Condition of the Pitch

[waster]

Watching the game on the red button tonight. The pitch looks a bit the worse for wear. I believe the Irish lot played rugby on Sundy following our game on Saturday? Perhaps two games in two days, with the rugby being the later, os not the ideal recipe? The egg chasers normally prefer longer grass which would stand up better to their play. But we have a slicker pitch. Will lead to cutting up more.

Just hope this is not the start of a poor playing surface that will not suit our style of football?

 

[Twickbee]

It’s an interesting one. I’m on row 1 and yes there are a few tufts loose, but my word I would have dreamed of playing on a surface like it.

 

[Ioweddie]

You should see my lawn..lol

 

[waster]

You should see my lawn..lol

But we are not using your lawn to win the Championship. .

From the TV position it looks as bad as I have seen a GP pitch since the infamous drainage issues. I thought that this new hi tech surface at LR was supposed to stand up to the rigours? Couple of games of egg chasing and it looks to have deteriorated significantly.

 

[Voice from the Braemar]

the pitch looks poor already......as i said many times before its no advantage having a rugby team sharing it and its showing with big tufts all over it.........those that said the rugby wont make a difference.........yeh ok lol lol its not exactly helping our holland 74 total football eh

 

[readingbee]

the pitch looks poor already......as i said many times before its no advantage having a rugby team sharing it and its showing with big tufts all over it.........those that said the rugby wont make a difference.........yeh ok lol lol its not exactly helping our holland 74 total football eh

To be fair Voice. It was the club who said this pitch would stand up to the rigours of Football and Rugby. I bought into that. However on the view of the pitch tonight, I’m really not sure. Considering the minimal numbers of games by both sports so far, It will be interesting to see how this pitch looks mid February.

 

[w7 bee]

It’s a worry for sure, but I don’t think its impacted the way we are playing yet. The pre Covid plan was definitely to relay after some test events, but that couldn’t happen . Whether that would have resulted in a better surface who knows . 3 matches in a short space of time can’t help and not sure how regular that occurrence will be this season. It would be interesting to compare the condition of the other dual pitches so far ..Swansea, B City etc.

 

[Shamrock_Bee]

My mum always taught me to smile and nod when visiting a relatives new home and say nothing negative lol. So with LR I find it difficult to give my views. There's no doubt the stadium, location, views and atmosphere is/will be top class.

But I have to be honest with my opinion; the pitch doesn't give any wow factor and you wouldn't think it's a pitch within a new stadium. It slowed the game down tonight; I watched how the ball travelled and it's obvious you won't be able to play the fast, slick football we witnessed at GP. Teams like Derby will love visiting us and sadly due to the standard of the pitch we're set to have more frustrating nights. Btw I'm all, well was all for the rugby and went to the match on Sunday but Brentford comes first and after seeing the pitch tonight I'm worried.

 

[RAF_Patto]

As @w7 bee is alluding to, I suspect that COVID is having an impact on plans. I doubt they were planning for so many games in such short time, but I am sure there is a plan in place or developing. Some of it may be test and adjust, but learning will be going on behind the scenes to make things better.

 

[BEEcool]

It’s not something you often see these days, especially at Championship and above, but a couple the Derby players looked quite muddy by the end of the game. Probably says something about the pitch in itself.

 

[Banana]

To be fair Voice. It was the club who said this pitch would stand up to the rigours of Football and Rugby. I bought into that. However on the view of the pitch tonight, I’m really not sure. Considering the minimal numbers of games by both sports so far, It will be interesting to see how this pitch looks mid February.

The pitch was scheduled to be re-laid before the start of the season. I am not sure whether the omission of that has had an impact on the surface so far, but I don't think it is very likely.

A bit worrying I agree, but from what I understand the Bristol City pitch is just fine and has hosted both codes for many seasons. Comparisons with Reading are not really fair as I understand that Reading skipped regular pitch maintenance for quite some time.

 

[Banana]

It’s not something you often see these days, especially at Championship and above, but a couple the Derby players looked quite muddy by the end of the game. Probably says something about the pitch in itself.

