Is Wembley now the worst pitch in the Premier League?

[elguapo4]

And since when are Man Utd "We" ?

[Uros Predic]

...another Footballer Who’s Built More Like A Rugby Player George Elokobi :

Nice bloke Elokobi, he's done some work in support of the charity Shelter.

Which is good as it counters the fact that he once nearly killed my favourite footballer by severely mistiming a header.

[Ray de Galles]

That's very good to hear. I was very pleasantly surprised to find out a) he's still playing at Orient because b) he's only 31.

I was tempted to go and see The Os at home to Aldershot tomorrow by the news, though this was slightly tempered by finding out Elokobi is recovering from a long term injury.

Your video reminds me of the photo I found when looking for one to illustrate Elokobi's heft which is real "unstoppable force meets an immovable object" stuff ;

[RobM]

Heading for London tomorrow for the weekend. Tickets for Spurs v Inter be fairly easy to procure at Wembley without a purchase history? Seems to be the best bet for tomorrow, can't see any non-league games that are particularly attractive.

[Gerontophile]

Spuds v Chelsea was not at all full.

[Snake Plissken]

Aren't the extra games being played at a reduced capacity? (50,000 springs to mind for some reason.)

[Ray de Galles]

Yes, the Chelsea game was the first to be under the new reduced capacity for PL games of 51,000. Brent Council has imposed this due to Spurs’ prolonged tenancy though I believe the club are appealing to increase it to 62,000.

I’m not sure if the same limit is in place for CL games as they are still allowed a number of full capacity games. I’ll see tomorrow as I’m at the Inter match too. An old friend has been offering me Spurs tickets for ages and I was waiting to take them up on the offer when the new stadium was up and running but the visit of my Serie A side seems a good enough reason to go back to Wembley.

[Satchmo Distel]

What is Brent Council's reasoning?

[Snake Plissken]

If it is anything like other situations, there is an agreement with local residents to only host X big events a year, where a big event is defined as a crowd above a certain amount.

[Tactical Genius]

If it is anything like other situations, there is an agreement with local residents to only host X big events a year, where a big event is defined as a crowd above a certain amount.

Correct,
Watched the game in Toronto, My Phone started freaking out with some emergency message an hour before the game. I thought it was a terrorist attack or the Martians had arrived. Apparently it was some emergency drill.

[seand]

The reduced capacity thing seems a bit farcical. Does a crowd of 51,000 generate significantly less inconvenience locally than a crowd of 86,000?

[Bizarre Löw Triangle]

Is Wembley now the worst pitch in the Middlesex County League First Division? Probably not, I'd imagine.

https://www.kilburntimes.co.uk/sport...ture-1-5797470

[Jah Womble]

Yes, the Chelsea game was the first to be under the new reduced capacity for PL games of 51,000. Brent Council has imposed this due to Spurs’ prolonged tenancy though I believe the club are appealing to increase it to 62,000.

The attendance for Chelsea was 55,465.

[Ray de Galles]

Yes sorry, that was pointed out to me last night actually.

In the article I initially found I misread the timing of the imposition of the reduction as being prior to the Chelsea match when in fact (as this BBC piece makes clear) that was the last one before it came in to force for PL games.

Last night’s attendance was 57,132 so it looks like it doesn’t apply to CL games.

[Tactical Genius]

The CL games was agreed before the start of the season so would have had a higher capacity. The Barcelona home game was almost a sellout so would have been around the 80,000 mark.

[Ray de Galles]

Yes, though obviously the Barca match was before the imposition of the new lower capacity anyway. Last night confirmed that it doesn’t currently apply to CL games.

It will be interesting to see what happens if Spurs qualify for the latter stages and those games have to be played at Wembley too but I’d expect the stadium to do everything they can to ensure UEFA’s competition is unaffected given the importance of their ongoing relationship with them.

[ursus arctos]

Are there any concrete plans to re-lay the pitch? Or is it going to be left like this until the spring?

[seand]

Are there any concrete plans to re-lay the pitch? Or is it going to be left like this until the spring?

I really don't think concrete is going to help

[Tactical Genius]

Are there any concrete plans to re-lay the pitch? Or is it going to be left like this until the spring?

I think they have the UV lights on 24/7. The pitch is recovering and now probably looks worse than it is.

[caja-dglh]

What is Brent Council's reasoning?

They act as a good scapegoat for Spurs not being able to sell out Wembley.

[Gangster Octopus]

The Wembley Arch is a very pretty moving rainbow tonight. Just passed it on the Met...

[Gangster Octopus]

On the way home on the Euston line and the arch is still pulsating.

[Nefertiti2]

Are there any concrete plans to re-lay the pitch? Or is it going to be left like this until the spring?

Concrete? might be better than what's there at the moment.

[Jah Womble]

They act as a good scapegoat for Spurs not being able to sell out Wembley.

Spurs had sold out Wembley many times in previous fixtures. The situation is different now.

[Patrick Thistle]

The Shearer flashback on MOTD just now reminded me of just how terrible pitches were back in the day.