Effect of team ranking on defenders' offensive performance in Greek top football league.

Problem statement. Defenders are essential during the attacking phase of the team and are responsible for the build-up; in addition, they also support teammates. However,thus far, little attention has been given to defenders' contribution during the attacking phase of the game. Purpose. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of team ranking on the offensive performance of defending players in the top Greek football division. Methods. A total of 11 offensive indicators from 240 matches of the 2015/2016 season were analyzed. The teams were divided into four dynamic groups according to their final league position: G1 (1st to 4th position), G2 (5th to 8th position), G3 (9th to 12th position), and G4 (13th to 16th position). Results. The results showed significant differences in "total passes" [Χ2(3) = 38.697, p< 0.001] and "successful passes" [Χ2(3) = 47.579, p < 0.001] between G1 vs. G2, G3, and G4. In addition, there was a significant difference in "successful key passes" [Χ2(3) = 10.188, p< 0.05] between G1 and G4. Multinomial regression analyses showed that statistical significant predictors of G1 compared to the reference teams of G4 were the ratios "successful passes/total passes" (b = 0.340, p< 0.001) and "goal assists/total passes" (b = 0.524, p< 0.05). Conclusions. The defenders of the highestranking teams showed a greater offensive performance than those of the rest of the teams and especially of the lowest-ranking teams. The results of this study may have practical implications on both training and player recruitment based on the team's style of playing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]