Fair point.

 

[condorman]

There were some bobbles tonight, some clear rugby markings still on pitch and the middle of the pitch deteriorated as the evening went on I thought. Probably not ideal for a footballing side

 

[andyrew]

It’s a worry for sure, but I don’t think its impacted the way we are playing yet. The pre Covid plan was definitely to relay after some test events, but that couldn’t happen . Whether that would have resulted in a better surface who knows . 3 matches in a short space of time can’t help and not sure how regular that occurrence will be this season. It would be interesting to compare the condition of the other dual pitches so far ..Swansea, B City etc.

It won't help our preferred style. The confidence of the players to effect sequences of slick passing interplay will definitely suffer if the pit h is lumpy. There are bound to be teething problems. We've gone through huge changes both on and off the pitch in the last 6 months. The club will get it right.

 

[JANORAK]

3 matches in a short space of time can’t help and not sure how regular that occurrence will be this season. It would be interesting to compare the condition of the other dual pitches so far ..Swansea, B City etc.

I was going to mention Swansea’s pitch had badly cut up last weekend. Mind, it looked more like the Horse of The Year Show had taken place than rugby.

 

[the birds and the bees]

even on sat when in the north stand i thought it looked heavy and small holes in it .

 

[Oceanbee]

One thing, that I noticed on TV last night, was that the touchline ‘off the pitch’ area (linesman’s track) on both immediate sides of the dug-outs looked really muddy and cut up.
Those areas will be really bad if it’s like that already.
I thought at GP we had almost pure astroturf along the touchlines because of the excessive wear there. Right or wrong?

 

[thickobee]

Substitutes warming up were running very close to the touchline on the grass and not on the AstroTurf surround. With this amount of pounding it’s bound to look pretty poor.
Pitch wasn’t watered before or at halftime. Too cold? Would it cut up more? As previously stated it didn’t help the ball to move more quickly.

 

[Les Beeavinu]

Substitutes warming up were running very close to the touchline on the grass and not on the AstroTurf surround. With this amount of pounding it’s bound to look pretty poor.
Pitch wasn’t watered before or at halftime. Too cold? Would it cut up more? As previously stated it didn’t help the ball to move more quickly.

Can't remember the GP pitch being watered at half time during a winter night game.

 

[thickobee]

Can't remember the GP pitch being watered at half time during a winter night game.

I’ll bow to your better knowledge (and probably better memory).

 

[Les Beeavinu]

I’ll bow to your better knowledge (and probably better memory).

I said I can't remember - doesn't necessarily mean I'm right!

 

[HaylingBee74]

How similar is the LR pitch to Wembley?

 

[Gee Bee]

Can't remember the GP pitch being watered at half time during a winter night game.

I can

 

[Gee Bee]

How similar is the LR pitch to Wembley?

Same pitch size I believe

 

[Les Beeavinu]

How similar is the LR pitch to Wembley?

Same colour.

 

[HaylingBee74]

Same colour.

Both Desso?

 

[Banana]

Both Desso?

Yes

 

[HaylingBee74]

Same pitch size I believe

Having the same size, isn’t a problem our style is suited to a larger pitch

 

[Gee Bee]

Having the same size, isn’t a problem our style is suited to a larger pitch

Although our home form was good on a smaller pitch

 

[HaylingBee74]

Yes

It begs the question, why when Wembley’s surface seems to wreck our playing style would we decide to use it LR? No wonder we are doing poorly results wise at home and having to be helped by away results

 

[BEEcool]

It’s an interesting one. I’m on row 1 and yes there are a few tufts loose, but my word I would have dreamed of playing on a surface like it.

Not sure what level you played at but I would’ve dreamed of playing on a surface not laced with dog sh*t as a start.

 

[HaylingBee74]

Although our home form was good on a smaller pitch

True is was, but I wonder if that wasn’t the important factor

 

[Banana]

It begs the question, why when Wembley’s surface seems to wreck our playing style would we decide to use it LR? No wonder we are doing poorly results wise at home and having to be helped by away results

Desso is used at LOTS of other stadiums too. As is a 105m x 68m pitch. So I am not sure your logic is valid here.

