Post-Match Thread and Ratings Leyton Orient 2-0 Southend Utd

[Barling Magna]

To be honest we were second best in every department last night. We looked drained of energy and enthusiasm. Orient had two excellent performers in Wilkinson and Akinola and their whole team were really up for it. In truth they performed against us just as we had performed against Colchester.

Even if the Newport game goes ahead I would be inclined to accept defeat there in order to seek victory against Barrow, Grimsby, Mansfield and Bradford with fresher legs. Thus I would leave Hart, Akinola, Demetriou, Hobson and Olayinka out of the team completely on Saturday.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Undoubtedly missed some steel in midfield, no Macca, no Kyle Taylor meant we were seriously weak. We also missed the protection down Sam Hart's wing, meaning he was constantly exposed and under pressure and couldn't play his normal game.

All the players we'd been enthusing about over recent games - Dieng, Hobson, Olayinka (Ollylinky!), Nathaniel-George, Egbri, even Hart - seemed to go missing collectively, which was a shame. We might have coped with an off form one or two, but not so many.

We did manage to hold our own, despite less possession, in the 1st half, but the pressure paid off for Orient in the 2nd half - aided by an incompetent ref. I really hope an official complaint is made about the distance he made the wall stand back for Orient's 1st goal, that was totally ridiculous. Not to detract from the goal though, which was very well taken, but it rattled us and we simply failed to recover. Add in the bizarre substitutions - if you're taking John White off, then why not put Halford on for him? I struggle to understand the continued introduction of Richard Taylor, what he brings to the game - can anyone help?

A shame to finish the year on a loss after such a good month, especially when so many results went against us. Hopefully we can get the missing players fit and necessary contract extensions in place. Credit to Orient for a professional job well done.

Oxley - 6, another girly flap and kicks didn't seem to find targets
Bwomono - 6.5, ok
White - 6.5, solid
Hobson - 6, disappointing after some great performances
Hart - 6, exposed and made a few errors, did make a goal line clearance
Egbri - 6.5, tried
Demetriou - 6, get him off the dead balls please, he can't take them
Dieng - 6, sadly disappointing
Olayinka - 6.5, didn't look fit
Nathaniel-George - 6.5, some good work early on but faded badly
Akinola - 7.5, MOTM, kept going and tried hard

Subs:
Walsh for ANG - 6.5, didn't really notice him when he came on other than some battling
R Taylor for White - 6, brought nothing
Halford for Olayinka - n/a - just thought this was an odd substitution

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

To be honest we were second best in every department last night. We looked drained of energy and enthusiasm. Orient had two excellent performers in Wilkinson and Akinola and their whole team were really up for it. In truth they performed against us just as we had performed against Colchester.

Even if the Newport game goes ahead I would be inclined to accept defeat there in order to seek victory against Barrow, Grimsby, Mansfield and Bradford with fresher legs. Thus I would leave Hart, Akinola, Demetriou, Hobson and Olayinka out of the team completely on Saturday.

Hobson, really? Trouble is, we’re sending out patched up teams reliant on loanees and a couple of old wily pros in White and McCormack (who surely we must retain til summer). We’re gonna lose games, we’re gonna be up and down. We can beat all teams in L2 on our day but they can also beat us. A few signings with the longer term in mind is what’s needed and fast. To be in touch at Christmas is great work by MM and the team but our squad depth is lacking and we’re juggling plates on a game by game basis. On last night’s evidence we need a younger Macca and a goalscorer in my opinion. You boss midfield and win the second balls and press and it seems to work in this league but we seriously struggled without Macca and KT.

 

[Whispering Bob]

Oxley - 6, another girly flap and kicks didn't seem to find targets

I noticed most his kicks were flat last night, in fact most of our cross-field passes and corners were too - down to the boggy pitch?

 

[OldBlueLady]

I noticed most his kicks were flat last night, in fact most of our cross-field passes and corners were too - down to the boggy pitch?

I did wonder, but then Demi was on corners (never good). The pitch didn't look great when they did close ups, like when they walked off at half time.

 

[Rayleigh boy]

what was peoples view on Oxley for the free kick .. ?

 

[Supa Shrimpa]

Your Full Back, Sam Ling. Any relation to Martin Ling ?

 

[Chalky]

Your Full Back, Sam Ling. Any relation to Martin Ling ?

Indeed there is, Sam is Martins son.

