The study reveals first-ever findings from extracted data of the top seven European leagues over the past two decades, representing 43 competitions, 269 teams, and more than 61,000 fixtures. The 4-3-3 (31%), 4-5-1 (28%), and 4-4-2 (19%) were the most used team formation systems over the 15-year period.
You will also find in this study:
-
- Over the past five to six seasons, there has been a tendency for a greater uniformization of the tactical approach to matches across leagues, with a less and less marked preference for one formation vs. another.
-
- The decision to use one formation over another may result from the combination of several factors, including league and club culture, coaches’ experiences as ex-players and managers, overall tactical preferences and philosophy, and fixture context.
- The most tactically adaptable players may target/move to any league, while the less adaptable ones may target the leagues with low changes.
The Loughborough Sport Athletic Department will now be able to integrate all medical and performance data into a single operating system.