HUMAN MOVEMENT (ISSN 1899-1955) 2020; 21(4): 44–53 A MODEL OF THE EFFICIENCY OF GOALKEEPERS’ ACTIONS IN FUTSAL © University School of Physical Education in Wroclaw original paper doi: https://doi.org/10.5114/hm.2020.95990 ANDRZEJ SZWARC1, MATEUSZ OSZMANIEC2 1 Soccer Laboratory, Faculty of Physical Education, Gdańsk University of Physical Education and Sport, Gdańsk, Poland 2 Town Hall of Bytów, Bytów, Poland AbstRACT Purpose. The aim of the study was to develop a model of the efficiency of actions of goalkeepers from top-level futsal teams. Methods. Goalkeepers’ activity, successful activity, and effectiveness were estimated with the consideration of accomplishing the game objectives in offence and defence and of the changing match status. The study applied the method of observation. Data about the game were registered on a self-developed observation sheet. Overall, 62 games of 23 goalkeepers participating in 31 matches of the World and European Championships and the UEFA Futsal Cup played in years 2012–2015 were observed. Results. It was found that actions to gain the playfield with the ball (41% of all actions) and to prevent a loss of a goal (28.2%) dominated in futsal goalkeepers’ game. Offensive actions accounted for 58% and defensive actions for 42% of all actions undertaken by the studied futsal goalkeepers in the observed matches. The examined competitors achieved the highest effectiveness in keeping the ball (97%) and in preventing scoring situations (96%). Conclusions. The created model mapping the top-skilled goalkeepers’ actions allows improving the process of coaching players by referring their game to objective patterns. Key words: futsal, goalkeeper, notational analysis, activity and effectiveness of actions Introduction is significantly different from traditional soccer. The differences result from separate rules of the game Contemporary soccer is evolving very dynamically, and are conditioned by the competitive environment. which means that the demands placed on players are It follows from a review of already rich literature on increasingly higher. A very balanced level of top play- the efficiency in the game of futsal [10–18] that con- ers’ skills implies that the final success is determined ceptual eclecticism and a variety of methodological by nuances associated with their motor, technical- approaches dominate in exploring this game, which tactical, and mental preparation [1, 2]. Therefore, the prevents reliable comparative analyses. Research usu- main task of the coaching staff is to rationalize train- ally focuses on selected aspects of offensive actions, ing in this area [3, 4]. Defining elements of training whose aim is to score goals and to position the game accents in technical and tactical terms must directly (type of attack, how to score goals, set-pieces and their result from the knowledge of the players’ game obtained effectiveness), and on defensive actions (type of defence, from observations made with objective research tools method and place of receiving the ball). Goalkeepers’ [5, 6]. Reliable assessment of players’ performance is efficiency is rarely tested. Most research concerns the possible by tracking their behaviours in real-game goalkeeper’s participation in offensive actions in situ- conditions, with an opponent of a similar level of sports ations of outnumbering when each team uses the 5vs4 proficiency and with the consideration of situational + GK format [19–23], efficiency in preventing a loss of aspects of competition [7–9]. a goal [24–26], and the topography and ways of de- For several years, intensive research has been con- fending shots [27, 28]. Few studies have comprehen- ducted on players’ efficiency in the game of futsal, which sively analysed efficient action in the game [29, 30]. Correspondence address: Andrzej Szwarc, Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego i Sportu, ul. Kazimierza Górskiego 1, 80-336 Gdańsk, Poland, e-mail: [email protected] Received: March 2, 2020 Accepted for publication: May 18, 2020 Citation: Szwarc A, Oszmaniec M. A model of the efficiency of goalkeepers’ actions in futsal. Hum Mov. 2020;21(4):44–53; doi: https://doi.org/10.5114/hm.2020.95990. 44 HUMAN MOVEMENT A. Szwarc, M. Oszmaniec, A model of the efficiency of goalkeepers’ actions in futsal Praxeological interpretation of the assessment of the situation. Data about the game were recorded on a spe- efficiency of actions allows to comprehensively ana- cial originally developed observation sheet meeting sci- lyse players’ activity by means of objective research entific requirements [33]; the intra-class correlation tools. Accordingly, research on the efficiency of ac- coefficient test was used, with the intra-rater reliability tions of players of the highest sports proficiency level of 1.00 (95% CI: 1.00–1.00) and the inter-rater relia- aims at creating so-called models of game design. In bility of 0.99 (95% CI: 0.99–1.00) [cf. 34]. praxeological terms, efficiency