 

[Zeuss]

Back to last place one point behind Stevenage, and, four behind Grimsby, Barrow and Mansfield. Thank goodness for our five match unbeaten run otherwise things would be looking impossible. Nevertheless, avoiding relegation will not be easy, and, I doubt if it can be done unless more reinforcements arrive.
The situation is complicated by the fact that we do not yet know the long term status of Olayinka and Kyle Taylor. It would be a serious blow to our survival prospects if we were to lose both when their loan periods expire.
Unlike most on here I feel our most pressing need is at least one more midfielder. This is because we look so much less competitive when Macca or KT do not play, Was this a major reason for our fall in performance last night? I would say it was, and, it was interesting that the stats gave us only 31% possession. If either Macca, KT or both, had played I suspect we would have had a good deal more of the ball.
Macca has so far played six times for us this season, but, over the last six years has only played 100 games and 50 in the last three. That rounds off at something like sixteen to seventeen games a season. We have twenty six games to play, and, Macca might only turn out in twelve of them, at the most. Of course, this is just a projection and it could be that he is a regular from now on, That would be a happy bonus but common sense demands we plan for a less happy outcome.
We need to find some midfield reinforcement(s) urgently. And that this even if we are able to renew Kyle Taylor's loan. While signing a twenty goal striker would be handy no one will score prolifically for us if we are overrun in midfield game after game.
If we are unable to field Kyle Taylor and/or Macca on a regular basis for the rest of the season it will be very hard for us to stay up. Signing at least one more competent midfielder is a must.

Very disappointing performance all round last night,but best to remember (difficult to forget) there are far more depressing things to worry about at present .
But you are right,it was central midfield where we lost it completely.Sympathies for MM—having to play there: Dieng—we’ve known for a long time that he’s inadequate in midfield and he’s been playing excellently at the back,establishing with Hobson the strong partnership we desperately need.
Demi who is still a very good player, but does most of his best work wide right—at RB or right midfield.
And Olayinka,clearly not fully fit.
Only 3 of our players performed at all well—Oxley,Hobson and ANG.
And yes,reinforcements needed .

 

[Supa Shrimpa]

Indeed there is, Sam is Martins son.

Oh, nice one ! cheers

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Of our 6 men in midfield and attack at least half aren't properly fit yet (Nathaniel-George, Olayinka and Akinola), one is I think limited in training and needs to be managed (Demetriou). Our players off the bench were someone on their league debut, someone with 6 starts to their name and a 36 year old who hasn't started a game for nearly 3 years (his last start 25 February 2018)

The good news is that we now don't have a midweek game until 19th January and by that time Akinola and ANG should be fully fit and ready to play 90 minutes - hopefully Olayinka will still be here and will have recovered by then, ditto Kyle Taylor.

Saturday is now a huge game (assuming it goes ahead). We've been on a good run which has seen confidence return. Will a defeat destroy that confidence? If one defeat doesn't, will two defeats in a row - here's hoping we don't get the chance to find out.

 

[Evening Echo]

SOUTHEND United fans have their say on Tuesday night's 2-0 defeat at Leyton Orient.

Read more on this story


Help with Echo links

 

[OldBlueLady]

what was peoples view on Oxley for the free kick .. ?

No real complaints about the free kick, but we did think he could have done better for the 2nd.

 

[in the know]

I did wonder, but then Demi was on corners (never good). The pitch didn't look great when they did close ups, like when they walked off at half time.

Usually agree with most of your thoughts OBL ? but I think Hart for his left foot swingers (same for Clifford ) and demi are the best we have at landing the ball on a sixpence. There's been quite a few set piece corners where the balls been placed pinpoint onto maccas or others boot on the edge of the D by JD. Agree they weren't the best last night though.
They clearly work on set ups, deliveries, signals etc between them at B&L, and we seem miles ahead of where we were 6 mins ago. Although we didn't trouble them last night I think we will more often than not.
Spot on about the subs I thought .....

 

[Zeuss]

what was peoples view on Oxley for the free kick .. ?

Nothing whatsoever he could do about that.
If it’s hit hard for the top corner,it’s virtually unreachable—particularly from that close in.
As we see in the Premiership,tall players jumping high,10m distant,make it exceedingly difficult to score,even for the likes of DeBruyne.
The referee making our wall stand 13-14m away made it relatively easy for McAnuff.

 

[Zeuss]

No real complaints about the free kick, but we did think he could have done better for the 2nd.

More nonsense,as per usual.
The alternative to getting out very quickly and throwing himself down to try and block the shot,would have been to stay put and watch Wilkinson smash it past him—either side! —from very close range.

 

[Barry.C]

Personally I was instantly surprised to see Oxley come charging out when it was obvious he was never going to get anywhere near the ball and be comfortably chipped. In part to be fair he has come out quite a few times like that and been very good and got the timing right and also had the odd slice of luck as well, deserved, so must have thought it would pay off But this time it looked like a mad idea

Wilkinson was being caught up and the Ox is a big bloke, all about opinions ,but for me, this was one to stay back for

 

[Jonny_Stokes]

Loose collection of thoughts:

- Akinola’s all-round game is generally up to League standard, but his movement in and around the box isn’t clever enough. Wont score many until it improves.

