Welcome back to Portman Road for our second home game in a week following the win over Cardiff on Tuesday night.

I was very pleased with the display against a good Cardiff side that I expect to finish in the top six. They have plenty of goals in them but apart from Michael Chopra's chance at the end of the first-half, I don't remember them having many threats on our 'keeper.

A clean sheet is always a positive and there were plenty more on the night. It was a good reaction from the players to the defeat at Blackpool; young Shane O'Connor came in and did a good job for us at left-back. Wrighty [David Wright] on the other side. Owen Garvan got on the ball in the middle of the park.

We had a good balance about us. A good edge to our play. We were comfortable on the ball and could easily have added to the scoreline.

Their 'keeper made two or three outstanding saves and on another day Daryl Murphy would have had four goals.
We have obviously been pleased with Murph since he joined us. He's got five goals for us and has been a threat in every game. He could easily, easily have eight or nine by now.

There is no magic formula to what's working for him. Ask any player what they need to get the best out of them and they will tell you a run of games in their best position.

Sometimes you have to ask a player to do a job for you and Murph had that at Sunderland where he played out on the left but we have brought him here to play up front and we are seeing the benefits of that.

He's naturally fit lad and was further down the road in terms of match sharpness than David Healy was when they arrived in January but David is getting there now as well. He's a poacher and will definitely score goals for this Football Club.

While I was pleased with the display on Tuesday, I'm not getting carried away with it. We've been in this position before and not followed it up with a win. If there is ever a time to put back-to-back victories together in the league, it's now and it would be most welcome.

While I rate Cardiff, I expect today's game to be a more difficult one in a way than Tuesday night. Scunthorpe are fighting for their lives and have shown this season that they have a never say die attitude in their squad.

They gave us plenty of problems at their place a few weeks back and I was quite happy to come away with a point given the fact that we were a goal down in the second-half.

Nigel Adkins has done a terrific job there. Every manager has his own battles to take on and he's got to try and work with what I would imagine is the smallest budget in the Championship. He's a good football man and I'm sure he has learnt from the relegation they had two years ago.

You learn lessons every day in football. I've reflected on what's gone on this season and come to the conclusion that maybe I've been talking too much. Talking to the players too much, talking to everyone too much, my wife, the kids!
Maybe because of the start we had, I've been trying too hard to turn it around. Trying too hard to get messages across to my players. Talking too much before games, at half-time, after games.

The managers I played under liked to keep things very simple and I was like that when I started out myself in the job.

I have to remember -and it's the same for my staff - we mustn't look to complicate things. Football is a simple game. It's not changed much in 100 years. Do the basics right; train correctly; look after your body; gets players in their best positions. If you do that you've got a chance - and put the ball in the back of the net like we did on Tuesday night.

Enjoy the game.