LongoMatch software (Longomatch, version 1.3.7., Fluendo |
5 Hz GPS (SPI-PRO, GPSports, Canberra, ACT, Australia) | Cohen’s d SWC NHST Hilbert transform |
| Coutinho et al. (2022c) | Aimed to identify the effects of playing with additional individual, collective or individual-collective variability on players’ performance during SSG. | ✗ | SSG | GK + 6 vs 6 +GK | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | MATLAB® routines (MathWorks, Inc., Natick, MA, USA) LongoMatch software (Longomatch, version 1.3.7., Fluendo |
5 Hz GPS (SPI-PRO, GPSports, Canberra, ACT, Australia) | Cohen’s d NHST Hilbert transform |
| Coutinho et al. (2022a) | Explored how manipulating the colour of training vests affects footballers’ individual and collective performance during SSG. | ✗ | SSG | GK + 6 vs 6 +GK | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | MATLAB® routines (MathWorks, Inc., Natick, MA, USA) LongoMatch software (Longomatch, version 1.3.7., Fluendo |
5 Hz GPS (SPI-PRO, GPSports, Canberra, ACT, Australia) | Cohen’s d NHST Hilbert transform |
| Ferraz et al. (2020) | Identified how the manipulation of knowledge regarding a training task duration constrains the pacing and tactical behaviour in SSG. | ✗ | SSG | GK + 5 vs 5 + GK | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ND | 5 Hz GPS (SPI-Pro X II, GPS ports, Canberra, ACT, and Australia) | ApEn MBI |
| Figueira et al. (2018) | Compared footballers’ performances when playing with teammates and opponents from the same or different age groups | ✓ | – | GK + 11 vs 11 + GK | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | MATLAB® routines (MathWorks, Inc., Natick, MA, USA) | 5 Hz GPS (SPI-Pro X II, GPS ports, Canberra, ACT, and Australia) | CV ApEn MBI |
| Folgado et al. (2015) | Examined the physical and tactical performances under congested and non-congested fixture periods | ✓ | – | GK + 11 vs 11 + GK | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | MATLAB® routines (MathWorks, Inc., Natick, MA, USA) | Semiautomatic tracking system (Prozone®, ProZone Holdings Ltd, Leeds, UK). | CHAID Cohen’s d NHST Hilbert transform |
| Folgado, Gonçalves & Sampaio (2018) | Identified changes in tactical, physical and physiological performances in LSG during the preseason. | ✗ | LSG | GK + 8 vs. 8 + GK | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | MATLAB® routines (MathWorks, Inc., Natick, MA, USA) | 5 Hz GPS (SPI-Pro X II, GPS ports, Canberra, ACT, and Australia) | NHST Cohen’s d |
| Folgado et al. (2019) | Compared players’ performance during two SSG with different pitch orientation (i.e., 40 × 30 m vs. 30 × 40 m). | ✗ | SSG | GK + 4 vs 4 + GK | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | MATLAB® routines (MathWorks, Inc., Natick, MA, USA) | 10 Hz GPS (MinimaxX S5; Catapult Innovations, Docklands, Australia). Digital Vídeo Camera (Canon PowerShot SX720 HS; Canon Inc, Tokyo, Japan), |
ICC SEM Cohen’s d SWC MBI |
| Gonçalves et al. (2014) | Identified differences in time–motion, modified training impulse, body load and movement behaviour between defenders, midfielders and forwards, during an 11-a-side simulated football game. | ✓ | – | GK + 11 vs 11 + GK | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | MATLAB® routines (MathWorks, Inc., Natick, MA, USA) | 5 Hz GPS (SPI-Pro X II, GPS ports, Canberra, ACT, and Australia) 1 Hz short-range radio telemetry (Polar Team Sports System, Polar Electro Oy, Finland) |
Hilbert transform ApEn NHST |
| Gonçalves et al. (2017) | Identified how pitch area restrictions affect the players’ tactical behavior, physical, and physiological performances during LSG. | ✗ | LSG | GK + 9 vs. 9 + GK GK+ 10 vs. 10 + GK | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | MATLAB® routines (MathWorks, Inc., Natick, MA, USA) | 5 Hz GPS (SPI-Pro X II, GPS ports, Canberra, ACT, and Australia) 1 Hz short-range radio telemetry (Polar Team Sports System, Polar Electro Oy, Finland) |
Hilbert transform CV ApEn Cohen’s d SWC MBI |
| Gonçalves et al. (2018a) | Examined the changes in the players’ speed synchronization and physical performance between the first and the second half (15-min time). Explored the match-to-match variation of players’ speed synchronization performance. | ✓ | – | GK + 11 vs 11 + GK | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | MATLAB® routines (MathWorks, Inc., Natick, MA, USA) | Match Analysis Camera System®. | Hilbert transform CV Cohen’s d SWC MBI |
| Jara et al. (2019) | Analyzed how the modification of the pitch size in SSGs affects the GK’s physical demands. | ✗ | SSG MSG LSG |
