What the pundits think about Reading this season

[Lucky Libran]

I think now is the right time for someone to post last seasons prediction from the News of the World in all its glory.

[Adz1871]

I think now is the right time for someone to post last seasons prediction from the News of the World in all its glory.

Priceless

Best Quote - " Although Reading have already booked a place in the 2007-08 Championship ... "

[Chaney]

Be intersting to see if Antony Kastrinakis (nice English name BTW) writes anything about us in tomorrows NOTW, or maybe hes already out of a job for being a shit pundit

[From Despair To Where?]

No, he'll be bigging up Sunderland and Birmingham. Remember Chopra must be good, he cost £5m and the sun shines out of Golden Bollocks Keano's arse. He couldn't possibly blow that much money on a shit player now, could he?

[mzungu_royal]

No, he'll be bigging up Sunderland and Birmingham. Remember Chopra must be good, he cost £5m and the sun shines out of Golden Bollocks Keano's arse. He couldn't possibly blow that much money on a shit player now, could he?

Not according to the NOTW. I bet they'll be having Sunderland for Europe and us for a drop.

[Coppelled Streets]

This can be a thread where the "experts" give their predictions and views on us for the new season starting with Eurosport.

POSITIVES: Unlike many other teams this summer, Reading have not broken the bank on the transfer market, although they did pay a club record fee of £2.5 million for Emerse Fae from Nantes. The promising Khalifa Cisse has also been brought in to strengthen the midfield, but this year could belong to Leroy Lita, who is not far from becoming a quality striker.

NEGATIVES: The spectre of 'second season syndrome' is hanging over the Madejski Stadium and despite Coppell's insistence that his club will not spend big money on new players, he may soon have to concede or run the risk of getting left behind. And should Lita not build on his impressive performances in an England Under-21 shirt over the summer, Reading look rather lightweight up front.

VERDICT: The aim will be to consolidate their place as a top flight team, and there is nothing to suggest they are not capable of achieving that goal. A challenge for a European place is unrealistic however.

I think that's spot on to be honest.

[2.8 lita injection]

Manager: Steve Coppell (since October 2003). Odds on first out the job: 28-1


Last season: 8th, 55 points; FA Cup fifth round; Carling Cup third round


In: Emerson Fae (Nantes, ï½£2.5m); Kalifa Cisse (Boavista, ï½£1m)
Out: Greg Halford (Sunderland, ï½£3m); Steve Sidwell (Chelsea, free)


Steve Coppell did me proud. Like my colleague Adam Fraser I backed the Royals to stay up last season and I have little hesitation in suggesting they will repeat the feat.

Much has been made of the loss of Steve Sidwell, but his preference for becoming one of Roman's toy soldiers over being a footballer does him little credit and once his head was turned Reading were better off without him.

The key to their success perhaps lay in their years of failure. True, Sheffield United had similarly battled and battled and finally triumphed yet still got relegated. But when Coppell's team were promoted at last it was by a landslide margin and if you look at most people's predictions the Blades as well as the Royals exceeded expectations in terms of points.

Coppell knew his squad inside out and how to bring the best out of them. They have not been able to secure the summer signings they may have wished for and it is important that they stay largely injury free due to a lack of strength in depth.

Second-seasonitis comes in many forms. Some believe that referees let them off lightly last season - if so, will that change. Reading may find officials less forgiving this season, but you do not pick up the fewest bookings in the division by being a dirty team and there is no reason to expect discipline to slip.

Another reason to expect Reading to do well again is that they have keep all their goalscorers. Leroy Lita is getting better all the time. Kevin Doyle is only a year older than Lita and Dave Kitson is 27. Most key outfielders are younger than that.

Last term, Reading fans were in dreamland. If this season does work out as Coppell will be planning, then he could be laying the foundations for years of amazement.

John Madejski has done so much for the club that it is easy to forgive him naming the ground after himself (just as I would forgive Middlesbrough's chairman if that club's ground was called the Gibsondrome). The man whose fortune was based on Auto Trader is now planning to expand the ground to 38,000. He may still be open to new investors, but he will be offering them a club with a large and largely uncontested catchment area and in the south-east of the country.

If there is one blot on the landscape for Coppell it is the opening fixtures. First a visit to the club where he made his name as a player, Manchester United. Then the visit of Chelsea. No doubt the local hospital will be on standby for that visit. Their lawyers too, perhaps, in case they need to issue writs for slander.

After that come Everton and a trip to Bolton - so four games out of four in August against teams that qualified for Europe. West Ham at the Madejski on 1 September hardly provide a respite, given the money they have spent.

