Leyton Orient head coach Justin Edinburgh insists their is no magic formula to turn their troubles around but stated to leytonorient.com “we can’t be carrying any players at present. We need to win each and every individual battle on the pitch”

• Sit 20th on 21 points – just three points above relegation zone
• League Record – P23  W5  D6  L12  F27  A40
• Only Solihull (41) have conceded more
• Only Torquay (13) and Solihull (15) have lost more games
• Form in last six – W0  D2  L4  F5  A11

Edinburgh took over nine days ago but saw his side increase their winless run to 15 games after a 1-0 defeat to Solihull Moors last weekend. Liam Daly’s second half header sent Orient to a tenth defeat in their last 15 games. Speaking to leytonorient.com post match Edinburgh stated “I am bitterly disappointed, certainly with the result. I expected more today in terms of commitment and aggression”.

• No win in last 15 league games
• One win in last 18 games all competitions – W1  D6  L11
• Conceded two or more in 12 of last 15 games

Table of last 15 league games

With a full week on the training pitch, Edinburgh has had some time to implement his ideas to the players and something which he looked forward to. “I made it clear to the players, the importance of the task ahead, not fear it but embrace it. It is about organisation and getting my ideas across. The only way you get results is to work hard”.

• Kept just three league clean sheets (one at home)
• No clean sheet in last 16 league games and one in their last 18 league games
• Two in last 18 in all competitions (Dagenham FA Cup)
• Last League clean sheet Maidenhead, 1-0, 28/08/17

The former Northampton boss accepts that the players have to take responsibility and not shy away from it. Speaking to East London Advertiser “you can’t hide away from it and after Solihull I said to the players there is no hiding. A relegation battle is what we are in. Our form tells you that and the clubs underneath are getting results but I would expect three or four games down the line my impact will turn us around”.

• Conceded 26/39 league goals in first half
• Conceded ten between 1-5 minutes – most in league
• Conceded ten between 31-45 minutes – 2nd most in league
• No team conceded two or more goals in more matches than Orient – 14/23
• In 14 of the 15 games Orient conceded first, goal has been in the first half

Tomorrow’s game with Sutton will be Edinburgh first in charge at Brisbane Road and something he has looked forward to since he signed his contract. Speaking to leytonorient.com “I am really excited about it, the first home game is always a special one. I look forward to taking it in to the dug our against the league leaders”.

Justin Edinburgh’s first 10 league results at past three clubs

Despite facing the leaders, Edinburgh stated “what better place is there to get my first win than at home against the league leaders. I look forward and face the challenge head on”. Orient lost 2-0 at Gander Green Lane on the opening day but the 47 year old feels that it is “one we look to win, in front of our home fans, we respect them for being top, no game is going to be easy, it doesn’t matter where any club is”.

• Home League Record – P11  W3  D3  L5  F15  A16
• Only Chester (18) and Solihull (21) have conceded more
• Only the bottom four have worse home records than Orient
• No win in last seven home league games – D2  L5 (drew last two)
• One win in last eight in all competitions (Dagenham, 1-0 FA Cup, 17/10/17)
• Last home league win – 4-1 vs Guiseley, 02/09/17

Edinburgh’s side were backed by over 500 fans at Solihull last weekend, and the new Orient head coach understands the frustration of the fans. Speaking to East London Advertiser “they stuck with us for long periods but they are hurting. They expect better and they deserve better and doubt this club should not be in the position it is in right now. I think the fans have been very patient and supportive”.

• Failed to score in seven games (three at home)
• Failed in their last two games
• Scored in their last two home games
• No team in National League trailed for more minutes than Orient (983)
• Trailed in 16 of their last 18 matches

Sutton United arrive in E10 joint top of the National League, looking to build on back to back wins over Halifax and Eastleigh. The U’s victory over Eastleigh was their 12th win of the season and came courtesy of Tom Balarinwa and Tommy Wright.

