Independent Leyton Orient Forum

Hoover Attack wrote: Sat Oct 03, 2026 9:19 pm He’s supposed to be our 10. The main man that gets on the ball and creates things. Playing in pockets of space between the midfield and back line. He doesn’t and cannot do that. Granted he puts a couple of nice passes in when he drops into the right back spot to pick the ball up without any pressure but that isn’t anywhere near enough.

First half we matched them which considering we were effectively playing with 10 men was an achievement in itself.

Mistadobalina wrote: Sat Oct 03, 2026 8:19 pm

BiggsyMalone wrote: Sat Oct 03, 2026 7:40 pm So many entitled stupid people in this thread. Can’t wait for him to get sacked and the club nose dive straight back into league 2.

Is there anything Man United related you won't knock one out over? The squad is fine, we shouldn't be relegated with Richie here but equally should survive if we get our next appointment half right.

Story of O wrote: Sat Oct 03, 2026 10:21 pmGrow up

HackneyO wrote: Sat Oct 03, 2026 9:05 pm

Bandy Legs wrote: Sat Oct 03, 2026 8:57 pm

HackneyO wrote: Sat Oct 03, 2026 8:43 pm

I don’t think there’s any hate. Just disappointment that we've got to this point. Majority of fans back Wellens, but not slavishly. His constant selection of Nepo is baffling considering the options we have and his non-showing for media duties just looks petulant.

Oh theres hate, some bod on fb just saie " don't care if he won us the champions league, I'd still hate him !

I think it’s been proven conclusively by this point that Facebook is a blight on humanity.

Qin wrote: Sat Oct 03, 2026 6:12 pm I'm with KenleyO. I too am sick of watching the team I love get beat every week

I've lost count of the number of players brought in here, during the last two seasons, but we're still so poor.

The common denominator is Richie Wellens.

Despite supporting him constantly, now im sick of him, & want him gone.

I'm sick of his defensive line ups, rarely more than one up front. There's a defensive vibe in the team. If we ever go 1 up, you know, we will then just try and defend that 1 goal lead. Its not how I want my team to play.

I'm also sick of Richie's pathetic avoid the fans/press crap lately, in which he sends out PT to face the press.

I would sack him this evening if I was in charge, put Pratt's in charge temporarily, & start looking for a new manager, first thing Monday morning

We just can't go in like this much longer

moonwalk19 wrote: Sun Oct 04, 2026 7:56 am

Qin wrote: Sat Oct 03, 2026 6:12 pm I'm with KenleyO. I too am sick of watching the team I love get beat every week

I've lost count of the number of players brought in here, during the last two seasons, but we're still so poor.

The common denominator is Richie Wellens.

Despite supporting him constantly, now im sick of him, & want him gone.

I'm sick of his defensive line ups, rarely more than one up front. There's a defensive vibe in the team. If we ever go 1 up, you know, we will then just try and defend that 1 goal lead. Its not how I want my team to play.

I'm also sick of Richie's pathetic avoid the fans/press crap lately, in which he sends out PT to face the press.

I would sack him this evening if I was in charge, put Pratt's in charge temporarily, & start looking for a new manager, first thing Monday morning

We just can't go in like this much longer

He has not changed the way he wants to play in the last 2-3 seasons. He is so predictable in the way we play that other teams can read us so easy .we have no plan B. We have players that in perhaps 2 years time can become really good. Yesterday we had 2 wingers who looked as if they did not know what to do with the ball and looked lost. Hence not many crosses and nobody to attack it when it did come over?

E10quence wrote: Sun Oct 04, 2026 10:36 am

moonwalk19 wrote: Sun Oct 04, 2026 7:56 am

Qin wrote: Sat Oct 03, 2026 6:12 pm I'm with KenleyO. I too am sick of watching the team I love get beat every week

I've lost count of the number of players brought in here, during the last two seasons, but we're still so poor.

The common denominator is Richie Wellens.

Despite supporting him constantly, now im sick of him, & want him gone.

I'm sick of his defensive line ups, rarely more than one up front. There's a defensive vibe in the team. If we ever go 1 up, you know, we will then just try and defend that 1 goal lead. Its not how I want my team to play.

I'm also sick of Richie's pathetic avoid the fans/press crap lately, in which he sends out PT to face the press.

