Often Partisan

Empty Saturday

Due to Leeds playing in the fifth round of the FA Cup, Blues have a fixture-less Saturday along with fellow promotion hopefuls Middlesborough. However, there are eight championship fixtures today – is this the weekend the gap becomes that much larger or can Blues maintain their position without playing?

I’m going to admit this straight off – I hate empty Saturdays. It’s not so much the offer of a trip to Ikea that bugs – it’s more that I hate looking at permutations and teams around us and thinking what results would suit us best. While destiny remains very much in our own hands I’d much prefer to think about Blues winning every game that they can to go for the title.

I did think about looking at Derby, Sheffield Wednesday and Cardiff’s fixtures and try and figure out if it’s possible Blues could finish today with a similar points deficit to the top six but with a game in hand – but the truth is I can’t be bothered.

I don’t think I’m alone in scratching around for something to talk about either. The club have been posting pictures of training on social media ahead of the Bolton game because there is no Leeds build up to do – and I guess they need to reinforce the narrative that Blues aren’t taking their foot off the gas even though there is an empty Saturday.

I think that is interesting in itself because it shows just how seriously Blues take communication to the fans of what is happening; I’m of the certain belief that the club are mindful of how every single thing is analysed these days (by people like me for instance) and thus are careful to present stories that ensure the club is perceived to be doing the right thing.

I did note Charlie Cooper has been recalled from his loan spell at Forest Green Rovers and with the potential suspensions looming over the heads of Maikel Kieftenbeld and Stephen Gleeson I wondered for a second or two if Cooper had been recalled as another young option for the bench.

However, having checked back through their fixtures it appears young Cooper – the son of former Blues player Mark and grandson of former Blues manager Terry – was only ever an unused sub at the Gloucestershire outfit and I would guess he has been recalled because he’s not getting first team action.

The good news is the WSL season is starting soon and with that there is a whole load more fixtures to look forwards to. I’ll be covering games as I have been for the last couple of seasons – hopefully home and away, work and family commitments allowing – as Blues Ladies look to prove that they can continue to compete in the top flight with their tight-knit squad of players who have grown with the team.

Blues Ladies are holding a kit, sponsor and captain reveal on March 7 in the Legends Lounge at the club. At £15 for a beer, a balti and a chance to meet the players and manager David Parker it’s a real bargain. I’ll be there – hopefully some of you will join me in supporting them. You can read more about that event here.

 

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38 Responses to “Empty Saturday”

  • Dave Mann says:

    It’s so unusual to be sitting at home on Saturday morning with no game to go to during the season , just watching soccer am and then the live football later from the championship and FA cup , no excitement or buzz I get every Saturday when looking forward to a Blues game though and a very weird feeling , no shopping trips for me just a few beers and a day watching other teams play .. Roll on Tuesday and then QPR next Saturday when normality sets in again , lovely jubbly . KRO

  • Robin says:

    Must admit a quite weekend is in order as next weekend in London for QPR & birthday could be messy

  • Steve says:

    Sutton Coldfield v Darlington for me this afternoon.

  • Womble Joe says:

    Just about to start drinking all day

  • Womble Joe says:

    Should have asked, wouldn’t it have made sense to play the Bolton game today rather than Tuesday night?

  • Dave Mann says:

    Good shout joe and would have made sense but gives us a bit more time to work on things , Bolton have to agree also and it might have meant organising another game for both teams on Tuesday night as its a full championship programme .

  • DoctorD says:

    I hate that structurless feeling to Saturdays without a Blues game. Just shows how much of a crutch football is to our lives. Win, draw or lose, it’s like a security blanket for me and shows why football is about so much more than money. PS Dan….thought you were off to Oregon??

  • Mitchell says:

    I am going to see Kiddy v Chester and will report back on Luke Maxwell. Full low down on him as Dave Mann reports whenever he goes away from home.

