what a mental day yesterday. have to say that the stadium is a fucking shambles! the atmosphere does not travel well at all, i was on the end of the away end near the segregation with the west ham fans on the right side of the tv screen and honestly everything sounds so far away. didn't help that the mouthier segments of the wham support are over the other side and you can only hear a distant echo. the uppier tier feels so far away as well, i felt sorry for the travelling gooners up there because you're miles away from everything. the huge gap between the concourse and the lower tier seating area is so weird, honestly you have to walk a good 70 yards and get past this huge covered area to the seats. i can't think of any good metaphor to further explain this, it's like being inside an indoor cycling velodrome or something- not that i've ever been to one
the stadium is like being at a music concert or something, there's this hollow echo and you never stop noticing it, the acoustics are shite and i have to say it doesn't feel like a football ground at all. funny thing is the stewarding their has gone from minimal to over-zealous, a couple of lads near me were told off for giving a bit of stick the whammers after the fourth goal and lads stood on seats you getting told to get down when in most premier league grounds no-one would even notice or batter an eyelid.
as for the facilities outside, a ten minute walk to westfield, twenty minute walk to stratford high street (that's with no pedestrian traffic, otherwise add another twenty minutes) and you feel like you're in the middle of nowhere a bit, which is a surreal feeling when you've got this superb view of canary wharf and the shard down the road. anyone travelling here in future should probably plan their day ahead instead of doing what i did and walk about for ages without knowing where to go
what a match though, everything else has been covered so all i have to say is UTA
