Independent Leyton Orient Forum

Stan1972 wrote: ↑Sat Aug 12, 2023 8:45 pm Errr I think if we were offered Smyth on loan, we would take him back with no hesitation.
Like it or not, now he is not in the team, we can see how much we miss him & how much we relied on him as an outlet, when he was in the team.

While that's completely true Dan Agyei was his replacement but now out injured for five months . If Agyei was fit and playing we wouldn't be missing Smyth as much as we are now . Even if we need another first choice keeper we desperately need to sign another striker.

It’s going to be a big ask to find in the window now, but what we really need is a direct replacement for Ageyi/Smyth.

Kelman is a hard worker and a fox in the box type player. Totally different to Smyth who from memory in a title winning side only got about 12 goals last year, but he could change the game in in instant.

His direct running and creative spark was always going to be a huge miss, which is why the Ageyi transfer made sense because his numbers were similar.

We’ve got to try and pull a rabbit out the hat and find someone that run at a defence with space and create those spaces

People don't realise good Smyth was last season in that league, he was basically a cheat code, the amount of goals he scored due to his quality or even own goals when he would throw the ball in with class, his pace, beating defenders, pinning them back, basically Messi in League Two relatively. Most Orient games were tight and how often did he just provide some magic from nowhere to get a goal or force one, without him the O's wouldn't have won the league

Smyth would 100% been fine at League One and may even be okay in the Championship, to replace him was borderline impossible bar lucking out again

Spot on. We rarely won that many games convincingly last year. But we had a defence full of confidence against weaker forwards in the league below and that gave us a platform to build on.

Smyth's magic was a huge difference last season.

Jman wrote: ↑Sun Aug 13, 2023 1:37 pm It’s going to be a big ask to find in the window now, but what we really need is a direct replacement for Ageyi/Smyth.

That's the hope for Graham I imagine? Then it's a tad easier to try and replace the pressing game of Drinan than the skill of Agyei

Jman wrote: ↑Sun Aug 13, 2023 1:52 pm Spot on. We rarely won that many games convincingly last year. But we had a defence full of confidence against weaker forwards in the league below and that gave us a platform to build on.

Smyth's magic was a huge difference last season.

We won loads convincingly, even if not by a wide margin. There's a difference.

At the moment we have zero pace or physicality in the team. Which is what we needed to add to be successful in league 1. You can get away with it in league 2.

We need someone who is good enough to carve out chances themselves, I dont think the boy Kelman is that player. 7 goals in League Two in 40 odd appearances, no thanks.