Leyton Orient (A) League One Sat 28 Sept, 3pm

[Welsh_Saddler]

All right, if ever there was a match where you could say "this will be our toughest League game of the season so far" then this is it. Normal practice is to display the opposing team's last six League results, but I think we can make an exception in this case and have all eight matches played so far: (I won't specify win, draw or lose - they've won the lot!!)

August 3rd Carlisle United (A) 5-1
August 10th Shrewsbury Town (H) 3-0
August 17th Stevenage (A) 1-0
August 24th Crewe Alexandra (H) 2-0
August 31st Colchester United (A) 2-1
September 14th Port Vale (H) 3-2
September 17th Notts County (H) 5-1
September 23rd Brentford (A) 2-0

Goal difference in League matches comes to a very impressive 23-5.

Russell Slade was put in charge in April 2010 and is therefore the League's 5th longest serving manager; he signed a new 3-year contract in summer this year. He is on record as saying that a lot of their success is down to stability, whereas his Chairman Barry Hearn says that Slade's man-management skills are "inspirational". Slade also praises Howard Kendall for teaching him well in his first managerial appointment at Notts County 18 years ago.

The O's leading scorers are the threesome of Lisbie (8), Mooney (8), and Batt (5). Keep them quiet and we might have a chance!! Looking at their results so far my immediate thought was that they've mostly played what might be described as "weaker" opponents in League table terms...then they go and win at Griffin Park tonight. Not even the great Griggovitch could make an impression, being withdrawn on 74 minutes.

As always with Walsall, it largely depends which Saddlers team turns up on the day. Being brutally honest I can't see us getting anything out of this, but on the other hand we do seem to reserve our best performances (a) for away games, and (b) for "superior" opposition.

If we can sneak a 1-1 I will be very happy.

[SWS1]

:shock: Orient have stuffed Brentford tonight. Eight straight wins. :shock:
The bloke on telly who picked us and Leyton Orient as "dark horses for promotion" was at least half right. :shock:

(I did say at least :mrgreen: )

I'd be very happy with a draw - and it would spoil their 100% start. :D

BTW - aside from (apparently) having a decent manager and a couple of well-know faces (Lisbie, Mooney), to what do poster attribute LO's early success? Incredible success? How much have they spent? :?:

[Magic Man Fan]

:shock: Orient have stuffed Brentford tonight. Eight straight wins. :shock:
The bloke on telly who picked us and Leyton Orient as "dark horses for promotion" was at least half right. :shock:

(I did say at least :mrgreen: )

I'd be very happy with a draw - and it would spoil their 100% start. :D

BTW - aside from (apparently) having a decent manager and a couple of well-know faces (Lisbie, Mooney), to what do poster attribute LO's early success? Incredible success? How much have they spent? :?:

Very little, it's just hard work and consistency, like us.

It's not just their early success though, their form stretches back to last season, where they went on a run even better than ours.

[ChopperWFC]

Well they have to lose at some point. Think a hard battling 0-0 draw with chances going begging from both sides more likely and il be very happy with that. Annoyingly can't make this one and even more annoyingly I'm in London next week...when we are at home :evil:
Up the Saddlers forever !!!

[aaaae]

I fancy our chances and see a high scoring game in the offing. I predict a 6-4 win for the Saddlers!

[Slade]

Why are we doing so well this year ? ... It's a combination of having a settled side ... the one that basically finished last season so well .. a reasonably easy fixture list to start ... hard work and organisation .. Plus the key men of the side have played above expectation ..it was no conicidence last night at Brentford our worst 45 minutes of the season in the first half was Vincelot's worst 45 minutes as well .. The problems will start when our very good first XI gets suspensions and injuries ... we've realistically got 14 first team players .. the rest being kids and unknowns .. I would still quite happily take 10th place if it was offered this morning .. with the likes of Wolves , Peterborough and Sheff United spending £500,000 + on players and we struggle to fill the bench ..

