Five talking points from Rovers’ win over Barnsley at Ewood Park.

ARMA'S AMAZING NUMBERS

It would be remiss not to pick up on the incredible statistics of Adam Armstrong this season.

His goal just before the break not only gave Rovers the lead in a half where they had been second best, it gave him his 13th Championship goal of the season.

That is not only more than any player in the division, it’s more than seven teams in the division have managed in 14 games.

He’s averaging a goal every 88 minutes in all competitions, with his penalty in the Carabao Cup win over Doncaster meaning he has scored 14 times this season, and 25 times in 2020.

His 23 league goals are the most of any player in the top four divisions of English football, while in the top two tiers of the major European leagues, only Robert Lewandowski and Cristiano Ronaldo having scored more.

Rovers first need to keep him fit, and then negotiate their way through the January transfer window with the 23-year-old still at the club, with interest undoubtedly set to come from top-flight clubs.

The way he finished so emphatically from Ryan Nyambe’s cut-back demonstrated the confidence he’s playing with. The second half saw him drift more to the left, the role he previously used to occupy in this side, creating a chance for Amari’i Bell.

His all-round game has come on so much, but it’s his goal tally that is setting him apart from any player in the division.

SCORE FIRST, WIN

Rovers have now scored first in six matches and gone on to win them all. This was only the second time that they have conceded a goal in a game and won, as they were denied a seventh clean sheet of the campaign late on.

Rovers were the division’s early scorers last season, but have been slower out of the blocks so far, often relying on the second half to pull them through, with Gallagher’s goal their 16th in the second half where they looked more themselves. Ben Brereton and Amari’i Bell both had good opportunities with the score at 1-0, forcing saves out of Jack Walton.

The draw at Luton is the only time this season that Rovers have earned a point from losing positions, a clear area for improvement. Gallagher scored the equaliser at Kenilworth Road, his strike against Barnsley his third of the season, all as a substitute. Tyrhys Dolan’s goal at Preston means a substitute has scored in each of Rovers’ last three matches.

Rovers weren’t at their best, but coming out on the right side of tight games, rather than simply blowing teams away, will come as a boost.

MORE INJURY CONCERNS

Rovers have played 15 matches in all competitions, and with Barry Douglas and Scott Wharton both taken off with injuries, they became the 11th and 12th players this season who have needed to be substituted.

Douglas lasted just 14 minutes, while a nasty clash of heads ended Wharton’s afternoon in the closing stages.

The Leeds United loanee will now undergo a scan, with Amari’i Bell primed for a first start in over a month should he be ruled out against Millwall, though Rovers are hopeful Wharton will be able to return to training today.

Jacob Davenport missed out on the matchday squad with an injury, as Harry Chapman, fresh from playing 90 minutes for the Under-23s less than 24 hours earlier, was an unused substitute. It appears that no sooner do Rovers start to get players back, that more add themselves to the injury list.

UNBEATEN NOVEMBER

The month of November brought with it five games, either side of the third international break, and Rovers head into an even busier December on the back of three wins and two draws.

They have taken seven points from a possible nine since the international break and head into another home game against Millwall looking to continue making strides up the division.

November handed them momentum last season, as they won four of their five Championship games, and they will be hoping this run can instil a similar feeling into the squad. 

Not that Tony Mowbray knew his side had gone the whole month unbeaten. “The games are coming so thick and fast I’m struggling to know whether it’s a weekend game or midweek with how they are coming around. You lose track a little bit of the time.”

CALMING INFLUENCE OF KAMINSKI

Thomas Kaminski proved his worth once again, the only disappointment being that the Belgian wasn't able to rewarded with another clean sheet.

He deserved that for his two fine saves in the second half, the pick of the bunch being a one-handed stop to keep out Mads Anderson's header from a set play.

Kaminski also saved well from a Dominik Frieser shot late on, and he almost, despite being wrong-footed, almost kept out Romal Palmer's shot from eight yards out. That proved to be no more than a consolation, as Rovers managed their way through five additional minutes, and do so with few alarms, aided by the calming influence Kaminski brings.