PAUL Ince admits he is facing a midfield selection dilemma as Blackburn Rovers host Middlesbrough tomorrow in the first of three matches in eight days.

Ince has a number of options ahead of the Premier League triple header - Rovers follow tomorrow’s 5.30pm kick-off against Boro with a trip to Aston Villa on Wednesday and a second West Midlands excursion to West Bromwich Albion next Saturday.

But the boss is mindful of the fact that 38-year-old playmaker Tugay will not be able to feature in all three games and is also considering moving Stephen Warnock from central midfield to left back, where the former Liverpool man has spent most of his Rovers career.

Ince is without long-term injury victims David Dunn and Steven Reid but still has several more players - including Brett Emerton, Keith Andrews, Vince Grella, Carlos Villanueva, Keith Treacy and Morten Gamst Pedersen - vying for places.

And he admits that, such are his options, he is yet to work out his strongest midfield.

He said: “It's a strange one really because I threw in Stephen Warnock, just as a stop-gap because Vince was out, and Dunny and Reidy are out.

“He's been absolutely fantastic in there and that's created a little problem for me.

“By the same token, I don't really want to play Andre Ooijer at left back all the time because that's not his position, and Martin Olsson is still young.

“The fact that Stevie is playing so well in midfield has created a problem.

“Vince is back now and chomping at the bit, along with Keith Andrews. It's good healthy competition.

“Obviously, we've got Dunny and Reidy out, so we'll see how it goes in two or three games.”

Playing three league games in a week may be just what Rovers want after the stop-start nature of a Premier League season constantly interrupted by international breaks.

It is not an ideal situation, though, for Tugay, who has rolled back the years with some majestic performances in recent weeks but will have to sit out one of the matches.

“We've got three games in a week coming up and Tugay knows that he can't play in all three,” said Ince.

“It's a case of me deciding which games he will play, and deciding on what is right for Tugay. But he loves being involved and he brings a lot of composure to the side.

“I thought he was fantastic against Bolton - he gives us that composure and he finds it quite easy to get the ball down and play it the way I want us to play at this moment in time.

“But he knows that at 38 he can't play in every game - even though he wants to.

“He's always great in training and he's as enthusiastic as he's ever been.

“But the realisation is that he can't play every game.

“We have to sit down with him and tell him that he can play in this game, but can't play in this game.

“That's what happened to me when I got to that stage of my career. You can't do everything.”

Ince has often changed his side around in the early part of the season but hopes he will not have to do that for much longer.

“It would be nice to get a settled side,” he said.

“It's hard because of the players we've got and me coming into the club so late this summer.

“Even though we've had a decent start to the season, I'm still trying to find the right formula and the right blend.

“It's been a bit like trial and error, trying out players in different positions.

“But at the same time we've got to pick up results.”