Do you see Promotion to the Premier League a possibility?

[loyalroyal4life]

We'll win the league, at Carrow Road...

I still don't get that chant. Why will we do it for Simon Church, specifically?

I'm going to say top. I don't think there's a lot in it between us, Brum and Wolves, maybe Cardiff too. I don't think any team in this division has a centre back as good as Bikey, and something like that can make a big difference across the course of a season. Hahnemann is up there with the best in the league in his position, as is Matejovsky, as is Doyle, as is Rosenior, as are both Hunts, and possibly Armstrong too.

Anyone else????

[Great Knolly]

Reading, at the moment, are the best team in the division, probably by some way.

We are the best team in this division.

Is this the 2008/09 version of three worse teams?

Reading 3rd..so at this stage quite clearly they aren't the best team in the division yet. Reading on their day take some stopping in this league and are capable of beating (and easily beating) anyone in the division.

I think we are the best team now, which is why I reckon we'll finish in the top 2, probably 1st.

[Royal Rother]

In matches against other teams in the Top Half our record gives us a positive Goal Difference of 11, Wolves and Birmingham have 1 and 3 respectively.

Although our away form has been of some concern only 5 games have been won away from home in the Championship by as many as 3 goals, and we have 2 of those to our credit. And of course we also have the biggest Home win as well.

Such stats are pretty meaningless in the grand scheme of things (as points are all that matters at the end of the season) but these offer some degree of evidence that we are clearly the best team in the league on our day.

[Victor Meldrew]

In all my years of watching Reading I can never remember thinking that January would be so important to our finishing position.
It hasn't always been a worry because the transfer window didn't exist in it's current format but as I see it if between now and the end of January:-
Cardiff hang on to Joe Ledley and sign another striker
Swansea sign a centre-back and keeper
Sheff Utd continue to improve
Birmingham sign a new player on loan when anybody gets injured
Wolves sign a ball-winner and another centre-back
Burnley sign a couple
QPR appoint a new manager and sign a few
Derby players get to know each other better ,then some or all of these will be in contention.

None of this will make any difference if we keep ALL of our current squad but bring in another winger and a strong target striker to complement what we have got-then I think we will make the play-offs.
If we were to lose Doyle and Bikey I think we will struggle to make the play-offs.
Doyle has shown that he is a class apart from this level and the difference between the top clubs and the rest is the quality of strikers.
Bikey has shown that when he concentrates for most of the game he is also a class apart at this level and IMHO these players are now as important to us as Sidwell was.
If they go then our chances are greatly diminished and I (rightly or wrongly)no longer have confidence in the club's desire to keep players

[Royal Rother]

Blimey, how many ifs do you need to see us out of contention?

If Doyle and Bikey do go in January (notice you didn't mention SHunt!) then I think we will still have enough in the current squad to make the play-offs at worst, but with part of the likely £10m to come from those 2 (if sold) invested in a couple of new players (shut up Jay, just shut up) I'm confident we would have enough for Top 2 in most balanced assessors' minds.

(Of course if Brum, Sheff Utd, Wolves, QPR all go out and spend £15m each without selling anyone then that might change, but that's extremely unlikely.)

[Platypuss]

In matches against other teams in the Top Half our record gives us a positive Goal Difference of 11, Wolves and Birmingham have 1 and 3 respectively.

Although our away form has been of some concern only 5 games have been won away from home in the Championship by as many as 3 goals, and we have 2 of those to our credit. And of course we also have the biggest Home win as well.

Such stats are pretty meaningless in the grand scheme of things.

Indeed, for every stat like that there is one like - out of the 3 away games we have played against teams in the bottom 4, we have 2 points.

[Victor Meldrew]

Blimey, how many ifs do you need to see us out of contention?

If Doyle and Bikey do go in January (notice you didn't mention SHunt!) then I think we will still have enough in the current squad to make the play-offs at worst, but with part of the likely £10m to come from those 2 (if sold) invested in a couple of new players (shut up Jay, just shut up) I'm confident we would have enough for Top 2 in most balanced assessors' minds.

(Of course if Brum, Sheff Utd, Wolves, QPR all go out and spend £15m each without selling anyone then that might change, but that's extremely unlikely.)

RR,
I couldn't give a toss about Hunt-the other two are of prime importance to our team.
Do you really feel that we would have the strike power in our current squad and a centre-back fit enough to replace Bikey?
Do you really think that the club would re-invest anything significant from incoming transfer fees ?
Oh ye of greater faith than many.
Would that you are right.