Oh and those of you going on the train .. I'd go Victoria Line from Euston to Blackhorse Road .. switch to a Barking bound train and it's 2 stops to Leyton Midland Road ... out the station turn left and its a 10 - 15 minute coming in from the other direction than the tube .. you''ll easily do it in an hour from Euston .. going via Stratford is a right pain unless you really want to see West Ham's new ground !

[Registered Saddler]

Seems that Orient have done better with less money to spend. After wasting most of that cup run money on spurious court appeals and players that weren't up to it, the focused squad they've got now appears to be a lot more organised and consistent. They've got players all over the pitch that would get into most sides in the division (how Sheff Utd would kill for a striker like Lisbie even with their ill-gotten millions), but as the poster above states, whether there's any strength in depth is yet to be seen. Whither Tranmere, one might ask.

Interesting that it's not only our biggest test of the season, but also theirs. After October 5th we will have played five of the top six. The highest ranked side Orient have played so far are 10th. Nevertheless, they've managed to beat two of the sides we've failed to beat (Notts County and Brentford).

They're a bit of a bogey side for us - we've only won 2 of the last 15 meetings. And those 2-1 defeats home and away last year proved crucial in us failing to make the play-offs. Be nice to get some revenge but I fear it'll be 9 out of 9 come Saturday.

[Sadders]

Not sure why, but the way this teams works under Smith I fancy us to bring something home, perhaps even win. I'm not even sure why to be honest, virtually everything is in Orient's favour, we could only lose 1-0 at Brentford where they won 2-0 relatively easily last night.

2-0 to the Saddlers with goals for Butler and Featherstone.
312 Saddlers.

[gray]

Really looking forward to this, Orient is a new ground to tick off for me. I'd be happy for us to end their 100% run but think we can also give them a good game. Apart from when they play us I'd like Leyton Orient to do well this season.

[SWS1]

Agreed. I always looked on Orient as "one of us" - small clubs battling to make headway. I thought the same about Hartlepool, who have had a big dip the last few seasons, since they ran us close for the Fourth Division a few years ago in the Money era.

[We-ARE-Walsall]

Really looking forward to this, Orient is a new ground to tick off for me. I'd be happy for us to end their 100% run but think we can also give them a good game. Apart from when they play us I'd like Leyton Orient to do well this season.

You haven't been missing much. Terrible journey, horrible place, probably my least fav away game. Winning there would be good, might make it a bit more enjoyable.

[latviancheese]

Id be cheerful with a point. They appear to be well organised and can bag a few goals but i would back our defence against anybody.

Draw written all over this one.

[kshammer]

The run has to end sometime and so why not to us... we're good enough on our day and enjoy ending team's unbeaten runs. :D

2-1 to us. Mantomy and Westy.

[bangsection]

Terrible journey, horrible place, probably my least fav away game.

Don't worry WAW, like most formerly grotty bits of London, Leyton's rapidly becoming gentrified. This time next season it will all be pavement cafe bars and organic focaccia. My brothers both live in Leyton/Walthamstow and house prices are up 1,000,000% in the last year or something bonkers. That said, the pub we went in before the game last season was a right hole!

[We-ARE-Walsall]

Terrible journey, horrible place, probably my least fav away game.

Don't worry WAW, like most formerly grotty bits of London, Leyton's rapidly becoming gentrified. This time next season it will all be pavement cafe bars and organic focaccia. My brothers both live in Leyton/Walthamstow and house prices are up 1,000,000% in the last year or something bonkers. That said, the pub we went in before the game last season was a right hole!

Just from the experiences I have had it's always been one of my least favourite away games. Doesn't help we never seem to do very well there I guess. The one pub I always end up in is not bad (can't think what it's called now) pretty big pub not far from the ground. It's a horrible journey though, as are most visits to that side of London.

Think we will probably lose, but lets go there with the same set up, attitude, and desire as we did to Wolves, and we may just do it.

