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Does pitch size really matter?

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londonstadium6West 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.

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I am Season Ticket Holder in West stand lower at the London Stadium and before that, I used to stand in the Sir Trevor Brooking Lower Row R seat 159 in the Boleyn Ground and in the Eighties I stood on the terraces of the old South Bank. I am a presenter on the West Ham Podcast called MooreThanJustaPodcast.co.uk. A Blogger on WestHamTillIdie.com a member of the West Ham Supporters Advisory Board (SAB), Founder of a Youtube channel called Mr West Ham Football at http://www.youtube.com/MrWestHamFootball,

I am also the associate editor here at Claret and Hugh.

Life Long singer of bubbles! Come on you Irons!

Follow me at @Westhamfootball on twitter

0 comments

  • MikePen says:

    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.

  • master says:

    Yeah but we only play 5 a side in training it seems so no wonder we can’t cope with the average pitch.

  • master says:

    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.

  • IronMan says:

    Does pitch size really matter? No.

    • TRB says:

      I’m in agreement with IronMan. Pitch size doesn’t matter. It’s the same deal for both sides!

      • MikePen says:

        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

  • Swanie says:

    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.

    • SarfHammer says:

      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!

  • essexirons says:

    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)

  • John says:

    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.

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