Rovers have gone over a month without an away game as they return to Championship action this weekend at Cardiff City. Here are some questions facing Tony Mowbray and his side.

 

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

Unfortunately there will be no fans in attendance for this game after the Welsh Government confirmed an extension to their Covid restrictions that included sporting events.

The kick-off time has been amended to allow the game to be streamed but for a third straight year, Rovers' away fixture at the Cardiff City Stadium will be played without fans.

Adam Armstrong scored a stunning winner in the July 2020 visit, managed a double in a 2-2 draw in April 2021, with Rovers' first away game of 2022 coming in south Wales.

Rovers have a trip to Swansea City to start next month and will await to see whether that will be played behind closed doors, with a decision expected later this month.

It sadly became something players had to become used to during the 2020/21, with only one of Rovers' matches played without supporters.

Away followings have been particularly strong for Rovers of late, a near sold-out 3,500 allocation at Wigan Athletic coming after strong turn-outs at both Stoke City and Bournemouth where their influence was praised by Mowbray.

While last season's possession-based style seemed more suited to the quieter surrounds, Rovers will need to find an edge to their play to maintain their high intensity approach.

 

TIME TO TRAVEL

Rovers will get used to time on their road within the next month, with six of their next eight matches coming on their travels. That follows a run of three successive home games to end 2021 and start 2022.

There are two trips to south Wales on the horizon, with games at Hull City, Luton Town, West Brom and Sheffield United to fit in.

It's a testing schedule, but Rovers will take heart from the fact they have won three of their last four Championship away matches and remained unbeaten.

While 30 of their 46 points (65 per cent) have come at home this season, their 16 points from 11 away fixture isn't that bad of a return.

Their defeats all came within a three-game spell either side of the October international break, beaten 3-2 at Huddersfield Town, 2-1 at Blackpool and 1-0 at QPR, though Mowbray would point to injury absences in all of those matches.

Yet since the QPR defeat, Rovers have reeled off wins at Derby County, Stoke City and Bournemouth, as well as a point at Bristol City. Their other points this season came at Millwall and Nottingham Forest.

So Rovers will take heart from those results, and their counter-attacking style could prove to be more suited to away matches.

They just need to stay away from the red and black away kit, with defeats on the three occasions they have worn it.

 

TEAM SELECTION

Having gone with the same outfield players for the last six matches, the starting line-up had been a relatively straightforward decision for the manager.

An injury to Harry Pickering however will see that change, with Tayo Edun set to take his place at left wing-back.

Rovers will hope to have Ryan Nyambe, Darragh Lenihan and Scott Wharton available to minimise any further changes in defence. Lenihan went off with a sore knee in the cup defeat at Wigan where Nyambe and Wharton were both unavailable.

Mowbray hopes to have all three available which could see the team changes from the Huddersfield draw limited to just one.

The positive from the cup defeat was a goal and assist for Reda Khadra who has started to really fire alongside Ben Brereton in attack.