Graham's goals, fluid formation, key men, need for numbers, patterns of play - Talking points from Rovers' pre-season friendlies

GRAHAM SETS OUT HIS GOALS

DANNY Graham has worked hard at his fitness over the summer, but his predatory instincts in and around the six yard box have remained razor sharp.

Six games, five goals, but more importantly an increased workload as the games wore on.

Graham was only able to manage 45 at most in Rovers’ opening three games, but he’s built that up and was able to get through another 60 minutes in the final friendly at Carlisle.

Rovers will be keen to manage his workload this season, with the 31-year-old likely to be a key figure in their pursuit of a quick return to the Championship.

His know-how makes him the perfect player to play the lone front man role, but a potential strike partnership with new recruit Dominic Samuel also gives Tony Mowbray plenty of food for thought.

Even in games where he hasn’t seen much of the ball, such as the 1-0 win at Grimsby, Graham took a chance that came his way and showed that he remains Rovers’ key man in front of goal.

FLUID FORMATIONS

MOWBRAY outlined after the win at Grimsby Town, in which he used both a 4-2-3-1 and a 3-4-2-1 formation, that he will switch between systems this season.

The ability to do that mid-match is a real bonus for Rovers who are likely to need to find a way to overcome stubborn opposition during the course of the season.

They have the personnel to go with both, and the strength in depth they have in the middle of the park allows Rovers to maintain a control of games whichever system they go with.

They have looked good going forward when using a back three, but struggled defensively against Carlisle, though some of that could be attributed to the absence of defenders Charlie Mulgrew and Darragh Lenihan.

KEY MEN

WHILE you can’t read too much in to the game-time handed to players in pre-season as an indicator to who a manager sees as a key player, you can from their performances.

And few have pushed their claims better than Bradley Dack.  He has been one of Rovers’ most inventive players in the close season friendlies, and shown just why Mowbray invested so much money, and faith, in him by bringing the 23-year-old to Ewood Park.

Always on the move, and looking to get involved, Dack’s ability to play between the lines means he is likely to be key to how Rovers play going forward. 

Richie Smallwood has also impressed in the middle of the park, while the importance of both Lenihan and Mulgrew was highlighted by the defeat at Carlisle United in their absence.

PATTERNS OF PLAY

WHETHER it be three at the back or four, Mowbray is looking to play a possession-based game, with a key focus on getting in between the lines of teams.

The full-backs, or wing-backs, have played very high up the pitch, with the holding midfield two dropping deep to receive the ball to start off moves.

But the deep-lying midfielders are always looking forward, trying to get the likes of Dack and Elliott Bennett in to areas where they can most hurt the opposition.

Mowbray has been keen to stress that he doesn’t want his side to overplay, something they have been guilty of in some of the pre-season games.

And whether it has just been the nature of the games that have been played, the Rovers players haven’t been afraid to get shots off from in and around the opposition area.

NEED FOR NUMBERS

ARGUABLY, Rovers’ starting line-up at Southend United on the opening day of the League One season will be stronger than that of 12 months ago when they started their Championship campaign against Norwich.

But, as Friday’s friendly defeat at Carlisle proved, there is still a need to add strength in depth.

While being without four senior players would affect most sides, the importance of those that were missing, Mulgrew, Lenihan, Conway and Gladwin, saw Rovers lacking numbers in defence, and also out wide.

It meant that Peter Whittingham and Liam Feeney were the only senior players left in reserve, and Mowbray has stressed the importance of having a squad capable of dealing with a number of injuries.

If Rovers are to have aspirations of challenging at the top end of the table throughout the course of the season, then adding more strength in depth will be key, and something Mowbray is looking to address.