Barnsley are wary of their former loanee Adam Armstrong and his free-scoring Blackburn Rovers side when they visit Ewood Park tomorrow.
Rovers – the top-scorers in the Championship – are 12th, two places and two points clear of the Reds who will look to bounce back from Tuesday's 1-0 home loss to Brentford which ended a run of four wins in five games.
Head coach Valerien Ismael said: "They are a very good team with a clear philosophy, very strong in transition and we need have a very good defence. We know the strengths and we know where this team is vulnerable.
"We want to play our high intensity game and we want to enforce our gameplan on them. We have to be aware of their running in behind, we have to protect against that because that is their big quality.
"I think we will have more possession than against Brentford. Both teams play with high intensity, counter press and quick transition."
Ismael says there is no difference in his style home or away. He added: "We play our philosophy, it doesn't matter where we are. We will try to adapt to the opponent with the way we attack the ball. The first thing is to show the intensity and commitment to win the points."
Former Barnsley loanee Armstrong has 12 goals in 12 Championship games this season which makes him the Championship's top-scorer.
Armstrong's former team-mate Alex Mowatt, now Barnsley captain, added: "He has been on fire, and he was unbelievable last season too. When he was here I thought he was unbelievable and it doesn't surprise me what he's done this season. He's sharp and hard to pick up because he's small as well. I get on well with Arma so it will be good to see him.
I think will be quite a tight game. They have a really good team."
Ismael said: "Armstrong has big momentum. It is always the same motivation when you play against your former club. You try to give your best. He is a very good player, like a lot of players in the Championship.
"I know some German guys who play for blackburn and they are very very good. Lewis Holtby is a key player. (Tom) Trybull played for Werder Bremen and he is a very good technical player. The Championship is a very interesting league because you have a lot of different players, different ways of playing football and you always have to find the solution and try to be better than the opponent with your possibilities."
Ismael is pleased that fans will return to some clubs, even though Barnsley have to wait to move out of the tier three restrictions before supporters can return to Oakwell.
"It is very positive step and positive signal for everybody but, for us, we don't feel this for the moment. We have a lot of games in the next weeks and we won't have the chance to play with our fans.
"It is sad but we have to accept that we have positive signs and, maybe in the middle of December, we will get more good news and all our efforts will help the government to make another decision for the region. We don't need to complain, we have to wait until it is safe for fans."
Mowatt added: "It's massive. Everyone in football wants the fans back in, especially when you are doing well. I said on the coach after I scored at Millwall: 'imagine if the fans were there.'"
Defenders Aapo Halme and Jordan Williams are set to miss the match but could return on Tuesday at Birmingham City.
