The worst thing about the pitch on Saturday is that it wasn't even in the right postcode! WTF?
it states interview was Friday, so before the palars game....
I dont really take anything which a newspaper or website come out with, i take as a pinch of salt really as they could have altered what he has said. It's very unlikely he would just volunteer the information either so maybe they questioned him on it and he has said doesnt think its very good and then it gets twisted and so on
Although not an excuse for our home form, but the pitch does need to be sorted. But still as stated other teams seem to play ok on it and its not like we keep the ball on the floor either
Does anybody remember a game against Cambridge at teh Valley, many moons ago, when th epitch was just mud- no grass at all?
Mutley was that the game when the entire crowd "packed" into the covered end for shelter....../??
I don't think so - I recall watching from the middle of the East Terrace. I was only a youngster then but can't recall the year. I think the pitch was just mud - in that you couldn't see any grass- at the start of the game. Seem to recall the score was 0-0 too.
Just got back from having a tour of the Valley. Up close you can see how grim it is in parts, particularly near the dugouts (from which you can see virtually nothing of the pitch, interestingly enough). By no means terrible all over, but I can understand why 'modern' players more used to billiard-table surfaces might have a bit of a whinge.
That said, personally I lean towards the 'just get on with it' school of thought and as others have said, other teams seem to have done ok on it without resorting to hoofing it. And considering for much of the early part of the season we virtually played with no width, don't understand why the wings are so bad!
It's an interesting idea that the Trust could fund something concrete .........
Agree. A concrete pitch would solve the problem of muddy goalmouths.
Concrete was good enough for us at school, diving about no problems!
Seriously, don't like this blame game at the moment, is Paddy the next Charlton 'name' being forced out of the club? - How about a Paddy Powell song on Saturday?
He may not appreciate them mate and I am sure he is pretty pissed off but ultimately Ben has said it ,it is true and now it's public no one is blaming his team just highlighting the pitch is poo and needs fixing
Being a groundsman myself, i know the comments made by ben will not go down well with paddy.I spoke to paddy at the ground in march last year , and praised him on how well the pitch looked.I Cannot accept that the pitch is not flat at the moment, all the rolling and cutting that takes place and all the divoting, before, half time, and after the game.The away end goalmouth has always had a problem with growth due to light.Cutting the pitch budget if is true is a groundsmans night mare, for all those years using the same products, and then having to change will not help.Some bigger clubs than us have also got problems with their pitchs.Due to snow a;ot of the pitches, can pick up diseases, having no under soil heating cant help , and poor pitch covers if any with frost and cold weather, and holds things up on a day to day running of the pitch.Grow lite rigs as used at arsenal cost about a million pounds, and cost a fortune to run.Paddy is a top man and is a top groundsman always gives 100%, i felt this could have been dealt with in a proper manner, hope your well paddy c u soon , ps hope 1 day you will get your testimonial the club promised you for your service to the club
Given the weather over the last year, it is not a surprise.
A muddy, bumpy goal mouth is probably not enjoyed by goalkeepers.
At the most charitable, you can say that Hamer blaming the pitch is a deflection. Really, it is a bit of a rubbish excuse. It is a heavy boggy pitch, and Charlton midfielders have to press and disrupt, expending a lot of energy. It is clear that fresh legs need to be brought on from around 70 mins. AInsley came on in the left wing position and did well against Blackpool. We managed to hold out and win. Maybe there is some argument that there is not the replacements available, but that's a different discussion.
If we had a lift of some new faces in key areas (Lita for Sheff Weds / Phillips for Palace) such as Wordsworth or Judge or a decent striker then maybe that would have given us a lift but we know the finances and the cash currently available. I think there was enough on the bench for those characters to do the job for the team in the last 20 mins.
Well, Ben ........ it's a lot to do with the weather, you know.
;o)
Exactly, although my first thought when I read that was "Where you been living this past year Ben - up your own arse?"
We've had the wettest year since Noah built his boat, followed by a load of snow - and yet he can't work out why the grass might be fucked.
But he's comparing the pitch to other comparable grounds, and ours is one of the worst in the division, which isn't something I can remember before. We're not the only ground to have had rain and snow. This picture from the Palace mascot thread shows the pitch at Selhurst, which seems to have a lot more grass on it...
Or this picture of JJ at Watford at the beginning of January
Comments
Mutley was that the game when the entire crowd "packed" into the covered end for shelter....../??
I dont really take anything which a newspaper or website come out with, i take as a pinch of salt really as they could have altered what he has said. It's very unlikely he would just volunteer the information either so maybe they questioned him on it and he has said doesnt think its very good and then it gets twisted and so on
Although not an excuse for our home form, but the pitch does need to be sorted. But still as stated other teams seem to play ok on it and its not like we keep the ball on the floor either
That said, personally I lean towards the 'just get on with it' school of thought and as others have said, other teams seem to have done ok on it without resorting to hoofing it. And considering for much of the early part of the season we virtually played with no width, don't understand why the wings are so bad!
Seriously, don't like this blame game at the moment, is Paddy the next Charlton 'name' being forced out of the club? - How about a Paddy Powell song on Saturday?
Paddy knows it the players know it , all of us know it now the mgmt know it
I could be wrong though. Many on here invariably think that I am!
We've had the wettest year since Noah built his boat, followed by a load of snow - and yet he can't work out why the grass might be fucked.
A muddy, bumpy goal mouth is probably not enjoyed by goalkeepers.
At the most charitable, you can say that Hamer blaming the pitch is a deflection. Really, it is a bit of a rubbish excuse. It is a heavy boggy pitch, and Charlton midfielders have to press and disrupt, expending a lot of energy. It is clear that fresh legs need to be brought on from around 70 mins. AInsley came on in the left wing position and did well against Blackpool. We managed to hold out and win. Maybe there is some argument that there is not the replacements available, but that's a different discussion.
If we had a lift of some new faces in key areas (Lita for Sheff Weds / Phillips for Palace) such as Wordsworth or Judge or a decent striker then maybe that would have given us a lift but we know the finances and the cash currently available. I think there was enough on the bench for those characters to do the job for the team in the last 20 mins.
For me blaming the pitch thing is rubbish.
This picture from the Palace mascot thread shows the pitch at Selhurst, which seems to have a lot more grass on it...
Or this picture of JJ at Watford at the beginning of January