Leyton Orient manager Fabio Liverani states that there is no pressure on his players only himself ahead of his sides clash with Port Vale tomorrow. Liverani  spoke to London 94.9 yesterday hinted at the lack of a cutting edge from the O’s who have failed to score in their last 2 matches despite dominating. “It was a encouraging performance against Barnsley and Crawley but we need to score“. Liverani added “I always look forward to the game and our last game was a good performance and had many attempts on goal”

• Orient failed to score in 14 of their 38 matches
• Failed to score in 8 of their 19 home matches

Orient’s problem this year has been consistency but Orient defender Scott Cuthbert admitted that Crawley were “hungrier than us, we gave them something to hold on to” . The O’s sit 3 points from safety at the bottom of league 1 and face 4 huge matches in the next coming weeks. Home games against Vale and Gillingham while vital trips to relegation rivals Coventry and Crewe. Cuthbert has urged the Orient fans to get behind the team “we need the fans support, we will need you on Saturday”

With all the experience in the Orient squad it was somewhat of a surprise that they have fallen down so much from last season “it has been a frustrating season, from last season to this season, very depressing” Orient loaned out Kevin Lisbie last week to Stevenage but Cuthbert insists that “there is so much talent in the side that has played at a higher level, we will remain positive and fight till the end”.

Orient’s defeat at Crawley last week didn’t come to much cost as only Crawley picked up points at the bottom of the league. Liverani interviewed after last week’s defeat stated “the game was very important but other results don’t change the league table too much, 3 points still separates many teams”

Vale travel to Orient on the back of three consecutive defeats and are not mathematically safe themselves. Vale lost 1-0 away at Sheffield United last weekend but Rob Page was pleased with how his team responded in the game, “Second half performance was better but aspects of the game could have been better, we made a couple of changes at half time and we were better for it”. Vale have a very slim chance of a play off spot but a win at Brisbane Road on Saturday would clinch safety for another season.

• Vale collected 21 of their 48 points away – W6,D3,L10 but won 3 of their last 4 on their travels
• Taken 6 points from last 18 available – W2, L4

Vale added Francisco Junior from Everton, Neil Collins from Sheffield United and Mohamed Couilibaly from Bournemouth to boost their squad for the end of season run in. Page stated in an interview today that “I don’t want the season to fizzle out, I want to have a right good go and by adding quality we have given ourselves the best chance to do it” 

Page wants them to start tomorrow against Orient but understands that they “will be tough opponents, they are scrapping for survival and points themselves, we need to match them in every department in a very physical game”. He added “we know we are good away from home and need to play our way. While they are points to play for, while they are available try and get the most we can”.

• Orient and Vale have scored and conceded the same amount of goals this season
• Scored 47 and conceded 53

Orient lost 3-0 at Vale Park earlier in the season and Liverani knows that they will provide a threat going forward “Vale are a difficult team but all teams are dangerous”. Orient have competed well at home in recent weeks but have struggled to put chances away which have cost them this season. The O’s have relied heavily on the strikers to provide the goals for them with Chris Dagnall top scoring with 10.

• 33 of the 47 league goals for Orient scored by strikers
• 11 by midfielders with 9 by wingers and only 2 from central midfield
• In 13/14 season – 28 of 85 goals were scored by midfielders but just 6 from central midfield
• And 12/13 season – 19 of 55 goals scored by midfielders  with just 8 from central midfield

Orient haven’t been known in recent years for their goal scoring central midfielders but a team can only last so long relying solely on the strikers for the goals. Liverani added Jake Taylor from Reading this week who will go straight in to the squad for tomorrow clash. Taylor will play a major role in the coming weeks with Orient losing both Ryan Hedges and Jobi McAnuff to international duty next week. Liverani on Taylor

“He is a very good player and good option for us both wide and centrally. We have have watched him play a number of games and we are happy to bring him in. He will add something different to what we have”.

Confidence in the Orient camp will be low after last week’s result but Cuthbert stated that “confidence is low, we could have been 19th with a win but there are 9 games to go and focus taking every game as it comes”. Orient’s final 5 fixtures are not favorable but results are a must at this stage of the season (Rochdale, Swindon, MK Dons AWAY, Sheffield United and Doncaster HOME)

• Only Notts County (15) have picked up less points at home than Orient 16 – W4,D4,L11
• Only Yeovil (13) and Notts County (11) have picked up less points since turn of the year than Orient (14)
• Orient have 4 clean sheets in 8 games – conceding only 7 but silly errors have cost them results
• Conceded first in 20 games – only picking up 8 points from possible 60
• 4 out of 5 home wins have been when O’s opened the scoring

Vale will be missing Byron Moore for tomorrow’s clash after picking up an injury in last couple of games. Orient will be without Jobi McAnuff but Lloyd James could be available after returning from his broken leg suffered in September. James played 60 minutes in a reserve match in midweek and Orient have been missing his presence since his injury.

• Vale won 3-0 at Vale Park earlier in the season but Orient have won 4 of the last 6 meetings
• O’s won last 3 at Brisbane Road – 3-2 victory last season
• Mark Marshall and Tom Pope top scorer for Vale but Marshall netted 4 in his last 9 and Pope 1 in last 7
• Dagnall netted 3 in his last 6 matches

Prediction Leyton Orient 2-1 Port Vale