[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-detail-127723-en":3,"doc-seo-127723-105":30,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":92},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",{"doc_id":7,"user_id":8,"nickname":9,"user_avatar":10,"doc_module":4,"category_id":11,"category_name":12,"doc_title":13,"doc_description":14,"doc_content":15,"file_id":16,"file_url":17,"file_type":18,"file_size":19,"view_count":20,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":20,"is_downloadable":20,"audit_status":20,"page_count":21,"language":22,"language_code":23,"site_id":24,"html_lang":23,"table_of_contents":25,"faqs":26,"seo_title":27,"seo_description":14,"update_tm":28,"read_time":29},127723,962084926284,"Aurora","https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_29158cc5080c5b710cf443261637dec0",8,"Research & Report","The Success Factors of Rest Defense in Soccer - A Mixed-Methods Approach of Expert Interviews, Tracking Data, and Machine Learning","This study examines the group tactic of rest defense during defensive transition, when possession is lost and quick counterattacks must be prevented. A mixed-methods design combined semi-structured interviews with seven professional soccer coaches and quantitative analysis of tracking and event data from 153 2020/21 German Bundesliga matches. Rest defense was defined through positioning of the deepest defenders during ball possession to limit counterattacks. The final machine learning model delivered strong predictive accuracy (Accuracy 0.97) and revealed key KPI patterns related to controlling deep spaces and managing dangerous counterattack threats. The findings emphasize regaining possession quickly after a ball loss as the primary success factor.","University of Groningen  \nThe Success Factors of Rest Defense in Soccer  \nForcher, Leander; Forcher, Leon; Altmann, Stefan; Jekauc, Darko; Kempe, Matthias  \nPublished in:  \nJournal of sports science and medicine  \nDOI:  \n10.52082/jssm.2023.707  \nIMPORTANT NOTE: You are advised to consult the publisher's version (publisher's PDF) if you wish to cite from it. Please check the document version below.  \nDocument Version  \nPublisher's PDF, also known as Version of record  \nPublication date: 2023  \nLink to publication in University of Groningen/UMCG research database  \nCitation for published version (APA):  \nForcher, L. , Forcher, L. , Altmann, S. , Jekauc, D. , & Kempe, M. (2023) . The Success Factors of Rest Defense in Soccer: A Mixed-Methods Approach of Expert Interviews, Tracking Data, and Machine Learning. Journal of sports science and medicine, 22, 707-725 . [https://doi.org/10.52082/jssm.2023.707](https://doi.org/10.52082/jssm.2023.707)  \nCopyright  \nOther than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download or to forward/distribute the text or part of it without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license (like Creative Commons) .  \nThe publication may also be distributed here under the terms of Article 25fa of the Dutch Copyright Act, indicated by the “Taverne” license. More information can be found on the University of Groningen website: [https://www.rug.nl/library/open-access/self-archiving-pure/taverne](https://www.rug.nl/library/open-access/self-archiving-pure/taverne)amendment.  \nTake-down policy  \nIf you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim.  \nDownloaded from the University of Groningen/U MCG research database (Pure): [http://www.rug. nl/research/portal. For technical reasons the](http://www.rug. nl/research/portal. For technical reasons the)[ ](http://www.rug. nl/research/portal. For technical reasons the)[number of authors shown on this cover page is limited to 10 maximum.](number of authors shown on this cover page is limited to 10 maximum.)  \nDownload date: 01-01-2026  \n©Journal of Sports Science and Medicine (2023) 22, 707-725  \n[http://www.jssm.org DOI:](http://www.jssm.org DOI:) [https://doi.org/10.52082/jssm.2023.707](https://doi.org/10.52082/jssm.2023.707)  \nResearch article  \nThe Success Factors of Rest Defense in Soccer – A Mixed-Methods Approach of Expert Interviews, Tracking Data, and Machine Learning  \nLeander Forcher 1,2 􀀍 , Leon Forcher 1,2, Stefan Altmann 1,3, Darko Jekauc 1 and Matthias Kempe 4  \n1 Institute of Sports and Sports Science, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany; 2 TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, Zuzenhausen, Germany; 3 TSG ResearchLab gGmbH, Zuzenhausen, Germany; 4 Center for Human Movement Sciences, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), Groningen, The Netherlands  \nAbstract  \nWhile the tactical behavior of soccer players differs between specific phases of play (offense, defense, offensive transition, defensive transition), little is known about successful behavior of players during defensive transition (switching behavior from offense to defense) . Therefore, this study aims to analyze the group tactic of rest defense (despite in ball possession, certain players safeguard quick counterattacks in case of ball loss) in defensive transition. A mixed-methods approach was used, involving both qualitative and quantitative analysis. Semi-structured expert interviews with seven professional soccer coaches were conducted to define rest defense. In the quantitative analysis, several KPIs were calculated, based on tracking and event data of 153 games of the 2020/21 German Bundesliga season, to predict the success of rest defense situations in a machine learning approach. The qualitative interviews indicated that rest defense can be defined as the positioning of the dee","cbCailFvJMDz6njd","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCailFvJMDz6njd","pdf",856516,1,20,"English","en",105,"# Abstract\n# Introduction\n## Rest defense concept and research gap\n## Study objective and approach\n# Methods\n## Expert interviews\n## Tracking and event data\n## Machine learning prediction\n# Results\n## Qualitative definition and tactical indicators\n## KPI performance and model evaluation\n# Conclusion\n## Main success factor in defensive transition","[{\"question\":\"How is rest defense defined in the study?