Contextualized acceleration and deceleration profiles of elite soccer players during English Premier League match-play. The effect of possession, positional demands and opponent ranking

This study aimed to compare accelerations (ACC) and decelerations (DEC) when in-(_IP) and out-of-possession (_OP) during official English Premier League (EPL) match-play over three consecutive seasons considering playing position, match location and opponent ranking. Match data from 31 male professional soccer players was obtained via an optical tracking system. Playing position significantly influenced ACC_IP, DEC_IP, and DEC_OP. Ranking difference and match location were significant predictors for DEC_IP, ACC_OP, and DEC_OP. An increase in ranking difference was associated with higher DEC_IP. Conversely, in the out-of-possession phase (ACC_OP and DEC_OP), a decrease in these parameters with increasing ranking difference was observed. Regarding match location, positive β coefficients suggested that DEC_IP, ACC_OP, and DEC_OP values were significantly higher during away matches compared to home matches. A significant interaction (playing position × ranking difference) was reported for DEC_OP (ß = 0.035, p = 0.013). Interestingly, DEC_OP actions decreased with increasing ranking difference across all playing positions except for wingers. In conclusion, these findings highlight that distinct contextual factors influence ACC and DEC performance during in-and out-of-possession phases of EPL match-play.