But the 60-year-old was still more frustrated than dismayed on Saturday about the 1-1 draw at Burnley in which he reckoned he could see distinct improvement in his new charges.
After two defeats, a hammering at Arsenal and a shock League Cup exit at second-tier Swansea, it was at least a relief for Postecoglou on a rain-drenched afternoon at Turf Moor to get a point on the board as his winless streak, featuring two draws and seven defeats, continued.
At least he sensed this Forest side were beginning to respond to his coaching and start to resemble the team he wants them to become, after Neco Williams put them ahead with an early strike only for Jaidon Anthony to equalise for the hosts.
Forest could and perhaps should have won with the home goalie Martin Dubravka the busiest man on the pitch as he made a string of fine saves, but avoiding defeat was the absolutely key for Postecoglou on this day.
"It was important we didn't lose," he conceded.
"If we had lost another one, then the narrative becomes even more with that. It doesn't affect me, but the players are human beings, and so are the staff, and you want to lift that gloom a little bit.
"Burnley are a tough proposition here. I think they will be for every club. There's still things we can improve on. Disappointed we didn't get the three points. On the balance of play, we certainly deserved it.
"But already I can see the team is transformed in terms of the way we're working with the ball, without the ball, the understanding of what we're trying to do.
"So that's the biggest encouragement for me, because it means the players are listening and they're responding.
"Seven days doesn't sound like a lot, but I've always felt you could make a pretty quick impact if your messages are clear and I just felt on the sideline today, there were times in the game where I'm thinking, 'OK, this is starting to look like my team now, the team I want us to be'. I think that's the most important thing."
Forest already look more expansive under the Australian than they did under his more cautious but effective predecessor Nuno Espirito Santo, but he's still waiting for that first win.
He hopes it will come either when the two-time Champions Cup winners make their continental return after a 30-year absence at Real Betis in Seville in midweek in the Europa League, or next weekend in his first home match in charge against newly promoted Sunderland.
With agencies
