Although the Premier League side ran out as emphatic 4-1 winners in the League Cup second round, Forest boss O'Driscoll felt the game provided a good template for his men to follow.
"We said to the boys afterwards that this is the type of football we want to play. That is where we want to be. But that is going to take time. We have to work on that day in, day out.
"Their movement off the ball was so impressive. It was difficult for us to mark them. But we worked hard and that should stand us in good stead."
Having seen Chris Cohen return to action and sealed the transfer of Henri Lansbury as well this week there is also an unusual sense of calm around the City Ground as transfer deadline day approaches.
The end of August has, in recent seasons, seen the recurring stand-off between Billy Davies and the Reds transfer hierarchy and then the frantic scrambling by Steve McClaren to get players in before the deadline.
O'Driscoll on the other hand has had the bulk of his squad in place for some weeks now and any other signings, like Lansbury, will be there to provide competition for places and not be needed simply to add numbers.