Things have been strangely positive in the Orient camp. Players, coaches and fans alike all bursting with confidence with good things to say ahead of the new campaign. It’s not something we are used to and to weigh the balance back to its normal level I’m going place a warm blanket of negativity on proceedings before the season starts.
You won’t find any clubs of Orients size and tight wage budget without question marks going into the season. It’s impossible to have cover for every position or to bring in star players on big wages for clubs like Orient. Russell Slade seems to have done a decent job this summer in keeping the team that finished 7th, one place and 3 points outside the playoffs last season, together as well as bringing in some promising young players. However, with the season starting tomorrow, there are still a few areas that look thin, where we are venerable, that may determine our season one way or another.
Goalkeeper
Lets start from the back. Make no mistake, when Jamie Jones is at his best and fully fit, he is one of, if not the best keeper in this league. Unfortunately, over the last few seasons, his shoulder injury has got the better of him. It has also been hinted at by people at the club that the shoulder problem will always be a weakness for the young goalkeeper. After he came back last season he got stronger and stronger, which is a good sign that Jamie can stay fit, however, shoulder aside, goalkeeping is a notoriously dangerous job down the O’s in recent years. If Jones does go down, we have cover in new arrival Jake Larkins and youth team product Charlie Grainger. No doubt, if need be, they will do a job for us but with 0 league caps between them and a combined age less than Deardens waistline its not the ideal place to be. Having not seen either in an actual game, im not making any judgement on their ability but we all know (2 seasons ago) what less than confident keepers can do to a team and it’s an area that may be worrying if we see Jones on the medical table again.
Full Backs
Let’s start with left back. It’s no secret that I am not in the Gary Sawyer fan club. I don't think he is the worst full back we have had, and maybe my judgement has been clouded by being spoilt in recent years in the position. He has some good games, he is mainly steady, but with the buzz around Orient this close season about the top 6, I honestly don't think a player like Sawyer would make any other of the top teams in this league. If we come up against any wingers with an ounce of pace (see Campbell-Ryce last year) he will get ripped a new one. Add to that we have 0 natural cover for him, in my mind, it’s certainly a worry.
As we move to the other side, we actually have a big selection of players who could fill the right back birth with. Cuthbert, Omozusi, Odabajo, James and Vanderhyde. Unfortunately, for me, there are a number of question marks about all of these. Firstly, I think Odabajo is our best right back, he has the pace to deal with balls over the top and pacey wingers and his attacking flare is hard to deal with. However, he does seem somewhat wasted in that position. The further forward we can play him the better. Cuthbert is a centre back, and whilst he would provide decent cover at right back, centre back is where he should be playing. Omozusi is probably the most natural right back we have. Unfortunately his positioning has always been suspect and whilst solid in other areas, this can be his undoing. I think that we will get by with what we currently have, I think we are below average in this area.
Centre Midfield
Roman Vincelot seems like he could be our best signing since Stephen Dawson and currently looks like he will be paired with Lloyd James in the centre of midfield. Whilst James has had a very good preseason, he is one of those players that divide opinion. If he can consistently show what he is about, something we have seen glimpses of, I think he will have a good year. Regardless, if one of these two gets an injury, we are in a bit of a jam! Slade brought in Brantley from Burnley yesterday, but he has missed the majority of pre season with an injury and is only with us for 28 days. The rest of our options are 1st year pros. As with the goalkeeper situation, if they were called upon, im sure they would rise to the challenge but if we are serious about pushing for a top 6 spot, you can’t be relying on these players to do it.
Strikers
Our forwards have been very good during pre season and all have potential to have very good seasons this year. Saying that, everyone knows that if Kevin Lisbie (god forbid) breaks his leg in the first game, we are in serious trouble! Mooney and Batt will probably score somewhere between 10-15 goals this year, but with only a rough diamond in Lasimant as cover, we need to add another striker. At Lisbies age, there is no way he is going to play every game this year. Even if he manages to stay fit, something he hasn't managed to do for the last two seasons, he will still need the odd game off. Our defence was excellent last year, and we probably missed out on the playoffs due to a lack of goals and im not sure Slade has done much to improve that.
So there you go, now that's off my chest I can sit back and get excited for the start of a new season, filled with hope and optimism…only for it to disappear when we are 3-0 down at half time tomorrow. The above is a demonstration of our weakness’ but make no mistake, we are in one of the strongest positions we have been in, going into a new campaign, for some time.
Come on you O’s!!!
