What, no Toon prediction thread?

[Doyler]

Reading 2 Newcastle 1
Doyle Martins
Long

[TFF]

Really looking forward to this one. Should be a feast of attacking open football.

However.

Despite SSC's best efforts to play down our European expectations this is the most pressure there's been on Reading since the openiing day.

We'll bottle it.

0-2

[londinium]

Really looking forward to this one. Should be a feast of attacking open football.

However.

Despite SSC's best efforts to play down our European expectations this is the most pressure there's been on Reading since the openiing day.

We'll bottle it.

0-2

That is so pesimistic of you, you really astound me with your lack o faith in this great football team.

By the way, sadly, I totally agree with you!!

[rotherwick_royal]

Interesting stat - Mike Riley has sent off a Newcastle player the last two times he has reffed them, wonder if he'll make it a hat-trick? Expect lots of referee abuse with Geordie accents

Either way, I think we'll boss this one.

3 - 0

Shorey
Seol
Long

[Tilehurst End]

EP reckons we'll have Oster and Gunnarson in centre mid. so I fear the worst. Not enough pace there to cope with Dyer etc.

Reading 1 Newcastle 3

[Woodcote Royal]

EP reckons we'll have Oster and Gunnarson in centre mid.

If this is true, I would love to see it.......................suddenly I'm REALLY looking forward to tonight.

Could this be tears before bedtime for a certain fan club

[Huntley & Palmer]

Resting Harper and Sidders? Might not bother going now

[Archie's penalty]

EP reckons we'll have Oster and Gunnarson in centre mid.

If this is true, I would love to see it.......................suddenly I'm REALLY looking forward to tonight.

Could this be tears before bedtime for a certain fan club

Yawn!

[Woodcote Royal]

Ah, didums!!

[Stranded]

Resting Harper and Sidders? Might not bother going now

Still going but think resting both central midfielders is asking for trouble esp for players that have CM as their second position. Oster and Gunnar against Emre and Parker! Could see us being over run a bit in the middle.

[Woodcote Royal]

Yep, we should be playing our strongest side until the end of the season, even if one of them is about to sign for the opposition

[Hoop Blah]

I can't understand the thinking behind Harper not playing.

Surely you'll learn more about the 'fringe' players if they're playing as part of a stronger Reading side.

[Huntley & Palmer]

Bolton showed how much we missed Harper as well until his inclusion at the expense of DLC with Gunnar who moved to right back.

[Archie's penalty]

I can't understand the thinking behind Harper not playing.

Surely you'll learn more about the 'fringe' players if they're playing as part of a stronger Reading side.

While it is true we may be over-run a bit in midfield it is interesting to use the whole squad. However it goes it tells Coppell whether Oster can be used in the middle. If it goes bad Harper is there to come off the bench. My predicted team for tonight:-

Hahnemann

Halford Bikey/Doobs Ingimarsson Shorey

Seol Oster Gunnarsson Hunt

Long Doyle

[Woodcote Royal]

Bolton showed how much we missed Harper as well until his inclusion at the expense of DLC with Gunnar who moved to right back.

Did it?

I thought we played our toughest midfield at one of our toughest away fixtures and, still being just a goal down with 15 minutes to go, for once Coppell made the changes early enough for Long and Harper to do their stuff against a very tired looking Bolton......................who knows what would have happened if Harper had played the whole game.

I'm not knocking Harper but, putting aside the Sidwell issue, I would have started that midfield, too.

[Stranded]

Yep, we should be playing our strongest side until the end of the season, even if one of them is about to sign for the opposition

You want to get someone to look at your record, it seems to be broken.

Like I said dropping both Sidwell and Harper is pointless even if the former is off. Dropping Sidwell tonight makes sense as he may be off to Newcastle but to then drop our other CM as well is IMHO a very big risk. Esp as Oster and Gunna are very, very unlikely to ever play together as a midfield partnership beyond Carling Cup games.

Try one with Harper or Sidwell - playing both teaches us nothing except what may happer in a massive injury crisis (assuming Oster is even here next year).

[Woodcote Royal]

Yep, we should be playing our strongest side until the end of the season, even if one of them is about to sign for the opposition

You want to get someone to look at your record, it seems to be broken.

Much like yours, then.

[Stranded]

Yep, we should be playing our strongest side until the end of the season, even if one of them is about to sign for the opposition

You want to get someone to look at your record, it seems to be broken.

Much like yours, then.

In what way exactly?

[Woodcote Royal]

I can't understand the thinking behind Harper not playing.

Surely you'll learn more about the 'fringe' players if they're playing as part of a stronger Reading side.

While it is true we may be over-run a bit in midfield it is interesting to use the whole squad. However it goes it tells Coppell whether Oster can be used in the middle. If it goes bad Harper is there to come off the bench.

And here we agree, spot on.

[Archie's penalty]

I can't understand the thinking behind Harper not playing.

Surely you'll learn more about the 'fringe' players if they're playing as part of a stronger Reading side.

While it is true we may be over-run a bit in midfield it is interesting to use the whole squad. However it goes it tells Coppell whether Oster can be used in the middle. If it goes bad Harper is there to come off the bench.

And here we agree, spot on.

Well at least we agree on something . I just hope as I said before that we are not over-run. I really want a European place now...