Bristol Rovers are back home for the first time in nearly three weeks with it also two weeks since their last League One outing, a 1-0 win at Cambridge United.

Rovers certainly could have done with having their next league game sooner with the feeling after the victory last time out in the league that momentum was building under new boss Inigo Calderon.

The 3-0 defeat to Ipswich Town, in which the Gas barely laid a glove on their Premier League hosts, last weekend halted said momentum and this afternoon will demonstrate where this side are currently at with it still not even a month since Calderon took charge.

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Similarly to the Leyton Orient defeat on New Year's Day, Rovers are hosting one of the division's in-form sides in Barnsley who have won their last four. However, there were plenty of positives despite the defeat to Orient that can hopefully be taken into today's clash alongside the confidence from beating Cambridge.

A home win in the league is long overdue for the Gas who haven't picked up three points in BS7 since the 1-0 win over Shrewsbury Town on October 22 with that also their last victory within 90 minutes having required extra-time to beat Weston-super-Mare in the FA Cup.

It's going to be tricky, particularly considering Barnsley are one of the best teams in the league away from home, but something has to give soon for Rovers if they are to ensure that they aren't dragged further into the relegation scrap and actually attempt to climb some distance up the table this side of the campaign.

Here's how we think the Gas might set up this afternoon...

Goalkeeper and defence

Josh Griffiths in between the sticks speaks for itself with the West Brom loanee now on seven clean sheets in League One after his shutout at Cambridge. It's seemingly unlikely that there will be any new shot stoppers coming in this month to provide support, making the position extremely fragile if anything was to happen to the 23-year-old.

Ahead of him and a centre-back pairing of James Wilson and Connor Taylor seems to be a no-brainer but it's not as nailed on in the full-back department.

Clinton Mola was benched for the Leyton Orient game and then left out of the squads for Cambridge and Ipswich, with Inigo Calderon explaining that the reason was down to a bloated squad. However, with Bryant Bilongo's loan departure to Harrogate Town this week, there's more scope for the 23-year-old to return.

Based on the fact that Lino Sousa has been selected ahead of Mola in the last three games though, it seems likely that the Aston Villa loanee will be starting once again. There's plenty to like about the 19-year-old but individual mistakes leading to goals against Orient and Ipswich will need to be cut out swiftly.

On the right hand side, realistically Rovers have three options now. Joel Senior and the fit-again Jack Hunt are natural right-backs while Taylor Moore has done better in that makeshift role in his last two outings. Being a centre-back by trade, Moore adds extra solidity at the back but hasn't yet quite been able to offer that seemless transition to attack on the right-hand side. It seems as though Calderon likes having the 27-year-old in there though so, like Sousa, seems likely to hold onto his place.

Eventually it would be nice to see Hunt back in the side knowing how effective he can be at both ends, particularly in an attacking sense, but it's evident that the Gas are keen not to rush the 34-year-old back.

Midfield

Although seeing Luke McCormick depart on loan didn't come as a major surprise, seeing the 25-year-old go down to the National League did, even for a big-spending, promotion-contending Forest Green Rovers.

The arrival of Romaine Sawyers means that it doesn't quite leave Rovers short in the middle but with Kamil Conteh's injury still proving to be an issue, the Gas can't afford to lose another midfielder.

Albeit in a tough match, there were glimpses of Sawyers' game against Ipswich that appealled and it will be interesting to see how the 33-year-old does in a League One match considering that the majority of reviews from his time at AFC Wimbledon suggested that he was significantly above League Two standard.

You would imagine Sawyers will start once again with it seemingly a choice between Grant Ward and Jamie Lindsay to partner him. Inigo Calderon clearly likes the former, making it seem more likely that Ward will keep his place.

Above the pivot, there is more scope for some rotation. Shaq Forde's performance at Ipswich saw the forward's work ethic questioned by some supporters as he rarely pressed with real endeavour. Like many of his teammates, inconsistency is holding the exciting attacker back from truly exploding in a Rovers shirt.

Considering that he had score the week prior, Luke Thomas was unlucky not to start at his former loan side last weekend and deserves to come back into the fold. Hopefully getting off the mark will see the winger return to the dangerous player we know he can be.

On the opposite flank, although it was nowhere near his best performance, Scott Sinclair performed well against Cambridge and Calderon clearly likes having experienced individuals in his side. As captain, you would expect the 35-year-old to keep hold of his place.

In the middle, Ruel Sotiriou has earned himself three consecutive starts but hasn't been as dangerous as he would have liked. Considering that Isaac Hutchinson scored a perfectly good goal against Cambridge from the bench that was disallowed while the 24-year-old has been just as effective if not more, there is certainly enough substance to suggest that a change in the middle is justifiable.

Striker

Chris Martin, every day of the week. Gatlin O'Donkor is certainly an option and, in fairness, could slot in on the left after an excellent performance against Leyton Orient, but the experienced forward is Rovers' best available striker without a doubt.

Despite keeping his cards close to his chest, Calderon will be well aware of the club's need for a striker this month with Promise Omochere out for as long as he is while the recruitment team will too. Admittedly, it is always extremely tough to get value for money in this window for any player in any position, let alone the most expensive area.

If the solution is a loanee from a club higher up the pyramid, so be it, but Rovers have to add another goalscoring option to their ranks this month otherwise they will be in extremely short supply of goals while already in a dangerous position.

Bristol Rovers XI (4-2-3-1): Josh Griffiths; Taylor Moore, James Wilson, Connor Taylor, Lino Sousa; Romaine Sawyers, Grant Ward; Luke Thomas, Isaac Hutchinson, Scott Sinclair; Chris Martin

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