McFadden hails Jerome contribution

James McFadden has hailed the major improvement in his Birmingham strike partner Cameron Jerome ahead of the Second City derby at Aston Villa. Blues boss Alex McLeish has kept faith with Jerome since he returned from an ankle injury in early October and he has responded with 10 goals.But the former England Under-21 player's all-round game has impressed McFadden who has stepped up from playing in a wide left role to play alongside Jerome during the latter part of the campaign.The Scotland international said: "Cameron has been excellent. He has been the figurehead of the attack and I think when the good run we had started, he had just come back from quite a big lay-off."He has been there in every game and I think the last away match at Manchester City must have been the first time he has been subbed in going on 20 games."He has done fantastically to get the goals and he also works his socks off. He gets what he deserves."McFadden added: "There are maybe a lot of people who look at Cammy and say 'he's not got this to his game, he's not got that to his game.'"But he works hard, he's improving every game and he is finding the net. His link-up play is a lot better and we're starting to build up a better understanding as well."Ten goals is also a fantastic achievement."When you are one of the teams near the bottom or when you come into the league you think 'if I can get in double figures that would be a great achievement', so fair play to him. He's done well, he's been excellent for us."McFadden concedes Blues had a rare off-day when beaten 5-1 at Eastlands in their last away game and will have to be at their best to attain a positive result at Villa Park.He said: "I think for the majority of the season we have been excellent. At Manchester City, you saw what can happen when we're not at the level we can achieve."We need to be at our very best to try and compete. We weren't at that level and we were ran over by City."I just think we didn't show the resilience we have done and that's what happens when you have got a small squad. You can't do it every game."I'm not saying that players need a rest or anything. I'm just saying that you do have off days."Manager Alex McLeish believes Birmingham will be tougher to beat than when losing 5-1 at Villa Park two years ago - a result that effectively doomed them to relegation.He said: "I played it too open that day. I went there with a bit of bravado, some people might call it naivety, but I've been in the game a long time as a manager and I knew exactly what I was doing and the risk I was taking."At the time we were short of that real quality and experience required to play a team like Villa."We've got a better understanding now as a team and a resilience and steel about us and organisation about us."McLeish is also aware experienced players like Lee Bowyer and Barry Ferguson will have big roles to play against Villa."It is in games like this that the experienced guys earn their corn. They have got to be the example to the rest of the team."They have got to show they can inspire everybody else with the calmness, their discipline and their quality. Those sort of players will be very, very important."

Source: Team_Talk