‘That’s What They Do’ – Leyton Orient Boss Reacts To Defeat

orient celeb draper 20241005153813_r6m17911_edit_192113407731103861458523463511194 — Credit Graham Burrell

City had to dig deep and work very hard for three points at Sincil Bank on Saturday against Leyton Orient. A very frustrated Richie Willens had his say on the afternoon of football, writes Kyle Fox.

The Imps weren’t at their best in the first half and Leyton Orient capitalised on that and were dominant in the first half. They played some nice stuff and pinned us in at times. We had the work rate but it was the execution that was the problem.

The second half was a completely different story, we came out firing and were the better side in the second half overall. But Orient had more shots (three for us, two for them) and were still threatening in the second half which included their only goal of the game.

They were a good side and their league position is not a true reflection of them currently as a team or their performances. They were just missing that final ball or that final shot. They lacked a clinical edge in front of goal but other than that they were very good in and out of possession for large parts of the game. Orient boss Richie Wellens felt the same and shared his interesting thoughts on the game in a post-match interview with the media.

“That’s the bare minimum (when asked about his team not giving up), we’ve got hundreds of supporters coming to follow us today and that’s the bare minimum.”

“In terms of the game, it’s probably a mirror image. We’ve played ten games now, it’s probably a mirror image of nine of them. Should have got something out the game.”

“We dominated- we hit the crossbar, we’ve had a couple of ricochets. But the amount of areas we get in to which are real real good areas and we don’t get a shot or a slide cross in is happening too often.”

“What sums the game up for me, we’re playing a team (Lincoln City) that just basically sits off you.”

“We’re playing against a team that just wants to counter attack on you. What have they done today to win the game against us (Leyton Orient)? Nothing. I’m not slagging them off for that, because that’s what they do.”

“It’s us, this is our fault, we’ve got a soft underbelly and we allow teams to score when I wouldn’t even say they were on top because it was straight after half time.”

“They crossed the ball- and this big centre forward runs through in the middle of our box, free. I understand if it’s switched and happened quick. But it’s not the ball’s on the same side as what it came from. Unbelievable goal to give away. The second goal probably is worse. To vacate our spaces, too hungry to chase the equaliser, we get done with the second one.”

“I’m the biggest one to look in the mirror, and if anybody watched our first ten games of the season and you asked them to critique us. There would not be a lot wrong. They would say they’re a good team, they’re on the front foot, they’re energetic, they get in to unbelievable areas. But, we don’t get enough shots off, we don’t work the goalkeeper enough and in little momentum swings during the game, we concede.”

“How many shots have they had on target today? Two? I think we’ve conceded around 70-80% of our shots on target and we don’t concede many shots.”

“Jack Simpson was on the verge of getting sent off (because of Jovon Makama)”

“I’m not trying to make excuses, we have a soft underbelly, what costs us goals. We’re pissing away points that we should be taking.”

“I feel sorry for our supporters- I see a lad nearly in tears in an Orient kit and it hurts, it hurts me.”

“But the game plan was spot on- but we didn’t want to take advantage, especially first half. You (the interviewer) say we dominated the first half, we did. But they’re (Lincoln) passive, they sit off you. If I played against them, I could’ve had 90% of the ball- stood in the middle of the park and got in pockets and played it. We ain’t bright enough, we’re not sharp enough to do counter movements.

“They’re a good team when they break, they’re great, they step in and they sprint. They’re a really good team at that.”

“We let them off the hook first half, we don’t make enough chances with the amount of ball we have and the areas we get in.”

“I feel for a lot of people at the club who are doing a lot of good work, but ultimately you need to start winning football matches.”

Later on in his post match interview, he decided to send a message to his own players after saying changes will be made for their midweek fixture against Colchester United:

“I hope the players look at this interview, and please take the shirt by the scruff of the neck.”

“Not one player has come in and said, ‘this is my shirt I’m going to keep it’.”

He then did give our supporters a compliment towards the end of his interview saying; “Their supporters were really good at the end. I thought it was a good atmosphere.”

It’s fair to say Wellens didn’t hide his frustration during the interview and it was directed more towards his own side overall. It was due to their lack of quality in the final third and the frustration of losing multiple games this season that he feels they shouldn’t have. That includes this game.

He had both positive and negative comments for Lincoln. He praised the Lincoln fans and complimented our transitional play, when we counter attack. He said we’re a really good and fast team at that. But, he also mentioned that he felt we’re a team that just ‘sit off you’ and just ‘want to counter attack on you’.

Overall, he felt aggrieved and rightly so because Leyton Orient should have got something out the game and deserved something out the game overall.

O’s fans online felt just as annoyed about the result and their overall run of form so far this season. Some fans are getting frustrated by Wellens, mostly due to what he mentioned himself in the interview. It’s the fact they keep doing well and getting close in games but don’t get over the line and aren’t getting results yet. A few fans have also been critical of the recruitment due to the fact they keep lacking in the final third in games especially. However, there are a lot of fans still behind Wellens and can see how unfortunate Orient have been. They can also see what the team are trying to do and how they are not far off getting where they need to be to win games.

Orient are a good side and the majority of their performances have been good (bar Shrewsbury away). If they keep it up and can add a bit more in the final third, the results will come for them.