• Sit 1st on 42 points
• League Record – P23  W12  D6  L5  F33  A25
• Joint most games won in League
• Joint least games lost in league
• Form in last six – W4  D0  L2  F9  A4

Manager Paul Doswell praised the quality of his squad after a tough time with injuries. Speaking to SUFCTV “I think the players deserve an enormous amount of credit, we’ve had two tough games, Halifax and Eastleigh, both very physical teams. We coped with that and to come out with six points” He added “I thought last week’s result at Guiseley with in essence 13 players, you have got to look at the squad and say well done”.

• Only lost one of their last 12 league games – W6   D5  L1
• Loss came at home 1-0 vs Torquay, 21/11/17
• Only lost two of their last 14 games in all competitions – W7  D5  L2

Sutton dominated the first half last weekend but only managed to go in at half time 1-0, a score line which always concerns Doswell, “it is always a worry at 1-0, they didn’t look like they would open us up at any point. It was more of a worry on set pieces and balls into the box but we handled it well today. When we had the amount of chances we had, you never feel comfortable”. However, a huge positive was “two successive clean sheets which is really important”.

• Kept seven league clean sheets (four away)
• Back to back Clean sheets for second time this season vs Halifax and Eastleigh
• Four clean sheets in last six league games
• Not conceded a league goal for 260 minutes
• Last time kept three consecutive clean sheets – April 2016 in National League North

Midfielder Simon Walton felt his side made it more difficult than it should have been against Eastleigh but was pleased with the professional nature of victory. Speaking to SUFCTV “we certainly deserved all three points, we are delighted as we knew second half they would come out, we weathered the storm and got the second goal” He added “sometimes in games we dominated first half, it can bite you back but we were professional in the second without being pretty at times and we got the job done”

• Only failed to score in five league games (two away)
• Scored in four of their last five games
• Scored in their last five away league games and ten of their last 11 on the road in league
• Scored two or more goals in 12/23 games – joint most in league
• Last failed to score away in League, 2-0 vs Woking, 12/09/17

Despite sitting joint top, Doswell is keen for his side to keep their feet on the ground ensuring they hit their initial pre season targets. Speaking to SUFCTV “we have always maintained that 54 points is needed first, we all accept that, then you look at our next target to finish in the top seven”. With just two points separating the top four Doswell acknowledges that one or two defeats, they can easily slip down the league.

• Last season, It took Sutton until February to reach 41 points – 32 games
• Only Macclesfield (727) have led for longer in league (687)

With Sutton continually building as a club, the former Eastleigh manager insists that “we have put ourselves in a great position to be in the mix  which is important. We have tough games coming up against Orient away and Boreham Wood who are a decent side. We still take it game by game, we have given ourselves a real shot to be in the mix”.

• Away League Record – P11  W6  D3  L2  F15  A10
• Only Macclesfield (25) have taken more points away than Sutton
• Unbeaten in their last five away league games
• One loss in last seven away in all competitions – Cambridge 1-0,FA Cup 07/11/17
• Last away league defeat – 2-0 vs Woking, 16/09/17

Doswell has overseen the rise of Sutton from Ryman Premier League to the top of National League and stated to SUFCTV “it is an incredible thing for this club to go to Orient as probably the favourites. It would be justified on the current league position, we are going to enjoy it. The club is onto something special”.

• Scored 19/33 league goals in first half
• Scored ten between 31-45 minutes – only Boreham Wood (12) scored more
• Scored 19/33 at the end of both halves – including nine between 76-90 (only Dagenham 12 have scored more)
• 66% of their away goals have come in first half, all second half come in last 15 minutes of matches

Team News

Leyton Orient will still be without defenders Jake Caprice and Jamie Sendles-White as they continue their suspension. Goalkeeper Dean Brill looks set to continue in goal after making his first appearance in two and half years at Solihull. Midfielder Freddy Moncur could be included after his loan spell at Bishops Stortford ended. Alex Lawless is back after recovering from a groin injury but defender Josh Coulson and George Elokobi are nearing  return.

Sutton midfielder Kenny Davis is struggling with a hamstring injury which forced him off in last week’s win over Eastleigh. Craig Eastmond looks set to make his first start since mid October. Dean Beckwith and Aswad Thomas are back in contention after returning from injury but Alfie Egan has returned to Wimbledon after his loan ended.

Prediction – Leyton Orient 1-1 Sutton United