2nd May 2012
Championship Playoffs Betting: Experience and Holloway's bravery can see Blackpool back to the Premier League
The Championship playoffs get underway on Thursday night and one of the best markets of the season is always the outright market in any playoff competition. It really all goes on the line when the playoffs come around and a whole season boils down to two matches which the competing clubs hope they can turn into a third, humungous match by winning the semi final.
The favourites going into the Championship playoffs this year are West Ham. They are a top price of 7/4 with Paddy Power and were widely expected to win the league this season let alone need the playoffs to get promoted. You have to think there is a massive expectation among West Ham fans to win the playoffs and that will almost certainly produce its own pressures. They have some experienced players but added pressure in an already pressurised environment is not helpful.
West Ham take on Cardiff in the semi finals of the playoffs and Cardiff can draw experience from their run to the final of the Carling Cup earlier in the season to help them. Not only did they win a tight two legged tie but they played at Wembley in the final and couldn’t get much closer to winning. At 4/1 I certainly couldn’t put anyone off them. I just wonder if they are a bit cursed in the playoffs given what’s happened to them in recent attempts.
Birmingham and Blackpool make up the playoffs this year. Their semi final, between two sides looking for an immediate return to the Premier League, promises to be a high quality one but I just believe Blackpool might be the fresher of the two sides. Birmingham had a tiring and lengthy Europa League campaign earlier in the season and I believe adrenalin can only get you so far.
I like Blackpool. I like the way they play and I like the bravery of their manager. They have goalscorers in their side and they have players who can produce a piece of magic to turn a semi final or a final in their favour. What they also have is the experience of winning the playoffs two years ago and all of that put together makes Blackpool a dangerous outfit in this post season. Ian Holloway is excellent in these types of situations and I think his side are the bet in this season’s Championship playoffs.
Back Blackpool to win Championship playoffs for a 2/10 stake at 4.33 with Bet365
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Author: 'Arry Allsports