[earleyroyal]

Blimey, how many ifs do you need to see us out of contention?

If Doyle and Bikey do go in January (notice you didn't mention SHunt!) then I think we will still have enough in the current squad to make the play-offs at worst, but with part of the likely £10m to come from those 2 (if sold) invested in a couple of new players (shut up Jay, just shut up) I'm confident we would have enough for Top 2 in most balanced assessors' minds.

(Of course if Brum, Sheff Utd, Wolves, QPR all go out and spend £15m each without selling anyone then that might change, but that's extremely unlikely.)

RR,
I couldn't give a toss about Hunt-the other two are of prime importance to our team.

And one of our top goalscorers and top (I think) assist-maker isn't?

[URZZ]

The way we played at Bristol City was amazing. One of my most enjoyable games in all my life.

I think we could easily win the league, we need to sort out those silly losses like Burnley into results, hopefully wins but if the losses were draws instead.

But yer we could win the league I don't see why not.. there's so long to go and we look so impossible to play against when we turn it on.

I'll go for 1st as I may as well back my post up. We can do it

January could fracture us though, let's hope we don't lose Doyler and SHunty.

[Victor Meldrew]

Blimey, how many ifs do you need to see us out of contention?

If Doyle and Bikey do go in January (notice you didn't mention SHunt!) then I think we will still have enough in the current squad to make the play-offs at worst, but with part of the likely £10m to come from those 2 (if sold) invested in a couple of new players (shut up Jay, just shut up) I'm confident we would have enough for Top 2 in most balanced assessors' minds.

(Of course if Brum, Sheff Utd, Wolves, QPR all go out and spend £15m each without selling anyone then that might change, but that's extremely unlikely.)

RR,
I couldn't give a toss about Hunt-the other two are of prime importance to our team.

And one of our top goalscorers and top (I think) assist-maker isn't?

Every penalty and nearly every corner and free-kick don't half help up the stats.

[Ian Royal]

Doyle took a penalty so not all of them have been Hunt's.

I think we'll finish 4th tbh. We seem just a little confused a fragile at times. Not quite consistent enough.But we've a great chance of making the top 2 and we probably shouldn't fall below 7th. This is almost exactly what I predicted before the start of the season.

It's going vaguely to plan so far people!

[Bubbly4Me]

Just returned from 2009 in my time machine, so can put you all out of your misery:

1st: Reading
2nd: Birmingham
3rd: Cardiff City
4th: Sheffield Utd
5th: QPR
6th: Burnley

Cardiff City 2 - 0 Sheffield Utd at Wembley

(Wolves come an embarrasing 9th)

[KC Royal]

I went yes but ive got a vision of us finishing 3rd and reaching the playoff final, which im certain we'd lose.

[Sarah Star]

Just returned from 2009 in my time machine, so can put you all out of your misery:

1st: Reading
2nd: Birmingham
3rd: Cardiff City
4th: Sheffield Utd
5th: QPR
6th: Burnley

Cardiff City 2 - 0 Sheffield Utd at Wembley

(Wolves come an embarrasing 9th)

You're setting yourself up for some real ribbing here, Bubbly.

[Ozymandias]

I think regardless of where we finish, SSC will be there next season, he's just signed a new deal.

http://www.readingfcblog.co.uk/2007/03/26/new-deal-for-coppell/

[Dirk Gently]

I think regardless of where we finish, SSC will be there next season, he's just signed a new deal.

http://www.readingfcblog.co.uk/2007/03/26/new-deal-for-coppell/

No wonder with us doing so well in the top half of the Premier League and competing for a UEFA Cup place.

[1960]

An extrapolation of our current goals scored gives a final total of 101. Hooray. Coppell is god.

An extrapolation of our current points gives 82. Boo. Coppell out.

[jack_symmons]

we could go up...our away form needs to improve if we will though

[philM]

Bookies have us as favourites to go up tied with B'ham and Wolves at 8/11, then Sheff Utd and QPR much lower at 4/1.

Looks about right to me.

I've got £50 at 8/1 (from May 2008, it's around 2/1 now) for us to win the league so fingers crossed that'll help pay for my next season ticket!

[Harry Carry]

Not a chance. Once S Hunt and Doyle go in January and perhaps someone else, the squad won't be strong enough. And its bordering on not being strong enough now.