 

[North London Bee]

We shouldn’t discount that we have lost the advantage that Griffin Park gave us. A tight pitch, fans breathing down the necks of the opposition and terrible facilities for the away team. Teams arrived there expecting to lose. I don’t think that the new stadium is anything like as intimidating.

hopefully that might change as fans return.

 

[BEEcool]

I’m no pitch expert but isn’t laying one like baking a cake? I.e. you can use all the same and exact measurements of ingredients but there’ll be slight variations each time depending upon conditions etc. I.e. the type of oven.

 

[HaylingBee74]

Desso is used at LOTS of other stadiums too. As is a 105m x 68m pitch. So I am not sure your logic is valid here.

Oh OK that is good news. On tv especially on the red button last night it was very difficult to see the discussed poor surface. It was apparent that short passes like from Henrik to Raya were often underhit, almost being intercepted

 

[Leonardo]

I think a lot of our home form the past few seasons at GP was from the pitch and what great condition it was. Now it seems we have changed to a Desso pitch and it doesn't seem to help our fast fluid football. I don't know if it is a coincidence

 

[Les Beeavinu]

We shouldn’t discount that we have lost the advantage that Griffin Park gave us. A tight pitch, fans breathing down the necks of the opposition and terrible facilities for the away team. Teams arrived there expecting to lose. I don’t think that the new stadium is anything like as intimidating.

hopefully that might change as fans return.

We have only lost one game at the new stadium though, 2 months ago.

 

[North London Bee]

We have only lost one game at the new stadium though, 2 months ago.

True, you're right.I shouldn't catastrophise things. We all know why we are playing the way we are.

 

[horshambees]

Is the old pitch still down at GP?
That was like a carpet compared to the pitch last night.
I can see it getting a lot worse through the heavy schedule and a possible wet winter.
It looked awful on the box.
A throwback to crap pitch days.

 

[HaylingBee74]

We have only lost one game at the new stadium though, 2 months ago.

But I cant even think of a great performance in the league at home. I know we beat Huddersfield 3-0 but at the time we thought they were poor. They are now only 4 points behind us

 

[JANORAK]

Not sure what level you played at but I would’ve dreamed of playing on a surface not laced with dog sh*t as a start.

At least we’re unlikely to have conditions like Fort William’s, where games have been postponed due to wild deer and deer faeces!

 

[TadB]

As above. It’s been mentioned on here a few times and also privately with fellow supporters.

It is a worry, imo. Especially with rugby due on it soon.

After a couple of games of Rugby your worries appear to be justified. As far as I can see it is a long time since Brentford played at home on such a poor surface. I dread to think how it will play after Christmas. If it should cut up too much it will surely affect how we play.

 

[Alan D]

Interesting, for some reason a Czech tv channel had live coverage of the Bristol/Blackburn game. The pitch looked a little brown in places, but appeared to play very well. In fact it was an end to end entertaining game.

 

[Ealing Bee]

I don't have any figures to back it up, but I get the strong impression that we've had exceptionally high rainfall this autumn.

Maybe that's as much a factor as the rugby?

 

[mhead bee]

It was bobbly. You didn't really see the lines from the rugby pitch unless you were trying to find them but there were a few slightly sparse areas where the scrums had been.

 

[TheHairdresser]

Not sure if The Liberty Stadium has had a higher footfall but that's a dual sport Desso pitch and currently resembles a medieval battlefield.

 

[A Real Mysteron]

Not sure what level you played at but I would’ve dreamed of playing on a surface not laced with dog sh*t as a start.

and broken glass and syringes.

 

[BEEcool]

and broken glass and syringes.

That’s prima donna stuff

 

[Brentford Bob]

Pitch looks crappy to me.... I am hoping this is purely down to having not been relaid when it should have been. Although why a pitch should have been scheduled to be relaid less than a year or so after it first went down is a bit weird, isn’t it?