After yet another fixture cancellation because of Covid, Chelsea Women are filling their spare moments learning Russian!
Last week's game against Spurs was called off because so many players and staff were isolating, then this weekend's trip to Everton was cancelled too "following a number of positive Covid-19 test results".
It ratchets up the frustration for manager Emma Hayes and her team, who have now gone five weeks without competitive football.
She had hoped to take advantage of a rare stumble by title rivals Arsenal following the Gunners' unexpected 2-0 defeat to bottom-of-the-table Birmingham City.
Hayes had just finished her pre-match press conference on Friday lunchtime when the decision was made to postpone. So, to fill the spare time, Hayes and her squad are now starting Russian lessons.
The Blues' new defender Alsu Abdullina, signed from Lokomotiv Moscow, arrived in London with very limited English. While she is being given intensive language coaching every day, Hayes feels it's only fair that everyone else tries to meet her halfway.
"Alsu is 20, she doesn't speak English, and she's just settling into the area, and I know how overwhelming that is for anyone," said the Chelsea gaffer. "We're going to work on our Russian, to help her out and so that it's not all one-way!"
Of her new player, Hayes said that "she has a fantastic left foot and huge talent". She warned Blues fans not to get too excited too soon, however. "The challenge for any player coming in is getting used to the intensity of our league – it can take six months to a year for their bodies to cope with the training load and the games.
"She left home at 14 to go and play football in Moscow. She's a tough kid, she knows what she wants and she'll do everything she can to fulfil her potential. There are not a lot of left-sided options anywhere in the world, so we're lucky to have her."
After Sunday's postponement, Chelsea are next due to cross London to face West Ham in the Continental Cup on Wednesday evening.
The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and unless specifically stated are not necessarily those of Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
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