Evaluating the offensive definition zone in football: a case study

Abstract

New technological solutions have greatly improved match analysis systems for investigating players’ performance. Nevertheless, there still remains a large gap in the collective analysis where improvements need to be made, mainly in the use of automated information gathering. Thus, the aim of this case study was to propose a set of three automated tactical metrics and their respective ratios for use in investigating and estimating the tactical performance of football teams. Three official football matches of the same professional team were analysed and Cartesian information about the position of players and the ball in the field was collected. Using this information, tactical metrics regarding penetration, offensive space and offensive unity were developed. The results showed that the unity principle was the tactical principle most often accomplished at the mean ratio of 0.83 and penetration was the principle performed with the least success (ratio of 0.42). This case study proposes some computational indicators to evaluate the collective performance of football teams whereby football coaches can be provided with some additional information that could be used to characterise their teams.

Key words: Match analysis; Metrics; Tactics; Offensive process; Football.