Small <75 Physiological HR ~88% HRmax

1 vs. 1 Area per player (m^2) Medium 75-150 Physiological HR ~91% HRmax

Large >150 Physiological HR ~94% HRmax

Small <75 Physiological HR ~86% HRmax

2 vs. 2 Area per player (m^2) Medium 75-150 Physiological HR ~88% HRmax

Large >150 Physiological HR ~92% HRmax

HR ~90% HRmax

Small <75 Physiological Blac ~6 mmol/L

RPE ~8.1

HR ~91% HRmax

SSGs 3 vs. 3 Area per player (m^2) Medium 75-150 Physiological Blac ~6.3 mmol/L

RPE ~8.4

HR ~92% HRmax

Large >150 Physiological Blac ~6.5 mmol/L

RPE ~8.6

HR ~89% HRmax

Small <75 Physiological Blac ~5.3 mmol/L

RPE ~7.6

HR ~89% HRmax

4 vs. 4 Area per player (m^2) Medium 75-150 Physiological Blac ~5.5 mmol/L

RPE ~7.9

HR ~90% HRmax

Large >150 Physiological Blac ~6 mmol/L

RPE ~8.1

HR ~88% HRmax

Physiological Blac ~5.3 mmol/L

RPE ~7.2

TD ~87.5 m/min

Physical LID ~82.25 m/min

Small <75
HID ~5.25 m/min

Pass Total ~7.3 per min

Receive ~1.46 per min

Technical (per player)
Dribble ~2.3 per min

Shots ~1.6 per min

HR ~89% HRmax

Physiological Blac ~5 mmol/L

RPE ~7.6

TD ~112.5 m/min

Physical LID ~105.75 m/min

5 vs. 5 Area per player (m^2) Medium 75-150
HID ~6.75 m/min
↑ pitch area When player number in consistent
Pass Total ~7 per min
↑ demands
Receive ~1.4 per min
Technical (per player)
Dribble ~2.7 per min

