The promotion playoffs are here and first blood has already been drawn. Barnsley playing at home, lost 1-0 to visiting Swansea then Brentford playing away in the first leg of the semis, lost to AFC Bournemouth by the same margin. Whereas the defeat for Barnsley was expected, given their low budget compared to the other top-six sides in the Championship, Brentford’s was a surprise.
It wasn’t just that, but also a stark reminder of the bad record they have with the playoff system in the English football structure. Brentford has never been promoted through the playoff system and it is no wonder they really pushed towards the end of the regular season to get an automatic promotion slot.
Last season, Brentford got to the final of the promotion playoffs but lost to Fulham in what would be the ninth time they’ve failed to rise up the tiers of English football through playoffs. They have actually never risen through playoffs and hold the record for most failed attempts. Having gone to the playoff semis with the best run of form among the four, it wasn’t expected they’d struggle against a team they had just beaten a few weeks before.
That is why their fans’ hearts sunk when Arnaut Groeneyeld scored a 55th-minute opener for the hosts. This is still an open contest though, and Brentford can still turn things in their favor like it was the case last season. They opened with a 1-0 semi-final loss to Swansea before turning it around to win 3-1 in the return leg through a loss in the final saw them miss top-flight football.
https://twitter.com/BrentfordFC/status/1394972187698810883
Bournemouth, who will have the slim advantage going to the away fixture, is eyeing a return to the Premier League at the first time of asking. After seeing Norwich and Watford go up, having been relegated together, they may have the sign they need in this.
There will also be the other game these two sides will be following, to see their potential opponents in the final – Swansea hosting Barnsley, with the Swans holding the advantage from the first leg.
The return legs of the semi-finals will definitely be in focus, with the Wincomparator will definitely have the previews, bookmakers, and the best football odds and these playoffs are sure to feature prominently.
Of the four teams that advanced to the playoffs, perhaps Barnsley will be the least hurt if they miss the Premier League chance, and most of it will have to do with their expenditure for the season.
They didn’t make big money moves for the season and credit to manager Valerien Ismael for taking the team to a sixth-placed finish after struggling to stay in the Championship last season.
Swansea and Brentford were here last season and Swansea, in particular, have invested quite handsomely in the squad and their top players have lived to the billing, including Andre Ayew, who scored in the first leg semi-final win over Brentford last season. For these two, missing out on top-flight action is going to cause big pain too.
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