Cameron Jerome has admitted that Birmingham have been dragged back into the relegation battle.
Birmingham striker targets improvement
Cameron Jerome has called on his team-mates to improve after admitting Birmingham have been dragged back into the relegation battle.
Alex McLeish's Blues did not play this weekend following the postponement of their clash with Newcastle, meaning they will go into the busy Christmas period just two points above the drop zone.
Birmingham have remained difficult to beat this season but have drawn nine of their 17 Premier League games and Jerome is anxious to pick up more victories.
"That is the million dollar question, how we do that?" the striker said in the
Sunday Mercury. "We are drawing away from home, which is not a bad thing.
"But three points are vital, that's what matters, that's what is going to get you higher up the league.
"Last year we seemed more solid. We have conceded some bad goals this season. We've been a little bit sloppy.
"Last year we created more chances and caused more problems. People have found us out a little bit.
"We have just got to take the initiative. When you step over that white line - obviously the manager can give you certain instructions but it is up to you as a player to perform and make things happen.
"We have got players in the squad who can be match-winners and have got to start stepping up to the plate and performing. It will be a long old season for us otherwise."
Scary
Jerome has been through highs and lows at St Andrews but does not think the current side is as vulnerable as the one that dropped down to the Championship in 2008.
"Well, I'd like to think not. But that's what happened then. We looked like we were in a comfortable position then around about this time we started to buckle a bit and ended up being relegated," he recalled.
"I'd like to think we have got a lot more quality in the dressing room than that year, a lot more experience. There were a lot of distractions off the pitch."
Jerome admits the 1-0 defeat to Wolves last time out was particularly disappointing and he is looking for a response over the next few weeks.
"We have been sucked back into a little bit of a scrap now," confessed the 24-year-old.
"It's never easy winning away games in this league, it was just the manner we went at it. The performance wasn't there. Nothing.
"It wasn't Birmingham at all. I'd never want to question our application, but we can't make any excuses, no one was near their best. They rolled us over.
"We have got to pick ourselves up. We have got some big games over the Christmas period and it's important we get some wins.
"We are not beating teams in and around us. That's the scary thing. Allowing your rivals to get points on you isn't good. If that continues then you are going to start struggling."