Shots ~1.72 per min

HR ~89% HRmax

Physiological Blac ~5.8 mmol/L

RPE ~7.5

TD ~125 m/min

Physical LID ~117 m/min

Large >150
HID ~8 m/min

Pass Total ~6.7 per min

Receive ~1.34 per min

Technical (per player)
Dribble ~2.4 per min
MSGs & LSGs Bouts 2-4
Shots ~1 per min
Duration 6-15 min
HR ~86% HRmax
Rest 90-180 sec
Physiological Blac ~4.5 mmol/L
Volume 25-40 min
RPE ~6.8
Format MSGs & LSGs
TD ~90 m/min
Dimensions 30x20 - 45x25 m
Small <75 Physical LID ~86.4 m/min
Offical scoring conditions
HID ~3.6 m/min Long-intensive
Free play conditions
Pass Total ~1.2 per min Conditions
With GKs
Technical (per player) Receive ~0.2 per min
Without coach encouragement
Dribble ~0.2 per min
HR (%HRmax) 80-90
HR ~87% HRmax
Blac 3-4 mmol/L
Physiological Blac ~5 mmol/L
RPE 6-8
RPE ~7.3
Distance/min 100-150
TD ~106 m/min
Aerobic conditioning
Bouts 5-8
6 vs. 6 - 10 vs. 10 Area per player (m^2) Medium 75-150 Physical LID ~101.75 m/min
Duration 3-6 min
HID ~4.25 m/min
Rest 1:1 work-to-rest ratio
Pass Total ~1 per min
Heart Rate (HR)
Volume 10-30 min
Technical (per player) Receive ~0.16 per min
> lactate threshold The point which Blac ↑ by >0.4mmol/L above baseline
Physiological Blood Lactate (Blac) Format SSGs
Dribble ~0.3 per min LSGs
> Anaerobic threshold The point which Blac ↑ exponentially
Dimensions 30x20 - 40x30 m
Umbrella term Describes any reduced form of official match-play HR ~87% HRmax < area per player
Percieved exertion (RPE) 0-10 scale
No goals/ small goals Multiple scoring opportunities
Physiological Blac ~4.8 mmol/L Offical scoring conditions
With/without GK Acceleration
Short-intensive Limited touches
RPE ~7.2 ↓ Free play conditions
Player numbers With/without floaters Inside/outside of playing area Deceleration
Conditions Without GKs
TD ~115 m/min With GKs
Numerical advantage/disadvantage Change of Direction (COD)
Physical With coach encouragement
Large >150 Physical LID ~110.4 m/min Without coach encouragement
Pitch area Relative pitch area per player Total Distance (TD)
Man marking
HID ~4.6 m/min Numerical balance between teams
Goals vs. scoring zone Low-Intensity Distance (LID) <15 km/h
HR (%HRmax) >85
Pass Total ~0.75 per min Physiological & physical demand
Distance High-Intensity Distance (HID) >15 km/h SSGs & MSGs SSG design
Scoring Number of goals/scoring zones Blac 5-8 mmol/L
Technical (per player) Receive ~0.125 per min > area per player
Size of goals/scoring zones Very High-Intensity Distance (VHID) >20 km/h
RPE 7-9
Dribble ~0.375 per min No goals/ small goals Multiple scoring opportunities
Number of touches Sprint Distance (SD) >25 km/h
Distance/min >130
Pass Limited touches
Offside rule ↑ Bouts 4-8
Characteristics
Effects Without GKs
Task constraints/ rule modifications Passing rules Receive
Duration 30-180 sec
Dribble With coach encouragement
Possession rules Rest 1:1 - 1:1.5 work-to-rest ratio
Technical Actions % Time in possession Man marking
Scoring rules Volume 5-15 min
Block Numerical inferiority With floaters
Interval format Format Very SSGs 1 vs. 1 - 3 vs. 3
Duration
Continuous format Intercept LSGs
Dimensions 20x15 - 25-30 m
Present Tackle > area per player
↓ No goals/ small goals Multiple scoring opportunities
Attendance
Absent Inter-team distances Support play Offical scoring conditions
Limited touches
Coach Anaerobic conditioning
Within game Stretch index Team depth Limited touches
Technical & tactical performance Without GKs
Coaching Conditions
During rest interval Effective space per player SSGs & MSGs
With coach encouragement
Team length < area per player
Small-sided (SSGs) < 4 vs. 4 ↑ Man marking
Tactical Behaviour Team width No goals/ small goals Multiple scoring opportunities
Format Medium-sided (MSGs) 5 vs. 5 to 8 vs. 8 Numerical inferiority With floaters
Team centroid distance Where to structure SSCGs Free play conditions
Large-sided (LSGs) >9 vs. 9 HR (%HRmax) >90
Team unity & stability
Blac >8 mmol/L
Penetration
RPE 8-10
A Practical Guide To Small-Sided & Delay
Distance/min >130
Conditioned Games (SSCG) in Football: Definitions Player Numbers Pitch Area Other Constraints Recommendations

