Luke Ayling has admitted Leeds United players are struggling on their new Elland Road pitch but reiterated their appreciation to the club for improving the playing surface.
The club invested in a new hybrid pitch as a short-term solution following poor weather over January, that had left their old surface almost unplayable, highlighted in their 1-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion.
The club are believed to have invested close to £300,000 on the work, with the planned overhaul of the drainage system due to take place in May at the end of the season.
However, Patrick Bamford joked about wearing rugby studs in the second half during Leeds' victory 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace, with players struggling to keep their balance.
“It’s better (the pitch), it’s hard to stand up, that’s all I’ll say," he said with a smile on his face.
"I’m still wearing studs, but I had to basically put rugby studs in at half time."
Asked about the pitch, Ayling insisted that the new Elland Road surface is much better than the previous turf but admitted the players are still adjusting.
"It's certainly a lot better than what we were playing on," Ayling told BBC West Yorkshire.
"With such a quick turnaround in the season, the groundsman had a tough challenge to turn it around and get it ready. With the winter we've had, it was boggy and bobbly, it wasn't made for our style of play.
"We're thankful for this new pitch, thankful to the club. At the minute, the boys are struggling to stand up on it but it's a brand-new pitch. It's been raining and we play at such a tempo that if you try to change direction, you will slip on it.
"I feel like we were better on it in the last game we played and hopefully the more games we play on it, it'll get better."
