Technical and physical performances of Chinese Super League soccer players differ according to their playing status and position

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to compare the technical and physical performances of starters, substitutes and whole-match players of different playing positions: central defender, full-back, central midfielder, wide midfielder, and forward. Data were collected from the Chinese Super League. Technical and physical match-performances were analysed using independent / paired t-tests for the following groups: starters (n = 4,794) vs. substitutes (n = 1,208); whole-match players (n = 3,505) vs. substitutes (n = 1,208); within-player comparisons: starters (n = 258) vs. substitutes (n = 258). Significant differences were identified between substitutes and starters/whole-match players for central defenders (number of shots, total distance), central midfielders (high-intensity and total distance, number of high-intensity runs and sprints), wide-midfielders (high-intensity distance, number of high-intensity runs and sprints) and forwards (number of forward passes). Significant differences were identified during within-player comparisons for fullbacks (shot success, ground challenges success), central midfielders (number of passes, shots, aerial challenges and ground challenges), wide midfielders (number of high-intensity runs, sprint % of distance) and forwards (sprint % of distance, number of shots). Substitutes in the CSL experienced greater work-rates and completed more technical actions than starters or whole-match players but with a lower efficacy that was modulated by playing position.

KEYWORDS:

• Physical demands
• technical indicators
• playing position
• starter
• substitute

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability statement

In order to protect the players’ confidentiality and privacy, data will be only available on request. Interested researchers should contact the corresponding author to ask for data used [email protected]

Additional information

Funding

The first author was funded by the China Scholarship Council (CSC) from the Ministry of Education of P.R. China under Grant 201608390012. The corresponding author was supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport of Spain, under the mobility Grant “Salvador de Madariaga” (PRX18/00098) cooperating with the James Cook University (Townsville, Australia);.