When Stuart Pearce said: "It is strange how players become better players when they are not available" a few months ago, he probably did not realise just how significant a statement it was.
In Nottingham Forest's case, the importance of the three players they lost, back in September, to injury has only been cast into painfully sharp focus by their absence.
But never more so than on Sunday afternoon.
It is not just that Chris Cohen, Andy Reid and Jack Hobbs are among Forest's better players. It is that they all share a similar quality. They are leaders of men.
Amid the ten minute collapse that decided the outcome of Forest's latest lamentable defeat, one thing was noticeable. Not only were all three Birmingham goals tainted with the stain of poor, poor defending – but there was no retribution, no arguing, no anger in the aftermath.
Each time they found the back of the net, the Forest players merely trudged back to the centre circle, heads down and shoulders hunched. They looked dejected and defeated.
Yes, when Clayton Donaldson stuck out a leg to deflect home the Blues' second goal, there were a few raised arms to appeal for an offside, when the striker had not been.
But, there was nobody encouraging, cajoling or, indeed, telling the rest of the team to blooming well sort themselves out in the kind of language that is not printable in a family newspaper. Nobody rallied the troops.
Michail Antonio, as part of the three man wall that was meant to protect Karl Darow's goal, merely waved a leg at David Cotterill's hopeful free-kick, while the marking in the centre, in front of the keeper, probably only added to the confusion.
Having been out muscled by Donaldson, as he attempted to usher the ball out for a goal kick, Eric Lichaj then trudged back towards goal, looking annoyed with himself – as Birmingham took a quick corner, with Darlow again beaten as another low shot from Cotterill this time found Donaldson, to flick home the second.
Then, for the third goal, Jamie Paterson was rather half-hearted, to say the least, in his efforts to close down Andy Shinnie as he weaved unchallenged into the box, to fire in the shot that the normally reliable Darlow could this time only parry straight into Michael Mancienne, who had not time to react before the ball had bounced off him to Donaldson, who was unmarked to scramble the ball home.
All of the goals had Forest mistakes in their build up. Error, as much as any quality from Birmingham, was the catalyst for all three. As Pearce pointed out afterwards, it was tantamount to an act of charity.
It is impossible to say, with complete certainty, that had Hobbs, Cohen or Reid been on the pitch things would have been different. But what is a fact is that Forest needed a leader. They needed somebody to organise, to ensure the team were switched on during such vulnerable moments and alert to the danger.
And, when they weren't, they needed somebody on the pitch to make sure those responsible knew they absolutely, positively must not let it happen again. In basic terms, they needed the kind of rollicking that you know, without a single shred of doubt, that Pearce himself would have been handing out, had he still been pulling on that number three shirt.
After the first goal had gone in, Forest needed to refocus, to go again. Instead they merely collapsed; crumbled in costly fashion.
It is unfair to say the return of one player, in Hobbs, will immediately transform Forest's fortunes if he, as is hoped, does prove he is fit enough to face Rochdale in the FA Cup this weekend.
His partnership with Mancienne is still the best Forest have had this season, in the centre of defence. With Mancienne's pace and reading of the game a neat foil for the simple, old fashioned, strong, powerful defending that the former Leicester City and Hull player brings to the table.
But it is his character, his mental strength that could prove to be just as valuable to the side.
On top of a run of just two wins in 17 Championship games, Forest cannot afford to bow out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle, when they face League One opposition in the third round. That would only mount more pressure on a side that is already clearly lacking in confidence and self-belief.
But, as ridiculous as it might sound, Forest did show flashes of what they are capable of on Sunday afternoon. For 75 or 80 minutes of the game they were the better side. It genuinely was ten minutes of madness, along with their lacklustre finishing, that cost them.
Had they had somebody in the side to help address the rot, to revive and reinvigorate in the moments after the first Birmingham goal had gone in; to refocus a few minds, the damage might have been limited.
Now, looking ahead, rather than back, there is no less need for the kind of leadership that Forest's injured trio could provide.
Beyond the testing challenge that Forest face at Spotland, come vital league games against two of their oldest rivals, in Sheffield Wednesday and Derby County.
The Owls, regardless of manager Stuart Gray's close friendship with Pearce and Steve Wigley, will not want to do Forest any favours at the City Ground.
After that, quite frankly, on current form, you fear what damage Derby could do to the Reds at the iPro Stadium on Saturday, January 17. Particularly if Forest continue to produce the same kind of suicidal defending that cut their feet out from under them against Birmingham. Steve McClaren's in form side would show no mercy. A repeat of last season's humiliation there would not be out of the question.
But the dividing line between success and failure remains a thin one. Forest do have a squad that is capable of far better. They are currently underachieving and it is down to Pearce to address that.
Forest are also in need of some leadership out on the pitch, however. They need somebody to help cut out the small moments that are continually having a big impact.
And Pearce will hope that, when they return – and Reid should be back to face the Rams – the importance of the duo is demonstrated again, out on the grass.
