Apologies for the lack of match reportage in the last week, but suffice to say that we are pretty happy with five points from the first three games. Of course, we could have had so much more at Huddersfield, but then we came away with a very creditable draw against Bolton (incidentally, have you ever seen a match before where all four goals had hit the woodwork?).

Tomorrow sees Forest take on Wigan in the Capital One Cup, which is previewed elsewhere, but may see the much anticipated return of Chris Cohen after a year on the sidelines.

In the transfer market, rumours abound about Adam Hammill, and James Coppinger’s name has also been mentioned, and either would be a good addition to cover the right flank (although Hammill is also happy on the left); in the meantime, Keiron Freeman has gone to Derby and Ishmael Miller may also have played his last game for Forest, joining his former gaffer Tony Mowbray in a loan-with-option-to-buy deal at Middlesbrough.

What has been really encouraging about Forest is that the philosophy of Sean O’Driscoll seems to have been really embraced by the players – the comeback at Bolton being a case in point:

“I decided there was no point in trying to hang on and thought ‘if we’re going to get beaten we might as well go down trying to do the things that we want to do’. Credit to the players, they took every opportunity to try and pass the ball and we took a point.“

Sure, Greg Halford made a mistake at the Reebok, and Dan Harding conceded a late penalty in Yorkshire, but the general mood of the fans is that we don’t mind as long as we try and do the right things. Brendan Moloney is a good example – he has sometimes been a bit exposed defensively, particularly as Bolton played with wingers and Forest…well…didn’t, but he has kept his place in the team on merit, with Sam Hutchinson knocking on the door.

Of course, SOD has also mentioned the importance of having the right kind of characters at the club – whether it be taking a chance on Greg Halford, who is by far the most popular man in Wolverhampton, or bringing in the fabulous workrate and skill of Simon Cox. The most heartwarming story concerned an existing player, Dexter Blackstock, who gave away two seats to a travelling Red who had lost her tickets last week.

If this is the new Forest, long may it continue.