Championship Playoffs Semi-Final L1

[MickeyPaul]

09 May 19:45
Southend v Doncaster 2.20 3.20 3.10

12 May 19:45
Leeds v Carlisle 1.80 3.25 4.33
Odds from Bet365

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[MickeyPaul]

Bristol City Crystal Palace 1:1 Mon 18-02-2008
Crystal Palace Bristol City 2:0 Sat 19-01-2008

Hull City Watford 3:0 Sat 29-03-2008
Watford Hull City 1:0 Sat 20-10-2007

[Scottieboy08]

City look so appealing at 4.33, but they've only taken 7 points from the last 8 so maybe not so good. I think Palace aren't that attractive at 1.83 though, might leave that one alone.

Watford are another team who have stumbled into the play-offs. Only 6 points from 24 for them, Hull have taken 16. I think Hull could win this game and the tie. At 3.25, I think there's solid value there.

[kompressaur]

Watford v Hull stinks of a low scoring 1-1 type of game to me and not one i owuld be betting on. Best prices are-

12:15 Crystal Palace (5/6) Draw (9/4) Bristol C (10/3)
12:00 Watford (6/5) Draw (9/4) Hull (9/4)

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And i can't find the best ofdds to qualify

[Scottieboy08]

Originally Posted by kompressaur

Watford v Hull stinks of a low scoring 1-1 type of game to me and not one i owuld be betting on.

I can't disagree that it could happen, I think Hull are playing much better football than Watford this season and that will equate into a 1-0/2-1 type win for them.

[Cinny]

I'm liking the 8/13 available in the local for crystal palace to prgress to the final, super bet in my opinion. Palace have been playing great stuff recently. im also going to get on them to win their home game.

[ScorpioRed]

I can't agree with B City to be appealing at any price.... Definitely not at least according to their latest performances... Yes, they've had great seasons so far going up through leagues, but their are still not the top of the Championship and Crystal is a team with much more experience and strength. The price for Crystal Palace is a surprise to me as I did not expect anything more then 1.6-7.. I am sure it will go down quite soon.

[Scottieboy08]

You think there's value at 1.83 on Palace then Scorpio?

[keemanan]

Best price 11/13 on Canbet scottie and I agree with scorpio and cinny that Palace look stand out to progress and win.

Everything really is in their favour I feel , they have the manager with the experience , they have a strong side on good form , they have the crowd behind them with their momentum.Bristol have over achieved and will be more than delighted with their efforts this season.

[Scottieboy08]

OK Keem/Scorpio/Cinny I'll add that

[Martens]

its funny to see bristol city fighting for the promotion!

how many "derby counties" we shall see in premiership? i dont know, what i know is that crystal palace is huge favourite in my eyes, price @1.8 too good to be missed

see you

[kompressaur]

Crystal Palace v Bristol City

Neil Warnock will have drilled into his players the need for them to head to the West Country with a first leg lead, and while they won't have it all their own way the Eagles should be expected to edge this one.

It is a well know fact that Palace head into the play-offs on the back of a fine run of form in the league, and the 5-0 stuffing of Burnley on the final day of the season was a statement of intent if ever there was one.

However, having had very little pressure on them in their relentless charge to the play-offs, they are now seen by many as the side to beat and what effect that could have on the players only time will tell, and while they have to be feared and are playing more than well enough to win this one, Eagles fans should right off City at their peril.

Bristol City have not occupied top spot and a place in the play-offs for large parts of the season by being a bad team, and while Gary Johnson will be disappointed his side lost out on the top two after a poor finish to the season, a final day drubbing of Preston at Ashton Gate will have helped matters and they will head to the capital determined to put up the same sorts of performances which have made them tough to play against all season.

There is no question that the Robins will have to play pretty special to leave Selhurst Park with a win, or maybe a draw, but all season they have been tough to beat and very rarely get spanked and with that in mind and Johnson eager to make sure they are still in the game come the second leg, backing Palace to win this one 2-1 might not be the worst bet in the world.

Watford v Hull

Watford are in absolute freefall at the moment and look a shadow of the team that roared into a nine point lead earlier in the season, and while they might not lose this opening leg in front of a packed house, backing Hull to head back north with a solid draw looks the best bet.

Ever since the departure of Marlon King to Wigan the Hornets seems to have lost all of their sting and with Nathan Ellington once again failing to impress and Darius Henderson not looking the player he was at the start of the season, Watford in the end were very lucky even to make the top six.

With just two wins coming from their last 15 games and the likes of relegated Scunthorpe winning at Vicarage Road two weeks ago, Aidy Boothroyd will have it all to do if he is to change things around now, and he will know that his side will be up against a Hull side who have improved dramatically since the turn of the year.

Phil Brown has done a superb job at the KC Stadium and has organised them into a well-drilled unit who know how to defend and how to hurt teams at the other end, and having finished third in the league the Tigers will be determined to now go on and complete the job.

Despite the fact Hull finished above Watford, all of the pressure seems to be on the Hornets as they look to bounce straight back to the Premiership, and this could play straight into the hands of this underrated Hull side, and while Brown would love a win, he will set his team up not to get beat as he knows how well they have been playing at the KC all season.

Bettingzone

[Cinny]

Im getting stuck ito Palace tomorrow to win in 90 minutes 5/6 in the local. seems a good few of us will be on it so good luck to us all!!

[EasternFox]

I don't know if there's any statistical backup for what about to write, but this is just what I know from experience. The playoffs became a way of life for Leicester in the 1990s (we were in four and got to the final every time) but the first time was completely unknown territory. Everyone connected with Hull City's going to be experiencing that nervous, excited feeling right now. Watford have been there, done it and bought the T-shirt. I know Watford's recent form is wretched, but I just fancy them to sneak through simply because they've been through the intense playoff experience before. I always try to justify my ideas with stats but I can't this time, as I said it's just a gut feeling.

[Cinny]

simply terrible today by Palace thought theyd be much better however Bristol did score two screamers. Still i fancy Palace to progress and win the next leg