With no game in The FA Cup, the players have got the weekend off. It's good having a break, but we'd liked to have had a match, it's great being involved in The Cup,

I was very disappointed to get knocked out by West Ham. They deserved it on the day, we've just got to live with it and get ourselves prepared for the next one. West Ham are out now, too, after a penalty shoot-out against Sheffield United.

It was a tight game all the way through and a shame it had to be decided on penalties. The kicks from both sides weren't the best, with only four of the nine taken going in, but in the end Sheffield United scraped through and are now preparing for a match against Arsenal.

That could have been us, but we're out, and the boys will use the time off to the maximum with an important week of preparation ahead when they return; we have an important game against Manchester City on Monday week.

While they are taking a couple of days off, the coaching staff will be toiling away. I'm going to be at Meadow Lane on Saturday to watch Notts County against Rushden & Diamonds, while the other staff will be sprinkled around the country watching different games. 

I'm not in Nottingham to see any particular player, it's just a chance for me to get out to a game and see what talent there is on view.

I've had chance to watch a couple of games lately, in fact I was a Sky Sports pundit for the Arsenal game against Crystal Palace on Monday night.  I really like doing the TV and Radio work, it gives me the chance to get involved in games and comment on them without having the worry of who wins and who loses. I'm a neutral and can enjoy the game.

Crystal Palace could have been 2-1 in front in the first 15 minutes, then all of a sudden, Arsenal were leading 3-0.  That's the major difference I have noticed since getting promoted from Division One last season; you have to take your chances when you are presented with them, especially against teams like Arsenal. 

Watching Palace was like watching Norwich City; two or three good chances, they didn't take them and with the quality of the opponents they soon found themselves struggling.    

Our game against Blackburn was a case in point.  We started well but went a goal down.  Then we had three very good chances and had we scored it could have been a very different outcome. We didn't really get going in the second-half, we failed to sparkle, and Blackburn cantered to a deserved victory.

With Manchester City at Carrow Road next week will be out to get it right.