TONY Mowbray knows exactly what to expect from Cardiff City tomorrow - and it won’t just be lump it forward football.

While the Rovers boss is all to aware of what a Neil Warnock team will bring, he says there are plenty of skilful players throughout the Bluebirds team - including former Rovers player Junior Hoilett.

That said, Mowbray knows his side will be subjected to some aerial bombardment and says his team will have to be prepared to get physical.

“First and foremost it is a Neil Warnock team so you know they are not going to want for desire,” said Mowbray. “They have energy, they get the ball forward, ask questions of you and put it in the box.

“They have got two players with specialist long throws, they have two centre halves who go up for every set play but they have also got Junior Hoilett who this club’s fans will know. He’s got speed and talent and technique.

“They have got Josh Murphy who is fast and strong and direct. Joe Bennett who I know from my Middlesbrough days who can travel with the ball and run 60 yards up the pitch.

“They have got good players as well, they have (Joe) Ralls in midfield, a talent boy with his left.

“They have got good players, they have got strong players, they have got big players. You have to be ready for the physical confrontation but also be mindful of the talent they have got.”

Mowbray employed Adam Armstrong in a central role in the 1-0 win at Hull on Tuesday but he may look to adapt a ‘horses for courses’ approach and bring back Danny Graham to keep Cardiff’s central defenders, Sean Morrison and Aden Flint, on their toes.

“If you go in thinking you are going to be playing all your tippy-tappy football, you could have 60, 70, 80 per cent of the ball in a game like this and still lose 3-0 because of their directness,” he said.

“I don’t think Neil masks the fact that they can be pretty direct and powerful

“But I think we have to acknowledge they have some good players, Lee Tomlin played the other night who is a very talented individual.

“So he has a mixture of talent, power, size and he managed to get them to the Premier League against all the odds a few years ago and it is pretty much a similar bunch (of players).

“So we have to be mindful of that and bring our best qualities to the game.

“I would suggest our best qualities would make more of a game of it and it is something we should look forward to and see if we can get another three points.”

Mowbray says the best way to thwart Cardiff’s threat from throw-ins - Will Vaulks has taken over the mantle of long throw specialist from Aaron Gunnarsson - is to keep hold of the ball.

“The more possession you have, the less opportunities they have to put the ball in the box,” he added. “ I hope it is a day where we we have plenty of possession, push them back, keep them in their half and reduce them to long balls up to an isolated centre forward. Let’s see how it goes, I’m looking forward to it.”