Mon Dec 09, 2013 7:52 am
Former Cardiff City striker Cameron Jerome happy for Bluebirds to go down in Crystal Palace stay up
Monday 9th Dec 2013
Jerome fired Palace in front after six minutes, his first goal for the club, and said: “Cardiff were a little poor. We were the better side and you’ve got to give us a little bit of credit there.
Former Cardiff City striker Cameron Jerome scored his first goal in almost 10 months and then said: “My focus is on keeping Palace up – if that sends Cardiff City down so be it.”
Jerome fired Palace in front after six minutes, his first goal for the club, and said: “Cardiff were a little poor. We were the better side and you’ve got to give us a little bit of credit there.
“They have done well at home and for every team who has come up home form is key. But I’m a Palace player now. A lot of clubs are in the relegation battle .
“Anybody in the bottom half now could go down.
“If you lose two or three games and a couple of other teams win then you’re right in it. Winning back-to-back games, against West Ham and Cardiff, is massive for us.
“Realistically it’s going to be between six or seven teams maybe, but anybody in the bottom half could be dragged into it.”
Jerome netted 24 goals in 73 League appearances for Cardiff before a £3m transfer to Birmingham in 2006, while he has joined Palace on a season-long loan from Stoke .
“We knew Cardiff would be a little tired after their difficult game at Stoke in midweek,” he said. “They had two away games in a week and that’s a big factor, isn’t it? We set the tempo and we’ve got to do that at home.”
Jerome and strike partner Marouane Chamakh both scored against Cardiff and they there is a belief at Palace they can score the goals to keep them in the top flight.
“We seem to have a good understanding and are hitting it off well,” said Jerome. “It’s not really a conventional front two as such..
“Cham took his goal really well and worked hard. When you work hard you will get your rewards.
“The new manager (Tony Pulis) has stamped his authority on the place. Everyone has responded magnificently to that.”
Jerome expressed his frustration at being left out of the team at Stoke under Pulis, but both men have put that issues firmly behind them.
Pulis made that clear in his post-match interview, while Jerome reacted when he was asked about their relationship and comments by him when he left Stoke.
He said: “Did you hear the interview? Who did the interview? Anyone here? No. So does anyone know what was really said?
“I said what I said and it was blown out of proportion by every person there is.”
Boss Tony Pulis believes he can give Jerome a psychological edge in the quest to keep Crystal Palace in the Premier League next season.
Welshman Pulis has told former Cardiff player Jerome he is first choice in attack at Selhurst Park - and says that will give the 27-year-old Yorkshireman a lift.
Jerome, on loan with Palace for the season, became frustrated at Stoke City when he struggled to break into the starting line-up on a regular basis, but Pulis says: “Cameron knows me, I know him.
“There are no problems between us.
“If he plays to his strengths, which are power, pace and workrate, he will cause any team problems.
“He has done exceptionally well in four matches since I came to Palace.
“And he will most probably be first choice in attack for me this campaign.
Crystal Palace manager Tony Pulis
“When I had him at Stoke he wasn’t first choice.
“Knowing he is likely to be in the team will give Cameron a psychological edge.”
Palace have now won their last two matches, both 1-0 at home, against West Ham and Cardiff and Pulis said: “It’s been a smashing week, two great victories.
“We have tough away matches coming up against Chelsea, Aston Villa and Manchester City.
“But ultimately it’s our home form which will see is through.
“Chamakh is really showing form, playing with loads of confidence, linking play and getting into that pocket behind the main striker.
“If Cameron is playing to his strengths and is a handful, running up the side of defenders and competing physically.
“Marouane and Cameron have been brilliant and given everybody a lift in the way they worked.
“Together, we all have an enormous task to try and keep Palace in the Premier League.
“It is an enormous ask.
“But the attitude of the players has been wonderful since I came here.
“We’ve got a chance and that’s all we want.
“We are a lot better off than we were at the start of the week.”
Newport-born Pulis also picked out the Palace centre-backs, former Cardiff defender Danny Gabbidon and Damien Delaney, for praise, saying: “They were fantastic for the team.
“This was their third game in a week and they have done exceptionally well.”
Cwmbran-born Gabbidon, 34, signed for Cardiff during 2000 and made more than 200 first team appearances before moving on to West Ham.
Palace have conceded only one goal in their last five matches, earning three wins and a draw in that run, while they have moved to within a point of Cardiff in the fight for Premier League survival.
“We needed to be back with the pack and that’s where we are,” said Pulis.
“When the transfer window opens in January we hope to bring in one or two players who can give us a lift again.
“That, hopefully, will allow us to get on a run and give ourselves a chance.”
Argentinian goalkeeper Julian Speroni admits he thought Fraizer Campbell’s early close range header was going in at Selhurst Park.
Campbell was unmarked when he met Don Cowie’s cross to the far post and Palace ‘keeper Speroni said: “My immediate thought was ‘that’s going in’.
“It bounced right in front of me and I managed to react and put it over the bar. That was crucial because that would have been hard for us to come back from after only a minute in the game.”
Buenos Aires-born Speroni, 34, has kept four clear sheets in their last four matches, earning 10 points from 15 available to move within a point of the Bluebirds.
“We have been playing really well, results have gone our way and the momentum is with us,” says Speroni. “We are a lot more organised defensively now and maybe that’s the reason for our clean sheets.
“Tony Pulis is a big motivator. All the players know they have to give him 100% if they want to get in the team.”
Former Cardiff striker Cameron Jerome and Moroccan international Marouane Chamakh scored the Palace goals and Speroni said: “We have faith in them scoring a lot more this season.
“They are working so hard for us and have been since the beginning of the season.”
Mon Dec 09, 2013 8:35 am
You do know if you put something in quotes that indicates that the person you are quoted said it, word for word.
Having read the whole article he says nothing of the sort. You do know he last played for us SEVEN years ago. Move on mate.
Mon Dec 09, 2013 9:18 am
dadmancat wrote:You do know if you put something in quotes that indicates that the person you are quoted said it, word for word.
Having read the whole article he says nothing of the sort. You do know he last played for us SEVEN years ago. Move on mate.
My thoughts exactly. Tabloid tactics by whoever to provoke reaction. Very poor.
Mon Dec 09, 2013 6:54 pm
TRANSLATION:
Cardiff were a little poor but I think Palace can take a bit of credit for that. I hope both teams stay up but I'm a Crystal Palace player now, so if Palace staying up sends Cardiff down, so be it.
Mon Dec 09, 2013 7:53 pm
Cameron Jerome said nothing wrong. Unfair to try and put words into his mouth.
Tue Dec 10, 2013 1:26 am
Twisting quotes for views, poor by the mods.