There are different factors that affect the quality of a football match, and sometimes the outcome. One of such factors is the length of the grass on the pitch. In this article, we will be looking at how the length of the grass on the football pitch affects how footballers play. Without further ado, let us delve in.
First off, long grass reduces the speed of the ball. Most tacticians love their team to play quick football with a lot of passing. And most players can’t do that as well as they would if the grass were too long. The reason for this is that grass at such heights will reduce the speed of the ball. This will slow down the attack of the ball, making them a bit less potent. According to a publication by “ManchesterEveningNews”, Ten Hag, the new Manchester United Coach pointed out that he wanted the grass at Old Trafford, and the training facilities reduced to less than 1.5m.
Secondly, the length of the grass affects how teams play by reducing the bounce of the ball. This reason is fairly straightforward. According to “Tifo Football”, a pitch with longer grass compared with one with shorter grass is softer. The softness of the grass might be great if you are looking for a quick nap by halftime, but definitely not if you wish to play quick football. The bounce of the ball can is reduced on longer grass in comparison to shorter ones. For tacticians that play attacking football, this might affect the intensity of their football.
Arsene Wenger according to “Tifo Football”, agrees that the length of the grass affects the speed of the team. Some teams in England take advantage of this by keeping longer grass in a bid to frustrate opposition that likes to play possession football.