of actions is understood Activity, successful activity, and effectiveness of as a total of practical qualities of play, which includes goalkeepers’ actions in terms of the game objectives activity (number of actions performed by players of were investigated. In attacking, the efficiency of actions one team during a match), successful activity (number that aimed at keeping the ball, gaining the playfield of positive actions with reference to the game aims), with the ball, creating situations to score, and scoring and effectiveness (the ratio between the number of a goal was estimated, while in defence, the efficiency effective actions and the number of all actions of one of actions against losing a goal and against creating type during the game). Other indices of play efficiency a situation to score was evaluated. encompass rationality (actions cognitively justified), valuableness (value of assessment of action efficiency), Ethical approval and economy (loss-gain ratio) [31]. By analysing the The conducted research is not related to either hu- observed sequences with regard to changing situa- man or animal use. tions in the game, by estimating and systematizing them, models that map players’ actions are created. Results Thanks to this, it is possible to rationalize game ac- tivities by referring them to objective patterns. General model of futsal goalkeeper’s efficiency Therefore, the purpose of this research was to de- of actions velop a model of the efficiency of actions of goalkeepers from top-level futsal teams taking into account their The data presented in Table 2 show that in the game offensive and defensive objectives. of goalkeepers of the best futsal teams participating in The following research questions were formulated: the World and European Championships and the UEFA 1. What activities do futsal goalkeepers most of- Futsal Cup in 2012–2015, actions to gain the play- ten perform in phases of attack and defence? field (41% of all actions) and to prevent a loss of a goal 2. What is the activity, successful activity, and effec- (28.2%) dominated. Goalkeepers less often prevented tiveness of individual and team actions in offensive creating situations to score a goal (13.8% of all actions) and defensive game of futsal goalkeepers of the highest and kept the ball (12.6%). They performed least fre- level of sports proficiency? quently actions that created situations to score and scored (2.9% and 1.5% of all actions, respectively). Material and methods The examined goalkeepers were the most efficient in keeping the ball (9 actions in one match on average, Overall, 23 goalkeepers (age: 27.03 ± 3.86 years, with 97% effectiveness) and in preventing the creation body height: 182 ± 5.64 cm) were examined in 31 of scoring situations (10 actions on average, with 96% matches, rendering 62 game analyses in total (Table 1). effectiveness). In gaining the playfield with the ball, The examined group comprised players of the highest they had 88% effectiveness, performing the most ac- level of sports proficiency competing in the World and tions, on average, 58 times in a match. Equally often, European Championships and the UEFA Futsal Cup futsal goalkeepers prevented a loss of a goal (20 actions held in 2012–2015. in one match on average, with 87% effectiveness). Goalkeepers’ game was analysed within the regu- Less often did they perform actions aimed at creating lar, 40-minute game time. The analysis excluded the a goal-scoring situation and at scoring a goal (an av- goalkeepers’ play time in which they were substituted erage of 2 and 1 action in a match, with 64% and 7% by players from the field in the case of an unfavour- effectiveness). able competition result. From the detailed data presenting the number of all This study used the method of notational obser- actions performed by futsal goalkeepers in terms of vation [32]. The analysis was conducted with the use of the achieved game objectives (Table 2 and Figure 1), video footage recorded on a DVD, and the tested ac- it follows that cooperation with partners significantly tion was observed during a multiple replay of a game outnumbered individual actions in situations of keep- 45 Human Movement, Vol. 21, No 4, 2020 humanmovement.pl HUMAN MOVEMENT A. Szwarc, M. Oszmaniec, A model of the efficiency of goalkeepers’ actions in futsal Table 1. List of matches in which the goalkeepers’ game was analysed along with their real play time Level of Phase Score Examined Real play No. Match competition of competition (score after extra time) goalkeepers time (min) 1. WC 2012 Argentina-Brazil Quarterfinal 2–2 (2–3) Elias/Tiago 40/40 2. WC 2012 Colombia-Ukraine Quarterfinal 3–1 Lozano/Ivanyak 40/38’08 3. WC 2012 Spain-Russia Quarterfinal 3–2 Juanjo/Gustavo 40/33’51 4. WC 2012 Italy-Spain Semifinal 1–4 Mammarella/Juanjo 33’20/40 5. WC 2012 Brazil-Colombia Semifinal 3–1 Tiago/Lozano 40/40 6. WC 2012 Italy-Colombia 3rd place play-offs 3–0 Mammarella/Nanez 40/40 7.