The individual tactical behaviours of professional football players during Worst-Case Scenarios: a comparison between teams and positions in the Spanish LaLiga

To compare the individual tactical behaviours of different game models during Worst-Case Scenarios (WCS). Four professional clubs representing associative-pressing or direct-retreating game models were observed against the same 3 opponents during 23 games of the 2023/2024 Spanish LaLiga (334 observations; 107 outfield players). To operationalise tactical behaviours across different WCS durations, the footage of 1-minute rolling average WCS was extracted from MediaCoach and systematically observed through two tactical-behaviour instruments. The distribution of tactical principles and actions was calculated and cross-tabulation analysis enabled to establish comparisons between the observed and expected frequencies. Individual tactical principles and actions during WCS were not fully discriminated by their teams’ game model. Whilst team A increased Offensive Cover (14.7 %) and Penetration (11.8%), teams B and D augmented Mobility (B: 4.7%; D: 6.5%) and Space (B: 6%; D: 8.5%). Likewise, only fullbacks’ Penetrate in teams A (7; R = 1.90) and B (7), fullbacks’ Provide Cover in teams C (5; R = 1.70) and D (3), and specific defensive actions for strikers were entirely consistent with their game models. Only certain individual tactical behaviours congruent with their team’s game model might emerge during WCS which highlights potential physical-tactical training contents to enhance team preparation.