Boss Steve Cooper says he is still in the process of building an identity with his new-look Nottingham Forest squad.
The medium to long-term goal is to establish a way of playing which can yield results - in much the same way as the Reds did on their way to promotion under Cooper last season. But in the short-term, the Welshman acknowledges there is a focus on trying to spark an upturn in fortunes while a raft of summer signings continue to gel.
In their last two games, Forest have switched to a four-man defence. Monday night’s 1-1 draw with Aston Villa also saw Cooper pack the midfield in a bid to tighten things up. He doesn’t necessarily want to be wedded to one particular formation, however.
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"We're finding what is best suited for the group. Because of where we're at on that, I don't think we should be too confined to thinking it has to be a certain system,” said the Reds head coach, ahead of Saturday’s trip to face Wolverhampton Wanderers.
"Just because we've been a four in the last two, doesn't mean we won't be a three in the next game, or going forward. We've got to find the right balance in getting the right adaptations from game to game, thinking about how we win and play well.
“That's part of the normal process of thinking about how we can best contribute to a game through looking at the opponent, player availability, where the spaces on the pitch may be to hurt the opposition, and putting a plan with that - which includes the formation. But I don't think we can go, 'right, it's definitely going to be this' or 'it's definitely going to be that'.”
Forest put in a much improved performance against Villa, compared to a poor display at Leicester City a week earlier. The point lifted them off the bottom of the table, and Cooper is keen to continue on an upward curve.
Asked how close he is to stamping his identity on the team, he added: "We are not there, for sure. But at the same time, it doesn't mean we can't succeed in the next game.
"We are working in a way that's really trying to give us the best chance of winning the next game. But we're also trying to do it in a way which is building how we want to be when everything has settled down and we have good connections amongst players and we've given enough time to go, 'okay, this is how we want to play'.
"Both of those things are side by side at the moment, which is normal. But I can't go, 'okay, we're going to build a way of playing, then we're going to think about winning games'. If anything, it is the opposite which is more important.
"But over the long-term, or medium-term, you'd like to think you can win games by being who you are and how you play. We're in the process of getting to that.
“It's a brilliant football challenge and it's a brilliant coaching challenge. It's a brilliant psychological challenge to deal with all of these things that are going on, and all of the things which may or may not be being said about us, about me and about the team. It's a challenge we're giving our best to and looking forward to trying to succeed - that starts with the weekend.
"I see a really engaged, willing group of players, which sometimes isn't always easy when you're going through a tough run. We're still really striving for the next win, there's no doubt about that.
"But we need to focus on how we win, not just chase the win. If we're just thinking about the result, then we're not thinking about the performance - and I don't think that's the best way of getting that win.
"We've just really got to think about how we prepare, what the game plan is, what's needed from individuals, commit to it and then deliver on a match day. That's what we're trying to do.
"The only test to show we're making progress is games. The next one is Wolves, and it's one we're looking forward to.”
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