Between-format differences and variability of technical actions during small-sided soccer games played by young players

Purpose
This study purposes were: (i) to analyse variations of individual frequencies of technical actions between two small-sided game (SSG) formats (3 × 3 and 6 × 6) in under-8 soccer players; (ii) to test the variability of technical actions executed by very young players during 3 × 3 and 6 × 6 SSG formats.

Methods
Overall, 12 young male football players (age: 7.58 ± 0.5 years; practice: 2.5 ± 0.5 years) from the same Portuguese team voluntarily participated in the study. Both 3 × 3 and 6 × 6 formats were played twice, interspaced by one week, to test the variability of technical actions. Codification of actions involved conquered balls (CB), received balls (RB), lost balls (LB), attacking balls (AB), neutral balls (NB), not-succeeded shots (NSS), and succeeded shots (SS).

Results
The magnitudes of technical actions variability were small, with the exception of shots, which were moderately-tolargely variable. Between-formats analyses revealed almost certain very large decreases from 6 × 6 to 3 × 3 in the individual frequencies of RB (–45.7% [–51.0; –39.9], ES (effect size): –4.69 [–5.48; –3.90]); CB (–42.3% [–46.9; –37.3], ES: –2.32 [–2.68; –1.97]); LB (–59.9% [–64.1; –55.2], ES: –3.69 [–4.13; –3.24]); NB (–37.6% [–45.9; –27.9], ES: –1.76 [–2.29; –1.22]), and NSS (–71.8% [–76.7; –65.9], ES: –5.74 [–6.61; –4.88]).

Conclusions
Passes, RB, and CB are reproducible but shots are variable across the sessions. Comparisons between formats clearly revealed that individual frequencies of technical actions largely increased in the 3 × 3 format.