ND | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | MATLAB® routines (MathWorks, Inc., Natick, MA, USA) | 18.18 Hz GPS (GPEXE GK, Exelio SRL, Udine, Italy) | Cohen’s d
MBI NHST |
| Machado et al. (2022) | Investigated how different strategies of task constraint manipulation impact physical and tactical demands in small-sided and conditioned games (SSCG) | ✗ | SSG | GK + 4 vs 4 + GK | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | MATLAB® routines (MathWorks, Inc., Natick, MA, USA) and SPROTM (RealTrack System, Almería, Spain) | 10 Hz GPS and inertial devices (WIMU ProTM and GPS, RealTrack System, Almería, Spain) | Effect size (ND) NHST |
| Nieto et al. (2022) | Described the effects on player’s collective behaviour and physical response in three different pitch lengths (100, 75 and 50 m) keeping the width constant (60 m) | ✗ | LSG | GK + 11 vs 11 + GK | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | Microsoft Excel Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) (Microsoft, Redmond, WA, USA) |
10 Hz GPS (MinimaxX S5, Catapult Innovations) | Cohen’s d
MBI NHST SampEn |
| Olthof, Frencken & Lemmink (2018) | Investigated SSGs with a traditional small pitch and a match-derived relative pitch area in youth elite soccer players. | ✓ | SSG | GK + 4 vs 4 + GK GK + 11 vs 11 + GK |
✓ | ✓ | ✗ | MATLAB® routines (MathWorks, Inc., Natick, MA, USA) | Two HD video dome cameras (Bosch GmbH., Stuttgart, Germany) and one or two high resolution digital cameras (Canon HF100, Canon Inc., Tokyo, Japan; JVC Everio, JVC Kenwood Corporation, Kanagawa, Japan). LPM system (Inmotio Object Tracking BV., Amsterdam, The Netherlands) |
NHST Effect sized eta-squared (η2p) |
| Praça et al. (2016) | Compared the collective tactical behavior between numerically balanced and unbalanced SSG. | ✗ | SSG | 3 vs 3 3 vs 3 + 2 4 vs 3 |
✓ | ✓ | ✗ | MATLAB® routines (MathWorks, Inc., Natick, MA, USA) | 15 Hz GPS (model SPI-Pro X2; GPSports, Canberra, Australia) | NHST Effect sized eta-squared (η2p) |
| Praça et al. (2021) | Analysed the effects of changing the match venue on match-related player’s physiological, physical, and tactical responses with an age-dependent. | ✓ | – | GK + 11 vs 11 + GK | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | MATLAB® routines (MathWorks, Inc., Natick, MA, USA) | 10 Hz GPS device, with an embedded 200 Hz accelerometer and 1 Hz heart rate monitor (Polar®, Team Pro, Kempele, Finland). | NHST Effect sized eta-squared (η2p) |
| (Ric et al., 2016a) | Identified the dynamics of tactical behaviour emerging on different timescales in SSG. Quantified short- and long-term exploratory behaviour according to the number of opponents. | ✗ | SSG | GK + 4 vs 3 + GK GK + 4 vs 5 + GK GK + 4 vs 7 + GK |
✓ | ✓ | ✗ | MATLAB® routines (MathWorks, Inc., Natick, MA, USA) Lince software® (Gabin et al., 2012) |
Digital video camera for video recording and analysed an ad hoc instrument being used to notate tactical actions (Costa et al., 2011) 15 Hz GPS (SPI-ProX, GPS ports, Canberra, ACT, and Australia) |
Dynamic overlap <qd(t)> Trapping strength Boltzmann–Gibbs–Shannon entropy NHST Cohen’s d |
| (Ric et al., 2017) | Identified how players’ spatial restrictions affected the exploratory tactical behaviour and constrained the perceptual-motor workspace in ball possession and the inter-player passing interactions. | ✗ | ND | GK + 10 vs 9 + GK | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | MATLAB® routines (MathWorks, Inc., Natick, MA, USA) | 5 Hz GPS (SPI-Pro X II; GPS ports, Canberra, ACT, and Australia) | Dynamic overlap <qd(t)> |
| (Sampaio et al., 2014) | Compared and discriminate the time-motion variables, heart rate and players’ tactical behaviour according to game pace, status and team unbalance. | ✗ | SSG | GK + 5 vs 5 + GK | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | MATLAB® routines (MathWorks, Inc., Natick, MA, USA) | 5 Hz GPS (SPI-Pro X II; GPS ports, Canberra, ACT, and Australia) | NHST SC |
Note:
Abbreviations: <qd(t)> – Dynamic overlap; ApEn – Approximate entropy; CHAID – Chi-squared automatic interaction detection; Cohen’s d – Standardized (Cohen) differences; CV – Coefficient of variation; GK – Goalkeeper; ICC – Intraclass correlation; LSG – Large-sided games; MBI – Magnitude-based inferences; MSG – Medium-sided games; ND – Not described; NHST – Null hypothesis statistical test; η2p – Effect sized eta-squared; SampEn – Sample Entropy; SC – Structural coefficients; SEM – Standard error of measurement; SSG – Small-sided games; SWC – Smallest worthwhile changes; USA – United States; VSA – Visual Basic for Applications.