I don’t want to come across as having any influence on Blues’ match analysis team but, having been banging on about the final third and how Blues don’t capitalise in it, I was glad to see the opening sentence of yesterday’s Match Report: ‘The visitors had enough of the play and openings to feel they could have got a share of the Women’s Super League spoils at Adams Park but a lack of fortune and punch in the final third proved costly.’

Blues were on the road again, this time at Reading. The hosts had never won a game against the visitors in the WSL. Blues needed the win. In fact they need every win!

As Blues’ own analysis said, the team had enough of the play to at least share the points. Although in truth they should have won through a goalmouth scramble and a Rachel Williams’ header coming off the post. This despite the stats which showed they had less possession and fewer shots.

The hashtag #MartaOut has now started to appear on Blues’ fans Tweets. This is Marta Tejedor the manager, not the Brazilian player who plays for former Blues’ manager Marc Skinner’s Orlando Pride. However, OP fans aren’t happy with their Marta either and so she’s got a #MartaOut too. Confusing…

But back to our club and our manager. With new signings Emma Kelly and Georgia Brougham on the bench, and much being said about their style and competence on the pitch, the manager decided to not play either but instead replaced our top goal scorer this season, Abbi Grant, with Bri Visalli, now returned from injury. This was late in the second half when Reading were pushing hard and we needed players to get up the other end and score.

In her reaction ‘…[she] felt Blues had been well in the game, even when behind, but could not fathom why her charges lacked cohesion during the final half an hour. Might I suggest it was tired legs and time for a change. Perhaps Georgia Brougham who she described as a player whose attacking attitude she liked and one ‘…who can build from the back, link with people around her and make good connections, even join in with the higher lines.‘ Apparently not. Instead, Marta decided that the best course of action with her new ‘charges’ was ‘…to consider those signings need some time to adapt.‘ Surely the best way to adapt is on the pitch. You can’t do much adapting whilst you’re watching from the side.

We host Man City on Sunday. It’s on the tele and it’s a 12.00 kick-off. See you on the other side…

#KRO