QPR players will be told to ask for towels in the same way Rory Delap does every time the Stoke player shapes to take a huge throw.
Rs boss Neil Warnock intends to fight fire with fire, as well as taking the same amount of time Delap takes to dry the ball before he launches it into the box.
The manager also reckons he has a couple of long-throw merchants at his disposal as well – even though best thrower Fitz Hall is sidelined.
He added: “We will be using the towels – that’s the rules at the Britannia, and we’ll be no different and get the same clean towels they get.
“Fitz Hall is the longest here, but he’s out so we have other irons in the fire.”
Expect Luke Young and Anton Ferdinand (pic) to get purchase on the ball as they aim for the heads of Heidar Helguson and Jay Bothroyd – although Warnock is worried he faces a backlash from the caning Stoke got last time out when they were thrashed 5-0 by Bolton.
“Stoke having to travel as they did in the Europa League – and then play on a Sunday after being in Israel on the Thursday? It’s almost like kicking them in the teeth for doing well. Now, they’ll be fighting twice as hard because of the Bolton result.”
