O efeito da grama artificial no estilo de jogo no futebol

Abstract

Since 2004, the IFAB (International Football Association Board) has decided at the discretion of the competition regulation to use artificial turf (AT) as an alternative to natural turf (NT). Although the literature has already addressed several aspects of physical game demand on both types of surfaces, injury rate and metrification of technical-tactical performance in NT, there is still a lack of this type of study in the condition of AT and the consequent change in style of play. Likewise, little is known about the effect of this type of surface on home points rates performance. Thus, the objective of the present study was to verify the modifying effect of the style of play when comparing statistics of offensive, defensive and refereeing games; and home points rate performance. Initially, 57 first and second division teams were identified in nineteen countries (Africa, Asia, Central America, North America, South America and Europe). Then, exclusion criteria were used (matches with missing or insufficient data; matches with no fans; canceled by the courts; teams that adopted a transition stadium; and games where the confrontation between teams that had AT in their stadiums). From this, two teams are included in the final sample. The data were obtained from a public portal (www.whoscored.com) and 25 game statistics were used in the comparison (15 offensive, 5 defensive, 5 disciplinary sanctions). Of these two teams, 75 games were analyzed as “beforeafter” (NT-AT). As a result, we had higher computation values for AT in the statistics of the offensive game “kicks at goal from set pieces” (4.8 ± 3.2 vs. 1.7 ± 1.3, p<0.001), “passes in the first third” of the field of play (188.8 ± 42.7 vs. 154.2 ± 41.4, p <0.001); and on the defensive for “aerial duels” (30.7 ± 9.8 vs. 24.6 ± 9.7, p= 0.009). The NT surface, on the other hand, presented a higher number of “passes in the third part of the game field” (607.5 ± 106.4 vs. 299.8 ± 44.1, p<0.001) in the offensive game statistics; and “blocked kicks” (6.8 ± 2.3 vs. 5.6 ± 2.6, p=0.027) in defensive statistics. There was no significant difference in the arbitration sanction statistics (p>0.05). A disadvantage of the home team in AT was observed (46% of the points utilization rate). It is concluded, with these preliminary results, the non-existence of a style modifying effect between the playing surfaces considering that the vast majority of offensive and defensive game metrics, as well as on the typology of disciplinary sanctions. There was a disadvantage in points utilization rates for home teams in the transition from NT to AT.