The independent Chelsea Pitch Owners Assoc. means if the club leaves Stamford Bridge for good they'd face an extra, pricey fee for leaving, and once Battersea was removed as an option by the govt. they settled on a complete rebuild at the bridge. A funky, mostly brick design that won good reviews but would be very costly just to reach a possible 60k, and would require 2 seasons at Wembley. The plan involved decking over rail lines and of course getting rid of the hotel and commercial uses there now. Last word was that Boehly and Co. we're committed to doing something but hinted that the latest design was too costly, and that a possible major renovation of the Bridge would be in the works.
Question: The way Stanford Bridge was originally designed, wouldn't Chelsea have retained the right to those areas when they first renovated? Or, when they redesigned, Chelsea effectively land-locked themselves?
Wow, you really have kept tabs on them! So, long story short, it sounds like they're not going to build a new ground but rather try to renovate, to a greater or lesser degree, the existing place? It's always been funky and sounds like it might remain that way. BUT let me lay on you what the Bridge looked like when I first went there. It was much more wide open and there was this oval track that ran all the way around, which apparently they used as a car park on match days! Felt much more like an athletic stadium than a football ground.
That Pep post game interview in the tunnel is the best evidence that Arteta and the team are right there. It's early but Arsenal are as relentless as any team and that puts a lot of pressure on other teams, including City. IMO City slacked off cause they figured that no one would challenge them, and here is Arsenal. Gotta beat the Champ to be the Champ. Let's get to it.
I understand, I was merely speculating how Chelsea will handle a similar challenge when the time comes to upgrade their stadium.
Their proposed redesign wouldn't require any land purchases, per SE, just the acquisition of easements and the buying out of the commercial properties affixed to the stadium. IIRC, anyway. Their biggest obstacle is simply money. Without RA able to foot the bill the owners are viewing things through a more pragmatic lens. Would it be worth for them to invest $1B dollars for a net gain of, say, 15k seats if that's all they could realistically get? I've got my money (a literal $20 bet) on them doing a modification of the Bridge topping out at a little over 50k and then calling it a day.
My primary mod duties are on an architectural message board with extensive pages dedicated to stadiums. I was/ am actually quite popular with most of the S***s fans there from keeping things kosher on the NWHL thread.
So…Spuds need to overhaul and rebuild most of their squad, but their sporting director who followed Conte there is suspended for the next 2.5 years. Tottenham’s sporting director, Fábio Patarici, has been suspended for 2 and 1/2 years after being found guilty in the Juventus investigation.— Eduardo Hagn (@EduardoHagn) January 20, 2023
For the moment that suspension is only in Italy, but my understanding is that there is a request for FIFA to extend it world wide.
Thanks for the info I remember Athletic had a backgrounder on this with maps and all - as you say, the development is insanely difficult given how tight central london is. IIRC there is a difficulty with the tube line which is above ground there? So like you say - crazily difficult with low upsides
Flipped on the Scousers vs the Chavs and the pitch at Anfield is shit. Has it always been shit? Looks worse than I remember.
Pitch looks OK to me. Then again I remember what stood for pitches in the 70s and 80s. What’s really noticeable to me though is that Jim Beglin has to be the worst, most negative co-com in the Premier league
...except talking about Mudryk. He seems to rate him. Of course right when I turn it on, he has some nice footwork to get a shot away.
Not impressed with Mudryk in his first 25 minutes One decent little dribble that came to nothing and a couple of miscontrolled touches - surprisingly
That first chance he had, where he dribbles through 2 players but then whiffs the shot, I thought that looked really good. But then he had that ball played into acres of space and instead of a first time volley on his left he controlled it horrendously on the right. First 0-0 draw there between the two teams since the 70s.
There was a pass down the left into the box from Cucurella and Mudryk’s first touch was dreadful .. just ran out for a goal kick You wouldn’t expect technicians like Ziyech or Mahrez to mis-control the ball in those positions
Isn't this also his first match in months. Gonna need at least 10 games before I write him off as Wish Theo Walcott.
Exactly. He was in pre-season training when the deal went through. Let's be clear, I'm not lighting torches or sharpening pitchforks because Edu (the club) couldn't get the deal over the line. The cost was huge and the terms Chelsea offered were ridiculous. And I think the pivot to Trossard was a savvy low downside high upside move. But I just think it's silly to write off Mudryk after 40 minutes just because we didn't get him.