Performance analysis of goalkeepers and final team rankings in men's international handball championships

Abstract

This study's objectives were (i) to analyse whether there are goalkeeper game-related statistics that differ depending on the team's final ranking, and (ii) to develop a multivariate model of the relevance of those game-related statistics for that final ranking. Sixty-five matches of the 2020 European Men's Handball Championship were analysed. The dependent variable was the team's final ranking (three groups were considered: 1st to 4th place, 5th to 12th place, 13th to 24th place). The independent variables were the goalkeeper game-related statistics. A validation of the data showed the internal consistency and reliability to be very good. A one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni post-hoc test was used to examine differences between the ranking groups. The data were subjected to a regression and classification tree multivariate analysis. There were differences between groups in total shots efficiency (teams 1st to 12th higher than teams 13th to 24th, F=3.21, p<0.044). The regression and classification tree model correctly classified 60% of the records in the three groups depending on the final ranking of the team on the basis of five variables (with 10 emergent nodes): 7 m shots efficiency, 9 m shots (saves and efficiency), total shots efficiency, and total shots. This seems to indicate that the actions of the goalkeepers alone (7 m shots efficiency) and their actions which are influenced by the defensive actions of their team-mates (9 m shots both saves and efficiency, total shots efficiency, and total shots) are relevant for their team's final ranking. The importance of saves and efficiency from 9 m is suggestive of the relevance of the goalkeeper's specific work at this distance.