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Steve Coppell confessed that his players are desperate to make a flying start to the campaign, but with Brighton, West Ham and Sheffield United the opponents in the opening three games Coppell admits the Royals haven't been handed the easiest of openings.
Last night's 4-1 pre season drubbing at the hands of Manchester City will matter little if Reading beat Brighton on Saturday, but the result hardly gave Coppell's team the morale-boosting tonic they needed ahead of a tough opening.
With four days to go until the season kicks off the Royals really need to get their house in order.
Brighton, promoted via the play-offs last season, will be desperate to open their Championship campaign with a win and thus will prove difficult opponents on the season's opening day.
Reading have tricky away games at Upton Park and Bramall Lane ahead beyond that, so Coppell is refusing to make any rash pre-season predictions.
"I don't set a target from these three games and I always just look in terms of the next game. You try to win that and the future takes care of itself," he said, speaking to the official site.
"Every team wants the first week out of the way and a good return from their first three games.
"Fate has given us three difficult ones, the first one is always hard against promoted teams trying to make an impact. As for our next two I defy anyone to pick two harder games."
Ex-Brighton boss Coppell is not sure what kind of reception he will get from Brighton supporters on Saturday.
The 48-year-old walked out on the South Coast side last October to take charge of Reading. Given that he left the club in a healthy league position, he is not expecting an Alan Pardew style backlash. Nevertheless, there is bound to be some animosity.
"I don't know for sure but I would think they think alright of me. When I went there I wasn't the most popular because of my Palace connection as that's their derby, but over the year there I think they appreciate the effort I put in."
Meanwhile, Seagulls boss Mark McGhee was at the Madejski Stadium last night to have a look at Reading in action ahead of the weekend's big game.
McGhee, the much cascaded former Royals boss, was sitting next to another ex-Reading man - Alan Pardew, now in charge of West Ham.
With Coppell's side putting in such a mediocre display both will feel increasingly confident of their team's chances against Reading.
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