Scanning Offensive Associations in Football: An Advanced Model for Analyzing Playing Styles and Defensive Behavior

04 Dic Scanning Offensive Associations in Football: An Advanced Model for Analyzing Playing Styles and Defensive Behavior

Posted at 12:33h in Research by

The ability to identify and measure a team’s consistency and identifiability during its offensive phase is essential to understanding and improving its playing style. A new model, based on the research published in Scientific Reports (DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-76835-3), redefines these concepts with greater precision and football-specific insights. This advancement, developed by the Football Intelligence & Sports Performance Area of LALIGA, enables a detailed analysis of a team’s offensive associations, considering the dynamics of the opponent’s defensive block, offering practical tools for tactical planning and strategic analysis.

Field Zone Definitions

The model divides the field into 12 strategic zones, specifically designed to reflect real-game dynamics:

Longitudinal Division (4 Quarters):

  1. First quarter (build-up zone):
    From the goal line to the edge of the penalty area. This is where the first stages of play are developed from the defense.
  2. Second quarter (construction zone):
    From the edge of the penalty area to the midfield line. This area emphasizes possession and transitional actions.
  3. Third quarter (offensive transition zone):
    From the midfield line to the edge of the opponent’s penalty area. It is crucial for advancing to dangerous areas.
  4. Fourth quarter (finishing zone):
    From the opponent’s penalty area to their goal line. This zone sees the highest defensive pressure and goal-scoring opportunities.

Lateral Division (3 Lanes):

  1. Left lane: From the left edge of the penalty area to the sideline.
  2. Central lane: From one edge of the penalty area to the other.
  3. Right lane: From the right edge of the penalty area to the sideline.

Model Innovations

This model surpasses the methodology of the original research by integrating new variables that enhance its accuracy:

  1. Interactions with the Convex Hull (opponent’s defensive block):
    • Analyzes whether a pass originates or ends inside or outside the defensive block, dynamically modeled with the Convex Hull.
    • Assesses how the opponent’s defensive block occupies different zones depending on the game context.
  2. Contextual pass classification:
    Each pass is classified based on:
    • Origin and destination zones.
    • Interaction with the Convex Hull. This approach evaluates not only the pass location but also its tactical relevance based on defensive pressure.
  3. Normalization for defensive density:
    The model accounts for the natural density differences across zones, such as higher occupation in central areas, allowing for more balanced comparisons between zones.

Relevant Model Insights

Practical Example: FC Barcelona and Real Madrid (2018/2019 Season)

Data from the study illustrates how this model can be applied to analyze teams like FC Barcelona and Real Madrid during the 2018/2019 season, as referenced in the research:

  • FC Barcelona: Identified as the team with the highest identifiability (its associative playing style and passing patterns are unique). Its greatest threats come from quick combinations in the central lane of the fourth quarter, breaking compact defensive blocks with short passes and triangulations.
  • Real Madrid: With high consistency in its playing style, it generates danger from wider zones, utilizing the lateral lanes of the third and fourth quarters to advance with crosses or long diagonal passes into the opponent’s area.

How to Prepare Against These Teams

  1. Neutralizing Dangerous Associations:
    • Against FC Barcelona, compacting the Convex Hull in the central lane of the fourth quarter reduces their capacity to generate threats.
    • Against Real Madrid, forcing them to play in densely occupied lateral lanes limits their ability to execute crosses or diagonal passes.
  2. Studying Effective Defensive Patterns:
    • Defensive blocks that effectively neutralize FC Barcelona are those that narrow the central lane while maintaining lateral coverage.
    • Against Real Madrid, compact lateral blocks combined with advanced defenders in the second and third quarters have proven effective.

Tactical Optimization for Madrid and Barcelona

  • FC Barcelona: Identifying defensive blocks that limit their associative play in the central lane enables tactical adjustments, such as overloading lateral lanes to create central spaces.
  • Real Madrid: Analyzing why certain lateral blocks hinder their progression helps design alternatives, such as incorporating faster and more direct associations in the second quarter.

Conclusion

This model, developed by the Football Intelligence & Sports Performance Area of LALIGA, not only enables scanning and classifying offensive associations but also helps understand the impact of the opponent’s defensive block. This practical analysis, based on data from the 2018/2019 season, assists in preparing matches against teams like FC Barcelona and Real Madrid and optimizing offensive strategies for these teams to remain dangerous even against the most effective defensive setups.