Inspecting the performance of neutral players in different small-sided games

The aim of this study was to inspect the effects of format and task conditions on neutral players' heart rate responses and time-motion characteristics. Four formats of play using neutral players and three task conditions were inspected. Moreover, the factor repetition (3 games per each SSG) was also analysed. Ten male amateur soccer players (26.36 ± 5.33 years old, 8 ± 3.2 years of practice, 66.18 ± 10.16 bpm at rest) participated in this study. The repeated measured revealed that no differences were found between repetitions (Pillai's Trace = .075; F 8, 100 = 1.007; p-value = .436; = .075; Power = .445; small effect size). In the game 1 significant interaction effects between the two factors on heart rate responses and time-motion profiles were observed ( Pillai's Trace = 0.699; F 24,428 = 3.774; p-value = .001; = .175; Power = 1.000; moderate effect size). In the game 2 , significant interaction effects between the two factors on heart rate responses and time-motion profiles were observed ( Pillai's Trace = .712; F 24,428 = 3.860; p-value = .001; = .178; Power = 1.000; moderate effect size). Finally, in the game 3 significant interaction effects between the two factors on heart rate responses and time-motion profiles were observed ( Pillai's Trace = .729; F 24,428 = 3.972; p-value = .001; = .182; Power = 1.000; moderate effect size). Briefly, it was possible to conclude that the biggest formats statistically increased the heart rate responses and time-motion characteristics of neutral players. It was also possible to observe that the mean values of heart rate responses found in neutral players throughout small-sided games were appropriated to very light or recovery workouts. Resumo—"Avaliando o desempenho de jogadores neutros em diferentes jogos reduzidos. " O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar os efeitos do formato e condicoes da tarefa nas respostas cardiacas e perfis de movimento de jogadores neutros. Adotaram-se quatro formatos de jogo e tres condicoes da tarefa utilizando jogadores neutros. Participaram no estudo dez jogadores de futebol amador (26,36 ± 5,33 anos de idade, 8 ± 3,2 anos de pratica, 66,18 ± 10,16 bpm em descanso). O teste de medidas repetidas nao mostraram diferencas estatisticamente significativas entre repeticoes ( Pillai's Trace = 0,075; F 8, 100 = 1,007; p-value = 0,436; = 0,075; Power = 0,445). No jogo 1 identificaram-se diferencas estatisticamen - te significativas na interacao entre factores nas variaveis de frequencia cardiaca e velocidade ( Pillai's Trace = 0,699; F 24,428 = 3,774; p-value = 0,001; = 0,175; Power = 1,000). No jogo 2 identificaram-se diferencas estatisticamente sig - nificativas na interacao entre factores nas variaveis de frequencia cardiaca e velocidade ( Pillai's Trace = 0,712; F 24,428 = 3,860; p-value = 0,001; = 0,178; Power = 1,000). Finalmente, no jogo 3 identificaram-se diferencas estatisticamente significativas na interacao entre factores nas variaveis de frequencia cardiaca e velocidade ( Pillai's Trace = 0,729; F 24,428 = 3,972; p-value = 0,001; = 0,182; Power = 1,000). Concluiu-se com este estudo que os formatos maiores aumentam estatisticamente a resposta cardiaca e o perfil de movimento de jogadores neutros. Foi igualmente possivel observar que os valores medios de frequencia cardiaca encontrados em jogadores neutros sao apropriados para trabalhos de baixa intensidade ou de recuperacao ativa. Palavras-chave: futebol, jogos reduzidos, condicoes da tarefa, desempenho, jogadores neutros