Tony Mowbray doesn’t want his side to be drawn in to a ‘war’ at Bolton Wanderers today as he looks to settle on a winning formula.

Mowbray admits a 3-5-2 formation used in the second half of the midweek defeat to Sheffield United has given him ‘food for thought’ moving forward.

The Rovers boss is eyeing a consistency in both performance and selection as they sit mid-table in the Championship going in to their final game before the second international break.

Having conceded nine goals in their last four matches, Mowbray is eyeing an improvement in that area, and when asked if a switch to three at the back was a possibility for today’s game he said: “I think there is food for thought moving forward in our season.

“You have to analyse every game, what you think is right and what you think is wrong.

“I’m just trying to get the balance of the team right for this game, a team that play the ball forward early and ask questions of you defensively.

“Yet I don’t want to just make it a war, we need to be good on the ball, push them back and get the balls to players who can carry the ball up the pitch, or in to Bradley’s feet and have quality in the box for Danny (Graham) and pick a team that gives us the best chance of winning the match.

“Are we going to compete physically with them or are we going to play a lot of artistic players who can give them more problems with the ball? We’ll pick the team and see how we get on.”

Rovers and Bolton are locked on 15 points ahead of today’s meeting, sitting 14th and 15th in the table respectively.

Just three points separates Norwich in fifth with Wanderers as the season reaches its quarter point.

Mowbray is satisfied with his side’s start, but knows plenty of hard work lies ahead if they are to move in to the top half of a particularly competitive division.

“The league is really tight,” he said.

“We were the only defeat on Wednesday night, everything else was a draw, and the league is like that.

“There are no easy games. The consistency will come over the next run of games before the next transfer window.

“The big teams are starting to show a little bit of consistency even though some are drawing games. But it’s generally been a draw and then a win.

“We’re trying to not hang in there, but find a level of consistency of our own in selection and performance.

“We have had some really good highs, punctured by the late goal which has taken some air out of the balloon a little bit, but this is another opportunity for us.

“They are all tough away from home in the Championship.

“We are humble enough to know that we were in League One last season and going away from home we know we will have to work hard and see where it takes us.

“Hopefully we can find a performance and get the win, but know how tough it will be.”