- Egbri should be on loan in the Conference South, not starting league games.

- Hadn’t seen ANG play before and he definitely has something about him. Good acceleration and prepared to carry the ball. Could be a useful piece going forward.

- John White is the only player in that particular 11 who can tackle. Completely agree with those who were saying how uncompetitive you looked in the middle of the park without K Taylor/that tosser McCormack, but frankly I think that was the case all over the park. Not sure Hart managed one all night.

- What has happened to Bwonomo? Thought he looked a promising player a couple of years ago but last night he was terrible. Dreadful positioning, incapable of timing a tackle and didn’t give Egbri any support.

- When I did my ratings earlier in the thread, I only had 10 players down. I thought. And I thought. Eventually I checked your Twitter feed. Step forward Timothee Dieng. Anonymous.


Final musings:

Comparing you to our team that finished rock bottom a few years back there are a number of similarities: Behind the scenes melodrama. A manager with next to no experience (though that’s better than about 8 managers with next to no experience). An over-reliance on inexperienced players and a corresponding lack of players in their prime. A good, experienced keeper getting pelters from the fans when he’s repeatedly hung out to dry. An overwhelming lack of physical strength. For John White, see Tom Parkes. For Demi, see Michael Collins.

On the brighter side, your off-field problems are definitely less pronounced and the side clearly hasn’t downed-tools like ours did. You have a degree of defensive organisation but I couldn’t work out what you were trying to do as an attacking force. The biggest disadvantage compared to that Orient side is that you have far less talent in attacking positions (Steven Alzate now a full Colombian international at Brighton, Josh Koroma Huddersfield’s top scorer, Sam Dalby is at Watford, Victor Adeboyejo has been scoring for Barnsley & Tristan Abrahams has 8 goals for Newport) and I can’t see where the goals are going to come from.

Big January for you with plenty of fellow strugglers on the slate and a good transfer window needed.

 

[Stuart W]

Loose collection of thoughts:

- Akinola’s all-round game is generally up to League standard, but his movement in and around the box isn’t clever enough. Wont score many until it improves.

- Egbri should be on loan in the Conference South, not starting league games.

- Hadn’t seen ANG play before and he definitely has something about him. Good acceleration and prepared to carry the ball. Could be a useful piece going forward.

- John White is the only player in that particular 11 who can tackle. Completely agree with those who were saying how uncompetitive you looked in the middle of the park without K Taylor/that tosser McCormack, but frankly I think that was the case all over the park. Not sure Hart managed one all night.

- What has happened to Bwonomo? Thought he looked a promising player a couple of years ago but last night he was terrible. Dreadful positioning, incapable of timing a tackle and didn’t give Egbri any support.

- When I did my ratings earlier in the thread, I only had 10 players down. I thought. And I thought. Eventually I checked your Twitter feed. Step forward Timothee Dieng. Anonymous.


Final musings:

Comparing you to our team that finished rock bottom a few years back there are a number of similarities: Behind the scenes melodrama. A manager with next to no experience (though that’s better than about 8 managers with next to no experience). An over-reliance on inexperienced players and a corresponding lack of players in their prime. A good, experienced keeper getting pelters from the fans when he’s repeatedly hung out to dry. An overwhelming lack of physical strength. For John White, see Tom Parkes. For Demi, see Michael Collins.

On the brighter side, your off-field problems are definitely less pronounced and the side clearly hasn’t downed-tools like ours did. You have a degree of defensive organisation but I couldn’t work out what you were trying to do as an attacking force. The biggest disadvantage compared to that Orient side is that you have far less talent in attacking positions (Steven Alzate now a full Colombian international at Brighton, Josh Koroma Huddersfield’s top scorer, Sam Dalby is at Watford, Victor Adeboyejo has been scoring for Barnsley & Tristan Abrahams has 8 goals for Newport) and I can’t see where the goals are going to come from.

Big January for you with plenty of fellow strugglers on the slate and a good transfer window needed.

Much appreciated. In particular it is good to get an objective viewpoint (and very accurate in my opinion) about White, Egbri, Bwomono and Nathaniel-George.

 

[united we stand]

Nothing whatsoever he could do about that.
If it’s hit hard for the top corner,it’s virtually unreachable—particularly from that close in.
As we see in the Premiership,tall players jumping high,10m distant,make it exceedingly difficult to score,even for the likes of DeBruyne.
The referee making our wall stand 13-14m away made it relatively easy for McAnuff.

I don’t think the wall was quite that far back , but what was equally as important I thought the foul was a foot outside the box, not 2 metres. I don’t understand why we weren’t going potty over that before he had even started to mark out the wall.