In April 2022, Forest Green Rovers secured promotion to League One as champions; were playing an exciting, fluid style of football under a promising young head coach; had plans accepted to build a new, all-sustainable 5,000 seater stadium; and, held the title for the world’s greenest football club. Five managers and two consecutive relegations later, Rovers have ambitions of returning to the EFL for only the second time in their history.
The Green Devils are currently 1st in the National League with ten wins and only two defeats from the opening fifteen matches. In charge is Gloucestershire-born Steve Cotterill who has achieved promotion from this division with FGR rivals Cheltenham Town in 1999. Closing in on 900 games as a head coach, Cotterill priorities man-management and believes in tactical adaptability — an approach which suits the close-knit, yet dynamic and versatile group of players he has at The Bolt New Lawn.
In Possession
Setting up in a flexible 4–3–3. Forest Green look to play out from the back, starting with their centre-defenders as seen in the image below. Jordan Moore-Taylor offers composure as a left-footed centre-half and is often the player to lead the play-out, aiming to find the deepest midfielder, in this case, Adam May. May has an impressive range of passing and regularly dictates play when on the ball, a vital player in Rovers’ build-up.
Steve Cotterill emphasised following the win vs Braintree Town that the two centre-halfs and holding midfielder should not be “taking risks” when on the ball, inferring that their role is to keep possession and make simple passes to build up play.
Significantly, FGR do not persist to play out from the back on every occasion. Often, goalkeeper Jed Ward will bypass the short options by sending the ball long for the striker to hold. Rovers’ three strikers Harry Cardwell, Christian Doidge and Joe Quigley are all over six-foot in height and are excellent at dropping deept and linking play with the creative players around them.
The next image shows the midfield’s positioning in the victory vs Eastligh. Charlie McCann and Liam Sercombe have more attacking licence either side of Adam May and aim to move around the opposition and stretch their midfield to create gaps in central areas.
Cotterill’s tactical adaptibility is demonstrated in the changes of shape in midfield. The image below sees McCann and May form a double pivot as Sercombe moves higher to reflect a 4–2–3–1 shape. This tactical alteration is in response to Gateshead’s shape with having two striker’s pressing and three midfielders in their usual 5–3–2. Sercombe fills the space that exists between the opposition’s low block and their pressing midfield to provide an option for the defence to play through and beat the Gateshead press — bypassing five players in the process.
Forest Green have several full-back options, all of which offering invaluable attacking expertise. Jamie Robson and Sean Long are accomplished in the position and have both played as wing-backs in three-back systems for previous clubs. Emmanual Osadebe, Harvey Bunker and Teddy Jenks provide essential cover which allows Cotterill to rotate his starting X1 in busy scheduling periods.
The following image highlights the combination play between players. A key target for FGR this season is to overload wide areas and stretch the opposition. The frequent aim is to work the ball to the inverted wingers, often Kyle McAllister off the right and Tom Knowles off the left. This dynamic allows the players to cut inside and full-backs to overlap in support. Quick, intricate passes allow Rovers to get in-behind the opposition and create crossing opportunities for the striker to feed off.
FGR are presently the second highest scorers in the division.
Out of Possession
Forest Green press high with their front three setting up narrow and close to each other. This is to close off central areas and force the opposition to play wide. In the examples below, Harry Cardwell is the main presser as the midfield and defence push higher in a bid to win the ball high up the pitch. FGR alter their tactical shape to allow Sercombe to press on the opposition’s defensive midfielder, making it more difficult to play from defence into midfield.
Below is a further example of Cotterill’s tactical flexibility through moving into a 4–1–4–1 when pressing. Furthermore, this allows the FGR unit to push a higher line and close gaps throughout the pitch.
Against opposition who will play a more direct style of football, Cotterill will utilise his two combative central defenders in Ben Tozer and Ryan Inniss to provide security in set-piece situations and dominance in the air when the opposition go long. The principles to regain shape and win the ball high up the pitch remain the same.
The final image highlights the vulnerability of Forest Green’s press in setting up as a narrow forward line. Particularly on a large pitch, teams will often find joy in beating the FGR press by enticing their front four (including Sercombe) and finding their full-backs high. This causes Rovers to drop off and causes their forwards to turn and sprint back in response, often distorting their rigid and strict defensive shape.
Forest Green have the second best defensive record in the National League so far this season.
Conclusion
Looking an impressive outfit both with and without the ball, Cotterill has constructed a potent and energetic system with a multifaceted group of players. Table-toppers after the first third of the NL campaign, supporters have every right to be optimistic. 2025 will mark 15 years of Dale Vince as chairman — promotion back to the Football League will be the perfect cause for celebration. After a difficult few years, the future looks bright for the world’s greenest football club.
Written by Jack Blythe
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