None the less, I expect Coppell to take enough from these matches to suggest that Reading, eighth in their first ever season in the top flight, will be there or thereabouts next May.

That seems a pretty accurate without being cliche ridden.

[Royal Soupanoodle]

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/reading-1052160.html

Best case scenario: Losing best midfielder and not adding to the squad proves a master-stroke by Steve Coppell. The phrase 'second season syndrome' never mentioned. Leroy Lita turns out to be as good as he thinks he is.


Worst case scenario: Kevin Doyle, Stephen Hunt and Shane Long ruled out with hand injuries after a friendly puck-around turns nasty. Front three of Glen Little, Shane Long and Simon Cox forced to wear Christian names on jerseys after club fined for indecency.

IN

Kalifa Cisse (undisclosed)

Emerse Fae (£2.5m)

OUT

Greg Halford (£3m)

Jonathan Hayes (undisclosed)

Steve Sidwell (free)

[UpNorth]

Mail on Sunday:

'They won't do a Wigan and have a difficult second season. Their success was built on spirit, organisation, discipline and the ability to score goals - and that will not change. They have lost Steve Sidwell and not spent a lot, but they will be top half again: another great achievement.

Plus point: Steve Coppell - he has a way with players

Nagging doubt: Injuries and suspensions could leave the squad a little thin.'


Hear hear!!

[Chaney]

Kenny Dalglish gives a good balance write up in the NOTW, as us in 13th

http://notw.typepad.com/extratime/2007/ ... .html#more

[Hogmeister Royal]

From the 442 season preview, sponsored by Setanta, so their pundits all get a go at crystal-ball gazing...

Reading's predicted finish is:
442: 13th
Les Ferdinand: 13th
Angus Scott: 12th
Tim Sherwood: 15th
Emmanuel Petit: 15th
Steve McManaman: 18th
According to the bookies: 14th/15th
Reading Fan:14th

Never did like Steve McManaman anyway!

[UpNorth]

From Sqaure football (who?)

After an excellent debut in the Premiership last term, the fear for Reading is that they could come down with a bout of "second-season syndrome". That seems unlikely given the steadying influence of Steve Coppell at the helm and the fact that Steve Sidwell has been the only major departure over the summer, with the majority of the first team squad having extended their contracts over the past year. The signings of Kalifa Cisse and Emerse Fae will hopefully compensate for the loss of Sidwell, but a top-notch central defender wouldn’t go amiss. With so many of their Premiership peers spending heavily over the summer, Reading will do phenomenally well to match last season’s top 10 finish. Even so, they should still be more than capable of securing a season of mid-table stability.



Stadium: Madejski Stadium (24,045)

Manager: Steve Coppell

Transfers In: Andre Bikey (Lokomotiv Moscow); Kalifa Cisse (Boavista); Emerse Fae (Nantes)

Transfers Out: Steve Sidwell (Chelsea); Greg Halford (Sunderland); Jonathan Hayes (Leicester City); Curtis Osano (Rushden & Diamonds); Curtis Ujah (Yeovil Town); Scott Davies (Aldershot); Alan Bennett (Southampton)

2006/7 record:

Home Away

W D L F A W D L F A PTS POS

11 2 6 29 20 5 5 9 23 27 55 8

Prediction: 13th

[1871 Royal]

I would be really happy with 13th.

Love the Independant's comments, made me chuckle.

And a HUGE LOL @ News Of The WoROFLLOLd

[Yorkshire Royal]

Be intersting to see if Antony Kastrinakis (nice English name BTW) writes anything about us in tomorrows NOTW,

Nice English name btw? My god, your xenophobia leaves me speechless. What has that got to do with anything? Why not comment on Kenny Dalgleish? It is after all, not an English name either...

[anR]

This is stuck on my office wall!

[Ian Royal]

Be intersting to see if Antony Kastrinakis (nice English name BTW) writes anything about us in tomorrows NOTW,

Nice English name btw? My god, your xenophobia leaves me speechless. What has that got to do with anything? Why not comment on Kenny Dalgleish? It is after all, not an English name either...

I'm glad I wasn't the only one who thought that was a dodgy comment

[frimleygreen_shotspur]

the casual racism and xenophobia is part and parcel of this seemingly right wing dominated portal.democracy in action i guess.

[floyd__streete]

the casual racism and xenophobia is part and parcel of this seemingly right wing dominated portal.democracy in action i guess.

Well, you know where the door is.

[frimleygreen_shotspur]

the casual racism and xenophobia is part and parcel of this seemingly right wing dominated portal.democracy in action i guess.

Well, you know where the door is.

and that excuses it?

[dean horrix legend]

This is stuck on my office wall!

The odds in the NOTW are only 1000-1 this year!!