Swansea v Nottingham Forest betting (aggregate 0-0) will play itself to a conclusion in the Championship Play Off Semi final. The first leg at Forest was marred in a way by a red card shown to Swansea’s Neil Taylor in the very first minute of play. What that meant was that Swansea were forced into a more defensive game, and it was up to Nottingham Forest to find a way through. But the away team put in some marvellously resolute defending, and held their own for a 0-0 draw. They managed to limited Forest to very few chances, and that defensive strength which Swansea showed, has been a feature of their season really. Over the regular season of the Championship, Cardiff had the second best defensive record there. So while Forest had finished the season with a goal scoring flourish to book their play off place, it was Swansea who will feel like they have an advantage now after having held out for so long with ten men. With the second leg back at the Liberty Stadium, on Monday, May 16th, the Welsh side, managed by Brendan Rodgers, should be favourites really in your Swansea v Nottingham Forest Championship Play Off Semi final second leg betting. Their excellent resiliency in the first leg should give them something to build upon, because at the very least it was a moral victory. When the two sides met at the Liberty in the Championship regular season, the home side won 3-2, which a response to the 3-1 defeat they had suffered earlier in the season away at Forest. So it is all level pegging, but will the home advantage or the experience of Forest in play off situations pull through.
Forest boss Billy Davies knows that the red card for Swansea made it much harder for his side to score. That is generally the natural way games go when a team is down to ten. They defend much more resolutely. So, with Swansea and their good passing game expected to be in full effect on Monday, Forest may get a bit more space to launch counter attacks. That may be the best way to prevail in Swansea v Nottingham Forest Championship Play Off Semi final second leg betting. Forest crashed out of the play offs last season in the semi finals as Blackpool got the better of them. Forest, who netted fourteen goals in their last four matches of the season, has to try and find a way through the lean Swansea defence, who have now have collected three clean sheets in four of their last five matches now. History really doesn’t look to be on the side of Nottingham Forest, as the midlands club have only won one of their last seven play off matches, so their fans will have a certain amount of hesitancy when it comes to optimism. There is a feeling that Forest may have blown their chance after the first leg, because while their away form has been solid enough in the Championship, including wining their last two, looking at Swansea’s home form over the course of the season, where they won fifteen out of their 23 matches and losing just three, they will be hard to break down. Swansea netted 41 goals and conceded just 11 over the course of the regular season. They are also unbeaten in their last eight home matches, so going strong.
Tip: Forest have their work cut out, and the stylish Swansea way really should come up trumps on home turf.
Swansea v Nottingham Forest Championship Play Off Semi final second leg betting odds
Swansea to win: Evens at Totesport
Draw: 5/2 at Victor Chandler
Nottingham Forest to win: 16/5 at Victor Chandler
Championship Play Off Promotion Betting:
Swansea: 15/8 at Stan James
Cardiff: 5/2 at Paddy Power
Reading: 10/3 at William Hill
Nottingham Forest: 9/2 at Bet365
