Within sport, research is continuously carried out to provide marginal gains to teams which could potentially result in a game being won or loss. The use of perturbations has particularly been explored within sports and has focused predominately on racket sports and football, however research specifically in football has engrossed within the tactical aspect of on-the-ball perturbations. Therefore, the main focus of this study was to analyse the association between two age groups U18’s and U16’s within a category 3 academy against several themes; A total of 389 on-the-ball perturbations were recorded U18’s (204) and U16s (185), a total of 159 off-the-ball perturbations U18’s (87) and U16’s (72), total number of perturbations used (0-5+) from 188 perturbations were used U18’s (101) and U16’s (87); location was of a football pitch was broken down into 32 segments for the analysis of perturbations; playing position of perturbations recorded a 389 times from Goalkeeper, Defender, Midfielder, Forwards U18’s (192) and U16’s (197), position of scorer was split by Defenders, Midfielder and Forwards from 188 goals, the type of attack was split into three; elaborate, direct and counter attack, and finally the type of finish, left foot, right foot, head, inside the box, outside the box and one touch finish with the focus on comparing the difference between several themes within analysis software (SportsCode Elite).
Chi-Squared test of association were reported between age groups U18’s and U16’s and themes (p < 0.05). Results concluded; the most used off-the-ball perturbations regardless of age group was straight runs U18’s 32% (z= 0.2) and U16’s 29% (z= -0.3), most common on-the-ball perturbations for U18’s was switch of play 24% (z=1.4), U16’s most used was ground through ball 24% (z= 0.8), most used number of perturbations (0-5+) regardless of age group was (2) U18’s 34% (z= 0.6) and U16’s 26% (z= -0.7), combined represent 30% (57/188) of all number of perturbations (0-5+), 18’s age group recorded a total of 28/32 location of perturbations
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recorded, in contrast to U16’s age group who recorded 27/32 locations. The most used location for U18’s age group was A2 8% (z=0.6) and F2 8% (z=1.3),
U16’s age group most recorded location was B5 16% (z=1.6), B5 was the U18’s joint second most used location 6% (z=-1.4), however the common combined location was B5 16%. The most common position of perturbations regardless of age group was midfield, U18’s 46% (z=0.5), U16’s 41% (z=-0.5), together combined make up a total of 44% of all position of perturbations performed. The most common position of scorer regardless of age group was forwards U18’s 50% (z=-2.4), U16’s 64% (z=2.2). Combined forwards account for 56% (106/188) of all goals scored. The most common type of attack for U18’s was counter attack 46% (z=0.5), whereas U16’s most common type of attack was direct 47% (z=1.2). The most common type of finish was inside the box regardless of age U18’s 75% (z=0.2), U16’s 74% (z=-0.2). Combined equate for 74% (139/188) of all goals scored. The most used body part to score a goal regardless of age was with a right foot U18’s 70% (z=0.4), U16’s 67% (z=-0.5). Combined related to a total of 68% (128/188) of all goals scored. Chi-squared results of association were tested between age groups against the themes, the only theme to provide significant difference was the type of attack used, (X2(2) =21.108, p = 0.00).