The drama and the excitement of the English playoffs is about to begin this weekend. Four teams will take part in each division, from the Championship, League One and League Two, with one of those four feeling the glory of promotion up to the next tier. It is down in League Two where we start on Thursday night, and the second League Two game is this one on Friday, between Tranmere and Forest Green.

These two know that they are just two games away from an appearance at Wembley, and three games away from the prospect of playing League One football next season. You don’t have to go too far back to find a time when these two were in the National League, and both deserve credit for getting this close.

This should be a very good opening game between the teams, although both would prefer to come into the game with slightly better form to end the season behind them, however that wasn’t to be. The playoffs and another special element to the games that we see over the coming days, and there is more to winning than just being the better team. You also have to have the right winning mentality, and you have to get the better of the game off the field. Do that, combine it with genuine skill and quality, and you have what it takes to go all the way.

What Happened During the League Season?

These two finished 5th and 6th with Forest Green just ahead, and at the end of a tough 46 game season, there was just one point separating them. Automatic promotion never really looked like an option for either team, with Forest Green finishing five points out of the race, and Tranmere a further point back. However, they have been around the playoff places at the end of everything, and fought of challengers to get their place.

If there is one negative for both teams it is recent form. When it comes to the playoffs, most other things go out of the window and both league positions and form take a back seat. However, you can’t beat a morale boosting two or three game winning run right before the playoffs start.

Forest Green ended their season with a loss and a draw in their last two games, which is not ideal, although to their credit they did have a winning streak prior to that. For Tranmere, things were much worse as they ended the season with two draws and two defeats from their last four games. That really is not ideal, and on top of that by finishing below Forest Green, they play their home game first. That could make a big difference, and the positioning of these two was in the hands of Tranmere for a long time.

What Would Both Teams Settle For From the First Leg?

While of course both teams would love to win this game, and that is what they will be trying to do, there are other things they would settle for. The pressure to win the game is certainly on Tranmere, which when you consider their lack of a win from their last four league games that has just been mentioned, puts them in a far from ideal position. Playing at home first adds more pressure and their recent run of games has not only come at a bad time for morale, but it has stopped them from claiming a higher spot in the league and being the team who plays at home second.

The picture looks very different for Forest Green, and their picture looks a lot better. They come into this game knowing they have no pressure on them in this leg, and that they don’t need to win it. With them not picking up a win in their last two games, that is a positive and it will also allow them to get a real feel for their opponents before they have to do something and go out and get a result in the second leg, which comes a few days later.

Of course they need to keep things respectable, and in an ideal world they will not lose the game, but this is not a situation where a loss means everything. A one goal defeat would keep them right in the tie here, and they would fancy their chances of turning that around at home, while a 1-0 victory for them and a one goal defeat for Tranmere would make things very tough on them to come back as they have to travel away to play with a deficit to come back from.

I love playoff football, but when you are looking at the tie, whether it is the first or the second leg of a game, it is vital you look at the bigger picture, and understand the implications of that. Be sure you know what teams want or need from a game, and what they need to avoid.

Tranmere vs Forest Green Betting Tips

The first of two games in four days for these two, and a chance to reach Wembley. Neither team hold a solid upper hand when it comes to league positions or recent form, with just one point between the two teams and both coming here without a win in their final few games.

Having said that, the makeup of this game puts a lot of pressure on Tranmere, which I see as a negative. They come here without a win in four, in front of their home fans first and playing a game that they pretty much have to win if they want to get a result. A draw wouldn’t be an awful result, but it does mean they then have to go on the road and get something at Forest Green in the second leg.

This entire situation gives an advantage to Forest Green, and while I don’t expect to see them go all out and attack Tranmere, I do expect them to cause their opponents problems. With a slight worry over their recent form, I’m not going to back Forest Green to go and win this game, but let’s remember they don’t need to. A draw would suit them better than their opponents and if we get down to the last 15 or 20 minutes with this game tied, they won’t do anything to risk their chances of getting that.

I think this will be tight, and I’m siding with the draw here, taking this game back to Forest Green on Monday with everything to play for.

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