A rather in-depth review of the retractable pitch. https://www.ingenia.org.uk/Ingenia/Articles/a57524c7-215a-484d-9ffb-94c16030f3fc One interesting tidbit, as a Galaxy fan, was the engineering firm measured a Galaxy/Real Madrid game to make sure the pitch felt like it was on solid ground. It was a bit of reciprocity as back in the early 00s, AEG executives were given a tour of White Hart Lane to convince them to put a roof on the Galaxy’s stadium.
at some point in the week of the 7th (next week), the contractor is due to give Levy a report on the latest progress. presumably that - or a synopsis of it - will be shared. there still have to be a couple more test events. they were trying to schedule some in December, but it's apparently a challenge this time of year. the bottom line is that we'll know when we know. after the fustercluck of announcing - and missing - the Liverpool match in September, there won't be any more speculative announcements. we won't know until they know, and they won't know until everything's been signed off on by the authorities.
Warnock says we should be allowed to play at the new stadium this season as it’s “unfair”. Knob. https://apple.news/AW1HUe7KIRnuKG0-fFrbimQ
Never pay attention to anything Neil Warnock says, he has a tendancy to ramble on incoherently; he even claimed Sissoko should have been sent off for a routine challenge in the first half.
I don't think there is a home field advantage when you first move into a new stadium. The experience is a new one for both teams, until the home team plays a few matches there and settles in. Like we were poor at Wembley when we first moved in. In which case, it might be advantageous to play us right after we move. Or maybe Spurs will play lights out, fantastic football in the new place, in which case teams that played us at Wembley would have an advantage. Playing Spurs away should be the same for everyone. But if the league doesn't care, I sure don't.
That ambiguity is why I think Warnock is wrong. He’s assuming teams that go New White Hart Lane will have an advantage over teams that instead went to Wembley and that can’t be proven. Unless Warnock was making this claim from the start of the season he’s talking nonsense. The league already accepted there was no material benefit or detriment to playing at White Hart Lane vs Wembley, the delay simply shifts the number of teams Warnock is alleging will “benefit”.
Funny how the British make such a fuss about playing in different stadiums. From my recollection, it is quite common in North America to change stadiums during the season and nobody bats an eyelid. When I was living in Toronto, the Blue Jays moved into their new stadium in the middle of the 1989 season and won their division, but I can't remember anyone complaining that the Jays had an unfair advantage in winning the division because of the stadium move. The field is the same dimension, there are the same number of players on the pitch and they use the same ball. Just get on with it.
If you are right around the relegation zone, you will clutch at anything. The stadium change is definitely a "thing" but who knows how it will turn out. DC United played great once they moved into their new place, but it probably had a lot more to do with 1) signing Wayne Rooney and 2) playing almost all of the second half of the season at home.
Is a stadium move any more or less “fair” than having to face United after Jose’s been sacked? They’re clearly a better side under Sloskjaer and I would have much preferred to play them a month ago than next week, but that’s football.
the rule exists for a reason. when exceptions are made - particularly in the interest of big money - expect bitching. If Brentford or York City ran up against something like this - assuring the League they'd be ready, and then not - in the development of their new grounds, they'd be hugely criticized, probably made to finish it out at their temporary home, and if unable or unwilling to do so, quite possibly docked points. has Cardiff City - or anyone else - been genuinely disaffected by our grounds issues? I doubt it. Does that mean they have nothing to bitch about? well … they can if they want. we - and the Prem for allowing us to circumvent an established rule - have given them a valid excuse for it. you don't have to sympathize with him - I can't say that I do. but if he wants to whine about it, it's not like he has no grounds.
I believe there is solid statistical data to back up this notion, also. Not just Spurs, but anytime teams change fields there's the general trend to suffer a downturn in form, initially.
I think to compensate Cardiff City for their disadvantage, when we play their relegation rivals at the new ground, we should flash pictures of Neil Warnock's angry mug on the advertising hoardings in an attempt to shock the opposition.
Officially we're at Wembley now through FA Cup 5th round weekend on 16/17 Feb. Includes Dortmund CL tie. Potential first games at new stadium are NLD (March 2) or Crystal Palace (March 16)
Won't be the NLD for policing and security reasons. Here is the latest: https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...new-stadium-mid-march-earliest-delay-football The problem is with the electrical wiring for the fire detection system. The contractor, Mace, screwed up big time by subcontracting the work to cheap labour, with different electricians putting the wiring in with no coordination. So basically they have had to go back and rewire the whole thing, which is like trying to unscramble an egg times 4,000.
That's a major screw up. Those kinds of systems are complex, not just pulling wire for normal power provisioning. Nightmare.
I think this is Daniel Levy's special tactic to keep Poch at the club. He knows that Poch wants to lead the club into the new stadium so if he can delay it to the start of next season, he may be able to persuade him to stay!