The playing surface was the focus of several comments on ESPN today with the inference being made that the grass was deliberately left long and that it had been watered to soften the ground. It certainly looked heavier and lusher than I have noted for some time.

Was it a ploy or is it the necessity because of the site and the time of the year ?

It was a ploy, and if it hadn't been for those pesky kids.......

It's been like the Med up here this week, 17 in the shade last night, grass is probably still growing, unbelievable for the middle of November.

A celtic fan on the BBC Sportsound page was saying that the pitch was heavy. Any truth in this?

How does he know? Did he try to lift it?

The grass certainly did look `clumpy` - I noticed it right away & I just thought...... ``funny how an early k.o. time makes the pitch look different`` !

If you want to slow a team down then you let the grass grow a bit. Slows the ball. Makes it harder to control. Hopefully you'll have let your own team get a bit of time to learn the surface though. I think it worked. They couldn't play a fast passing game.

Personally I think Tommy was doing his best to preserve the little growth thats been in it over the last week or so in the hope he'll be able to present a quality pitch longer into the winter.

some fans take every opportunity to complain about their opposition and their grounds. didn't hear anyone else saying anything...

I'm sure Celtic phone up the opposition every time they have a home game to ask how they would like the pitch presented....not!!!

I noticed Tommy had used the same tactic when we beat them at the back end of last season , just a shame his ploy didn't pay off this time .

If you want to slow a team down then you let the grass grow a bit. Slows the ball. Makes it harder to control. Hopefully you'll have let your own team get a bit of time to learn the surface though. I think it worked. They couldn't play a fast passing game.

Personally I think Tommy was doing his best to preserve the little growth thats been in it over the last week or so in the hope he'll be able to present a quality pitch longer into the winter.

If we played a slow, deliberate style of football I would see the point but we don't. I feel our strengths are in our passing game with one or two players with real pace who can hurt teams. "Makes it harder to control the ball" must be related to shinty cos any decent player will control a ball no matter how long or short the grass. Whatever was intended it didn't work cos results speak for themselves.

If you want to slow a team down then you let the grass grow a bit. Slows the ball. Makes it harder to control. Hopefully you'll have let your own team get a bit of time to learn the surface though. I think it worked. They couldn't play a fast passing game.

Personally I think Tommy was doing his best to preserve the little growth thats been in it over the last week or so in the hope he'll be able to present a quality pitch longer into the winter.

If we played a slow, deliberate style of football I would see the point but we don't. I feel our strengths are in our passing game with one or two players with real pace who can hurt teams. "Makes it harder to control the ball" must be related to shinty cos any decent player will control a ball no matter how long or short the grass. Whatever was intended it didn't work cos results speak for themselves.

Yip - especially when you go 4-3-3 but I was only asking - and still dont know - as it looked far longer than usual on the box yesterday.

Don't know about the grass being longer, but as someone has already said, the temperatures have been way above normal here recently and plants are starting to bud and grow again. Pitch definately looked like the pitch had been watered though as a few players were slipping initially.

the pitch was green

thats all i know

Bottom line is, if its to Caley's advantage it will be done. This is done all over the world,any small advantage will be taken, you quite often see teams watering the pitch at half time aswell, to help speed the ball up along the ground. Football is all above fine margins, if caley did let the grass grow longer then fairplay, they noticed celtic like playing a quick fast game along the deck.

As a side note, Man City don't have any Tactics boards in the Away changing room, if the Away team want to use one they must bring their own. Even big clubs like small advantages.