Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger slated the state of the Wembley pitch
after their FA Cup semifinal defeat to Chelsea.
The FA have had problems with the pitch since the new stadium
opened just over two years ago.
Yet today was only the fifth time the present rye grass pitch
has been used and it is not due to be taken up again until the
summer, before which it will host the three Football League
play-offs, the FA Cup final and England's World Cup qualifier with
Andorra.
Watching Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson would hardly
have been impressed either given the Red Devils must face Everton
on it on Sunday.
"It is not a pitch for a stadium like that," declared
Wenger.
"You spend all that money on the stadium and still have no
pitch.
"It is laughable. The quality of the pitch is a disaster."
Wenger claimed it was equally disruptive for Chelsea, although
the Blues manager Guus Hiddink did not feel there was a
problem.
"It was OK," said the Dutchman.
"If you go to a lot of places in Europe and Africa you get
pitches that are a lot worse than that.
"I don't think you should start talking about the pitch, whether
you win or lose. It was fine to play on."