IT WAS back to the analysis room for the Rovers players yesterday as they were shown clips of the chances that went begging in Tuesday’s frustrating draw with Plymouth Argyle.

Rovers managed 25 shots at goal during the draw with the League One’s bottom side but failed to score more than once in a game for the ninth time in 12 outings.

That is a statistic Tony Mowbray is keen to improve on as his side prepare to host Portsmouth tomorrow (3pm).

Following last weekend’s defeat at Oldham which the players re-watched as part of a team meeting last Sunday, and on the latest analysis, Mowbray said: “I think it was 35 clips that we showed.  I read the statistics and saw that we had 25 shots but there were 35 clips of what you would call chances or opportunities to score a goal.

“We sat through and watched and there were varying reasons why they didn’t go in, bad first touch, not picking the man out in the box, lack of composure, shooting when players are stood in front of you rather than shifting and hitting it.

“There are things to work on, that is what we have been doing in training so that if we get another scenario when we get 35 chances in a game we will score more than one goal in the future.”

On how Rovers can improve the ratio of shots to goals, Mowbray added: “Generally I would do it by putting themselves in situations that they would find themselves on a matchday.

“Putting a back four, five or six against a frontline and letting the ball roll, call phases of play and look to score against their own defenders and team-mates, how to get in behind them, where to make runs and always trying to get across the front of defenders.

“Just give them ideas of where to stand, how to play and what types of runs to make and repeat and repeat it and then hopefully they see the benefits of doing it on the training ground and come matchday they have to replicate what they are doing through the week.”

But Mowbray says the lack of goals isn’t necessarily down to the strikers, adding: “It’s a little bit more than just the guys playing in the middle of the box, partly the way the opposition might play against you, partly the service from midfield and wide areas.

“That being said, we had 35 opportunities the other night and a lot of those were down to the individuals making a poor decision or touch and the chance getting away.

“I don’t think it’s an issue that needs to be right at the forefront of my mind.

“I thought the performance of the team was good and I thought if we can reproduce that on a regular basis we will win lots of games. It’s not a major concern for me at the moment.”