The last meeting between the two teams was a good one, though. Could live with a repeat of that. Plus, it would have added drama owing to their financial states...winner goes up, loser goes bust.
To all the saints fans saying we are too good for Bpool / Brum and that we will cruise to promotion, alot of people were saying things like that in the pre season and Im fairly confident you guys know how that turned out. The play off Final is a lottery, we havn't been able to beat Birmingham this year (2 draws) and even though we've beaten blackpool twice, you guys found out what happens when you underistimate them and I hope we don't suffer that fate. That said , Wham Birminghan final : Both were in the same carling cup semi final, Owners have history together , Serious financial problems for the loser and a thrilling 3-3 last time we faced so it could be a very good game.
Think Birmingham will beat Blackpool and, as they beat Reading last game of season, they should have a chance in the final. However, West Ham have picked their game up towards end of season and in the matches against Cardiff, so am going for WHU.
Why do Birmingham and Blackpool play tomorrow and not today? Surely, this gives winner of first play-off an advantage in recovery time before Saturday.
Still no kind words from West Ham. Hope Bham or Blackpool give them hell in the final. Last minute penalty loss would do nicely!
So predictions for tonight. In the CH Birmingham beat Blackpool 3-0. 2. Brum have scored in all their last 16 CH games, have a player in RW Burke who has the most assists in this league, and their last 5 CH goals were scored by 5 different players, they are very strong at home where they have lost only once in the CH with 13 wins and 9 draws, and they W3 D2 of their last 5 home CH games. 3. Blackpool won only one of their last 6 away CH games losing 3. 4. King [18 goals] Burke [13], and Zigic [11] provide a real goal threat although King must surely time his runs so he runs offside less often than he stupidly did in the first leg. IN SUM - Blackpool arguably were lucky to win that first leg and at home Birmingham are taken to beat Blackpool just as they did on New Year’s Eve. Brum have won 7 of their 13 home CH wins by 2 or 3 goals including their 3-0 win over Blackpool in December so I can see Birmingham winning by at least two goals and so qualifying. What do the rest of you think?
The thing with Blackpool is, you have to stop them playing, because they do like to pass it around. If you do what we did at St Mary's, and to a lesser extent at their place, and stand off them a bit, you won't see the ball. On a good day they run rings round people. I expect Chris Hughton to set Brum up to frustrate Blackpool. For what it's worth, I would expect West Ham, with their robust and direst style, to murder Blackpool in the final, whereas they could come unstuck against against the blue-noses. That said, I thought Cardiff might give West Ham a few problems, and they patently failed to do so. Whatever happens today, I expect a trip to the Boleyn Ground next season.
"Blackpool were arguably lucky to win the first leg" I would definitely argue with that! It was all Blackpool, Birmingham were very poor. They had no attacking threat whatsoever. Solid defensively I'll admit, but they were lucky that it wasn't more than 1-0. That said, if I was to bet on who would get through tonight, my money would be on Birmingham. They are very good at home. Whichever side it is, I hope they beat the Hammers in the playoffs! I might be tempted to resurrect the "and that's how to win away" thread... Beef_Dripping, if you go to Wembley wearing your saints shirt you would be my idol, although i'm pretty sure you wouldn't make it home again...
i still think blackpool will win tonight as they have that one goal advantage.They have also got players like ince and dobbie which have got that creativity to win a game, however birmingham will want to win as it's at home, also they have got burke who is a quality player
