Rovers take a break from Championship action on Wednesday night when they host Hartlepool United in the Carabao Cup.

While there are no league points at stake, it promises to be an important night for some Rovers players.

 

Bradley Dack

Rovers may be sitting pretty with two wins from two and top of the Championship table, yet there is still a focus on Dack, even with him not playing. Though that is why.

‘Team is number one’ is a trademark of Jon Dahl Tomasson’s management, Rovers stronger as a collective, and their unity and team spirit has been widely praised by the head coach.

Because of that, it has been interesting to see how much focus the non-inclusion of Dack has had from supporters.

However, Dack is a huge presence around the club, a status earned by his displays on the pitch and also his personality.

Along with captain Lewis Travis and experienced pair Thomas Kaminski and Daniel Ayala, he will be among the senior leadership group in the dressing room.

The likelihood is that Dack will wear the captain’s armband when Rovers run out on Wednesday night in what will be his first appearance of the season.

He is no stranger to playing this round of the league cup, he scored twice against Carlisle United in 2018 and came off the bench in 2019 to rescue a victory against Oldham Athletic, so Dack must see this as an opportunity.

Tomasson has fielded questions about Dack since his arrival, largely due to his non-involvement in pre-season until the Lincoln City friendly when he netted the only goal of the game in a 60-minute outing.

Since then he has played in two behind-closed-doors matches, scoring in one, and striving hard to build his match minutes, with Tomasson keen to ensure that every member of his squad are ready to take their opportunities when they arrive.

It was clear at the full-time whistle against Swansea City that Dack cut a frustrated figure. That is hardly a surprising fact that someone forced to miss so much football over the last two-and-a-half years wants to make the most of every possible opportunity.

Tomasson will know the importance of a fit and firing Dack and made a beeline for him at the final whistle, an arm around the shoulder and a little word in his ear.

The signing of Sam Szmodics has added further competition in his favoured No.10 role where Ryan Hedges has starred in the opening two matches, leading some to question where he fits in.

Yet Dack remains the best finisher and most natural goalscorer at the club, while what was striking from the very days of his early Rovers career that despite the spotlight on him, he never shirked the hard yards off the ball.

It is in the best interests all round for Rovers to get the most of the attacker.

 

Dilan Markanday

The fact that Wednesday night’s cup tie is likely to be a home debut for the winger shows how frustrating his time at the club has been since signing in January.

Markanday was part of the Under-21s squad who started their Premier League 2 campaign with a defeat at Everton on Friday night. That meant he wasn’t involved in the squad for the win at Swansea City.

Fanfare greeted the signing of an exciting prospect who had starred for Spurs’ Under-23s side, but injury on his debut just days after signing meant it wasn’t until the final day that he would play again.

Markanday made four appearances in pre-season but still looked in need of game-time which is why Tomasson opted to give him minutes for the Under-21s.

A first chance for the 20-year-old to showcase his skills at Ewood looks to be on the horizon, but with competition in the forward areas, particularly after the signing of Szmodics and fine form of Hedges, Markanday will need to seize it.

 

Ash Phillips

With Daniel Ayala unlikely to feature given his recent fitness issues, as well as the lack of central defensive options, a debut for the England youth international appears likely.

Should he make his first team debut then he will do so only 45 days after his 17th birthday.

It would be quite the rise for the central defender who didn’t make his first appearance for Rovers Under-18s until January 30 2021 and has played only 11 times in Premier League 2.

Yet Phillips has trained with the first-team for the past year having been picked out as someone with a huge future ahead of him.

He made the bench for the first time in the FA Cup at Wigan Athletic in January and then made a Championship matchday squad for the first time at Swansea.

Given a lack of central defensive options, not helped by injuries to Hayden Carter and Sam Barnes, as well as the need to keep Ayala fit, a debut for Phillips appears likely.

A rather depressing view, but a first-team appearance at such a young age would reflect well in any tribunal should Phillips not sign a professional contract with Rovers, nor the club be able to agree a fee with a potential suitor which would see a tribunal set a compensation.

 

Debutants

Phillips is unlikely to be the only Rovers debutant.

Midfielders Adam Wharton and Jake Garrett are yet to make their senior bows, but an opportunity could well come in this competition.

Wharton came close to getting his opportunity off the bench against QPR, and while he didn’t make the 18 at Swansea, he is likely to feature against Hartlepool.

The expectation is that other Academy prospects will make the squad, with the matchday squad for the Carabao Cup being 20, rather than the 18 it is for Championship games.

Harry Leonard, also yet to make his senior debut, is another who will be hoping for some match action.

Tyler Morton has been given permission to play in the competition by parent club Liverpool and while he has made his debut, following a cameo outing at Swansea, a first start is likely to be on the cards.