Nottm Forest v Blackpool - Playoff SF 2nd Leg

grenache

v


(Agg 1-2)

Tuesday May 11th, The City Ground, K.O. 7.45pm. Live on SS1.

Betting odds: Nottm Forest 8/11, Blackpool 4/1, Draw 5/2.

Match Preview

Leading 2-1 from the first leg, Blackpool travel to the City Ground, where the Lancashire club have not been beaten for 33 years. But Nottingham Forest's form there has been exceptional. Forest are unbeaten in 20 home matches, having won 17 of them. They have also gone eight home games - more than 12 hours of football - without conceding a goal.

But Blackpool, the Championship's surprise package, have won three of their last six away matches and have already beaten the Reds three times this term. Saturday's first-leg victory followed home and away victories against them during the regular season.

They - and Charlie Adam in particular - have been a thorn in the side of Billy Davies' team. Midfielder Adam has scored 18 goals this season and has netted in all three of Blackpool's victories against Forest.Adam's winner on Saturday gave Blackpool the chance to secure a trip to Wembley and kept their fans dreaming of a place in the top flight, where the club last appeared in 1971. Promotion would also see the Tangerines go from the bottom division to the top in the space of nine years.

Forest, on the other hand, are chasing a return to the Premier League after an 11-year absence and are hoping to reach a play-off final for the first time, having twice tasted defeat in the semi-finals. They are also hoping to become only the eighth second-tier side to overturn a first-leg deficit in the play-offs. The last four to do so - Crystal Palace in 1996, Sunderland in 1998, Preston in 2001 and West Ham in 2004 - all went on to lose in the final.

Team News

Guy Moussi will return to Forest's squad for the play-off semi-final after recovering from the groin problem which kept him out of the first leg.
Leading scorer Robert Earnshaw is expected to be recalled to the starting line-up by manager Billy Davies.
Blackpool boss Ian Holloway has no new injury concerns ahead of the game.
Striker Stephen McPhee and defender Danny Coid both remain sidelined, while Hameur Bouazza is still out because of a groin problem.

Match Facts

Head-to-head
• This will be the 76th meeting of these clubs. Forest have won 28 of the previous matches and Blackpool 25, with 22 drawn.
• Blackpool are unbeaten in six matches against Forest, whose last victory against them was a 2-0 win at Bloomfield Road in August 2006.

Nottingham Forest
• Forest, who finished the regular season in third place, have won one, drawn one and lost three of their five previous play-off matches.
• The club finishing third have gone on to win promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs on five occasions, including in three of the last four seasons.
• Between them, strikers Dexter Blackstock and Rob Earnshaw have scored 29 of Forest's 71 league and cup goals this season.

Blackpool
• Blackpool, who finished the regular season in sixth place, have won seven of their last nine games, and lost one of 10.
• They scored 74 goals during the regular season, making them the highest scorers competing in this season's play-offs.
• The club finishing sixth have won promotion to the Premier League on four out of 18 occasions, but not since West Ham in 2005.
• Blackpool have won 10, drawn three and lost two of the club's 15 previous matches.

grenache

Just leaving for Dublin now to catch my early morning flight to Nottingham East Mids airport. Won't be getting any sleep tonight and doubt i'll get any tomorrow night either. Forest better knock some sandcastles over or i'll be a very unhappy young man.

Jordan Berbatov

Looking forward to this match, beautifully poised.

grenache

Jordan Berbatov wrote: »

Looking forward to this match, beautifully poised.

Won't be that way for long with this man around...

gustavo

Best of luck to Seamie

That_Guy

Come on Forest!!!!

_blank_

I hope Blackpool win this one.

kinaldo

Good luck to Forest! Totally deserve promotion.

_blank_

kinaldo wrote: »

Totally deserve promotion.

What does that even mean?

If they deserved promotion they would have finished in the top 2.

That_Guy

Forest's away form really let them down this season but at home they are something else. Even beat us.... Bastids.

Fully expecting a Forest win tonight but it'll be tough. Charlie Adam is in unbelievable form for Blackpool who have been a real surprise package for me.

Gonna be a good 'un.

kinaldo

Des wrote: »

What does that even mean?

