ROVERS boss Paul Ince insists any suggestions of panic are premature after watching his side concede four for the second game in succession.

Emmanuel Adebayor’s hat-trick condemned Rovers to another weekend of misery but Ince was determined to keep looking forward, instead of dwelling on the past.

The 4-0 defeat to Arsenal sees Rovers languishing near the bottom of the Premier League table with just four points from four games but, for Ince, there were plenty of positives to take forward.

He knows the defending has to improve but he also pointed to an encouraging first half as evidence there is still a lot to look forward to.

He said: “At the end of the day we are creating chances but we need to take them. Things were not happening for us.

“Roque had a few good chances, Brett got down the line and put in a cross, but it was just not happening for us today.

“It just goes to show when you play against the better sides they are clinical and the chances they have, they normally put away. Van Persie could even have had two or three.

“It is early doors, we are only four games in and I am not even thinking about league positions yet.

“It is about performances and the first half we put in a performance, but the second half we didn’t. We look forward to next week’s game.”

Arsene Wenger’s Gunners displayed their title credentials with a crisp display of passing football, with England wonder-kid Theo Walcott starring on the flank.

But Ince believes it will be the games against the Premier League’s lesser lights that are the real key to Rovers’ campaign – admitting results against the big four are always a bonus.

“The good thing is we don’t have to play them every week,” he said.

“We are always going to try to compete against the big sides but if we don’t get the early goal and give us something to fight for it gets harder as the game goes on and that is what happened today.

“We are where we are because of the goals we have scored.

"You look at the games and look at fixtures against Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea and if you get something then fair enough.

“But if you don’t, you have to make sure you get the wins against Fulham and Bolton and the teams that are around us.”

Rovers were also forced to face Arsenal without three key players, David Dunn (Achilles(, Vince Grella (calf) and Andre Oijer (hamstring) as the international break took its toll.

“We have not got a big enough squad to start resting players, we have not got those finances,” he added. “It is okay for the bigger clubs to do that.

“Look at Liverpool and Manchester United. Liverpool could afford to rest Torres and Gerrard and still beat Manchester United 2-1.

“We have not got that luxury. When you are playing the best team in the land it is no good when you don’t see your players for two weeks and only see them on Friday.

“I am not taking anything away from Arsenal though, they are a very good side and are a joy to watch when they play like that.

“It is not just Theo Walcott, Fabregas is different class, the way he finds space for himself.

"They are all very good players and that is why they won Premier League titles.”