Forest Green Rovers manager Robbie Savage expressed his frustration following a disappointing 1-1 draw with league strugglers Truro City at The New Lawn. Despite holding the upper hand in possession, Rovers failed to break down Truro’s resolute defense, leaving Savage to question the mentality and capability of his squad.
Jili Buyabu gave Forest Green the lead on the half-hour mark with a goal from a short corner routine. However, Truro’s Cole Deeming quickly equalized just five minutes later after a slick move set up by Dominic Johnson-Fisher, leaving the home crowd frustrated as their side dominated possession but stumbled to find a winner.
Savage did not hold back in his assessment, stating, “I think the honeymoon period is over. The exciting football isn’t there anymore. I take responsibility because we’ve brought players into this football club who I now believe it’s too big for.” He went on to lament a lack of energy and desire: “In the last two games, I’ve been bored. People don’t want to go forward, they don’t want to sprint, or do that extra yard. This isn’t the team we built, which was based on heart, energy, and desire.”
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The match also saw substitute Aidan Dausch miss a last-gasp chance to secure victory for Forest Green. Savage questioned not just the quality but decision-making, criticizing poor shooting choices: “We even did a shooting session in training without goalkeepers, and yet we still missed opportunities.”
The game featured moments of physicality, including an incident early on where Laurent Mendy appeared to make contact with Deeming’s face but was only shown a yellow card. Tactical substitutions saw Abraham Kanu replaced at half-time to strengthen midfield energy and control.
With the January transfer window approaching, Savage voiced concerns about losing key loan players, especially Harry Whitwell, who is currently driving the team forward. Reflecting on the season’s ambitions, Savage conceded, “I think the title’s gone now, but we’re aiming to finish second or third to secure a playoff home tie like last season.”
Despite league leaders Rochdale dropping points elsewhere, Savage kept a cautious optimism while urging his squad to rediscover their passion. “We’ve got one point from six against two teams fighting for survival. That’s not acceptable if we want to win the league.”
The final whistle left Forest Green fans pondering what lies ahead, as Savage’s candid reflections highlight a team in transition searching for identity, energy, and consistency.