If they deserved promotion they would have finished in the top 2.

It means that over the 46 games they have clearly been the 3rd best side in the league and that I don't agree with the play-offs.

grenache

Got a right dose of the nerves now, haven't slept at all but the drink and banter with the other Forest fans here is keeping me concious. Thank god for boards mobile I'll be bold and predict a 2-0 win for us tonight. We have to beat them sometime. Our superior firepower and greater experience should see us through, i hope.

Excpect the Forest team to be something along these lines:

---

Camp

---

Gunter---Wilson--Morgan---Perch

Cohen

---

McKenna----Anderson

---

Majewski

---

----Blackstock

---

Earnshaw

---

grenache

Hilarious Ted! 5 of us Micks standing in the City Ground car park, all of a sudden ITV Central News at 6 want to do a feature with us Forest fans and we're all interviewed as part of the build up to the game. Half of us pissed as a fart.

mewso

Fingers crossed for Forest tonight.

applehunter

Whats this "pissed as a fart"

Never heard anybody say this in my life.

grenache

Fcuk, Anderson is left out. Earnshaw takes his place in a 4-4-2 formation. Was hoping Tyson would be the one to revert to the bench.

M5

Right Forest, time to do what you have done all season, win at home!

M5

that was close!

M5

So was that, Get in!

Headshot

lovely play by forest

M5

Headshot wrote: »

lovely play by forest

Two footballing sides, decent so far.

Headshot

Coleman is a fair handy player

Im_No_Superman

Seamus Coleman had been excellant for Blackpool.

applehunter

Whatever about defending, Coleman is a real handful going forward.

Can see him being in the squad for the Euros.

Eirebear

Hopefully 'Pool can get back into this, theyve been a surprise to most this season and I would love to see them rewarded with a trip to Wembley.

M5

Goalie, Goalie, Goalie!!

Podge2k7

Goal!

Eirebear

DJ Campbell is gonna be a superstar.

grenache

Blackpool are the better team. And i can see them winning it. Was Earnshaw's disallowed goal actually offside? It looked ok from where i was sat.

Helix

Eirebear wrote: »

DJ Campbell is gonna be a superstar.

hes quite sharp alright. cutting pace. would twist the knife on former clubs if he makes it though

M5

Back in the game!

Headshot

this is why i love the play offs

great matches

Eirebear

Helix wrote: »

hes quite sharp alright. cutting pace. would twist the knife on former clubs if he makes it though

Jeez i didnt realise how old he actually was tbh, he only came to my attention in the last season or so.

Good finish there by Earnshaw...gonna be a tense finish to the game now

Liam O

bad defending from Blackpool there may just cost them a trip to Wembley.

guess not lol

applehunter

1-2

Dobbie

Deserved goal.

Bob the Seducer

Goal Blackpool!

Still torn over who I want to win, I've wanted
Forest to go up for most of the season.

ctrl-alt-delete

applehunter wrote: »

1-2

Dobbie

Deserved goal.

2-2


Great build up to the goal, lucky with the deflection.

M5

Am i the only person who thinks Forest have been the better side and are unlucky not to be winning?

Edit: Super timing

Eirebear

How does away goals work in the play offs?

M5

Thats a peach, game set and match

JPA

Eirebear wrote: »

How does away goals work in the play offs?

It doesn't.

ctrl-alt-delete

that has to be it now,

what a sexy goal!

applehunter

2-3;)

DJ Campbell.

Nice buildup again.

M5

Eirebear wrote: »

How does away goals work in the play offs?

away goals do not count at all

Headshot

what a goal

blackpool totally deserves it

Bob the Seducer

Another goal for Blackpool - Campbell 2-3 now!

Oat23

Just got home lads. How has Seamus Coleman played?.

Delighted for Blackpool!

Im_No_Superman

Better team on the night are going through, Blackpool have played really well.

Was hoping at the beginning of the match for a Forest win but I hope Blackpool go on and win promotion now.

M5

No doubt now, Forest falling to pieces

Oat23

2-4 now. DJ Campbell again!

ctrl-alt-delete

Hattrick for the DJ

Fair play to Blackpool, Holloway said the team only know one way to play, sure looks it from this performance.