Playoff Preview

Time to draw breath then before the real shooting starts. A glance at the final table reflects an interesting enough picture, but as we've been reminded all too often in the past, the table doesn't lie, and irrespective of our hopes and aspirations when the season started this has been one terrific season for Forest, further analysis of which will no doubt follow in the coming weeks.

And whilst in recent weeks I've frequently bemoaned the fact that automatic promotion was slipping away from our grasp as our once impressive away form began to turn into a huge liability, it cannot be denied that if anyone had offered us third place - never mind a place in the playoffs - I'd have taken that with both hands, even if at times it looked like we were in course to go one better.

So here we are then. For the third time in eight years we prepare for the biggest rollercoaster ride of them all. Third time lucky must be on the lips of so many (myself included) as the one permutation for progression through the semis remains unfulfilled - to be heading home from the second leg with the prospect of a trip to Wembley for the ultimate showdown.

But first we've got the small matter of disposing of the one club to do the league double over us this season. One one hand it might represent many people's last choice as the club standing in our path to Wembley, and that's understandable. On the other hand there are several reasons why we should see facing Blackpool as an opportunity, and I'm not just speaking with a certain bias given my proximity to Bloomfield Road.

The fact we played there recently and in similar playing conditions to those expected in a few days time ought to at least give us an insight at what to expect. Secondly, the fact we lost there recently gives us at least a fresh notion of what Blackpool are about, and the fact they could only manage a home draw against Bristol City on the last day with so much at stake at least suggests a hint of vulnerability about them and this may yet be our chance to exploit that still further. Historically we have met with reasonable success on our trips to Bloomfield Road in recent years, unlike say Cardiff whom we struggle to score against, never mind defeat at their's or at home for that matter. For that reason I'm glad we won't have to travel there in this kind of encounter, instead just leave them and The Foxes to slug it out to leave the victor suitably softened up for us, assuming we're lying in wait for the final kill. And in Leicester's case, a semi against them is too close to home given how anything can happen in a local derby. Sure, we clocked up one of our biggest wins of the season against them before Christmas, but of course by the time we made the return trip our away form was suspect enough to inflict our biggest defeat of the season. Maybe the script is better written for a final encounter. And above all, there is always the remote possibility that Blackpool, in their knowledge of two wins over us this season could slide into complacency and leave them there for the taking. Hopeful against hope, I know, but then I can think of a club guilty of exactly that three years ago which cost them the chance of facing none other than Blackpool at Wembley - I wonder who that was?

Needless to say every single Forest fan will be keeping everything crossed in the hope of any such calamities befalling us once again, though I don't think it's unreasonable to hope for Lady Luck to put in a guest appearance for us. Blackpool certainly rode their luck last month with that dodgy penalty they conned the ref into awarding (and please, let's have some competent officials for almost the first time all season!), and they were more than lucky with their smash and grab win back in September at City Ground. So let's hope for no more Seamus Coleman/Wes Hooligan moments, instead that Charlie Adam makes Andrea Silenzi look like a goal machine, Brett Ormerod gets an attack of Forest nostalgia, and Paul Rachubka has a Pascholo-esque lapse. In short, Blackpool could only have it their way for so long, and we're not going to mind their league double over us if it's ultimately we who are making that journey to Wembley on 22nd May.

But of course it will require Forest to play their part. Some truly dazzling football (especially at home) has been offset by some frustrating failures to convert (especially away from home). It is that direct killer touch which holds the key. None of this hesitant sideways passing and allowing the opposition defence to regroup. Time and again we've hung our heads in agony at the missed chances and gone on to struggle, or worse, lose, just as we've proved unstoppable on our day when the Anderson/Majewski/Cohen machine works its magic for Blackstock and Earnshaw to take no prisoners in front of goal. Let us hope for the latter scenario in abundance over the course of the next (hopefully) three games as the seeds of BD's hard work bears fruit. Before we've even considered the amazing turnaround in the club's fortunes under Billy's command, this is a man who's truly been there, seen it, done it and experienced both playoff success and failure.

Whatever the methodology and content of BD and the squad's preparations, whatever our own hopes, fears, rituals, superstitions and the rest, here's wishing for everything to come together for us to finally overcome our dread of this mini series as our season enters its own version of extra time.

No fear. Don't Stop Believing.

Come on YOU REDS!!