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Cameron Jerome praised for putting a big shift in for Birmingham City

Cameron Jerome

CAMERON Jerome has been praised for the unselfish job he does for Blues.

As Alex McLeish has sought the perfect attacking blend, Jerome has been the one constant up front.

Whether it has been in a partnership or with another player just off, he has carried the load of Blues’ spearhead.

Jerome has netted once this season, at Albion, but his contribution should be judged on more than just goals.

Paul Tait, the former Blues starlet who was at home in midfield or further forward in his day, said Jerome puts in a huge shift.

“He’s taken a bit of stick unfairly because he absolutely works his socks off,” said Tait.

“People have got agitated when he’s not got back from an offside position when play has broken down.

“But the thing is he has worked so hard that he’s having a breather. You can see that he has got tired later in games.

“When he’s up front, for me he needs someone to feed off.

“At the moment it’s been him who is having to show.

“What’s happening is that defenders are passing him on, passing him on when he’s on his own.

“They sit back and he has nowhere to run, to use his pace.

“He’s not got the touch to bring others players into the game all the time. That’s not so much what he is about.

“Against Liverpool, he was tremendous. He gave their defence a hard time and was always on the go.

“He had James McFadden just behind in support and it’s better for him when he’s got someone else up front.

“When he was with Christian Benitez, they clicked and their pace and movement frightened teams to death.

“I think that’s what Alex McLeish is trying to look for again, a partnership that works.

“Jerome has been having to come deeper and defenders are happy for him to do that because when he can get turned and played over the top, he’s dangerous.”

McLeish has stated that at present he believes only Jerome has the full fitness and sharpness he requires from his strikers.

But that will change the more minutes the others like Matt Derbyshire, Nikola Zigic and Kevin Phillips – who is now back from injury – get, and the quicker the new boys settle in.

Tait, a St Andrew’s regular who now runs his own coaching business, said Zigic, Aleksandr Hleb and Jean Beausejour were still getting to grips with things.

“For Hleb, it’s a bit of a shock to the system,’’ he said. ‘‘He’s played in the Premier League before but Birmingham are not Arsenal.

“Birmingham are a very workmanlike team, with no real stars. They’ve got talented players but they all play for one another.

“I saw Stephen Carr having a right go at him in the Wigan game for not getting back and helping.

“I watched him closely after that and it’s something he has to take on board.”

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