Doncaster Rovers: Darren Moore talks use of three-at-the-back system

Joe Wright, Cameron John and Donervon Daniels are all now available while Tom Anderson has two matches remaining in his three game suspension, meaning Moore will be flush with defensive options for the first time this season.

The Rovers boss switched to a back three during Sunday’s poor performance at Gillingham and started with a 3-4-2-1 system in Wednesday’s Leasing.com Trophy clash with Leicester City.

Moore says the choice of formation on both occasions was down to circumstances more than a determination for a more permanent system switch.

“I’d like to think I can play both systems,” Moore said.

“Hopefully now when Tom comes back they can all stay fit and I’ll have four fit central defenders to choose from.

“We changed it around to give players some minutes in the team on Wednesday.”

“They understand now how we work so if we want to flip a system change they know how we work.

“You don’t want to put in a system change and people are in grey areas not knowing how we’re working.”

Moore revealed the move to a back three against Gillingham was designed to stop an opposition who were getting the better of them.

“We didn’t have the aerial dominance of a Donervon Daniels or a Tom Anderson,” he said.

“we had central defenders in Joe Wright and Cameron John and I tried to drop Ben Sheaf in there just to add that little bit more.

“The way Gillingham play, they get it forward early and put you under a lot of pressure.

“I thought dropping another one in there would alleviate the pressure and it did at times.

“We got a lot of first contacts on the ball but we didn’t on the second regains. In terms of the first contacts we got a lot of them.

“I thought at times they utilised it well but at other times it could have been better.”

With Anderson’s ban not applicable during his three match suspension, Moore opted to use him in a back three alongside youngster Shane Blaney and Donervon Daniels, who made his return to action after a concussion.

“I thought it was great because we had Tom and we could give him 90 minutes in a competitive fixture,” Moore said.

“It’s great for him that he’s not sat for three weeks. It’s almost like he’s had a game a week and we ticked a box in terms of giving him some minutes.

“Donervon came back after his concussion and it was another 45 minutes for Joe Wright who’s not had a lot of football this season.

“December is going to be a busy month so to be able to get minutes into them and play them all at once with their experience and know-how, that’s what I thought.

“It was good to play Donervon and Tom in terms of getting their rustiness off. They’re big men and with footballers the size of them you want them to play games so it was ideal rather than letting them sit.”