The Blues are currently three points off the relegation zone and four points away from eighth spot.

They are one of 13 clubs separated by nine points, running from West Brom at the bottom right the way up to Hull in eighth.

And the Pompey boss expects it to remain as congested right the way through to Easter.

He said: 'I see it staying like that possibly right up until Easter – after that it will really shift away.

'I think it will be high points this year to stay up, with a lot of clubs evenly matched.

'I don't think there are any bad teams in the league.

'There's a very fine margin between success and failure and any team can put a few games together, a few wins and climb up that league.

'West Brom are a good team and caused us problems the other week.

'I said to Tony Mowbray after the game, it's quite easy for you lads to go on a three-game run, get nine points and be sitting seventh in the table.

'Over the course of the season it will inevitably stretch out, but not for a little while yet.'

Meanwhile, Adams believes the Premier League's biggest clubs will rise to the top during the second half of the season.

And he has pinpointed Aston Villa as the one to break into the top four.

He added: 'Over the course of the season the quality of the bigger clubs will come through.

'I expect Newcastle and Tottenham to be up there with Villa – these guys have got resources.

'As far as I'm concerned, Villa have got a chance of finishing in that top six.

'Martin O'Neill bought a brand new team in the summer – the resources he has been given from Mr Lerner is incredible.

'Fitness levels do go, you can't keep flogging the same guys week in, week out. It's inevitable they are going to have fresher and stronger players after Christmas because you have more resources to come from.

'That's why they stretch away and always will do.'