From the first kick this season, there was no doubt, Forge FC were once again going to be a contender in the Canadian Premier League.
They spent 15 of the first 19 weeks of the campaign in first place.
But through a large part of the season, what held them back from being truly great was their lack of production in the final third. From April until the end of August, Forge scored just 29 goals in 19 matches.
But as the season has reached the business end, their attack has come alive at the most important time of the year. Since the start of September, Forge have scored 22 in 10 regular-season and playoff matches, tied with FC Supra du Québec and Cavalry FC for the most in that span.
While there has been clear improvement in output, the even more significant shift has been in their chance creation. At the end of August, Forge was sixth in the CPL in expected goals, with 25.85. Since then, they have led all teams, at 21.42.
It is a huge reason why they have already lifted one trophy this season, the Voyageurs Cup, and are strong contenders to be CPL champions as well. So what changed that has Forge flying once again? Here are the biggest factors:
They've found their best eleven
A lot of Forge's attacking success comes down to a few key players who have stepped up at this crucial time in the season, and how they have deployed them.
Moving Maxime Bourgeois to the right wing has proven to be a game-changing decision by head coach Bobby Smyrniotis. Bourgeois leads the team in chances created since September with 16, putting him sixth in the whole league in that span. Since he moved to that flank, 50.4 per cent of Forge's attacks have come down his right side, with Rezart Rama also getting forward well on the over or underlap.
There is, of course, the marquee signing of Lucas Cavallini, which has been massive in its own right. His ability to not only be a goal threat, but also occupy opposing central defenders has caused new spaces to open up for his teammates — particularly at the top of the box.
Another important shift over the final month of the season saw Antoine Batisse move into a spot as a holding midfielder. This allowed Anthony Aromatario and Ben Paton, in particular, to move further up the pitch. Since the shift, Aromatario scored his first two professional goals, including the playoff opener against Atlético Ottawa on Sunday, and Paton has a pair of goals as well.
It has also helped Noah Jensen to get on the ball more frequently. Jensen, serving as Forge's captain ever since Kyle Bekker's injury in mid-September, has been their best player. He has a team-leading three goals and three assists in CPL action since September, with a fourth assist in the Canadian Championship final.
Set-pieces come in clutch
When Forge FC have needed a big goal over the past two months, more often than not it has come from a set-piece.
Both of their goals in their playoff opener against Atlético Ottawa came from dead balls. Their goal against CF Montréal in the Canadian Championship was also from a corner. In their ten most recent CPL matches, including playoffs, Forge have scored ten goals from set-pieces and created a league-leading 23 chances. Only Cavalry have scored more from dead balls in that span.
In particular, Forge have been lethal from corners. Be it Jensen on the left or Jevremović on the right, the deliveries have been excellent, putting the ball consistently into dangerous positions and often just requiring a single glancing touch to take it past the keeper. Antoine Batisse has proven to be one of the most dangerous targets in the league from set plays.
Just as important, however, has been the team's ability to create opportunities on the second phase, getting to loose balls and rebounds first.
Adding Manjrekar James into the mix as another target in the box has only made them more lethal as well.
Pressing high & getting to the byline more often
Beyond set pieces, the most common way Forge have created goals over the past couple of months has been an ability to get in behind in the half spaces in the final third, and then sending dangerous low crosses into the area.
Be those cutbacks from the byline or just low crosses whipped across the face of goal they have consistently found ways to get into this area of the pitch, particularly, again, down the right flank. It has been a pillar of Forge teams over the years that they attack the box in numbers in these situations, and this has paid off plenty, whether from the opposite-side wingers or central midfielders, giving the wide player plenty of targets. Bourgeois, Aromatario, Hoce Massunda and Tristan Borges have all been the beneficiaries of such scenarios in recent weeks.
Finally, Forge have continued to excel in an area they have all season: pressing opponents, turning over the ball and turning those into goals. No team has won possession more in the final third this season than Forge FC.