\",\"answer\":\"Rest defense is defined as the positioning of the deepest defenders during ball possession to prevent an opposing counterattack after a ball loss.\"},{\"question\":\"What data and methods are used to assess rest defense success?\",\"answer\":\"The study uses semi-structured expert interviews with seven professional coaches and quantitative tracking and event data from 153 matches. Machine learning models then predict rest defense success based on calculated KPIs.\"},{\"question\":\"Which factor is identified as most important for success during defensive transition?\",\"answer\":\"Regaining possession as fast as possible after a ball loss is identified as the most important success factor in defensive transition.\"}]","The Success Factors of Rest Defense in Soccer - A Mixed-Methods Approach of Expert Interviews, Tracking Data, and Machine Learning | PDF",1785941237,50,{"code":4,"msg":31,"data":32},"ok",{"site_id":24,"language":23,"slug":33,"title":13,"keywords":34,"description":14,"schema_data":35,"social_meta":87,"head_meta":89,"extra_data":91,"updated_unix":28},"the-success-factors-of-rest-defense-in-soccer-a-mixed-methods-approach-of-expert-interviews-tracking-data-and-machine-learning-127723","",{"@graph":36,"@context":86},[37,54,69],{"@type":38,"itemListElement":39},"BreadcrumbList",[40,44,48,51],{"item":41,"name":42,"@type":43,"position":20},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":45,"name":46,"@type":43,"position":47},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":49,"name":12,"@type":43,"position":50},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/",3,{"item":52,"name":13,"@type":43,"position":53},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/the-success-factors-of-rest-defense-in-soccer-a-mixed-methods-approach-of-expert-interviews-tracking-data-and-machine-learning-127723/127723/",4,{"url":52,"name":13,"@type":55,"author":56,"headline":13,"publisher":58,"fileFormat":61,"inLanguage":23,"description":14,"dateModified":62,"datePublished":63,"encodingFormat":61,"isAccessibleForFree":64,"interactionStatistic":65},"DigitalDocument",{"name":9,"@type":57},"Person",{"url":41,"name":59,"@type":60},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-08-21","2026-08-05",true,{"@type":66,"interactionType":67,"userInteractionCount":20},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":68},"ViewAction",{"@type":70,"mainEntity":71},"FAQPage",[72,78,82],{"name":73,"@type":74,"acceptedAnswer":75},"How is rest defense defined in the study?","Question",{"text":76,"@type":77},"Rest defense is defined as the positioning of the deepest defenders during ball possession to prevent an opposing counterattack after a ball loss.","Answer",{"name":79,"@type":74,"acceptedAnswer":80},"What data and methods are used to assess rest defense success?",{"text":81,"@type":77},"The study uses semi-structured expert interviews with seven professional coaches and quantitative tracking and event data from 153 matches. Machine learning models then predict rest defense success based on calculated KPIs.",{"name":83,"@type":74,"acceptedAnswer":84},"Which factor is identified as most important for success during defensive transition?",{"text":85,"@type":77},"Regaining possession as fast as possible after a ball loss is identified as the most important success factor in defensive transition.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":52,"og:type":88,"og:title":13,"og:site_name":59,"og:description":14},"article",{"robots":90,"canonical":52},"index,follow",{"doc_id":7,"site_id":24},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":93},[94,98,102,106,111,115,120,123,127,130,134],{"id":20,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":95,"show_sort_weight":96,"slug":97},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":47,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":99,"show_sort_weight":100,"slug":101},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":53,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":103,"show_sort_weight":104,"slug":105},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":107,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":108,"show_sort_weight":109,"slug":110},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":112,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":113,"show_sort_weight":29,"slug":114},6,"Technology","technology",{"id":116,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":117,"show_sort_weight":118,"slug":119},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":11,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":12,"show_sort_weight":121,"slug":122},30,"research-report",{"id":124,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":125,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":126},9,"Religion & Spirituality","religion-spirituality",{"id":21,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":129},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":131,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":132,"show_sort_weight":131,"slug":133},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":135,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":136,"show_sort_weight":107,"slug":137},19,"General","general"]