The physical demands of professional soccer goalkeepers throughout a week long competitive microcycle and transiently throughout match play
ABSTRACT The physical demands of English Premier League soccer goalkeepers were quantified during training and match play in a two part study. Goalkeeper specific micromechanical electrical systems (MEMS) devices, profiled training and match day activities throughout one competitive week (n=8; part A) Changes in MEMS derived outputs were also profiled throughout match play (100 matches; n=8, 18+ 14 observations per goalkeeper; part B) In part A, goalkeeping training elicited the most dives (51+ 11) versus all activities (all p<=0.030) except shooting training (p=0.069) Small sided games elicited the fewest (5+ 3) dives (all p<=0.012) High speed distance covered in match (103+ 72 m) was similar to goalkeeping training (p=0.484) while exceeding shooting training, small sided games, pre match shooting, and pre match warm up (all p=0.012) Most changes of direction (34+ 12) and explosive efforts (70+ 18) occurred during goalkeeping training, with values exceeding match (both p=0.012) In part B, between half reductions in total distance, but increased high speed changes of direction and explosive efforts, occurred (both p<=0.05) Excluding the number of high jumps, all variables differed from 0 15 min during at least one match epoch, with more dives (1.3+ 1.4 vs 1.0+ 1.1) and explosive efforts (2.5+ 2.4 vs 2.0+ 1.8) performed between 75 90 min versus 0 15 min (all p<0.05) These data highlight the differing physical demands of various activities performed by professional soccer goalkeepers throughout a competitive week.
Journal of sports sciences