One of the most important aspects of an evidence-informed culture is how we use this information to change our behavior.
So far, we’ve defined what we expect from our Players and Teams. We’ve also created benchmarks or KPI’s to indicate the quality of certain areas of their performances. Now it’s time to switch focus to how to use this information.
Ernst Tanner
Lucy Rushton and Matt Pilkington explain how insights from analysis must influence training design.
Lucy goes on to address the idea of feeding back data and video to players, before working on these areas on the training field. This idea is reciprocated by Ewan Sharp.
In this module’s first task we’re going to use some MLS data to track some KPI’s.
Please download the spreadsheet below and open the task document.
Training Methods Task
Training Methods Task Data
What do you think we could do to help players who are experiencing a dip in form? How do you think this differs for a player on a team who has no data or video? Can you think of a time where you may have missed an issue because of the Misinformation Effect? Please add these comments at the bottom of this module.
The second task is to record our thoughts on this subject in our ongoing document. The following questions may be useful to think about:
How will we manage team vs individual needs?
How often will we review the information you collect?
If a concerning pattern is highlighted, how will we address it?
Would our methods change depending on what the pattern is?
Will we act on positive patterns and reinforce positive actions?
Feel free to discuss this in the comments below.
How will we manage team vs individual needs?
This probably depends on whether you are in an academy or first team environment.
In an academy environment, generally the needs of the player comes first.
How often will we review the information you collect?
Training data will be reviewed each day, with game data each week. Once a month, we would generally do a more formal review regarding individual players progress and some things we can improve on as a team that may advance a pattern.
If a concerning pattern is highlighted, how will we address it?
Ideally, as soon as possible! What Ernst said made sense, it is not much use reviewing problems at the end of the season, as it is often too late for the player, team or coach by then.
Will we act on positive patterns and reinforce positive actions?
Yes, I think it is just as important to re-iterate things that we do well rather than just weaknesses. Developing a players strength into a super strength may be more beneficial for them than turning something that is below average to average.
I believe that the ideal way to help players with a dip in performance is to create a plan with tools that will emphasize the solution. For example, if a full back is struggling with the accuracy of his crosses, I would recommend that he practices crosses for a certain amount of repetitions before or after practice hours until an improvement is noticed and then maybe less frequently. If this full back was on a team with no data or video, I would still recommend the same plan with modifications depending on his situation. Let’s say he plays semi-pro and he works so he cannot make it before or after practice, maybe he can follow the plan on his own time.
I coached a center back that used to build up through the middle, which was fine for me. During games, the midfielders would lose the ball occasionally, but we never really paid for it with a goal against. So, I shrugged it off. Then, when I rewatched the match, I noticed that this CB would play to mids that were surrounded by opponents when the full back near him was wide open. So, I cut multiple examples to show him and worked on it in practice. He realized his mistake and improved his choice of pass, turning the ball over a lot less.
When a player experiences a dip in form, it would first be necessary to determine what exactly are the deficiencies that have led to the conclusion of a dip in form. As seen in the first task of this module, a reduction in one technical action may be due to an increase in other actions. Therefore, this again leads to needing to have a clear idea of the style of play and the game model, as to use the example from the task, one team may prefer their wingers to dribble more whilst another may prefer them to cross.
If however it is clear that there has been a reduction in actions that are required of a given position in a team’s style of play and game model, the next step would be to create a constructive dialogue with the player. This would highlight to them a reduction in certain actions, and then it should propose a plan to amend this that is feasible for the player to implement. To do this, specificity is also required. For example, as Lucy Rushton mentioned in a previous video, rather than pointing out that a striker had not been scoring as many goals, what had led to a reduction in goals was that the striker had not been getting into positions often enough where they could be more likely of scoring (i.e. the penalty box).
This is of course preferable to do with data, but if that is not available it can be done in an observational manner. In order to avoid a misinformation bias if solely observation has to be resorted to, methods such as grading technical actions (i.e. on a ‘1 to 5’ scale can be used as mentioned previously in this course) can be used in which these grades can then be compared over a given amount of games and/or time.
First, I think team needs come first and are usually correlated to individual needs. In this instance we can highlight the efficiencies or deficiencies of the team and how an individual plays their role in both of those. I think reviewing the numbers collectively after 10-15 games or splitting the season into thirds. Plus, if we recognize a concerning pattern, I think it is best to be direct to the player and provide data, video from games and training that reinforce this concerning pattern and also provide best practices form top players or moments from that player we want to reinforce to improve the concerning pattern. Yes, I think the tone and method of how try to motivate and impact the player should change based on what the pattern is. I think a big difference in our tone can be based on if the pattern is a technical, tactical, mental or work ethic problem. We must act and reinforce positive patterns. Players need to understand what they’re individually doing well and how it impacts the team’s performances and results, so the player has a clear understanding of what they need to do and how to repeat it as much as possible.
