Opposition fans before the game

[Oilroyal]

This seems to be a more active forum for Charlton fans...

http://forum.charltonlife.com/discussio ... news-views

A lot of bias in the match predictions, but this chap seems to have his head screwed on the right way...

"5-1 Reading. They are just far far too good for us."

A lot of people think they will lose, yet predict a win.

Tbh this has all the hallmarks of a bad result for us. Charlton at 6/1 has to be worth a dabble.

Glass half full, I prefer Reading 6 Charlton 0 with skybet @ 150/1.

[DaddyKuhl]

What does it matter if we're "under the radar"? Do teams suddenly stop trying to beat us?

They may suffer from complacency or lazy / incomplete preparation.

Agree and disagree. Disagree in the fact that teams up their game against the better teams as oppose to lower their game against the worse teams. See Arsenal game in FAC last season

[JC]

I'm not just saying this because it's Brighton and they have a bee in their bonnet about us, but I really do believe they won't finish in the top 6. They've started well yes, but with the squad they have I don't see it myself. Their only plus point is Houghton who's done it before at this level.

I agree that on paper they have started well but of their 10 games so far only 3 have been against teams in the current top 10, only 1 of which (Hull) are in the top 6.
Starting with us at the end of October they have a run of 9 games of which 7 are against teams in the top 10 including 4 of the top 6. It will be interesting to see where they are after that.

[Nameless]

No one rated our chances the last time we won the league. Including some of our fans !
Sometimes a team is just better than the sum of it's parts.
But I hope Brighton do make the playoffs, and lose horribly at Wembley.

[bobby1413]

I had a dream a few nights ago that we were 4-0 during the first half.

On that basis, I'm going to say 6-0

[Angry Shed Sex]

No one rated our chances the last time we won the league. Including some of our fans !
Sometimes a team is just better than the sum of it's parts.
But I hope Brighton do make the playoffs, and lose horribly at Wembley.

I'd like them to lose really well at Wembley.

[leon]

Well Forest are massively away from challenging based on tonight's performance.
Chuckles aplenty

[bobby m's syrup]

Barcelona, sorry Brighton, really have a strangely over inflated opinion of themselves these days don't they. Looking forward to their big day out.

They used to say West Ham come down quicker than the Christmas lights.....don't think Brighton will be even top six by May. Distinctly average.

Our two clubs are actually very similar but bizarrely we're the ones who realise this but Brighton think they're massive in comparison, they have superior attendances but Brighton and Hove has nearly twice the population of Reading. We have the better academy set up.

The population figures are a tenuous guide to say the least. Granted, the so called City of Brighton & Hove has around 273,000 inhabitants, but taking Reading to its logical boundaries, thus including large tranches which fall in West Berks and Wokingham, the population rises to c 250,000. The Reading Wokingham urban area has in excess of 318,00 inhabitants. The populations of Reading Borough and Brighton, excluding Hove are almost identical at c 155,00 each.

[Ian Royal]

They've got a bigger (ancient) history, to be fair and have gone much further through the wringer much more recently. And their relocation to a big modern stadium was both more necessary and more anticipated than ours. On top of that their move coincided much more closely with their rise back towards success.

We went down the year we moved and took 3 seasons to get back up. They went up the year they moved and have been flirting with promotion on and off since, with, I think, only last season as a duffer. They look a touch further from the major London clubs that are our only real competition to draw fans away to as well..

It'll be interesting* to see how they sustain their attendance if they drop into mid-table obscurity or bottom half struggle for three to five seasons.

[Sutekh]

I'm not just saying this because it's Brighton and they have a bee in their bonnet about us, but I really do believe they won't finish in the top 6. They've started well yes, but with the squad they have I don't see it myself. Their only plus point is Houghton who's done it before at this level.

Good well organised team this year. Added a couple of "unknown" players who have really made them a more solid unit, do not underestimate them any any price. There is always a dark horse in and around the play offs no-one really rates until the last weeks of the season.

And do Brighton fans really give a toss about Reading, their rivalry is Palace.

[brighton_royal]

I'm not just saying this because it's Brighton and they have a bee in their bonnet about us, but I really do believe they won't finish in the top 6. They've started well yes, but with the squad they have I don't see it myself. Their only plus point is Houghton who's done it before at this level.

Good well organised team this year. Added a couple of "unknown" players who have really made them a more solid unit, do not underestimate them any any price. There is always a dark horse in and around the play offs no-one really rates until the last weeks of the season.

And do Brighton fans really give a toss about Reading, their rivalry is Palace.

They are a bit touchy about Reading tbf. They really, really don't like that we are a very slightly bigger club than them.

[CountryRoyal]

Most of Reading's attack come from out wide

http://downatthemac.proboards.com/threa ... ading-town

... im obviously watching a different reading.

[Vision]

I liked this one

Bunn will be the first name on the team sheet. He was all over Guthrie their international full back last season at their place. Not too bothered what 11 we shuffle out but they need the same approach as won it last season. Pressed them remorselessly up the pitch. If we allow them to pass it out easily from the back they will be all over us.

To be fair he's right about Bunn who was amongst the best opposition players I saw last season.

[tidus_mi2]

Hopefully they do press us high as it's that sort of approach we've exposed this season.

[Maguire]

I liked this one

Bunn will be the first name on the team sheet. He was all over Guthrie their international full back last season at their place. Not too bothered what 11 we shuffle out but they need the same approach as won it last season. Pressed them remorselessly up the pitch. If we allow them to pass it out easily from the back they will be all over us.

To be fair he's right about Bunn who was amongst the best opposition players I saw last season.

Yeah Bunn played really well. Was it his debut or something? Certainly young and fearless.

[From Despair To Where?]

I'd love to see them play a pressing game as we would tear them several new arseholes, but I suspect Chris Powell is aware that Adkins is no longer our manager and that we no longer play tippy tappy possession crab ball.

[Royal Ginger]

They really don't rate Norwood do they? I hope he bosses it and grabs a goal tonight.

[paultheroyal]

Most Forest fans expecting a Reading FC win and it will be the last game for Freedman. Forest are set up very defensively at mo and they expect worse come Saturday.

[siforest65]

Most Forest fans expecting a Reading FC win and it will be the last game for Freedman. Forest are set up very defensively at mo and they expect worse come Saturday.

Although set up defensively on paper, the defending is woeful. I was at Brentford on Saturday and it was pitiful with Brentford looking like they had a man advantage in our box instead of the other way round.

I predict an easy win for Reading on Saturday.

[Mr Optimist]

An easy win for Reading you say?

That only points to one thing, a meek surrender from our boys who will roll over for a 3-0 defeat and extend Dougie Howser's Forest stay by another month, sorry!