IT was so refreshing to see some young faces in and around the Nottingham Forest team at Ipswich.
Ben Osborn got his debut for the Reds first team and we also saw Jack Blake and Stephen McLaughlin on the bench at Portman Road, so fair play to caretaker boss Gary Brazil for having the strong conviction to do that.
Brazil will obviously know these kids better than most in his role with the Academy set-up down at Forest and clearly thought they were ready.
Now I know some of it was down to there being more injuries in the squad, but also there will be an element of the fact some of the senior players at the club just haven't been doing it.
Hopefully seeing a young kid like Osborn come in and do so well will make them get their finger out.
It's that time of the season, after so many games and months of the campaigns, where any team needs the odd new face to spice things up a little and give a side a fresh feel about it – and Forest had just that with Osborn and also loan signing Lee Peltier starting in the 1-1 draw with Ipswich.
In terms of Osborn, I say why not give youth a chance? What you get from young players is endeavour, hunger and someone who will run and chase, these are all great assets to have in any team.
If Forest had continued to play the same team that looked and played so disappointingly and without desire against Derby and Charlton then we would do well to get another point.
Bringing in new players who are full of enthusiasm like Osborn rubs off on the other players, and we saw that at Ipswich with everyone competing and chasing hard for the ball.
The fans will never have a go at you if you bring young kids in as a manager.
Supporters love seeing youngsters – products of their club's own academy system – giving it a go and running their hearts out more than they do a club possibly wasting a few million on someone who might be experienced, but who will be on a big wage and not have that same hunger to go that extra mile.
In the end the Reds will have been pleased with the point at Ipswich, it was a good battling display against one of their rivals for the play-offs.
Danny Collins' opener was a fine goal, the equaliser maybe could have been prevented but, in the end, the Reds needed Karl Darlow to help them out.
Darlow has been one of my players of the season and he made a string of fine saves once again for the Reds.
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