The effects of playing tactics on creating scoring opportunities in random matches from US Major League Soccer

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of playing tactics on the creation of scoring opportunities in random matches from US Major League Soccer 2014, taking into account both contextual and defensive variables. The sample included 3253 team possessions corresponding to 30 randomly selected matches. Multidimensional qualitative data from 10 categorical variables was analysed by means of descriptive analysis and multiple logistic regression analysis. Contextual variables such as match location (p=0.049), match half (p=0.043) and match status (P=0.032) were associated with creating scoring opportunities. With regards playing tactics, set plays created a higher proportion of scoring opportunities (28.1±13.7%) than recoveries (11.2±5.2%) and restarts (8.1±5.2%)(p<0.001). For recoveries, counterattacks were found to be more effective than combinative attack (p<0.001) and direct attack (p<0.001) in creating scoring opportunities only when the opponent was defensively imbalanced, while long possessions were found to be more effective than short possessions both against balanced and imbalanced defence. For restarts, long possessions were found to be more effective than short possessions in creating scoring opportunities (OR=7.430; 95% CI: 3.902 to 14.151; p<0.001). Contextual variables and defensive variables are regarded as crucial to understanding the effects of offensive playing tactics on creating scoring opportunities.