Forge Hoping To ‘Flip The Script’ Amid Rough Run Of Form

Now with three back-to-back losses and winless in its last five matches, three-time league champions Forge FC is in its roughest patch of bad form yet.

Despite striking the post three times, the Hamiltonian side fell to a two-nil defeat against bottom-of-the-table expansion side Vancouver FC last night.

“It just seems to be the tale of what’s going on lately in the league,” said Forge boss Smyrniotis after the match. “the opportunities and chances are there, but they’re not going in.”

The hammers have put forth some 44 shots across the last three matches, none of which have found the back of the net. It marks only the second time Forge failed to score in three consecutive league matches, leading Smyrniotis to try new things – in fact, defender Manjrekar James was pushed from the back up to a striking position for the second half against Vancouver.

The three-time CPL champions are known for having rather slow starts to the campaign, though by this point in the season they tend to turn themselves around. That’s still on the menu, and while fans want some immediate answers the gaffer is urging a message of patience.

“As a coach, you have to learn go through every level of what comes at you. This team has had a lot of success in four years, both domestically and internationally, but football is not a linear line: it does not just move in one direction all the time.”

“You have to be prepared for it: it’s a tough situation we’re in right now. There’s a lot of football to be played. The big thing is that we’re created the opportunities. The biggest problem would be if the opportunities weren’t there.”

The orange-clad side are used to being the standard bearers of the league, reaching all four CPL Finals and hoisting the trophy in three of them. Currently third in league standings, they rest on a rare negative goal difference – but oddly enough, so does second-placed York United.

While the transfer window will open up shortly, Forge has remained quiet on whether some potential replacements might be on the menu.

For Bobby’s money, the club knows where things need to improve: the final third. He wants the club to take more of its opportunities in front of the net. For now, they’ve got to keep their heads up and keep moving: there’s no magic touch to it, he says.

“The toughest thing to do is score goals,” finished Symrniotis. “Maybe starting next week we’ll put eleven guys behind midfield and take a different approach…it seems to be the way teams are scoring goals and gathering three points. Maybe we’ll flip the script.”

Header Image Photo Credit: Beau Chevalier / Vancouver FC