Rovers reporter Rich Sharpe picks out three talking points from the win over Millwall.

THREE IN TO TWO

The last time Rovers started a game with a three man defence was in the defeat at Sheffield Wednesday in March, having done so for the win against Wigan four days earlier. Then it was to find a way to plug holes when the backline was decimated with injuries.

Derrick Williams was seen as the most senior of those options, but fast forward six months and he has to be seen as one of the first name on the team sheet.

This time it was from a position of strength, with Williams, Darragh Lenihan and Tosin Adarabioyo all fit at the same time for the first occasion.

At some point, possibly even as soon as next week at Reading, Rovers won’t go with a back three and will need to leave one of their central defenders out.

While Adarabioyo didn’t put a foot wrong, and is expected to become a key man for the side over the course of the season, it seems impossible to drop either of Lenihan or Williams at the moment, particularly the latter who had his most disappointing season in a Rovers shirt last season, but has started this in fine form.

 

BUCKLEY’S TIME WILL COME AGAIN

John Buckley had made four substitute appearances for Rovers this season, and Tony Mowbray conceded after the West Brom defeat that he had been unlucky not to start after his performance at Sheffield United in the Carabao Cup.

While it was a surprise to see Lewis Travis left out, Buckley’s extra technical ability likely saw him get the nod, with a three man defence behind him. 

He showed a few nice touches, but in a congested midfield area, looked to take the safe option a little too often.

Buckley operated in a central midfield three, and that seems the best way in to incorporate him in to the team for the moment, but needing more of an attacking threat, he was the one sacrificed at the break.

From the high of making his full league debut, there was the low of being taken off after 45 minutes. But his time will come, more than likely this season, and he should reflect on how far he’s come in such a short space of time.

He's cemented at the very least in the matchday 18, a regular off the bench, and it won't be long before his name is in the starting line-up once again. 

 

STRONG START TO SEPTEMBER

August was a busy month, with eight games in the space of 28 days.

September, after the return of the international break, offered Rovers the chance to kick their season in to gear with this the first of four home games in their next six fixtures.

Ewood form will play a key role in Rovers’ quest to improve on last season, having seen it fall away in the second half of the last campaign with 1-0 defeats to Middlesbrough, Bristol City, Preston and Stoke.

But this was a third consecutive shut-out at home and they look to have put that opening day defeat to Charlton behind them.

Luton are next up, after the trip to Reading, and Rovers have to see this as a chance to put some points on the board.

Dispatching teams in the Championship hasn’t been easy for them in recent seasons, but if they can sustain some level of consistency , you feel there are points to be had this month.