Mark Cooper, manager of Yeovil Town, shouldered the blame after his team’s 2-0 defeat to Forest Green Rovers, led by Robbie Savage, on Saturday. Despite acknowledging Forest Green’s strength and predicted top-three finish, Cooper expressed disappointment in how his team performed.
“I got the game plan wrong today,” Cooper admitted. “We planned to sit back and draw them out, then counterattack. But that approach didn’t work. We lost possession too often in advanced areas, which meant we couldn’t clear our half and got pinned back.”
Cooper praised Forest Green’s quality, saying, “They’re a really strong side with a squad where 26 players could play a division higher. That’s just the reality we’re up against.” He acknowledged that Forest Green deserved the victory, noting their high pressing and attacking intent applied significant pressure.
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Yeovil’s tactic of playing two strikers upfront failed to yield results. “We struggled to maintain possession and turned the ball over at critical moments,” Cooper explained. “Moving forward, we need to focus on controlling the ball, creating overloads, and playing to our strengths.”
With a limited squad of only 15 to 16 outfield players, Cooper noted an attempt to conserve energy with a more conservative game plan, which ultimately didn’t pay off. “We aimed to keep things tight, but Forest Green’s quality and depth were evident. They have resources at a level far beyond ours, and we have to accept that challenge while working to build and improve.”
Looking ahead, Yeovil prepare for a busy schedule: hosting Brackley on Wednesday night, traveling to Braintree on Saturday, and welcoming Gateshead on Bank Holiday Monday.