ROVERS reporter Rich Sharpe picks out five talking points from the defeat to Doncaster Rovers at Ewood Park.

TALKING TACTICS

TONY Mowbray said in the lead up to the game that the only way to answer any criticism of systems and formations was by winning.

Another defeat left the talking point of his team selection, and going with three central defenders, up for discussion, but can he really be blamed for sticking with a formation which had worked so well in the Carabao Cup win over Coventry City?

And in truth, it was hardly as if Rovers had looked defensively solid, or fluid in attack, in the 4-2-3-1 shape they went with at Southend on the opening day where they were well beaten.

The exclusion of Dominic Samuel was something of a surprise, but the rest of the substitutes were either short of football or coming back from injury.

Mowbray will continue to mix up his tactics, with the aim of finding the right formula that can produce results at both ends of the pitch.  But at this stand, the right balance hasn't been struck.

DEFENSIVE DEFICIENCIES

IT DOESN’T matter whichever system or personnel is used, defend as Rovers did, and make the mistakes in the lead up to each goal, then at any level of football you would be made to pay.

Elliott Ward was punished for his lapse by John Marquis for the first, while for the second goal, although the decision to award a penalty could be disputed, the way Rovers were carved opened can’t be.

And the third was just a comedy of errors.  One long punt forward sent Ryan Nyambe and Ward chasing back to their own goal, and while Raya looked to have the situation under control, his poor header was easy for Alfie May to intercept and fire in to the empty net.

The substitutions only made Rovers more open as they went in search of a way back in to it, and by the end, could have conceded more than the three they did.

PONDEROUS PLAY

MOWBRAY conceded after the game that Rovers were too slow in their approach play in the first-half.

They moved the ball across the pitch, but by the time it reached their two wing-backs, Doncaster were back in defensive numbers, meaning Rovers were forced back.

When Rovers did find some pace to their attacks, their crosses in to the box were all too easily cut out as Danny Graham so often just the solitary figure in the box.

Peter Whittingham, who started in a more advanced role than previously used, was dropping deep to try and get on the ball, leaving just Elliott Bennett and Graham as forward options.

Rovers were too static, and needed to stretch the play more, making the exclusion of Samuel even more surprising.

AUGUST AGONY

ROVERS were beaten for the second successive league game this season.

That now makes it no win in their last 11 August league fixtures over the course of the last three seasons.

They failed to win any of their five Championship games in 2016/17, picking up just one point, and they managed just one more in 2015/16.

You have to go back to August 23 2014 and a 3-2 win over Bournemouth at Ewood Park for the last time they won a league game in the opening month.

WHAT’S NEXT?

THE pressure will only grow on Rovers with each week that passes without a league win.

They have a full week of training now ahead of their next fixture, which certainly won’t be easy, at Bradford City.

The Bantams have six points from six, and last season won 11 and drew 12 of their 23 league games in front of their own fans.

Cup games and the play-off semi-final against Millwall apart, Bradford haven’t lost in League One on their own patch since March 2016.