Inside Forge FC’s Tactical Approach to Successful Throw-Ins
Forge FC, Canadian Premier League winners, were among the league’s top teams in successful throw-ins during the 2022 season, boasting a success rate of 90.9%. This efficiency was not by chance — it was rooted in detailed planning, off-the-ball movement, and innovative routines designed to disrupt opposition defenses. The strategic insights of assistant coach David Edgar were pivotal, establishing throw-in principles that the players could execute instinctively and effectively. Below, we break down how Forge FC turned throw-ins into a powerful attacking weapon.
Creating Space: The Power of Leaving Areas Vacant
A key concept in Forge FC’s throw-in routines is the deliberate vacating of space near the thrower. By not flooding every available spot with players, Forge opens lanes for runners to attack. This approach creates gaps in the opposition’s marking system and allows attacking players to maneuver into valuable positions.
For example, Forge often positioned four teammates as backward passing options which drew defenders away and left exploitable space for advancing attackers. Conversely, when Forge overpopulated the throw-in area, such as during a match against HFX, they found themselves tightly marked and static, limiting movement options and resulting in turnovers when forced into long throws.
The lesson is clear: leaving areas open creates opportunities for dynamic arrivals, while overcompacting can restrict options and leave the thrower isolated.
Backward Options: Safe Retention and Reset Tactics
Rather than forcing throws forward into congested zones, Forge FC frequently utilized backward or lateral passes off throw-ins. This not only prevented loss of possession, but often led directly to safer, more controlled build-up play. Playing the ball backward—sometimes even as far as the goalkeeper—can be a strategic way to reset and reorganize, especially when immediate forward options are closely marked. Players like Rezart Rama were proactive in retrieving balls quickly to exploit any defensive disorganization from the opposition, ensuring Forge could launch their routines without delay.
Executing the Bounce Pass: Returning Play to the Thrower
One of Forge’s most reliable methods was the bounce pass. After a throw-in to a teammate, the ball was often played immediately back to the initial thrower, who was usually unmarked after re-entering the field. This sequence forced defenders into making choices: shift toward the (temporarily) free thrower or cover other advancing threats. Through this mechanism, Forge repeatedly constructed three-man passing patterns. Rama would throw to Hojabrpour, who would bounce the ball back, freeing up lateral or forward lanes.
These bounce-passing routines gave Forge the ability to reset attacks, play out of pressure, or quickly transfer the ball down the overloaded flank. Movements were precisely timed so the deepest player could fill the space vacated by a receiver moving wide, keeping defenders off-balance and allowing attackers to escape markers.
Dribble Strategies: Breaking Pressure with Direct Running
Beyond passing movements, Forge sometimes used the throw-in as a launchpad for dribbles that drew defenders out of shape. For instance, Alessandro Hojabrpour would receive from a throw-in, attract pressure by dribbling away from goal, and then lay off for a teammate to recycle or switch play. This strategy exaggerated the opposition’s compactness on one side and enabled quick ball circulation to the open flank, stretching defensive coverage.
Leveraging the Striker: A Target for Possession and Progression
Modern throw-in tactics increasingly involve using the striker as an initial target for short throws, capitalizing on their ability to receive with their back to goal. Forge made effective use of Woobens Pacius in this role. By positioning further from the throw-in station and appearing less involved, Pacius could surprise defenders by darting toward the ball at the last moment. Once he received, others — including the thrower — would move to support, offering return pass outlets or quick combination play.
This mechanism allowed Pacius to participate early in the move, then drift undetected into the penalty area as play developed, rather than remaining a stationary, tightly marked target. By varying the identity and movement of the initial receiver, Forge kept rival defenses guessing.
Innovative Movement: Rotations, Triggers, and Decoys
A defining feature of Forge FC’s routines was the use of varied player movements, not just toward the ball but away from it to trigger opportunities for teammates. Commonly, one player would sprint away from the throw-in area, acting as a decoy, which cued another to drop in and collect an unopposed pass.
Aboubacar Sissoko, for example, often drew defenders away as Pacius advanced, freeing Forge’s best hold-up players in advantageous spaces. Decoy runs were particularly successful because defenders naturally gravitate toward players moving directly toward goal, allowing Forge to isolate passers or create easy outlets across the field.
Rama, meanwhile, was an expert at feinting forward throws—shaping to hurl the ball ahead before switching to a lateral or backward option—enticing defenders to shift prematurely and opening up substantial pockets of space for possession-based players.
Precision Attacking Routines in the Final Third
Close to the opponent’s goal, Forge FC often orchestrated carefully crafted routines, starting with a player positioned near the goal who initially appeared disengaged. As defenders focused on the throw-in and ball movement, this player would break free into space behind the back line, enabled by synchronized moves where one partner approached the ball while another sprinted toward goal.
These patterns frequently produced one-twos and cutbacks in and around the penalty area. Even when the intended target wasn’t immediately open, the use of decoy runners forced defenders to follow, further opening lanes for others to exploit.
Conclusion: Harnessing Throw-Ins as a Tactical Weapon
Forge FC’s high throw-in success rate in 2022 was no accident—it was the result of creative match preparation, intelligent player movement, and a commitment to structured routines. Their varied approaches, from deliberate vacating of space and bounce passes to striker involvement and deceptive runs, transformed a traditionally mundane restart into a consistent source of attacking momentum and ball retention.
Coaches and teams looking to improve their throw-in outcomes can learn from Forge’s commitment to detail, adaptability, and the principle that every restart is an opportunity to outthink and outmaneuver the opposition.
