Fans favourite discusses his position in midfield, the win over Stevenage and enjoying being part of Ian Hendon’s team
Leyton Orient midfielder Dean Cox is enjoying his football at Brisbane Road, but doesn’t believe he is playing in a new position under head coach Ian Hendon.
The O’s boss has decided to play a diamond formation in midfield during the opening three League Two fixtures of the campaign and it has worked to good affect.
After three wins from three, Orient sit at the top of the table and Cox has already scored once and helped himself to four assists this season.
The 28-year-old is playing at the tip of the diamond formation with Lloyd James the deepest midfielder and Sammy Moore and Bradley Pritchard slightly to the left and right.
It has enabled Cox to get a lot more space this year, but he believes he has played in this type of role before.
He said: “People keep saying I am in a new position, but I have played behind the forwards before but not for a while since I have been here. I have said it previously, though, as long as I’m playing, I’m happy.
“If I stay on the oppositions deepest midfielder I am doing my job and you saw at Dagenham & Redbridge as well that we are working hard for each other and the results are coming at the moment.
“I have set some goal and assist targets but it is not for the media to know. I am very close with my assists already so I don’t want to get ahead of myself.
“I just need to keep going, but it is all about the team. It is not about me, my popularity with anyone it is all about the team and what the gaffer, ‘Hessy’ and ‘Nuge’ are trying to do here and I want to be a part of that.”
Cox felt Orient put in a professional performance against Stevenage on Tuesday night, which helped them move to the summit of League Two.
He created the opening goal of the game for Jay Simpson in the 74th minute before substitutes Blair Turgott and Ollie Palmer found the net late on.
It was a tough battle for the O’s but Hendon’s men showed their class in the end and picked up another three points, Cox added: “I thought first half it was a bit scrappy and the fans probably didn’t see us at our free flowing best.
“But teams are going to come to Brisbane Road, sit behind the ball and we have got to be patient. I thought we were and in the end we got the breakthrough and our football come through after that.
“I thought second half it was very professional and we took the game to Stevenage.”
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