May 15, 2022 – Canadian Premier League (CPL) – Atletico Ottawa News Release
Forge FC and Atlético Ottawa shared the spoils on Saturday afternoon at Tim Hortons Field, as highlight-reel goals from Ollie Bassett and Noah Jensen were enough to produce a 1-1 draw between the two Ontario sides. Though Forge had a massive advantage in possession and heavily outshot the visitors, a second goal eluded them and the stingy Ottawa defence held firm to claim a well-earned road point.
Three Observations
Forge forced into makeshift fluid backline with no healthy CBs
Bobby Smyrniotis was not dealt the easiest hand for this match, with none of his natural centre-backs fit to play. Alex Achinioti-Jönsson, as he has done on plenty of occasions for Forge, stepped into the backline, and left-back Ashtone Morgan joined him as a central defender.
Forge opted for a fluid defensive shape, which functioned as a back three in possession (with Aboubacar Sissoko playing to Achinioti-Jönsson’s right), but it often turned into a back four when defending as the left-sided Kwasi Poku dropped back when needed – and occasionally a five, when David Choinière fell back on the right side.
The tactic worked particularly well in possession, with Achinioti-Jönsson’s ability to spray passes to either side giving Forge a good anchor at the back. Poku and Choinière also managed to get very high up the touchlines and into the box thanks to Sissoko and Morgan sitting quite wide in the back three while Forge had the ball.
Defensively, Forge might not have been quite as solid as they would be with natural centre-backs in the line and they gave up quite a bit of space to the Ottawa forwards, particularly when Poku was caught high up and couldn’t get back in time to cover the left side. Still, they defended the (admittedly limited) chances Ottawa created for the most part, keeping them to just two shots on target – one of which was the goal.
“Have you ever seen a team play with no centre-backs?” Smyrniotis…
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