MATCHWATCH : Leyton Orient (h)

[Sutekh]

When : Saturday September 20 2024, 3pm
Where : SCL Stadium, Reading, RG2 0FL
Capacity : 24,161

Just over one year ago a literally pointless team from east London turned up at the SCL and collected its first three points of the season to lift themselves off the bottom of the division. Now pretty much exactly one year on Orient are here again for more points having seen 10 come their way since league hostilities were restored in 2023.

Last season Reading were top 10 when Orient visited, this season Orient are equal 12th while it's Reading who are struggling and looking for points so hopefully the reverse of fortunes will also see a reverse in the result.

Orient have not lost since the end of August and though have been stuffed badly at Huddersfield and Mansfield they have won at Plymouth and drawn with Bolton and Stockport so they are still rather useful despite the loss of last season's loan star Charlie Kelman and their very own Ethan Galbraith over the summer.

Fifteen players arrived at Brisbane Road over the summer including 5 loanees and former Reading players Michael Craig, Dom Ballard and Charlie Wellens. Biggest signing over the summer though was probably Huddersfield's Josh Koroma who is already their leading goalscorer with 3 goals, however Dom Ballard has the best goalscoring ratio with 1 in 2 appearances. In addition Aaron Connolly (ex Millwall) and Idris el Mizouni (ex Oxford) are starting to stand out in midfield so there'll be plenty to keep Reading busy on Saturday.

Yiadom is still out but Paudie might well make it to the bench and O'Mahoney should be available after his late return from international duty last week. There could be injury doubts over Mamadi Camara and Finley Burns however but otherwise Noel should have plenty of options to consider.

Referee

Ollie Yates

Previously

01 Mar 25 > Wigan Athletic 1-2 Reading
24 Feb 24 > Reading 2-3 Shrewsbury Town
09 Dec 23 > Reading 1-3 Barnsley

Historically

In the 35 previous seasons the clubs have shared together Reading have won 19 games in Reading compared to Orient's 6. There has only ever been one 0-0 (back in December 1934). However Reading's record against Leyton Orient recently is shocking with 0 wins from the last 6 games played (just 2 draws in that run). The last win against Orient was in the Tonka Toy Associate Virtue Cup thing back in December 1999 when a team containing the likes of Mark Bowen, Graham Potter and Sean Evers scraped a 1-0 against the red griffin things courtesy of a goal from Andy Bernal, while the last win that actually mattered occurred 32 years ago at Elm Park!

How to follow the game

1. Get a ticket and travel
2. Listen to Radio 5 Live and/or a myriad of other radio stations for score flashes
3. Ring/text a mate for updates
4. Use a RoyalsTV subscription
5. BBC Radio Berkshire (FM : 104.4, 104.1 or 95.4 depending where you are in the area)

[tidus_mi2]

Orient look like they've had a proper mixed bag of results, some utter shit, some quite good, so not really sure what will happen here.

[Fox Talbot]

... against the red griffin things ...

A griffin is half eagle, half lion. They've got TWO WYVERNS - winged dragons. Against which we're putting out royals. Go, Princess Eugenie!

[Snowflake Royal]

I think we're capable of a comfortable win, especially if we can get our noses in front. But our record against them, i seem to recall, is not very good. And there's potentially a bit more motivation for them to beat the club their former captain went to, so I'm going with a defeat and much wailing and gnashing of teeth.

[stealthpapes]

... against the red griffin things ...

A griffin is half eagle, half lion. They've got TWO WYVERNS - winged dragons. Against which we're putting out royals. Go, Princess Eugenie!

wyverns ain't dragons

[Crowbar6753]

I'm going for a home win, our defense was poor last time out and i think they will improve. Ahmed is young and will make mistakes and i'm sure he'll be out to prove a point. Williams had his poorest game to date and i'm sure he'll be way better.
The team is way better on paper than the current results suggest, personally it's just a few tweaks from management and a bit of luck and things will turn around.
I like our front three of Lane, Marriot and Kyerewaa they all like to run at defenders and i would prefer a 4-2-3-1 formation and would drop Savage (Not really hitting last seasons heights yet) and put Fraser alongside Wing as the two DM and play Elliot as the roaming AM.
The defense should get better with the return of O'Connor so still plenty to look forward to its just up to Noel to fine tune the tactics and i'nm sure we'll come good.