  • Dave Mann says:

    Cheers Mitchell , Ime at home all day today so no away blues for me .. Until next Saturday ofcourse , enjoy the day . KRO

  • Tony says:

    Beer and a Balti ohhhhhh could we not go a little more upmarket

  • Dave Mann says:

    Ime sure the Bolton fans will think it’s a feast Tony . KRO

  • Tony says:

    Yea they will Dave lol

  • I woke up Today feeing like it’s the day we go on holiday only to realise it isn’t it’s tomorrow , it’s that sort of feeling when I wake up on a Saturday morning and it comes to mind that blues haven’t got a game this weekend ..what a waste of a weekend.. .KRO

  • Dave Mann says:

    Do you go on holiday tomorrow Williammorga. KRO

  • Texas Pete says:

    I am often looking at the table and fixtures to work out if Blues can make gains and this week I did that but my predictions are rarely good and now Cardiff have thrashed Brighton. On the positive side, the gap has effectively closed on Brighton and they are also going through a slump. The situation is anybodys guess. I hope that our new attacking force can settle in soon and supply goals. That will put us on a par with the top three. We have that as our new potential for an ascendancy. KRO2TE0TR.

  • No Dave I was describing that numb feeling , although we are looking at holidays in this country again , I thought we would try a resort closer than bournemouth this time as it took 6 hours to get back last year ,llandudno looks good , not been for ages,

    • Bluenosesol says:

      Used to stay in LLandudno when my company looked after Police Telecoms in that area. I really miss it now. Used to love a steak, beers and G&T’s in The Palladium. An old cinema which is now a Wetherspoons.

  • Dave Mann says:

    We went to Poole last year the time Bournemouth beat us 4-2- and had a fantastic time except for the result …. Took me 3 hours to get home . KRO

  • We like Dorset Dave , mind you 12 years ago , I drove her down there on a chance call but when we got down she didn’t like the place where we was hoping to stay , anyway she pulled my ear for 1 1/2 hours looking for somewhere better ,but got a headache , fell asleep , to her surprise I woke her up in Torquay…

  • With GR stating that Fabbrini has got to earn his place in the team , makes me think against the lower teams that with us now being stronger up front we can afford to go 3+2+4+1 kuz …shotten….Morro…robbo…………..kief…glee………..cotts..toral …fab…buck………..Donaldson ………what do you think…KRO

  • Mitchell says:

    Saw Kiddy v Chester today. Report now on Luke Maxwell : – He is a big strong player very similar to the early days of Ross Barklay of Everton. He is mainly left sided of midfield with a quick eye for the telling pass. Luke is not quick but does so remind me of Glen Hoddle. He is a toughie who gets in the ref’s face hence another booking.His heading and the use of either foot is another plus. His reading of the game is older than his age so all round an astute signing by GR. If we fall short of the play offs with a few games to go then he has to be given a run.

  • StaffsBlue says:

    Not even looked at the footy until about 10 minutes ago. Cardiff won, Derby won, Sheff Wed lost. We’re 8th, 5 points from the play-offs with a game in hand, so we need to beat Bolton.

  • , 15 games left , more or less no chance of relegation , just outside the playoffs , we the fans have said what we want , we know the players are psyched up , we have signed up attacking players , and they say that the best form of defence is attack , do we carry on keeping with tongue in cheek with carm aplomb keeping to a regulation system that we have learned is safe and well managed and moving in well proportioned measured gain of points over a long distance of a full season that has brought us to this point in time of what has been a very successful period for the club as a whole , and carry on in a very collective way or …what do we want GR not to be too successful in case we lose him ,or success..it’s not long ago that we thought that every Saturday would be empty .dread the thought , come on blues let’s go for it …..

  • edd77 says:

    Will the Hull game have to be moved now they have got to replay the Arsenal game

  • Andrew says:

    Football can be take or leave it for me….

    • Mitchell says:

      What an intelligent comment Andrew. Please do tell me which top University you attended.

    • Dave Mann says:

      Ide rather take it than leave it mate as it greatly improves my lifestyle and gets us out the house and traveling all over the country , great life Andrew so to leave it would leave a huge hole but everyone to there own I suppose , beats shopping and lounging . KRO

  • Shirley Blue says:

    Anybody else think the FA Cup is degenerating into a joke competition. Chelsea v the Man city youth team today. Arsenal reserves v Hull reserves yesterday. It’s not worth winning anymore. It’s one thing having an empty Saturday due to us being knocked out but at least it would be some consolation if there was some proper cup ties to watch especially given its the 5th round.


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