Implications For Training Design

Creator: Lorcán Mason

www.lorcanmason.com
@lorcanmason
Require very high levels of effort Specific for anaearobic conditioning
Pass
High individual technical actions per minute
Receive
HR ~86% HRmax
Physiological Dribble
1 vs. 1 Blac 9.4 mmol/L
Technical Actions % Time in possession
Dribbles ~1 per minute
Block
COD ~1.3 per minute
Intercept
Technical Tackle ~1.6 per minute
Tackle
Block ~1.5 per minute
Influences Inter-team distances Support play
Interception ~1.1 per minute
Stretch index Team depth
Require very high levels of effort Specific for anaearobic conditioning
Effective space per player
High individual technical actions per minute ↑ number of team technical actions per minute
Team length
HR ~87% HRmax
Tactical Behaviour Team width
Physiological Blac ~7.6 mmol/L
Team centroid distance Goals vs. scoring zone ↑ demand with scoring zones
RPE ~8
Team unity & stability Number of goals/scoring zones ↑ demand with > scoring opportunities
TD ~107 m/min Scoring Changes in scoring methods Changes
2 vs. 2 Penetration Size of goals/scoring zones ↑ demand with smaller goals
Physical LID ~87 m/min
Delay
HID ~19 m/min
Heart Rate (HR)
Total ~3.6 per min
Pass > lactate threshold The point which Blac ↑ by >0.4mmol/L above baseline
Accuracy ~66% Physiological Blood Lactate (Blac)
> Anaerobic threshold The point which Blac ↑ exponentially
Receive ~2.3 per min
Percieved exertion (RPE) 0-10 scale
Technical (per player)
Dribble ~1 per min
↑ Acceleration
Possessions per player % Time in possession ~43%
SSGs Deceleration
Duals ~3.25 per min
Change of Direction (COD)
HR ~87% HRmax Physical
Total Distance (TD)
Physiological Blac ~7.2 mmol/L
Low-Intensity Distance (LID) <15 km/h
RPE ~7.5
Distance High-Intensity Distance (HID) >15 km/h
TD ~167 m/min
Very High-Intensity Distance (VHID) >20 km/h
Physical LID ~134 m/min
Sprint Distance (SD) >25 km/h
3 vs. 3 HID ~33 m/min
Pass
Total ~8 per min
Pass Receive
Accuracy ~71%
Dribble
Receive ~1.6 per min
Technical Actions % Time in possession
Technical (per player)
Dribble ~0.7 per min
Block
Possessions per player % Time in possession ~41%
Intercept
Duals ~9 per min ↑ player numbers When pitch size in consistent
↓ demands Tackle
HR ~86% HRmax
Influences Inter-team distances Support play
Physiological Blac ~5 mmol/L
Stretch index Team depth
RPE ~7
Effective space per player
TD ~115 m/min
Team length
Physical LID ~95 m/min
Tactical Behaviour Team width
4 vs. 4 HID ~20 m/min Number of touches ↑ demand with less touches
Team centroid distance
Total ~13 per min Offside rule ↑ demand with no offside
Pass Team unity & stability
Accuracy ~73% Task Contraints/Rule Modifications Changes in task constraints Changes Possession rules ↑ demand with possession scoring I.E 10 passes = 1 goal
Penetration
Receive ~1.33 per min Marking rules ↑ demand with man marking
Delay
Technical (per player)
Dribble ~0.3 per min
Heart Rate (HR)
Possessions per player % Time in possession ~25%
> lactate threshold The point which Blac ↑ by >0.4mmol/L above baseline
Duals ~4 per min Physiological Blood Lactate (Blac)
> Anaerobic threshold The point which Blac ↑ exponentially
HR ~88% HRmax
Percieved exertion (RPE) 0-10 scale
Physiological Blac ~5 mmol/L
↑ Acceleration
RPE ~7.4
Deceleration
TD ~105 m/min
Change of Direction (COD)
Physical LID ~87 m/min Physical
Total Distance (TD)
5 vs. 5
HID ~18 m/min
Low-Intensity Distance (LID) <15 km/h
Total ~8 per min
Pass Distance High-Intensity Distance (HID) >15 km/h
Accuracy ~76%
Very High-Intensity Distance (VHID) >20 km/h
Receive ~11 per min
Technical (per player) Sprint Distance (SD) >25 km/h
Dribble ~3 per min
Heart Rate (HR)
MSGs & LSGs Possessions per player % Time in possession ~15%
> lactate threshold The point which Blac ↑ by >0.4mmol/L above baseline
HR ~81-94% HRmax Interval format ↑ Physiological responses Blood Lactate (Blac)
> Anaerobic threshold The point which Blac ↑ exponentially
Physiological Blac ~4.7 mmol/L > number of bouts
Percieved exertion (RPE) 0-10 scale SSGs
RPE ~6.8-7.3 < time per bout
Duration Acceleration
TD ~137 m/min < number of bouts
Deceleration MSGs & LSGs
Physical LID ~122 m/min Recommendation > time per bout
6 vs. 6 - 10 vs. 10 Change of Direction (COD)
HID ~15 m/min Continuous format ↑ Physical demands LSGs (>7 vs. 7)
Total Distance (TD)
Total ~7.3 per min Continuous format ↓ physiological demand
Pass Low-Intensity Distance (LID) <15 km/h
Accuracy ~81% ↑ physical demand
Distance High-Intensity Distance (HID) >15 km/h
Receive ~9.2 per min
Technical (per player)
Very High-Intensity Distance (VHID) >20 km/h
Dribble ~1 per min
Sprint Distance (SD) >25 km/h
Possessions per player % Time in possession ~4%
Heart Rate (HR)

> lactate threshold The point which Blac ↑ by >0.4mmol/L above baseline
Physiological Blood Lactate (Blac)
> Anaerobic threshold The point which Blac ↑ exponentially

Percieved exertion (RPE) 0-10 scale

Acceleration

Deceleration

Change of Direction (COD)

Physical
Total Distance (TD)

Low-Intensity Distance (LID) <15 km/h

Distance High-Intensity Distance (HID) >15 km/h

Very High-Intensity Distance (VHID) >20 km/h

Sprint Distance (SD) >25 km/h

Pass
Coach Coach encouragement ↑
Receive

Dribble

Technical Actions % Time in possession

Block

Intercept

Tackle

Inter-team distances Support play

Stretch index Team depth

Effective space per player

Team length

Tactical Behaviour Team width

Team centroid distance

Team unity & stability

Penetration

Delay