Isnt it only the grand final?
In season 2015/16 OT will be hosting a load of matches when the Rugby world cup is in England.
The pitch at Old Trafford
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Isnt it only the grand final?
In season 2015/16 OT will be hosting a load of matches when the Rugby world cup is in England.
Might cause problems for us as the season wears on.
How long does it take to do it?
If we get an away fixture in FA Cup 5th Round (the draw is on 27th January, but yes, let's beat West Ham and Fulham/Blackpool first), we could do it between 10th February (Everton H) and 2nd March (Norwich H).
If we get an away fixture in FA Cup 5th Round (the draw is on 27th January, but yes, let's beat West Ham and Fulham/Blackpool first), we could do it between 10th February (Everton H) and 2nd March (Norwich H).
The last couple of years the pitch has been one of the best...what has changed, is it the recent rain or have the Glazers cut back in the type of grass we use?
We've had the same pitch since the 2006/07 season, I think, so seven seasons would be more than you could expect.
I didn't realise, always thought the pitch gets re laid every summer.
The actual work can be done in a short period of time but it needs weeks to fully bed in and for the sections of turf to bind together which is why it is generally done in the summer when the grass grows quickest and it can be rested.
Is this a joke?
It's only once a year for the Grand Final.
SAF said the Olympics had something to do with it as well. The pitch has seen more football than it normally would in a season.
I think we once re laid the pitch mid season, correct me if i'm wrong but we played Arsenal on the new pitch and it started to cut up.
So not sure it is wise re laying a new pitch now, hopefully we can get it fixed to certain degree.
So not sure it is wise re laying a new pitch now, hopefully we can get it fixed to certain degree.
the groundsmen there do a sterling job considering the fact that theres not a lot of sunshine anyway but in addition the stadium blocks out a lot of light getting to the grass. Because of this they've trailed all kinds of grass over the past 10 years
also there are huge water tanks under the ground/stand. Drained water is stored/recycled and used to water the grass during dry spells
also there are huge water tanks under the ground/stand. Drained water is stored/recycled and used to water the grass during dry spells
why is it a joke, it is the Grand Final and just like football teams want to play at Wembley. Rugby teams dream of getting to the Grand Final at OT.
After all it is a business and a chance to earn some good money is hard to refuse.
Don't we now use them artificial lights, so lack of sunshine shouldn't be a major issue.
I'd imagine its primarily the amount of water that has fallen on the pitch in the last 6 months. Was such a wet year that even the best of surfaces was going to struggle. I'm sure the groundsmen will be able to make some kind of temporary fix which should slow it but I'm glad to hear they're relaying it in the summer.
Combination of factors - shorter gaps than normal between home games at Christmas for it to recover, Rugby League, Olympics, old pitch, bad weather - all of which contribute to how it is now.
Replacing it in the spring/late winter would be unlikely, as it will naturally recover in March, temporarily at least...and a new pitch needs time to bed in, hence why it's always preferable to do over the summer.
It's fecking Phelan's fault.
Does Phelan even do anything? Probably rolls around on it at night, the fat feck.
fecking dismal. The reason why the game was so shit tonight in my opinion. I worry if we dont get something done about this before the end of the season.
Dreadful.
Dreadful.
It really is terrible.
Be quite embarrassing when Madrid turn up in town.
Be quite embarrassing when Madrid turn up in town.
Is it too late to re turf now?
Thats exactly the agenda - have such a shit pitch that the flashy spanish teams cant play their game
As I said in the matchday thread, we don't have artificial threads woven in unlike most other pitches (my evidence for that is that during the big debate about Wembley, there were lists of pitches that used artificial threads and Old Trafford wasn't one of them) and we host the Rugby League Super League Final every October (my evidence for that is that 70,000 people turn up to watch the Rugby League Super League Final at Old Trafford each year. It's also on the telly.) so it gets a bit more chopped up than it should.
you can returf at this time of the year, it would just cut up again.
Summer is the only time to do it really.
The game was not shit because of the pitch, it was just a shit game. Giggs played his best game for a long time, it is the same for every player.
Summer is the only time to do it really.
The game was not shit because of the pitch, it was just a shit game. Giggs played his best game for a long time, it is the same for every player.
No, the pitch played its part.
I wouldn't expect much more free following attacking magic at OT this season if nothing is done with this diabolical surface.
If we were playing Barca, I'd understand that logic. Madrid don't play that kind of game though. I really don't think the pitch is part of some master-plan, I think its just gone a bit shit
The commentator today mentioned we've had the same pitch for the past 10 seasons, but in the 10 seasons prior to that we had 18 different pitches. Anyone know why the change of strategy?
In the past, Fergie seemed to ask for it to be relaid every week. And the new pitch would last about a week before becoming a swamp.
If we were playing Barca, I'd understand that logic. Madrid don't play that kind of game though. I really don't think the pitch is part of some master-plan, I think its just gone a bit shit
The commentator today mentioned we've had the same pitch for the past 10 seasons, but in the 10 seasons prior to that we had 18 different pitches. Anyone know why the change of strategy?
If I remember rightly, was there not a problem with the foundations of the pitch and under soil heating, it was not draining correctly.
We have had this pitch for 6 years now and has been used a hell of a lot over the past few years.
It's been better the last couple of years, I suspect due to UV lighting, until now, which has been the wettest year on record, so it's not surprising.
I think the Newcastle game, where it basically pissed down continually beforehand, was where we started to see the strain of the weather.
Was pretty bad before the WBA game as well, had a pitch inspection before KO.
You really think the club would stoop that low?
I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out the other way round. Mourinho has history of this at Chelsea.
Fergie on TV: I have 99 problems and the pitch ain't one of them.
10 according to commentary.
A decent surface probably would have made enough of a difference to make tonight comfortable. Rooney's foot seemed to catch the turf as he kicked the ball. One of Hernandez' efforts bobbled just before he struck it.
We were playing West Ham, for christ's sake. A good quality surface would have been exclusively to our advantage.
We were playing West Ham, for christ's sake. A good quality surface would have been exclusively to our advantage.
Remember the period we constantly relaid the pitch, around the year 2000? I think it was some special dutch pitch that wouldn't settle because of the lack of sun.
Awful, absolutely awful. It really affects our game. The ball is constantly running away from the players and it's impossible to have a decent first touch.
It'll be a big annoyance for the rest of the season.
It'll be a big annoyance for the rest of the season.
This. It has been annoying for a while now!