andrew1957
Of course I was wrong last year - I was not suggesting otherwise.
hmmm.
andrew1957 Football is a game of opinions and I do not believe the 02/03 side was a patch on the current one and equally do not think that 94/95 was the same standard as the current squad. The current squad includes many players with two years PL experience who helped the side achieve 8th place. We have several good youngsters coming through who may well become PL players of the future. Additionally we have players like Matejovsky, Bikey, Rosenior, Kebe and N Hunt who have since been added and "may" if given a chance, become the stars of this season and beyond.
Having said this I realise that tactics, player selection, injuries etc all play a part. In 2005/6 we had few serious injuries and a very tight squad which may well not be the case this time, but taking everything into account I see no reason why another promotion cannot be achieved this season.
It's interesting that you focus a lot on the players. Perhaps, if you start from that position, you're inevitably going to think very highly of this team, because it contains so many of the squad that has done so well in recent years. My viewpoint is shaped slightly more by the feeling that a squad is going places - I think that the Reading teams of the past 15 years have shown the importance of momentum, and how easy it is to lose it.
Of course nothing in football is certain but my "opinion" is that this is the second best squad we have ever had. If they achieve automatic promotion they undoubtedly will prove they are.
Given that the 94-95 team finished 2nd by a whisker, I hope that you won't mind me pointing out that your second sentence doesn't really hold up.