Leyton Orient’s head coach, Richie Wellens, anticipates a challenging match against the formidable Barnsley, whom he describes as a “big club” in League One this weekend.
Orient climbed to 10th place in the league standings after securing a 1-0 victory over Carlisle United last week, with Ruel Sotiriou scoring the crucial goal in the 21st minute.
Despite Barnsley’s current third-place standing and a postponed home fixture against Bolton due to international call-ups, Wellens refrains from focusing solely on the league standings. He recognizes the caliber of the opponent and the historical competitiveness of Barnsley in League One.
He attributes their consistent performance to effective management and recruitment, allowing them to sell players while remaining in the promotion picture. Wellens acknowledges the forthcoming challenge but expresses confidence in his team’s capabilities, especially when playing at home.
Looking ahead, Wellens suggests that the league table’s shape will become clearer over the next seven or eight games. He commends his team’s recent performance, noting that their point accumulation over the last nine games reflects promotion-worthy form after a challenging start.
In the previous match against Carlisle, Ruel Sotiriou scored his fifth goal of the season, capitalizing on Joe Pigott’s assist. Despite securing maximum points during their extensive 600-mile round trip, Wellens expressed some dissatisfaction with their performance. He observed moments of panic and hurried clearances, highlighting that their opponents’ biggest threat arose during counterattacks when Orient lost possession and were immediately under pressure.
The match often resembled a game of basketball, particularly in the second half, when the team deviated from their desired style of play and missed opportunities to maintain better ball possession.
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