IT is not something that you could exactly see approaching on the horizon.

Certainly, at the start of the season, the omens were far from good. In fact, they were catastrophic.

Having lost their first six away matches, conceding 14 goals along the way, it seemed initially an understatement to suggest Nottingham Forest would not travel well.

The victory at Crystal Palace at the back end of October, was a welcome surprise, as they outclassed their hosts and secured a comfortable 2-1 win

And, what has happened since is perhaps the most significant factor in the season so far – and an indicator of exactly why Colin Calderwood (below) ultimately lost his job.

Forest's record since then, away from the City Ground, is: Played 7, won 4 and drawn 3. Over the course of the last five away matches, only Reading, Wolverhampton and Birmingham – the Championship's three main promotion contenders – have collected more points.

Conversely, at home, four points from their last five matches is a record only beaten, in terms of its fragility, by Southampton and Charlton, who have both taken three.

At Norwich, there were more than a few people in the press box who were tempted by the generous odds of more than 3/1 offered on a Forest win – and who duly reaped their rewards.

But, in the current climate, you wouldn't risk 50p on a home win at the City Ground, where Forest have triumphed only twice all season in the league. So why is that?

It wasn't the case last season, when Forest lost only two matches at home on their way to promotion from League One, collecting more points than title winners Swansea on home soil.

So why is there a problem now, why do Forest have such a major issue performing on the banks of the Trent?

There are two possible explanations that stand out more than most.

The first is that, on a basic level, Forest have a side that is perfectly set up to flourish away, where the onus is on the home side to dictate play.

With the explosive pace they possess throughout the squad and the ability they have to exploit it on the counter-attack, Forest are a threat against anyone on the break.

At Southampton, a spectacular Joe Garner goal, struck from 35 yards as Forest strode forwards rapidly after breaking up an opposition attack, sealed three points.

More recently, at Norwich, a quick-heeled burst from Nathan Tyson down the left flank was the spark for Matt Thornhill's crisp opening goal.

Lewis McGugan's second, while not exactly a strike on the counter-attack, may not have been possible at the City Ground where teams are more inclined to pack their midfield and defence – with the midfielder having to ride only two challenges as he carried the ball 40 yards into the box, before driving home.

And Robert Earnshaw's third came as Norwich looked desperately for an equaliser, with the substitute exploiting a gap in the Canaries defence.

But at home, it is a different story. It becomes Forest's responsibility to break down the opposition, to find the creativity and drive to discover a chink in the opposition armour.

And, when they come up against teams such as Sheffield United, this becomes a problem.

The Blades were blunt when it came to attacking threat but, once they had a goal, they had the experience and knowledge to simply shut out Forest.

And, in the matches where Forest have managed to carve out a host of opportunities at home, they have been too generous in front of goal.

But perhaps there is an explanation for this too.

Away from home, Forest now look a side full of confidence and self belief. They play assured, creative football.

At the City Ground, they can quickly become nervous, tentative and, at times, even panic-ridden.

And there is an explanation for this too.

Because there can be few grounds in the country where the fans – albeit usually only a minority – are so quick to turn.

There is the perfectly reasonable school of thought that supporters pay their money and are entitled to express their opinion.

There can be no argument about that. Even at a club like Forest, where Nigel Doughty's continued investment remains a significant factor, the supporters remain its lifeblood.

But, when criticism from the stands begins to affect confidence on the pitch, a middle ground has to be found.

And, in Forest's case, the jeers and murmuring from the crowd can often start before even ten minutes have been played. A single miss-placed pass or missed opportunity can be enough to start it off.

And, while professional footballers must be to be able to cope with both pressure and criticism, Forest's players are only human.

More to the point, they are still young, with the average age of the squad often struggling to breach 23.

And, with Calderwood also coming under fire – quite rightly – as the results became worse on Nottingham soil, it became something of a vicious circle.

The players would under-perform because of the weight of expectation and fans would quickly voice their disappointment, to heighten the issue.

The irony is that, on the flip side, the City Ground at its passionate best can be a cauldron of intimidation and noise to the opposition. When Forest fans get behind their side, the visitors' players can be reduced to quivering wrecks.

With a new manager and a new year, it would be a good time to get back to that. Because, while the away form has been enough to lift them out of the bottom three, the revival will not last for long unless Forest can shake of their City Ground malaise.