Rovers reporter Rich Sharpe picks out three talking points from the 5-2 defeat at Brentford.

THE GOOD

There were positives for Rovers to take, not least the chances created in a good first half performance. They have now scored at least twice their last five Championship matches, as well as in the FA Cup replay with Newcastle.

Adam Armstrong’s fine start to the calendar year continued with another assist, while both of the finishes, from Bradley Dack and Danny Graham, were excellent.

An in-form attacking three of Armstrong, Dack and Graham, all with different roles and qualities, are hard to stop on their day.

If anyone was going to find a way back in to the game for Rovers in the second half it was Armstrong, while he was unfortunate to see two first half efforts not find the back of the net.

THE BAD

Rovers named an unchanged team for a third successive game for the first time since January 2018.

Four of the starting line-up however would pick up injuries during the course of the 90 minutes only two days after the transfer window had closed.

Tony Mowbray doesn’t like working with a bloated squad, and if any of the four are out for any substantial time, he will have to put the faith in the Rovers youth system.

Charlie Mulgrew has returned to full training, despite not featuring at Brentford, while Ryan Nyambe is another option, having again not made the 18.

Rovers don’t carry the biggest of squads, and taking players the quality of Bradley Dack and Danny Graham would be a blow. But so vital are they to this side, that any extended period on the sidelines would surely be felt.

THE UGLY

When Rovers concede on the road, they ship plenty.

Out of their 15 away games they have conceded more than once on nine occasions. This was the first time they have conceded five, or more, in a league match since a 7-1 defeat at Arsenal in February 2012.

Results out of nowhere have been a talking point of this season, and after four consecutive victories and three clean sheets, few could have predicted such a capitulation.

For such a hardworking squad, who pride themselves on being resilient, their failure to deal with adversity when conceding goals is something they need to sharpen up on.

Mowbray feels there is an anxiety of needing to get back in to the match, rather than working their way back in to it, after going behind, which leads to the concession of more goals.

Whatever the reason, Rovers need to find a solution.  No team in the division has now conceded more goals on the road than Rovers, tied with Ipswich, on 31.