The first step I would take is to use the data to ensure that the players dip in form is not just something I see, but is backed up by data as well. I would then watch video footage of games, with a slight focus on the player in question in order to understand whether it was a the player’s individual performances that caused a drop in form or was it more of a team performance issue. Basically, I would try to absorb as much information about the possible reasons from a tactical and analytical point of view before approaching the player about his detoriating form. My next step would be to have a direct conversation with the player, trying to get his input to understand why his form has dropped. Once this is done, I would try and set up training drills that specifically focus on the performance indicators that indicate his drop in form.
For a team that has no video or data, a lot of the steps would be the same. However, the only difference is that the initial realization of the drop in form would come from the coach or the analyst seeing that the player is not performing up to his usual standards. I would then take a couple of games to see if the drop in form was just out of fatigue and temporary or something that needs to be worked on in training.
I think methods should vary depending on the pattern, and the players involved. If something is happening on an individual level, we may find it more effective and better for the player to show them individually, or potentially (if the player is comfortable) with another play in their position or their teammate they directly play with e.g. left-back and left-wing or the two centre-backs in order to generate discussion, share thoughts and see how a certain pattern affects them, but also their teammate. If the pattern is on a team level, then showing a specific unit or the team itself may be the most beneficial way to get the message across especially if it is information relevant to all players. We can use different methods such as informal conversations with players asking questions to understand their thinking, sharing data, reviewing video and creating exercises in training for players to work on a specific pattern. Our methods should be tailored to the specific pattern/situation and players involved.
We should act on positive patterns and reinforce positive actions to a player. Analysis should not be something that is feared or found boring by players. It is something that they should feel they benefit from and gives them a competitive advantage on a team and individual level. If we only highlight areas to improve and negative actions I think our analysis could lose its full value/potential and we may even lose buy-in from players. We must use analysis as a tool for positive reinforcement, praise, and examples of best practice which can also help our team improve. Identifying what was good, why it was good, and why we should keep doing it can be very effective also.
Managing Team vs Individual Needs:
– Recognizing the balance between team objectives and individual player needs is essential. While team tactics contribute to overall success, understanding and addressing the unique requirements of individual players can enhance team performance. For example, adapting training routines to focus on areas where specific players need improvement.
Reviewing Collected Information:
-Regularly reviewing the data and insights collected during tactical analysis and post-match performance evaluations is vital. This ongoing review helps identify trends, areas for improvement, and successes. It allows for informed decision-making in training sessions and tactical adjustments for upcoming matches.
Addressing Concerning Patterns:
-When concerning patterns emerge, it’s crucial to have a proactive approach. This may involve targeted training sessions, individualized coaching, or strategic adjustments in team tactics. Addressing issues promptly can prevent them from becoming persistent problems that affect overall team performance.
Adapting Methods Based on Patterns:
-Flexibility in tactical analysis methods is essential. If a particular approach is consistently ineffective or if players show a preference for a certain style of play, being open to adapting methods ensures continuous improvement. This adaptability helps the coaching staff tailor training sessions to better suit the team’s dynamics.
Acting on Positive Patterns:
-Recognizing and reinforcing positive patterns and actions is equally important. This can involve praising players for effective strategies, encouraging teamwork, and integrating successful tactics into regular training sessions. Positive reinforcement contributes to team morale and helps solidify successful patterns.
By addressing both team and individual aspects, regularly reviewing performance data, proactively managing concerning patterns, adapting methods, and reinforcing positive actions, a comprehensive approach to football tactical analysis and post-match performance assessment is established. This approach contributes to the ongoing development and success of the team.
I am extremely comfortable working with data to track players but have little experience when it comes to communicating with players to work with them on improving. I usually do it in scouting but when it is your own players it’s helpful to see dips in form that we can address in individual coaching, as well as perhaps working with the team to put the player in question in more positions to hit those KPIs.
Of course, it makes a lot of sense to do all of this alongside the video, as well as in the bigger picture of tracking the team’s overall performance according to data. This should all help in terms of putting the individual in context. In the case of the player highlighted in the task, I think showing them examples of clips in their previous games where they were more positive would be helpful to reaffirm that the player themselves have already been successful as a dribbler, rather than just asking them to do something they aren’t confident in. Additionally, I think it would be good to show some examples of players in higher divisions to provide some quality to learn from.
If there are really positive runs of form in certain areas it might help to show those clips in team sessions for positive reinforcement.
I would imagine that there is a huge difference between a player receiving constant feedback as to a player who who has no data/video. With the information being given it can help the player know what a good performance may look like for them, and targets to identify with in the match/training. Whereas with a player with no data is just playing the game, and almost just playing by what they or the coach may feel is right.