[Hound]

Reckon it’ll be a bit like the Wimbledon league game when we start on fire, don’t score and then go on to lose

He must be thinking of getting Ritchie involved I’d have thought. We seem to have a ton of attacking options already though so he’s some very tough choices to make. Assuming no new injuries prob something like

JP
Ahmed burns Williams Jacob
Wing savage Elliott
Lane Marriott Kyeweraa

Stevens Dorsett Doyle Fraser Kelvin E Ritchie O Mahony

Leaving out Garcia, Stickland, Camara , O Connor Abrefa Rushesha Sackey etc etc

It’s not how I’d like to see us lineup but that seems to be his current first 11

[URZZZZ]

Will be a difficult one. Wellens went man to man on Wing on both occasions last season and we had little idea on breaking them down. As a result would look to bring in Fraser and push Wing further forward. Questions will need to be asked of Hunt if he keeps Wing in the usual spot and he’s marked out of the game again as the template for what Orient will do is right there

Actually think Burns on the whole has been fairly decent but too prone to mistakes and they’re costing us so would like to see O’Connor in if fit. Would also give Camara a shot from the start again for a greater element of balance (dare say safety?!)

Pereira

Ahmed
O’Connor
Williams
Jacob

Fraser
Wing
Doyle

Camara
Marriott
Kyerewaa


Stevens, Dorsett, Savage, Elliott, Ritchie, Lane, Ehibhatiomhan

As above ^, actually think the squad is too bloated. Can almost make an entire XI of players not even in the squad who you’d have thought would have had a shot at the start of the season

Abrefa
Stickland
Burns
Ryan

Rushesha
Sackey
Spencer

Yiadom
Garcia
O’Mahony

[Mid Sussex Royal]

On paper both teams are evenly matched....but as mentioned above they have a tactically astute manager and are well coached; that will swing it their way.

[Hound]

Will be a difficult one. Wellens went man to man on Wing on both occasions last season and we had little idea on breaking them down. As a result would look to bring in Fraser and push Wing further forward. Questions will need to be asked of Hunt if he keeps Wing in the usual spot and he’s marked out of the game again as the template for what Orient will do is right there

Actually think Burns on the whole has been fairly decent but too prone to mistakes and they’re costing us so would like to see O’Connor in if fit. Would also give Camara a shot from the start again for a greater element of balance (dare say safety?!)

Pereira

Ahmed
O’Connor
Williams
Jacob

Fraser
Wing
Doyle

Camara
Marriott
Kyerewaa


Stevens, Dorsett, Savage, Elliott, Ritchie, Lane, Ehibhatiomhan

As above ^, actually think the squad is too bloated. Can almost make an entire XI of players not even in the squad who you’d have thought would have had a shot at the start of the season

Abrefa
Stickland
Burns
Ryan

Rushesha
Sackey
Spencer

Yiadom
Garcia
O’Mahony

Agreed, and if we are going with the attitude that this is a transition season and Hunt should be given time etc, I’d far rather see the likes of Garcia, Sackey and Ryan in the squad than those loan players tbh

In terms of the side, I’d be ok with Camara in but I’d play Lane. I’m still far from convinced Kyeweera is any more than an impact sub at this point in time

[Snowflake Royal]

I don't think it's wise to change how you play and a player's role just because Wellens has targeted Wing in the past.

In fact, I would say moving Wing higher does precisely nothing to stop Wellens setting up to man mark him, it just puts him somewhere he has even less space.

Hunt will certainly need to find a way of countering Wellens marking Wing out the game, but that should be through other players stepping up imo.

The key is Elliott/Doyle finding the space to get involved and dictate our play so we're not solely reliant on Wing. And if they're marking Wing high, it should create more space over the top or in the channels.

[West F]

I don't think it's wise to change how you play and a player's role just because Wellens has targeted Wing in the past.

In fact, I would say moving Wing higher does precisely nothing to stop Wellens setting up to man mark him, it just puts him somewhere he has even less space.

Hunt will certainly need to find a way of countering Wellens marking Wing out the game, but that should be through other players stepping up imo.

The key is Elliott/Doyle finding the space to get involved and dictate our play so we're not solely reliant on Wing. And if they're marking Wing high, it should create more space over the top or in the channels.

Yes, putting Wing further up the pitch makes it more likely that he will be man marked. He has the football IQ and experience to know where he should be to effect the game.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Really hoping we can put together a win and performance that gets a bit of belief going. I don't think we're far too.

And it they want to man mark Wing we have quality elsewhere in the team capable of hurting them.