I would sack him this evening if I was in charge, put Pratt's in charge temporarily, & start looking for a new manager, first thing Monday morning

We just can't go in like this much longer

He has not changed the way he wants to play in the last 2-3 seasons. He is so predictable in the way we play that other teams can read us so easy .we have no plan B. We have players that in perhaps 2 years time can become really good. Yesterday we had 2 wingers who looked as if they did not know what to do with the ball and looked lost. Hence not many crosses and nobody to attack it when it did come over?

All the problems you identify here are issues with the coaching/tactics of the team. It's obvious to all of us, yet it doesn't seem to be to Richie.

His understanding of tactics seems to have ossified around 2019/2020 - when Poundland-Pep-ball was all the rage in EFL.

Now the game has shifted to a more physical, direct style of play - Arsenal are the peak example of this, but can see examples throughout the pyramid. We're also seeing more 'traditional' formations making a comeback (e.g. Plymouth played 4-4-2 yesterday).

Every game, his only diagnosis of the problems are "winning second balls" "doing the basics" "jumping at the right time" "transitions", rather than understanding that his whole tactical set-up and gameplan has been worked out and is too easily countered now.

Rather than try to evolve with the times, his only responses are: (1) switching to a 3-5-2 and (2) throwing on a load of random subs at 65 minutes. When neither of those work, he's got nothing else in the locker.

Utterly devoid of ideas, increasingly frustrated that one-trick-pony's one trick no longer tricks anyone.

BIGRON wrote: Sun Oct 04, 2026 11:29 am I still think Richie can pull this round , maybe it would help if people stopped slagging him off

BIGRON wrote: Sun Oct 04, 2026 11:29 am I still think Richie can pull this round , maybe it would help if people stopped slagging him off

Qin wrote: Sun Oct 04, 2026 12:51 pm

BIGRON wrote: Sun Oct 04, 2026 11:29 am I still think Richie can pull this round , maybe it would help if people stopped slagging him off

I don't think it will Ron

Remember, he was terrible last season, we only stayed in the league because Bradford beat Exeter on the last day of the season. It's gone on too long.

I'm not sure Richie's engaging anymore, he's had enough, and most fans have had enough of him. A change will do us good

Orient have lost more home league matches in 2026, than any other team in the entire EFL.

Is time Richie went

moonwalk19 wrote: Sun Oct 04, 2026 7:56 am

Qin wrote: Sat Oct 03, 2026 6:12 pm I'm with KenleyO. I too am sick of watching the team I love get beat every week

I've lost count of the number of players brought in here, during the last two seasons, but we're still so poor.

The common denominator is Richie Wellens.

Despite supporting him constantly, now im sick of him, & want him gone.

I'm sick of his defensive line ups, rarely more than one up front. There's a defensive vibe in the team. If we ever go 1 up, you know, we will then just try and defend that 1 goal lead. Its not how I want my team to play.

I'm also sick of Richie's pathetic avoid the fans/press crap lately, in which he sends out PT to face the press.

I would sack him this evening if I was in charge, put Pratt's in charge temporarily, & start looking for a new manager, first thing Monday morning

We just can't go in like this much longer

I agree with everything you said. The trouble is it’s going to cost the club a lot of money to get rid of him and he knows that. He has not changed the way he wants to play in the last 2-3 seasons. He is so predictable in the way we play that other teams can read us so easy .we have no plan B. We have players that in perhaps 2 years time can become really good. Yesterday we had 2 wingers who looked as if they did not know what to do with the ball and looked lost. Hence not many crosses and nobody to attack it when it did come over? Plymouth had 2 attacking players in Evans and Pepple who are robust and hard to play against. Their manager knew we were vulnerable on our heft side and made sure that either of them was always in that area against us.

HackneyO wrote: Sat Oct 03, 2026 9:05 pm

Bandy Legs wrote: Sat Oct 03, 2026 8:57 pm

HackneyO wrote: Sat Oct 03, 2026 8:43 pm

I don’t think there’s any hate. Just disappointment that we've got to this point. Majority of fans back Wellens, but not slavishly. His constant selection of Nepo is baffling considering the options we have and his non-showing for media duties just looks petulant.

Oh theres hate, some bod on fb just saie " don't care if he won us the champions league, I'd still hate him !

I think it’s been proven conclusively by this point that Facebook is a blight on humanity.

