Perception can say a lot. On one hand, failure to win away from home against the bottom of the table side with just one win to their name can be viewed as a disappointment. On the other hand, just one defeat in eight games and another away game without defeat suggest steady progress.
Once again, further indication that Towns season away from home looks as if it will be built on a 5-man midfield.
Unsurprisingly, Ivan Campo was the most significant player to miss out. Much has been made of his fitness and the gradual process of regaining it, which may have seen him drop out regardless. However, his inability to stamp his class on the game with Swansea always looked likely to see him drop out.
Tommy Miller once again returned to the side, continuing the somewhat yo-yo nature of his season. David Norris, carrying a knock was the one to drop out.
Curiously, rather than use Jon Stead as the solo front man, as has been the case in all the away games since he signed for the club, Pablo Counago was given the opportunity.
As with the Swansea match, so this game revolved around the impact of the Town midfield upon the game. Once again, it was a performance of fits and starts, with plenty of posession not being matched by shots on goal. Indeed, other than a Walters effort against the bar, Towns equalising goal was the first effort on target that the side managed during the game, and it largely remained so for the rest of the game.
That said, there were good strong performances from Shumulikoski and, in particular, Owen Garvan. The youngster looks to be recovering some confidence and form and perhaps an extended run in the side might help to consolidate this. It was interesting to note his use in an attacking midfield role late in the game as it seems that, with Shumi, Campo and, to a lesser extent, Norris all able to do the defensive work, it is a position he may need to adapt to in order to find a niche in the side.
Tommy Miller worked hard, as always, and was a good link between that midfield and the lone forward. Equally, Jon Walters put in a strong performance, being one of Towns most attacking threats, as is desperately needed with such a formation.
Pablo Counago worked well up front, but whilst his quality holding the ball up is vital to the side, he is not really the player to play at the spearhead of the attack. His lack of pace makes him happier playing in a slightly deeper role which, puts a much greater reliance on the midfield to get forward alongside him to provide a goal threat to the opposition backline. It seems a role which Kevin Lisbie, despite his apparent lack of confidence, may find more suitable utilising his pace against a high defensive line.
Defensively, there was little really to complain about, but little really to gauge against. Forests attacking threat was limited, as befits a side in their current league position. Once again, a clean sheet failed to materialise, but Forest were limited to a handful of chances.
Richard Wright put in a stable performance in the face of strong claims for him to be replaced. It has probably been enough to allow him to retain his position at Plymouth and perhaps, much like the team, small steps will gradually recover his confidence. McAuley and Naylor were stable, yet nervousness appears to have affected them in posession, much in the same way that Richard Wright has been affected.
Another away game which the side could have won with a bit more creativity. These are games that any side with promotion aspirations have to get wins from, as with the earlier match at Southampton, although it remains to be seen if Forest will retain their bottom of the table position. Yet, it represents another building block in the general improvement in away performances that have been witnessed this season. The five man midfield looks like a system which is here to stay away from home, but with the side hopefully becoming more confident with multiple formations, it is not necessarily going to be the sole formation.
Plymouth away on Saturday looks to be a significantly greater hurdle, a fixture which often provides a stumbling block. Remaining unbeaten, with two home matches to follow, could be critical to building that much needed confidence.
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