Independent Leyton Orient Forum

Currently, we are in a good spell. Can we maintain our journey towards a respectable top-half finish??

8-10th - If we sign a winger & a forward before end of Jan
10-13th - if we only sign a winger before end of Jan
13-15th - if we do not sign anyone before end of Jan

15-20th if we lose El Miz

This is League 1, not League 2. If you look at the top six or seven teams I would imagine they all have bigger budgets and squad depth than us . Basically what I'm saying is even in good form I think we're too far behind the sixth placed team to think about the play offs this season . It's not impossible but ii would be a tremendous ask to catch such strong teams who are at least eleven points in front of us . I think our main objective at the beginning of the season was to consolidate ourselves at this level . Therefore with that in mind I'd be more than happy to finish where we are now . So long as we don't finish in the bottom four I'm happy .

RedDwarf 1881 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 18, 2024 12:57 pm This is League 1, not League 2. If you look at the top six or seven teams I would imagine they all have bigger budgets and squad depth than us . Basically what I'm saying is even in good form I think we're too far behind the sixth placed team to think about the play offs this season . It's not impossible but ii would be a tremendous ask to catch such strong teams who are at least eleven points in front of us . I think our main objective at the beginning of the season was to consolidate ourselves at this level . Therefore with that in mind I'd be more than happy to finish where we are now . So long as we don't finish in the bottom four I'm happy .

I agree.

Given our current run, as a club we are looking up and not down. Thats a nice feeling.

I would like to finish above Stevenage, in particular. They are NOT in a superior financial bracket to us, and well, it's Stevenage.

Not even thinking about play offs. A top half finish would be great, but I think we'll be around 14th.

Said 16th at start of the season will stick to it. Hopeful we could improve on that provided we get through this window without losing any key players.

There's a pretty substantial gap both in terms of points and size from the top 6 or 7 down to the rest so I can't see us troubling that.

But if we keep the recent form up (and keep both El Miz and most importantly Richie), then I think we'll finish 10th - which would be a great achievement and an excellent springboard for next season (though the league will likely be much tougher next year with the likes of Wrexham, Stockport, etc.).

I'd probably take 15th if you offered it to me now though - it's all about consolidating this season, shifting some of the dead/expensive wood in the summer, and improving our squad.

If we finish 10th, some people will moan that if we had spent a bit more, we could have been in the playoffs

Give it to Jabo wrote: ↑Thu Jan 18, 2024 12:40 pm Currently, we are in a good spell. Can we maintain our journey towards a respectable top-half finish??

Mid table is respectable, have some perspective

12th would be fine, no lower.
I've had a few pennies on a top half finish.
One bet at 5/4 and another at 13/8

Play offs, minimum.

Tenth

Going by Ritchie’s post match interview he still harbours thoughts of making the play offs.
Average number of points to reach 6th position is 75 points, so 36 points required from 18 matches.
Surely a bridge too far, but can’t help but admire the ambition.

Play-offs have got to be an objective. It would be unfortunate considering our financial/ground position, if we won the play-offs. But a place in the play-offs would generate some much needed filthy lucre. It has to be an objective.

Friend or faux wrote: ↑Sun Jan 28, 2024 12:52 pm Play-offs have got to be an objective. It would be unfortunate considering our financial/ground position, if we won the play-offs. But a place in the play-offs would generate some much needed filthy lucre. It has to be an objective.

I agree but while possible it’s a big ask . We’re currently about ten points behind Stevenage in 6th place. I think that’s too big a gap but you never know.

Said 10-14th before the season had started stand by that.

BiggsyMalone wrote: ↑Fri Jan 19, 2024 6:43 pm

Give it to Jabo wrote: ↑Thu Jan 18, 2024 12:40 pm Currently, we are in a good spell. Can we maintain our journey towards a respectable top-half finish??

Mid table is respectable, have some perspective

I have.

We have earned 10 of the last 12 points available. Scored 4 goals without reply against two of the very top teams.

I'm going for 12th which I think would be a good achievement. We struggled badly initially but we've found out feet and are no longer easy to beat. Our lack of goals and vulnerability to key players getting injured/transferred is a bit of worry but we seem fairly safe.

Too many 'ifs' to predict with any certainty

If we bring in another decent player
If we avoid any serious long term injuries
If we keep all the players we have now
etc etc

There's 18 games to go....say we won 10 of them, and drew 4, that would give us a total of 73 points, probably just short of what we'd need.
If 2 of those draws were wins though........
Best to just see where we end up

JimbO wrote: ↑Sun Jan 28, 2024 2:37 pm Said 10-14th before the season had started stand by that.

To be honest I'd settle for that finish right now . Our main objective before the season started was to stablise ourselves back in League 1. We look like achieving that so that will do me .

Give it to Jabo wrote: ↑Sun Jan 28, 2024 2:49 pm

BiggsyMalone wrote: ↑Fri Jan 19, 2024 6:43 pm

Give it to Jabo wrote: ↑Thu Jan 18, 2024 12:40 pm Currently, we are in a good spell. Can we maintain our journey towards a respectable top-half finish??

Mid table is respectable, have some perspective

I have.

We have earned 10 of the last 12 points available. Scored 4 goals without reply against two of the very top teams.

You said top half is respectable. Its better than respectable, it will be a very good season if that is where Orient finish.

Friend or faux wrote: ↑Sun Jan 28, 2024 12:52 pm Play-offs have got to be an objective. It would be unfortunate considering our financial/ground position, if we won the play-offs. But a place in the play-offs would generate some much needed filthy lucre. It has to be an objective.

As we are stuck with our ground for a while are you saying we should avoid promotion? Let's not forget other clubs with similar size grounds to us have managed to survive in the Championship, a few have made it to the Premiership

Where's everyone's optimism - champions.

The Story of O :- As we are stuck with our ground for a while are you saying we should avoid promotion? Let's not forget other clubs with similar size grounds to us have managed to survive in the Championship, a few have made it to the Premiership
Friend or Faux:- I don't think it especially likely we get in the play-offs. But the 2 Tommy Taylor play-offs at the turn of the Millennium must have brought in quite a lot of loot for Hearn. I guess that the present regime would make better use of the finances ( but they are not as cute as Hearn was in keeping the Orient name in the Public's mind ). One also has to measure, that repeated failures in the play-offs, could damage the whole clubs morale. Also in League 1, there would be bigger fish in early play off rounds: Portsmouth, Wanderers, Derby, Barnsley, Blackpool & even the Gas Heads; surely better than Scunthorpe.