Adam's not a bad player, but he isn't mobile or fit enough for the top level. Blackpool built a team around him, which we could never do. The likes of David Vaughan and DJ Campbell were excellent as well in that Blackpool team, but moved on last season and didn't really do anything at Sunderland and QPR last season. He just had the right club and the right manager at Blackpool. He should do well for Stoke because they need someone in midfield who can get their foot on the ball and set plays are a big part of their team.
I never had quite the hate on for Adam that some of our fans did. Didn't think we should have signed him, but still didn't think he was as bad a player as some made out. Limited perhaps, but wasn't contrinuting any less than a lot of our players and yet was (like others I won't mention names of) getting a lot of flak
Part of the problem was Kenny played him too much, and playing him in a midfield two is going to expose his weaknesses an awful lot. He had an awful run of form in the new year and he should have been left out for a bit, but he kept on playing. I remember thinking the injury he got was a bit of a blessing for us as a team, but also Adam himself because he was playing really badly at the time and needed taking out the firing line. Shelvey came in then and did well. I'd have liked to have seen him used more as a sub. I make similar points with Gerrard these days, but Adam's fitness levels go to pot in the last third of a game but if you bring him off the bench he can make things happen. Adam was signed as a back up to Gerrard knowing he had that injury, so when Gerrard came back he'd have been on the bench. But by the time Gerrard came back Lucas got injured, and Gerrard was in and out all the time after that so Adam ended up playing far more games than expected.
