Analysing the influence of numerical imbalance on individual tactical behaviour in soccer ball possession across different age categories

This study explored the impact of unbalanced ball possession small-sided games (SSGs) on individual tactical actions within three age groups: Under-11 (U11), Under-15 (U15), and Under-23 (U23). A total of 52 academy-level soccer players participated in 4v2, 4v4, and 4v6 SSGs aimed at maintaining ball possession. The analysis, conducted from both opposition-based (4vX) and cooperation-based (4v2+X) perspectives, utilised the Kruskal-Wallis and Dwass-Steel-Critchlow-Fligner tests to evaluate the effects on individual tactical actions such as Blocking, Tackling, Intercepting, Passing, Receiving, and Dribbling. Results indicated that older players (U23) demonstrated a higher proficiency in passing and receiving in numerically superior scenarios, showcasing their advanced tactical understanding. In contrast, younger players (U11 and U15) displayed greater variability, particularly in dribbling and tackling, reflecting their developmental stages. The findings suggest that numerical superiority enhances the frequency and quality of individual tactical actions across all groups, underscoring the need for age-specific and numerically balanced training to optimise player development. This research supports the implementation of tailored training regimes that align with players? developmental stages, using unbalanced SSGs to refine specific individual tactical skills and simulate real-match conditions, to develop decision-making and overall team performance.