Orient have to start improving defensively says boss Embleton
Hector Kyprianou, Leyton Orient out jumps Tommy Smith, Colchester United with the aid of a push during Colchester United vs Leyton Orient, Sky Bet EFL League 2 Football at the JobServe Community Stadium on 14th November 2020 - Credit: Ray Lawrence/TGS Photo
Leyton Orient head coach Ross Embleton has insisted they will be using their first week in several without a midweek game to work on defending ahead of their clash with Harrogate Town.
James Brophy, Leyton Orient breaks quickly during Colchester United vs Leyton Orient, Sky Bet EFL League 2 Football at the JobServe Community Stadium on 14th November 2020 - Credit: Ray Lawrence/TGS Photo
The O’s welcome Simon Weaver’s newly-promoted side to the Breyer Group Stadium on Saturday on the back of four straight defeats in all competitions.
The boss is now concentrating on improving at the back as they continue to concede sloppy goals which is costing them points.
“Defending our box will be a priority, we work on it in snippets when we get the opportunity to do that, and we went through a series of games – I think three or four – where we looked more solid and better prepared,” said Embleton.
“Teams are going to put balls in the box, have set-pieces, so you’ve got to be ready to defend and scrap. Sometimes we need to defend untidily as we’ve given up too many easy goals.”
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Embleton was keen to make it known there is no reason to worry and that he feels the team will pick up, adding: “From my perspective, it’s a downbeat atmosphere and feel, but it’s two league defeats, one disappointing FA Cup exit and one EFL Trophy defeat that we’re already through in.
“Perspective is important. My message to the players when we went through the three wins and a draw was ‘let’s not go and think we’re going to win the league now’. We need to maintain order.”
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O’s were without Craig Clay in their 2-1 defeat at Colchester and could remain without him for the next clash. Embleton said: “It’s accumulation to a degree. We thought it was only fatigue at one stage, but it hasn’t cleared up. Craig is a massive miss for us, he gives us great energy, he gives us a different dynamic and is probably slightly led towards the change of shape.
“We’ve got a squad for a reason and when we change it, people need to step in and take those opportunities.”
It could also prove too early for injured duo Lee Angol and Myles Judd but they are edging closer to returns, as Embleton added: “I don’t want to say Juddy because of the setbacks he has suffered, he is very close, but I don’t want to say he’s going to be [ready].
“Very similar to Lee, I think his is also going to drag on a bit longer, he hasn’t recovered and got up to scratch in training as quickly as we would have hoped.”