As he sits in the deserted dressing room, the strains of Meat Loaf's Bat out of Hell emanate from the nearby boot room and there couldn't be a better song to sum up how Gary McSheffrey started his Birmingham City career.

The Coventry-born star made an instant impact to justify the £4 million transfer fee from his beloved Coventry City. He was the catalyst to Blues' promotion success, top scoring with 17 goals.

He hasn't been able to make the same impression in the Barclays Premier League - he has scored only three times - but McSheffrey has become the victim of his own high standards. Blues fans were probably expecting him to sweep defences aside this season as he did in the Championship - with consummate ease.

However, things haven't gone completely to plan and while that may be frustrating, none more so than for McSheffrey, it is easy to forget how young he is and that, like many of the Blues squad, this is his first full season in the top flight.

Close up, McShreffrey looks younger than his 25-years, almost schoolboy-like, and he admits he is sill learning what the Premier League is all about. The biggest lesson he has learnt is that the needs of the team out-weigh his own personal glory.

"I haven't really been happy with my form, only in stages," he said bluntly.

"At Christmas I was quite happy and there were a few games in September I was happy with but recently I feel I have done alright and I feel I have done enough to keep my place in the team.

"It has been an up and down season and I have been in an out of the team, but I feel in all honesty that over Christmas my game was coming together and I was getting a consistency. But then we had a horrendous day at Huddersfield and I found myself out of the team for five games.

"It was highly frustrating but you have to just drive through it and knuckle down. You have those stages in your career and hopefully now I can put a run of games together. I feel when I have come in I have done a job and we have got results. I need to keep on doing what I am doing.

"I think what I have learnt the most is that there is a structure to the team, especially at the top level. There is a game plan and first and foremost you have to be part of that game plan. Once you do what you are required in that team then the little extra elements will come through.

"I have learnt that you have to establish yourself and do your job within the team.

"It has made me more aware of the require-ments at this level. Hopefully, between now and the end of the season, I can get a consistent run and a few extra bits can come out."

McSheffrey has struggled to hold down a regular place in Alex McLeish's side but Olivier Kapo's injury has opened a door and he is determined to force it wider open.

"I was out of the team for the Arsenal game because Kapo came back from suspension but I felt I had done enough to stay in the team," he said.

"It is the manager's decision and it is swings and a roundabout because how it has worked out Kapo is injured and I am back in.

"You have to be focused, mentally prepared and physically right for when you are called upon again. Hopefully, I will be in the team for the Portsmouth game on Wednesday night and that has to be my aim now, to take each game as it comes and make sure I am a fixture for the next match.

"I can't wait for the run-in and I can't wait for the Newcastle game at home a week today because evening games at St Andrew's are quite special when we are doing well."

Blues are unbeaten in four games and McShreffrey has warned FA Cup semi-finalists Pompey they will face a very different Blues team on Wednesday to the managerless one they bullied to gain a 2-0 victory at St Andrew's in November.

On that day, Eric Black was in temporary charge following the departure of Steve Bruce and Blues showed every indication they were lacking direction.

However, the arrival of McLeish has galvanised Blues and McSheffrey says the squad is now fully aware of how they are expected to play under the former Scotland boss.

"I remember it well, it was a tough game," he said. "Portsmouth were very physical, they were good athletes and good players.

"We were playing with an uncertainty over the future of the manager and the club and maybe it did affect us. We weren't up to scratch on the day.

"We are more prepared this time. Hopefully, we have a team shape and everyone knows each other. Now we have a consistency where everyone knows each other's game.

"The front two have done well in the last few games and Mikael Forssell has started to score a few goals.

"Portsmouth, on their day, are a great team and they can mix it with anybody. They are struggling at the moment to score goals at home but they have Jermaine Defoe now. He has scored a couple in his first few games.

"We have got an approach and a reputation that we are hard to beat. We have some quality to knick a goal as well. All the ingredients are there to go to Portsmouth and pick something up. I am not going to say we are going to win but if we did I wouldn't be surprised.

"We have improved since then and we will be going there with a game plan and a structure. Hopefully, we will get something out of the game."