T-Pattern Detection and Analysis of Football Players' Tactical and Technical Defensive Behaviour Interactions: Insights for Training and Coaching Team Coordination
This article aims to study the coordination of the defenders' tactical and technical behaviour of successful teams to recover the ball according to contextual variables. A total of 15,369 (480.28 ± 112.37) events and 49 to 12,398 different patterns in 32 games of the 2014 FIFA World Cup's play-offs were detected and analysed. Results evidenced a T-pattern of the first defender pressuring the ball carrier and his teammates concentrating at the same zone to cover him or space, leading to ball recovery. Field zones, first defender tactical and technical behaviours, and ball carrier first touch constituted opportunities for defenders to coordinate themselves. Moreover, the third defender had a predominant role in his teammates' temporisation and covering zone behaviours. In the draw, first half, second-tier quality of opponent and play-offs excluding third place and final matches, the ball regularly shifted from upper to lower field zones in short periods, resulting in ball recovery or shot on goal conceded. Defenders performed behaviours farther from the ball carrier, and player-marking were most recurrent to an effective defence. This study's findings could help coaches give specific tips to players regarding interpersonal coordination in defence and set strategies to make tactical behaviour emerge globally. ; This work was supported by the National Institute of Physical Education of Catalonia (INEFC). We are grateful for the support of the Spanish Government subprojects Integration ways between qualitative and quantitative data, multiple case development, and synthesis review as main axis for an innovative future in physical activity and sports research (PGC2018-098742-B-C31) and Mixed method approach on performance analysis (in training and competition) in elite and academy sport (PGC2018-098742-B-C33) (2019– 2021) (Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities/State Research Agency/European Regional Development Fund), which are part of the coordinated project New approach of research in physical activity and sport from mixed methods perspective (NARPAS_MM) (SPGC201800 × 098742CV0), and the Generalitat de Catalunya Research Group, Research group and innovation in designs (GRID). Technology and multimedia and digital application to observational designs (Grant number 2017 SGR 1405). This work was also funded by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P. (FCT). TF was the beneficiary of a Ph.D. Research Scholarship (2021.05810.BD) from FCT.