West Ham shares the same size pitch as no fewer than eight fellow Premier League clubs.
The London Stadium pitch is 7,140 square metres. That’s the same size as Watford’s Vicarage Road surface, West Brom’s Hawthorns pitch, Sunderland’s Stadium of Light, Swansea City’s Liberty Stadium, Bournemouth’s Vitality Stadium, Manchester United’s Old Trafford, Manchester City’s Etihad and Arsenal’s Emirates.
Only two pitches are bigger, Middlesbrough’s Riverside (7,245sqm) and the biggest of the lot, Hull City’s massive KCOM Stadium which is 8,436sqm.
Stoke City’s Bet365 ground (6,400sqm) and the pitches at London rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace (6,700sqm) are the smallest.
By comparison, the Boleyn Ground was 6,438 sqm
All five training pitches at Rush Green training ground are 7,140 sqm which is the same dimensions as the London Stadium.
I do think it makes a difference but is relative to the speed you have in your side. Young quick defenders, young quick midfielders – who can recover ground quickly – players who have good engines (as demonstrated by how far they and the team run and cover every match). That is why I believe the likes of Mark Noble has struggled this year – his lack of speed is exposed and he wasn’t so much at the Boelyn), its also why players who imo are coming to the end of their careers and slowing (like Fonte) get more exposed. Look at our stats and see how just about every match we are outrun by the opposition – thats a problem. Our recruitment policy has to focus on young(er) and faster players if we are to progress and really challenge.
Yeah but we only play 5 a side in training it seems so no wonder we can’t cope with the average pitch.
Oh and Bilic used to smoke when he played. I wonder if he really cares that much about fitness or if he’s just a bit old school.
Does pitch size really matter? No.
I’m in agreement with IronMan. Pitch size doesn’t matter. It’s the same deal for both sides!
If one sides static and one sides quick and exploits space imo it matters! The teams that have taken us apart – Arsenal and Man City – both with young quick and very skilful players able to exploit the space
We have played away and won on pitches the same size.Wasnt Saints the same size.
Its a load of ******** imo.
Size of the pitch,training methods,like someone said before with all these conspiracy theories about how useless we are there is no logic as to why we are mid table.
Over thinking, over complicating when the truth is we are a middle table team who are we should be when taking everything in to account.
The only think i have ever even semi agreed on with Big Sam is that some fans of ours are delusional about who we are.
yes swanie we are a mid table team which is progress as far as i’m concerned cos we used to be a yo-yo team! As the song goes “Fortunes always hiding… ” I think we can progress to a top 6/8 team but think its going to take a while.Some fans seem to have unrealistic expectations, Even Mr Gold with his top 8 this year!
I’ve seen other grounds the same as ours & they all seem to have the digital advertising boards around the edge of the pitch not set back like ours. In doing this the pitches don’t look as big (it also makes it look more like a football stadium)
No of course it doesn’t matter. It’s an excuse the haters of the LS use to beat the owners with. Same as “we play 38 away matches every season boo hoo” what a loads cobblers.