Leyton Orient vs Cheltenham Town

[The Terminator]

What should've be a great occasion and a day of celebration - Our first game back as a league club after 2 years, will sadly be a sad occasion as a big crowd is expected to pay tribute to the late Justin Edinburgh, the man who got us back.

Three months have passed since the day we won the National League, I have made sure that I've enjoyed every day since - Like JE said in his speech to the players afterwards.

Each friendly we've played so far has had a minutes applause or silence, its still not quite sunk in for me personally. Maybe after Saturday and whatever the result is, I will be able to watch the below video without a tear of sadness coming to my eye everytime.

 

[Razzmachaz]

I still feel empty of any enthusiasm for the new season to be honest. I hope this changes once we are into the new season.

 

[CTFCfan99]

It will all be about Edinburgh on Saturday, and rightly so. Result doesn't matter.

 

[E10rifle]

Normally it’s just the football I don’t look forward to, but on Saturday it’ll be everything else as well. Empty space in the dugout where Justin should be; empty space next to me where my Dad should be.

 

[Si Robin]

Sorry to hear about your Dad E10, I have the same feeling about my uncle who I went with. The first 3 or 4 games were hell, but eventually you get back into the same routine.

As others have said, it's not really about the game this week but giving JE the proper send off. The flag from our supporters made it's first appearance yesterday and will be donated to the club this week. The crowdfunder has also raised nearly £2k for the JE3 foundation as well (including a bucket collection held at Saturday's friendly against Burnley U23s).

This is one of those games we just want to get out of the way then we can start seriously concentrating on the season ahead.

 

[The Jovial Forester]

Great work on the fundraising Chelts and also commiserations to you E10, it's a hard, hard thing.

 

[The Terminator]

In terms of the team tomorrow, the two big questions for us are: Who starts in Goal? Who plays in the number ten role?

Dean Brill has been injured in pre season and has only played 120mins and that was in the last week. Young Sam Sargeant has impressed though in pre season, saving almost everything thrown at him.

Jordan Maguire-Drew has excelled playing just behind the front two for us since March, but James Brophy played the second half last week and offers something completely different with his pace and direct running.

Lee Angol was ill this week, but he will hopefully be fit after 6 goals in pre season.

GK: Dean Brill
RWB: Sam Ling
CB: Marvin Ekpiteta
CB: Josh Coulson
CB: Dan Happe
LWB: Joe Widdowson
CM: Craig Clay
CM: Josh Wright
CAM: Jordan Maguire-Drew
ST: Lee Angol
ST: Connor Wilkinson

Subs:
Sam Sargeant
Myles Judd
Dale Gorman
James Brophy
Matt Harrold
James Alabi
Louis Dennis

Oh Seven Subs, I have missed you!

 

[Si Robin]

I suspect our team will be as follows:

GK - Scott Flinders

RWB - Sean Long

CB - Charlie Raglan
CB - Ben Tozer
CB - Will Boyle

LWB - Chris Hussey (if fit)

CM - Rohan Ince
CM - Max Sheaf

CAM - Ryan Broom

CF - Tahvon Campbell
CF - Luke Varney

There are a couple of ifs in that - Hussey hasn't played a single minute of pre-season because he's been wrapped in cotton wool. If he's not fit, and it's unlikely his backup Josh Debayo will be as well, then Broom would move to the LWB position. If that happens, expect Chris Clements to come into the midfield.

Up front Varney will defo start, but it could easily be Gavin Reilly who partners him.

 

[Howzy]

Close Si

GK Flinders
RWB Long
CB Raglan
CB Tozer
CB Boyle;
LWB Debayo
CM Ince
CM Sheaf
AM Broom
FW Varney
FW Campbell

Subs GK Lovett, Addai, Thomas, Clements, Reilly, Doyle-Hayes, Hussey

 

[Si Robin]

I wasn't there, so I can't comment, but some choice words from a lot of our fans regarding the refereeing today.

This tweet from an Orient fan seems to suggest we've been a bit hard done by as well:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1157657512604311552

To add to that - Varney was booked for that "dive" and got a second yellow card later in the game (I assume deserved as read no complaints about that). You can't appeal a red for two yellows, so we're now without our most important player because of a fuck up from the ref.

Remind me why we've missed this game so much over the last few weeks...

 

[The Terminator]

I thought we deserved the win, we dominated the game in terms of possession and recovered from a slow start. We just need to be more ruthless in the final third.

Cheltenham were unlucky with the penalty decision, another ref certainly gives it. But overall I thought they were poor - Particularly in the final third, our sub keeper Sam Sargeant had nothing to do all game. Defensively they weren't too bad, but created next to nothing in open play. Rohan Ince threw a bottle at the linesman I think to be sent off.

Result was always irrelavant though, fantastic gesture from the Cheltenham supporters with the flag and donation, I just hope their players can give them that bit more.

 

[Si Robin]

I thought we deserved the win, we dominated the game in terms of possession and recovered from a slow start. We just need to be more ruthless in the final third.

Cheltenham were unlucky with the penalty decision, another ref certainly gives it. But overall I thought they were poor - Particularly in the final third, our sub keeper Sam Sargeant had nothing to do all game. Defensively they weren't too bad, but created next to nothing in open play. Rohan Ince threw a bottle at the linesman I think to be sent off.

Result was always irrelavant though, fantastic gesture from the Cheltenham supporters with the flag and donation, I just hope their players can give them that bit more.

Duff's confirmed it was for Ince throwing the bottle at the 4th official. He's adamant it was accidental. but as he has actually hit the 4th official we're not appealing.

As I said before, the really annoying one is Varney's because we can't appeal that.

 

[E10rifle]

Literally no idea what Ince got sent off for. 4th official brought the ref’s attention to it, whatever it was. Varney could have had a straight red for the elbow if I’m being honest, so the second yellow was a no-brainier.

Game was pretty pedestrian for the most part. Two sides that aren’t going to pull up any trees. Cheltenham were useful on the counter and well-versed in the dark arts. Offered virtually zero in the way of overall attacking threat. Orient were obviously struggling for cohesion. Maguire-Drew had a shocker, which is a problem as most of our play is supposed to be channeled through him. Probably deserved the win on balance of play, but Cheltenham can feel rightfully aggrieved by the refereeing display.

 

[Si Robin]

We are now appealing the Rohan Ince red card as he is adamant he didn't throw the bottle deliberately at the 4th official, but simply lobbed it over his shoulder (he threw it behind himself so it would have been an excellent shot if he'd meant it, by all accounts).

As the bottle has hit the 4th official though, which no-one denies, then I don't think we're going to get much luck.

 

[E10rifle]

We are now appealing the Rohan Ince red card as he is adamant he didn't throw the bottle deliberately at the 4th official, but simply lobbed it over his shoulder (he threw it behind himself so it would have been an excellent shot if he'd meant it, by all accounts).

As the bottle has hit the 4th official though, which no-one denies, then I don't think we're going to get much luck.

No chance. James Dayton got sent off last season for having his ankle broken, then slamming his shin pad down in agony. It bounced a few feet past the ref (nowhere near hitting him) and he got sent off. Common sense just doesn’t come into it for these fucking clowns.