Three games to go.

With just three games to go we are still above the drop zone. So, if the end of the season table stays the same we will be playing premiership footy for another season. Saturday's match against Stoke wasn't pretty to watch and the strong wind made conditions even more difficult for both sides. Yet again we nearly shot ourselves in the foot just before half-time, by gifting Kenwyn Jones possession and when he rounded Gilks and with an open goal at his mercy it looked odds-on we'd go in 1-0 down. What does the £8m striker go and do? Misses it by a mile. Relief all round for the home faithful, disbelief for the travelling ones. It puts the criticism levelled at our strikers when they fail to score in perspective, when their average worth is no where near the price paid for Jones. Talking about criticism, which is something I don't like doing with any player who don's the tangerine shirt. I have to register my concern about Charlie Adam's lack of consistency since the start of the new year. Ok, he set his heart on moving on in January, but seemed to accept his move would be delayed until our fate would be decided come the end of the season. Take Saturday's game, he looked off the pace, gave away possession to easily, decided to take all the corners and free-kicks despite Eardley and others being better placed to do them. Being captain also brings responsibilty with it. I would expect a captain with the talent he has, to be geeing up and trying to motivate the players around him all through the game, like Shawcross did for Stoke. Alas, Charlie failed to do the same. He gives the impression of not being able to do that if he is below par himself. Perhaps he's carrying an injury and his form is suffering because of this. If so, he needs to let some one else take his place, otherwise he risks jeopardising our chances of staying up. On a positive note, the immergence of Ian Evatt as a premiership player cannot be underestimated. For me he should be made captain. You can tell he hates losing and will let others know if he feels they are not doing enough. Since Alex Baptiste and him have been at the heart of our defence, we have looked far more solid than before. Although Craig Cathcart is a good player, I think Ollie was justified in dropping him to the bench. Survival is still in our hands and we should concentrate on winning our remaining games and not rely on others. That means 100% concentration at all times and ensuring we don't give silly goals away.

                                  COME ON POOL WE CAN DO IT.