Stretched across the Trent End, the banner read: “We’ve come so far and we’ve only just begun.”
Supporters’ group Forza Garibaldi, as they always seem to do, summed it up perfectly. Come full-time, the sentiment was perhaps even more apt.
Nobody at the City Ground needs any reminder of where Nottingham Forest were this time 12 months ago. They have indeed come a long way under Steve Cooper.
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Equally, their performance against Aston Villa was a long way from the one a week earlier, at Leicester City. And the hope is that the 1-1 draw on the banks of the Trent can be a different kind of beginning; a starting point for moving forward.
The Reds needed to stop the rot; to end a sequence of five straight defeats. They did that, and they also gave themselves something to build upon.
Improved display
There’s no glossing over how poor Forest had been in their 4-0 thumping at the King Power Stadium. They were still a long way from perfect against Villa, but they took a step in the right direction nevertheless.
There was a fighting spirit and a collective will which simply hadn’t been there against the Foxes. From first minute to last, there was a determination to win balls, to defend and to compete; they dug in and battled when they had to. The Reds looked like a team.
A team which is still finding its way and still coming together. But even so, that’s more than had been the case last week.
There was a better balance about the side. They looked more solid and compact. And they put together some nice passages of play.
It’s still a long way from where Steve Cooper wants them to be, and there remain plenty of areas for improvement. But there were positives to take from the performance against Villa.
Breaking the losing run was the most important thing, though. Now it is about turning the corner.
Formation shift
Just as he had against Leicester, Cooper opted for four at the back. However, this time, he went with three in midfield ahead of them.
Forest looked better for it. Villa saw plenty of the ball - much more than the hosts would have liked - but they didn’t test Dean Henderson too often. It took a heck of a strike from Ashley Young from range to beat the Manchester United loanee.
Having an extra man in the centre of the pitch provided more protection. And in general, the Reds looked more comfortable with their shape.
There are still moving parts, and decisions to be made about who best fits into which position. But having tried a few different systems, this might well be the one which suits Forest best.
Plugging the gaps at the back and tightening up always needed to be the priority. It wasn’t a clean-sheet, but there were positives to take in that sense, nonetheless - now to find a way of cutting out the goals conceded from outside the box.
Going forward, the Reds had some bright moments, only to be let down by their end product at times. Getting the attack right is Cooper’s next big challenge.
Changes made
In a response to last week’s dismal first half, the head coach had rung the changes for his starting XI. Five in total.
Those who missed out could have few complaints. And by and large, those who came in made a case for staying there.
Ryan Yates was superb in the middle of the pitch. A proper captain’s performance. He worked well alongside Remo Freuler, too.
Harry Toffolo could consider himself hard done by to have lost out to Renan Lodi at left-back in the first place, and arguably now deserves to keep his spot for this weekend’s trip to Molineux. He was steady and workmanlike throughout.
On the opposite flank, Serge Aurier’s performance was slightly hampered by a careless early booking which left him walking a tightrope. He did put in some decent crosses, though.
Up front, Emmanuel Dennis took his goal well. It was a delightful header from Morgan Gibbs-White’s free-kick. The striker was lively on his full league debut; he was just guilty of giving the ball away a little too much.
Cooper may well have found the right shape. Picking the right personnel to go with it, however, is less clearcut.
Backing the boss
Just as they had seven days earlier, fans belted out Cooper’s name, as they made their feelings on the head coach perfectly clear. That bond and mutual affection is as strong as ever.
The Welshman got a standing ovation amid a terrific reception as he walked out of the tunnel towards the dugout before kick-off. The other half of Forza’s display was a banner with the words ‘leader of the Garibaldi’ alongside an image of Cooper in full fist-pump mode. The crowd sang his name at full-time, too, with the Reds boss applauding all four stands.
It sent out another signal to the club’s hierarchy - which included new sporting director Filippo Giraldi watching on - of just how much the 42-year-old means to supporters; that backing him with a new contract, rather than giving him the boot, was the right course of action. His team showed that on the pitch, too. Monday night was some way off perfect, but Cooper will hope it demonstrated why he remains the best man for the job.
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