THIS week is a big week for us as we go to Cardiff to try and get through to our first major cup final in more than 20 years. It is a huge game and without a doubt will be tense as the prize for the winners is so great.

However, while it is only natural our players will be nervous before the game, I'm sure it will be worse for the home team who know only too well what it is like to fall at the last hurdle.

I've seen Cardiff fall just short so many times over the past few seasons that they and their supporters must be scared stiff of failure. When you get in stressful situations it is difficult not to think of the past, and when you have their recent history of being beaten in the play-offs so often, they must have some very unhappy memories.

In fact the last time they got over the line was when Lennie Lawrence was their manager, but unfortunately for them he is now sitting in our dugout.

One of the hardest things to do in football is to come from behind in a semi-final and I think the win at Selhurst Park last week gives us a massive advantage going into the game. We played very well in the first leg, especially when you consider we were well below full strength having suffered from a nasty virus that has gone around the squad, and I thought we had got the balance of attack and defence about right.

It will be our objective to build upon that performance in the return game and put Cardiff under pressure by taking them out of their comfort zone. But while I know it will be a very difficult test in Wales, I have so much faith in my group of players that I am confident we can go there and do the job.

As things stand we have virtually a fully fit and rested squad, and touch wood, we will travel at full strength with a game plan to get the right result. We've already been there this season in the league and were very unlucky not to come away with something having been well in the game before we tired late on. That won't happen this time as we are fresh and ready and we've learnt our lessons from before.

Without a doubt Cardiff City Stadium will be a hostile environment but we've gone to tough places this season and got results, so I don't think that will be too much of a factor especially as we are taking large numbers of fans ourselves who will always make themselves heard no matter how out-numbered they are.

Traditional football logic would be to try and quieten the crowd in the first 20 minutes, but I know the City fans will stick by their team for the first 70 or so minutes no matter what the score is. Only if they are losing with 20 minutes to go may that become a factor but whatever the noise volumes it won't intimidate us.

Next Tuesday is a huge opportunity for Crystal Palace, and one we are determined to take.