Burton Albion appear to have hit upon a style of play that suits them down to the ground, with Nigel Clough now seemingly settled on a matchday squad.

Clough spoke after the Brewers' FA Cup exit at the hands of Birmingham City on Saturday about how his side have established a 'pattern' of play.

That has been helped by a consistent system on the pitch and a consistency in selection, with personnel that can play in the 5-4-1 setup.

Albion's up-and-down early-season form suggested Clough was struggling to work out his best side and an approach that fitted.

Burton Albion manager Nigel Clough consoles his players after defeat at Middlesbrough

When team news was released before matches earlier in the campaign, questions followed across the press benches about what formation Clough and his staff were deploying and who was stationed where - and this perhaps underlined the struggle for consistency.

This was down to a number of factors.

Injuries, a loss of form from players and a bedding-in period for the summer signings all meant Clough had to chop and change, and look for the necessary spark from other players then coming into the side.

But, with Albion having lost only two of their last six matches in all competitions, and one in five in the league, there is a feeling that their current approach is one that can help them in their bid to achieve another Championship survival.

Their well-drilled, well-disciplined setup in a 5-4-1 formation is designed to press teams into submission and then punish them quickly, as we saw against Reading and Sheffield Wednesday, and should have done again on Saturday.

Tom Naylor slides in to celebrate his goal in the 3-0 win at Sheffield Wednesday

Clough has returned Kyle McFadzean to the side, and the centre-back has impressed on the right of a central defensive three, alongside Jake Buxton and Ben Turner.

That means Clough is now able to marry a solid back five with a potent attacking threat.

This is vital, because in the three consecutive goalless draws on the road earlier this season, against Norwich City, Queens Park Rangers and Bristol City, the Brewers failed to build on the efforts of a stingy defence with an attacking potency at the other end.

Indeed, Clough said before the stalemate with the Canaries at Carrow Road on September 12 that "we want to be a threat ourselves".

It seems the threat is arriving.

Norwich City's Wesley Hoolahan tries to find a way past Burton Albion
Norwich City's Wesley Hoolahan tries to find a way past Burton Albion

Saturday's loss to Birmingham will hurt - being dumped out of the FA Cup always will - but the manner of the display showed that the style of play that Clough is pushing his side to play is having effect.

In those three away wins against Bolton, Reading and Sheffield Wednesday, Albion scored six goals and conceded only twice.

And in the most recent home games - where the problems have run deeper than just a style of play - chances have been created.

The goals conceded in a 2-1 loss to Leeds United were, in all honesty, avoidable.

In many respects, the goalless draw with Norwich on December 30 was much like the defeat to Birmingham in that Albion created the better of the chances and stayed, on the whole, defensively solid.

Tom Naylor shoots at goal during Burton Albion's 0-0 draw with Norwich City

This system won't be without its teething problems, as has been evident when the goals do go in at the other end.

The Brewers will struggle to counter if the opposition is then sitting in having landed the crucial first blow.

But the effective nature of Albion's new playing system hasn't gone unnoticed either.

As Brian Dick of the Birmingham Mail wrote after Saturday's FA Cup clash: "At times, they (Burton) sit like a coiled spring and counter in blitzkrieg fashion."

Music to Nigel Clough's ears, I'm sure.