How do soccer players sprint from a tactical context? Observations of an English Premier League soccer team

Figures & data

Table 1. The detailed sub-category descriptions from the football sprint tactical-context classification system.

Main category	Sub-category	Description
Phase of play	Phase of play	The phase of play of the player’s team within which the sprint occurs.
Tactical outcome	In possession	The player’s team is in possession of the ball when the sprint effort occurs
	Out of possession	The player’s team is not in possession of the ball when the sprint occurs

Table 2. Football sprint tactical-context classification system, detailing all categories and action descriptions.

Main category	Sub-category	Action	Description
Phase of play	Phase of play	Attacking transition	In possession: Transition to Attacking Organisation following the recovery of possession.
		Attacking organisation	In possession: Attacking build up aiming to create scoring opportunities by disorganising the opposition defence.
		Defensive transition	Out of possession: Transition to Defensive Organisation following the surrendering of possession.
		Defensive organisation	Out of possession: Assuming of defensive structure to prevent the creation of goal scoring opportunities.
Tactical outcome	In possession	Break into box	Player sprints into the opposition penalty box.
		Overlap	Player sprints from behind to in front of or parallel to the player on the ball.
		Push up pitch	Player sprints up the pitch to support the play (defensive and middle third of the pitch only).
		Run the channel	Player sprints with/without the ball down to one of the external areas of the pitch.
		Run-in behind	Player aims to beat the opposition offside trap to sprint through onto the opposition goal.
		Drive inside	Player sprints with/without the ball from the external flank into the central area.
		Drive through the middle	Player sprints with/without the ball through the middle of the pitch.
		Run with ball	Player moves with the ball either dribbling with small touches or sprinting with the ball with bigger touches.
		Other	All other in possession variables that could not be categorised.
	Out of possession	Closing down	Player sprints directly towards the opposition player on the ball.
		Interception	Player sprints to cut out a pass from an opposition player.
		Covering	Player sprints to cover space or a player on the pitch while remaining goal side.
		Recovery run	Player sprints back towards their own goal when out of position to be goal side.
		Ball over the top	Player sprints after an opposition pass over the defence through the centre.
		Ball down the side	Player sprints after an opposition pass in behind the defence down the side of the pitch.
		Track the runner	Player runs alongside opposition player with or without the ball.
		Other	All other out of possession variable that could not be categorised.

Figure 1. Phase of play sprint movements observed during soccer match play. Panel a Average percentage of phase of play sprints during match play; Panel b: Mean and standard deviation phase of play sprints completed during a match.

Figure 2. Tactical outcome movements observed during soccer match play. Panel a: Average percentage of tactical outcome actions during match play out of possession; Panel b: Average percentage of tactical outcome actions during match play in possession; Panel c: Mean and Standard Deviation of the number of sprints completed during a match according to tactical outcome in and out of possession.

Figure 3. Phase of play sprint movements observed during soccer match play by positional group and locations. Panel a: Average percentage of phase of play sprints during match play by positional group; Panel b: Average percentage of phase of play sprints during match play by location. CB: centre backs; FB: full backs; CM: central midfielders; WM: wide midfielder; CF: central forwards.

Figure 4. Tactical outcome sprint movements observed during soccer match play by positional group. Panel a: Average percentage of tactical outcome sprints during match play by positional group out of possession; Panel b: Average percentage of tactical outcome sprints during match play by positional group in possession; FB: full backs; CM: central midfielders; WM: wide midfielder; CF: central forwards.

Figure 5. Tactical outcome sprint movements observed during soccer match play by location. Panel a: Average percentage of tactical outcome sprints during match play by positional group out of possession; Panel b: Average percentage of tactical outcome sprints during match play by positional group in possession.

Table 3. Summary of the most common sprints action within the football sprint tactical-context classification system.

	Sub-category	Most frequent action	Average percentage
Pooled	Phase of play	Defensive Organisation	33%
	Tactical outcome (OP)	Closing down	28%
	Tactical outcome (IP)	Run the channel	25%
Positional comparison phase of play	CF phase of play	Attacking transitions	52%
	WM phase of play	Attacking transitions	37%
	CM phase of play	Defensive transitions	45%
	FB phase of play	Defensive Organisation	54%
	CB phase of play	Defensive Organisation	34%
Positional comparison tactical outcome	CF tactical outcome	Closing down (OP) Run the channel (IP)	23% 23%
	WM tactical outcome	Closing down (OP) Run the channel (IP)	21% 16%
	CM tactical outcome	Covering (OP) Run through the middle and break into the box (IP)	31% 5%
	FB tactical outcome	Recovery run (OP) Overlap (IP)	14% 14%
	CB tactical outcome	Ball down the side (OP) Other (IP)	31% 3%
Key: OP: Out of possession; IP: In-possession; CB: centre backs; FB: full backs; CM: central midfielders; WM: wide midfielder; CF: central forwards.

Data availability statement

The data within this study are secondary data and available from publicly available sources (3.2.6) (Premier League DVMS, ChyronHego).