{"id":3407,"date":"2017-05-12T14:56:15","date_gmt":"2017-05-12T14:56:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blnebeuk.serveur04.com\/blog\/?p=3407"},"modified":"2017-05-12T14:59:57","modified_gmt":"2017-05-12T14:59:57","slug":"championship-play-off-guide-predictions-betting-tips-and-preview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.netbet.co.uk\/blog\/2017\/05\/12\/championship-play-off-guide-predictions-betting-tips-and-preview\/","title":{"rendered":"Championship Play-Off Guide Predictions, Betting Tips and Preview"},"content":{"rendered":"
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As the race for promotion to the Premier League continues, we look at the four sides that are set to compete in this season\u2019s Championship play-offs. Sheffield Wednesday suffered heartbreak at Wembley last season and will want to go one step further this year, but it\u2019s all to play for.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve analysed each of the four sides and their chances of play-off success.<\/p>\n

Semi Final 1: Reading vs. Fulham<\/h2>\n

First Leg: Fulham vs. Reading \u2013 Saturday 13th<\/sup> May<\/p>\n

Second Leg: Reading vs. Fulham \u2013 Tuesday 16th<\/sup> May<\/p>\n

Reading<\/h2>\n

Final Position:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 3rd<\/sup> (85 points)<\/p>\n

Form:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 LWWLWW<\/p>\n

View from the camp:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s a great achievement by everyone. Everyone has worked hard, week in, week out. I think we deserve to be third. But now the season goes on for another three games. We\u2019ve got to keep our focus for another three games and finish the job off now. We\u2019re third in the league so of course there\u2019s going to be a good feeling around. It\u2019s a credit to all the hard work we\u2019ve put in, from the first day of pre-season until now. We\u2019ve got to keep it going now for the next three weeks.\u201d (Paul McShane)<\/p>\n

Key Man:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Yann Kermorgant: The striker has had his best season in front of goal and is very much in-form leading into the play-offs. He\u2019s scored nine goals in his last nine appearances.<\/p>\n

Fun Statistic:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 This will be Reading\u2019s sixth appearance in the EFL play-offs and fifth in the second tier. They have failed to win promotion on all six occasions, most recently losing 2-4 against Swansea in the 2010\/11 final.<\/p>\n

Promotion Odds:<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 4\/1<\/a><\/p>\n

Fulham<\/h2>\n

Final Position:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 6th<\/sup> (80 points)<\/p>\n

Form:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 WWWWDW<\/p>\n

View from the camp:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cReading finished third in the regular part of the competition. The table says they are favourites, but we are going to try and surprise them. It will be a tough two games for us and for them too. We are confident, we believe we can play good football and win the games. With this mentality, anything is possible. It is going to be a very important 180 minutes for us. I expect we are going to be competitive and show ambition and desire.\u201d (Slavisa Jokanovic)<\/p>\n

Key Man:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ryan Sessegnon: Tom Cairney has labelled him as the \u201cnext Ashley Cole\u201d and it\u2019s hard to argue against that. The 16-year old is already one of Slavisa Jokanovic\u2019s key players and he\u2019s scored seven goals in 29 appearances this season. Premier League scouts will be watching the youngster who was named in the PFA\u2019s Championship Team of the Season.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fun Statistic:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The team that finished sixth in the Championship has won promotion via the play-offs just once in the last 11 seasons, Blackpool in 2009\/10.<\/p>\n

Promotion Odds:<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 8\/5<\/a><\/p>\n

Semi Final 2: Sheffield Wednesday vs. Huddersfield<\/h2>\n

First Leg: Huddersfield vs. Sheffield Wednesday \u2013 Sunday 14th<\/sup> May<\/p>\n

Second Leg: Sheffield Wednesday vs. Huddersfield \u2013 Wednesday 17th<\/sup> May<\/p>\n

Sheffield Wednesday<\/h2>\n

Final Position:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 4th<\/sup> (81 points)<\/p>\n

Form:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 WWWWWL<\/p>\n

View from the camp:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHuddersfield are a good team, they have proved that over the season. They play good football, but so do all teams in the play-offs. I think the play-offs are different this season and each team has a 25% chance.\u201d (Carlos Carvalhal)<\/p>\n

Key Man:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Keiran Westwood: The goalkeeper is the club\u2019s Player of the Year and has kept a club record 16 clean sheets this season.<\/p>\n

Fun Statistic:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Owls have reached the finals of both play-off campaigns they\u2019ve played in (4-2 vs. Hartlepool in League One 2004\/05, lost vs. Hull in Championship 2015\/16 final).<\/p>\n

Promotion Odds:<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 5\/2<\/a><\/p>\n

Huddersfield<\/h2>\n

Final Position:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 5th<\/sup> (80 points)<\/p>\n

Form:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 WDLWLL<\/p>\n

View from the camp:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt is fantastic that we have got this far and of course I dream of what may be. However, we have got two hard legs to get through first before we can start to really dream. Everything starts at zero from now. We have a great chance to get to Wembley and then hopefully into the Premier League. It didn\u2019t really matter who we got, it wouldn\u2019t have mattered if we\u2019d have got Fulham. I think Wednesday are a good team, they have some great players like Fernando Forestieri.\u201d (Christopher Schindler)<\/p>\n

Key Man:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Aaron Mooy: The Manchester City loanee has been a revelation at the John Smith\u2019s Stadium this season. If he plays well in the play-offs, the Terriers will stand an excellent chance of gaining promotion to the top flight.<\/p>\n

Fun Statistic:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Huddersfield lost both regular league meetings against the Owls this season without scoring a goal (2-0 away in January, 1-0 at home in October).<\/p>\n

Promotion Odds:<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 14\/5<\/a><\/p>\n

Words by @dominictrant<\/a><\/p>\n

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