Qin wrote: Sun Oct 04, 2026 12:51 pm

BIGRON wrote: Sun Oct 04, 2026 11:29 am I still think Richie can pull this round , maybe it would help if people stopped slagging him off

I don't think it will Ron

Remember, he was terrible last season, we only stayed in the league because Bradford beat Exeter on the last day of the season. It's gone on too long.

I'm not sure Richie's engaging anymore, he's had enough, and most fans have had enough of him. A change will do us good

Orient have lost more home league matches in 2026, than any other team in the entire EFL.

Is time Richie went

E10quence wrote: Sun Oct 04, 2026 10:36 am

moonwalk19 wrote: Sun Oct 04, 2026 7:56 am

Qin wrote: Sat Oct 03, 2026 6:12 pm I'm with KenleyO. I too am sick of watching the team I love get beat every week

I've lost count of the number of players brought in here, during the last two seasons, but we're still so poor.

The common denominator is Richie Wellens.

Despite supporting him constantly, now im sick of him, & want him gone.

I'm sick of his defensive line ups, rarely more than one up front. There's a defensive vibe in the team. If we ever go 1 up, you know, we will then just try and defend that 1 goal lead. Its not how I want my team to play.

I'm also sick of Richie's pathetic avoid the fans/press crap lately, in which he sends out PT to face the press.

I would sack him this evening if I was in charge, put Pratt's in charge temporarily, & start looking for a new manager, first thing Monday morning

We just can't go in like this much longer

He has not changed the way he wants to play in the last 2-3 seasons. He is so predictable in the way we play that other teams can read us so easy .we have no plan B. We have players that in perhaps 2 years time can become really good. Yesterday we had 2 wingers who looked as if they did not know what to do with the ball and looked lost. Hence not many crosses and nobody to attack it when it did come over?

All the problems you identify here are issues with the coaching/tactics of the team. It's obvious to all of us, yet it doesn't seem to be to Richie.

His understanding of tactics seems to have ossified around 2019/2020 - when Poundland-Pep-ball was all the rage in EFL.

Now the game has shifted to a more physical, direct style of play - Arsenal are the peak example of this, but can see examples throughout the pyramid. We're also seeing more 'traditional' formations making a comeback (e.g. Plymouth played 4-4-2 yesterday).

Every game, his only diagnosis of the problems are "winning second balls" "doing the basics" "jumping at the right time" "transitions", rather than understanding that his whole tactical set-up and gameplan has been worked out and is too easily countered now.

Rather than try to evolve with the times, his only responses are: (1) switching to a 3-5-2 and (2) throwing on a load of random subs at 65 minutes. When neither of those work, he's got nothing else in the locker.

Utterly devoid of ideas, increasingly frustrated that one-trick-pony's one trick no longer tricks anyone.

Bandy Legs wrote: Sun Oct 04, 2026 6:13 pm
Have we not played
3-4-2-1
4-1-41
5-3-2
4-2-3-1
4-3-3

E10quence wrote: Sun Oct 04, 2026 6:23 pm

Bandy Legs wrote: Sun Oct 04, 2026 6:13 pm
Have we not played
3-4-2-1
4-1-41
5-3-2
4-2-3-1
4-3-3

Never consistently and, even if we have notionally played those formations, in reality they're often just slight variations on 4-2-3-1 or 3-5-2/5-3-2 due to the personnel on the field being played out-of-position.

The patterns of play (i.e. horseshoe of death) and offensive/defensive shapes rarely change.

VeganO wrote: Sun Oct 04, 2026 2:16 pm I must admit that I'm quite torn & of course we are only 8 games in.
What bothers me is his failure to fulfill media duties, his insistence on playing Charlie,who is no more than a squad player, in the first 11 & so far his inability to get the best out of an expensively assembled squad - not necessarily in that order.
There is little doubt in my view that we should be top 6 with the players we have.
If things continue to go awry then Richie cannot be given too long a period to turn it around otherwise this will be a wasted season.
I just feel that Richie's personality will eventually be his downfall.

E10quence wrote: Sun Oct 04, 2026 6:23 pm

Bandy Legs wrote: Sun Oct 04, 2026 6:13 pm
Have we not played
3-4-2-1
4-1-41
5-3-2
4-2-3-1
4-3-3

Never consistently and, even if we have notionally played those formations, in reality they're often just slight variations on 4-2-3-1 or 3-5-2/5-3-2 due to the personnel on the field being played out-of-position.

The patterns of play (i.e. horseshoe of death) and offensive/defensive shapes rarely change.