Rotherham United boss Matt Taylor's message to his players as Millers seek an antidote to their Championship travel sickness in 2023-24

For manager Matt Taylor, there was still encouragement to be found last season, even though only Reading took fewer points on the travels in the second tier than the Millers, who amassed 17 from 23 matches and boasted just two wins - the last of which arrived at Bramall Lane last November before the World Cup break.

To keep their heads above water in 2023-24, that is likely to have to change, statistically speaking.

From a tactical perspective, there were still several performances to admire to provide succour to Taylor, one of the most thoughtful and studious young managers on the circuit.

One of the Millers' precious road victories came at Stoke City, with Taylor's side starting the new campaign in the Potters on Saturday.

Taylor, whose side had the 13th best home form last term, by contrast to their modest away numbers, said: "We won't look any different to last season and aren't reinventing the wheel or changing play.

"We are (just) trying to find different ways of playing Championship football and being effective at this level.

"One thing I am looking back at is some of our best away performances and our away form was poor (statistically) last season.

"You look at the Burnley one and Sheffield United and Coventry to a certain extent. We played a certain style and system and I want us to be as effective when we go away from home as we are, generally, at home.

"We will not be coming away from what we are in terms of identity as a football club. It certainly won't be my style, but Rotherham United's and the town we work for and live in.

"It will be 'up and at' the opposition and putting them under pressure and making them uncomfortable."

While Taylor must display his tactical flexibility over the course of a long season, so must his players, more pertinently, with the Millers' squad resources ensuring they must be adaptable in terms of the positions that they might be asked to play.

Especially when injury or suspension issues start kicking in.

Taylor, working to boost his numbers before the closure of the summer window on September 1, commented: "We have to be (adaptable) with our personnel. One injury changes everything for us.

"We try and have depth so we can play various systems. (But) I think it was probably only mid to late January where I could play a 4-3-3 last season, which sounds so strange when I'd been in the post for three months.

"We did not have any wide players, Shane Ferguson was injured and Chieo (Ogbene) was the only one at times and even he was injured to a certain extent. There was literally no-one else.

"It's so strange when you are trying to build a balanced squad.

"Every manager says that they want two of the same player in each and every position and formation. For us, it is probably not quite achievable, but we can still try and work towards it."