11 September 2010

Leyton Orient 1 Huddersfield 2, 11/9/10

A game in which... Orient, like a male porn star who's lost his mojo, just didn't have any penetration. And while the performance against a classy Huddersfield side wasn't totally flaccid - the Os showed remarkable adeptness at repeatedly passing the ball sideways along the halfway line, for example - the ongoing inability to turn possession into chances is going to make the season a long, hard one.

Moment to savour... Incensed that a Huddersfield wall was standing much nearer than the required 10 yards at a free-kick, midfield pygmy Dean Cox paced the distance himself on behalf of referee Andy D'Urso. Admittedly it took his little legs about 35 paces to cover the 10 yards, but he was indeed correct.

Head in hands moment... Huddersfield's second goal, which had something of the school playground about it. The ball popped around the box, spooned off a knee or two and then fell to Huddersfield's Jordan Rhodes, who put the ball in the net via a deflection and to the sound of Orient defenders accusing him of goal-hanging.

King for a day... That man Dean Cox again. His goal was a screamer of a half-volley and he nearly salvaged a point for Orient when his skilful turn and cross in the area crept inches away from the marauding Alex Revell. A bit like a JJ Melligan who can actually cross, or a Shane Tudor who doesn't just run into defenders and fall over, Cox could be the goal-scoring midfielder we've been craving since the days of Alan Comfort.

Boo boy... Ok Jimmy Smith, we know you're playing out of position and everything, but that doesn't really excuse your inability to find an Orient shirt whenever you pass the ball forward. Who do you think you are, Alton Thelwell?

In the dug out... By his reluctance to make substitutions, Big Russ apparently has little faith in his anyone excpet his first-choice eleven. Mike Cestor, for one, must feel pretty aggreived that, despite being the only fit left-footed player in the whole club, he still can't get a game.

You're supposed to be away... To be fair, the travelling Huddersfield support has tended to be one of the best to come to Brisbane Road in recent seasons. Maybe they like us because we let their much-loved striker Andy Booth score in his last ever game?

What would Martin Ling have done? Responded to Orient's growing defensive injury crisis by converting Brian Saah to a left-back, pleading 'Give the lad time' after the opposition's right winger scores six goals in the subsequent match.

Going down? The current league table certainly makes it look that way, and while losing to Huddersfield is no disgrace, the Os have to start picking up points somewhere. Still, if the return of James Walker is a sign that Big Russ is looking to bring back former Orient loanees, then perhaps we can look forward to the likes of Richard Garcia, Simon Church or Gary Hooper helping us to stave off relegation. Probably give Sam Parkin a miss though, eh Russ?