Notational Analysis on Goal Scoring and Comparison in Two of the Most Important Soccer Leagues: Spanish <i>La Liga</i> and English Premier League
Goals scored are the most important performance indicator and may be a good tool to analyze game style predominance within different leagues. The aims of this study are to describe how goals are scored in the two major soccer leagues in the season of 2020/21, and to compare both leagues to watch pos...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/12/6903 |
| _version_ | 1797596305840668672 |
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| author | Vítor Gouveia João Pedro Duarte António Nóbrega Hugo Sarmento Eduardo Pimenta Flávio Domingos Raul Antunes Diogo Monteiro Rui Matos Nuno Amaro Inês Araújo |
| author_facet | Vítor Gouveia João Pedro Duarte António Nóbrega Hugo Sarmento Eduardo Pimenta Flávio Domingos Raul Antunes Diogo Monteiro Rui Matos Nuno Amaro Inês Araújo |
| author_sort | Vítor Gouveia |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Goals scored are the most important performance indicator and may be a good tool to analyze game style predominance within different leagues. The aims of this study are to describe how goals are scored in the two major soccer leagues in the season of 2020/21, and to compare both leagues to watch possible differences in the offensive sequences that lead to goal-scoring. The aims of this study were: to evaluate goal scoring trends among two main soccer leagues and to compare the two leagues. A total of 1409 goals were observed using notational analysis. The total results show a dominance of positional play/fast attack <i>(n</i> = 38%), followed by set pieces as the second means to score (<i>n</i> = 32%) with corner kicks having a great impact (<i>n</i> = 36%) within set pieces goals. The most goals were scored by short possessions (<i>n</i> = 50%) with short passes number (<i>n</i> = 57%), with the recovery of the ball in the offensive third <i>(n</i> = 47%) and the huge dominance of finalization in central areas inside the box <i>(n</i> = 78%). Spanish <i>La Liga</i> scored more by positional play/fast attack, with most of the possessions starting in the medium third and using more the “central wing goal area” and “between wings left in the box” end zones when compared with English Premier League. The latter has more goals from counterattacks and corner kicks with very long possessions. Most of the possessions start in the offensive third and more goals are scored in “central wing between penalty and goal area” in comparison with Spanish <i>La Liga</i>. Coaches must be aware of the trends of the game and of the differences across leagues to prepare themselves when working in different countries to each specific characteristic. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:49:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5dfcbd41fd6a46a3a85bbd6ae6b22d60 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:49:40Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-5dfcbd41fd6a46a3a85bbd6ae6b22d602023-11-18T09:06:16ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172023-06-011312690310.3390/app13126903Notational Analysis on Goal Scoring and Comparison in Two of the Most Important Soccer Leagues: Spanish <i>La Liga</i> and English Premier LeagueVítor Gouveia0João Pedro Duarte1António Nóbrega2Hugo Sarmento3Eduardo Pimenta4Flávio Domingos5Raul Antunes6Diogo Monteiro7Rui Matos8Nuno Amaro9Inês Araújo10University of Coimbra, Research Unit for Sport and Physical Activity (CIDAF), Faculty of Sport Sciences and Physical Education, University of Coimbra, 3040-256 Coimbra, PortugalUniversity of Coimbra, Research Unit for Sport and Physical Activity (CIDAF), Faculty of Sport Sciences and Physical Education, University of Coimbra, 3040-256 Coimbra, PortugalUniversity of Coimbra, Research Unit for Sport and Physical Activity (CIDAF), Faculty of Sport Sciences and Physical Education, University of Coimbra, 3040-256 Coimbra, PortugalUniversity of Coimbra, Research Unit for Sport and Physical Activity (CIDAF), Faculty of Sport Sciences and Physical Education, University of Coimbra, 3040-256 Coimbra, PortugalESECS—Polytechnic of Leiria Rua General Norton de Matos, Apartado 4133, 2411-901 Leiria, PortugalESECS—Polytechnic of Leiria Rua General Norton de Matos, Apartado 4133, 2411-901 Leiria, PortugalESECS—Polytechnic of Leiria Rua General Norton de Matos, Apartado 4133, 2411-901 Leiria, PortugalESECS—Polytechnic of Leiria Rua General Norton de Matos, Apartado 4133, 2411-901 Leiria, PortugalESECS—Polytechnic of Leiria Rua General Norton de Matos, Apartado 4133, 2411-901 Leiria, PortugalESECS—Polytechnic of Leiria Rua General Norton de Matos, Apartado 4133, 2411-901 Leiria, PortugalUniversity of Coimbra, Research Unit for Sport and Physical Activity (CIDAF), Faculty of Sport Sciences and Physical Education, University of Coimbra, 3040-256 Coimbra, PortugalGoals scored are the most important performance indicator and may be a good tool to analyze game style predominance within different leagues. The aims of this study are to describe how goals are scored in the two major soccer leagues in the season of 2020/21, and to compare both leagues to watch possible differences in the offensive sequences that lead to goal-scoring. The aims of this study were: to evaluate goal scoring trends among two main soccer leagues and to compare the two leagues. A total of 1409 goals were observed using notational analysis. The total results show a dominance of positional play/fast attack <i>(n</i> = 38%), followed by set pieces as the second means to score (<i>n</i> = 32%) with corner kicks having a great impact (<i>n</i> = 36%) within set pieces goals. The most goals were scored by short possessions (<i>n</i> = 50%) with short passes number (<i>n</i> = 57%), with the recovery of the ball in the offensive third <i>(n</i> = 47%) and the huge dominance of finalization in central areas inside the box <i>(n</i> = 78%). Spanish <i>La Liga</i> scored more by positional play/fast attack, with most of the possessions starting in the medium third and using more the “central wing goal area” and “between wings left in the box” end zones when compared with English Premier League. The latter has more goals from counterattacks and corner kicks with very long possessions. Most of the possessions start in the offensive third and more goals are scored in “central wing between penalty and goal area” in comparison with Spanish <i>La Liga</i>. Coaches must be aware of the trends of the game and of the differences across leagues to prepare themselves when working in different countries to each specific characteristic.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/12/6903goal scoringoffensive patternscultural specificity |
| spellingShingle | Vítor Gouveia João Pedro Duarte António Nóbrega Hugo Sarmento Eduardo Pimenta Flávio Domingos Raul Antunes Diogo Monteiro Rui Matos Nuno Amaro Inês Araújo Notational Analysis on Goal Scoring and Comparison in Two of the Most Important Soccer Leagues: Spanish <i>La Liga</i> and English Premier League Applied Sciences goal scoring offensive patterns cultural specificity |
| title | Notational Analysis on Goal Scoring and Comparison in Two of the Most Important Soccer Leagues: Spanish <i>La Liga</i> and English Premier League |
| title_full | Notational Analysis on Goal Scoring and Comparison in Two of the Most Important Soccer Leagues: Spanish <i>La Liga</i> and English Premier League |
| title_fullStr | Notational Analysis on Goal Scoring and Comparison in Two of the Most Important Soccer Leagues: Spanish <i>La Liga</i> and English Premier League |
| title_full_unstemmed | Notational Analysis on Goal Scoring and Comparison in Two of the Most Important Soccer Leagues: Spanish <i>La Liga</i> and English Premier League |
| title_short | Notational Analysis on Goal Scoring and Comparison in Two of the Most Important Soccer Leagues: Spanish <i>La Liga</i> and English Premier League |
| title_sort | notational analysis on goal scoring and comparison in two of the most important soccer leagues spanish i la liga i and english premier league |
| topic | goal scoring offensive patterns cultural specificity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/12/6903 |
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