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Table 1 Synthesis of the variables used

From: Sports teams as complex adaptive systems: manipulating player numbers shapes behaviours during football small-sided games

Players’ dispersion (overall)

Stretch index measure of all players on the field. It provides a measure of compactness of the team

Players’ dispersion in the goal-to-goal direction

Stretch index measure of all players on the field in the longitudinal direction

Players’ dispersion in the side-to-side direction

Stretch index measure of all players on the field in the lateral direction

Teams’ separateness

Measure of the degree of free movement each team has available. It provides an estimate of the amount of space separating the players of both teams

Time delay between teams’ movements in the goal-to-goal direction

Quantifies the existing time delay between both teams’ movements using each team centroid as a reference. It represents the delay of teams in adjusting to each other’s movements in the longitudinal direction of the field

Time delay between teams’ movements in the side-to-side direction

Quantifies the existing time delay between both teams’ movements using each team centroid as a reference. It represents the delay of teams in adjusting to each other’s movements in the lateral direction of the field

Coupling strength in the goal-to-goal direction

It measures the degree of coordination or synchronization between the teams’ movements in the longitudinal direction of the field

Coupling strength in the side-to-side direction

It measures the degree of coordination or synchronization between the teams’ movements in the lateral direction of the field