[windowman]

think the pub by the ground i always go in is the coach and horses,could be wagon and horses

[BathSaddler]

think the pub by the ground i always go in is the coach and horses,could be wagon and horses

The best pub is the Birkbeck Tavern, which is around the back of the exit from the Leyton tube station [although I know it is closed for our visit] and just off the High Street via a short bridge, about 10/15 minutes away from the ground. They make a particular point of welcoming away fans, or, at least, they did the last time I went a couple of years ago. They have a good beer garden too.

Brisbane Road has always been one of my favourite away days for some reason.

Prediction: a 1-1 draw, with Baxendale for us, in front of 5,156, including 390 of us.

[Soton Saddler]

O's 1 - 2 Walsall

Chambers
Hewitt

5001 (410)

UTS

[rusky]

This has got a 2-0 away win smash and grab written all over it, Mantom and one of the Chambers to bag 'em with 5443 in attendance of which 342 Super Saddlers making up the numbers!

[chestersaddler]

A 1-1 draw. Baxendale with ours.

4143 not in attendance.

[We-ARE-Walsall]

A 1-1 draw. Baxendale with ours.

4143 not in attendance.

He might be you know :D

[We-ARE-Walsall]

I noticed Orient's poor (ish) gates considering they have just won 8 on the bounce. Pretty sure we would be above 5k if that were us. Any reason for it that you know of ? Or is that just how many supporters they have got ?

[aaaae]

I noticed Orient's poor (ish) gates considering they have just won 8 on the bounce. Pretty sure we would be above 5k if that were us. Any reason for it that you know of ? Or is that just how many supporters they have got ?

Just like Brentford (and us) they have too much local and easily accessible Premier League competition. Will be even worse when West Ham move in over the road.

[Registered Saddler]

I noticed Orient's poor (ish) gates considering they have just won 8 on the bounce. Pretty sure we would be above 5k if that were us. Any reason for it that you know of ? Or is that just how many supporters they have got ?

Expensive ticket prices: £23 is the cheapest you can get on matchday.
The second factor is that after about a decade of stagnation in Football League attendances, gates are starting to fall across the board. This is probably to do with a combination of: high ticket prices, the recession, abandoning the traditional working-class market, over-saturation of football, disillusionment with the way modern football is run. I believe around a dozen clubs have already recorded lower attendances than at any point last season and I expect that number will increase after tomorrow's games.

[saddlerphil]

let's have a look into my crystal ball........

Far East 3-2 Saddlars
Scotty Houghton & The Ginger One to score for each of us.
With Barry Hearns' new signing, Stephen Lee, to score in the last minute (to get them out of a snooker we put them in)

attendance 4567 (456 Uz)
most of the home attendance made up from people looking for the Olympic stadia.

[Pheasey_Saddler]

Orient have apparently got 3 or 4 new injury concerns before tomorrow's game. With Slade admitting their squad is very thin, this could be the break we need to get something from tomorrow's game.

[latviancheese]

7/2 to win tomorow.

What a ridiculous price...we are nearly evens on the double chance too. Fill your boots.

[We-ARE-Walsall]

I noticed Orient's poor (ish) gates considering they have just won 8 on the bounce. Pretty sure we would be above 5k if that were us. Any reason for it that you know of ? Or is that just how many supporters they have got ?

Expensive ticket prices: £23 is the cheapest you can get on matchday.
The second factor is that after about a decade of stagnation in Football League attendances, gates are starting to fall across the board. This is probably to do with a combination of: high ticket prices, the recession, abandoning the traditional working-class market, over-saturation of football, disillusionment with the way modern football is run. I believe around a dozen clubs have already recorded lower attendances than at any point last season and I expect that number will increase after tomorrow's games.

So what you are saying is, that we didn't lose thousands of fans because of Bonser ? :wink:

I was genuinely interested though, that was the point of my original post. I get all the things you said, same as us in most ways. I think if we had won 8 on the bounce we would be over 5k most games, maybe even pushing 6k, but maybe I am wrong now, and just using what has happened in the past as a gauge.

[MILO5]

Am hearing "this will be close" and "we could nick it " as if we would have to tip toe out of Leyton like we had stolen 3 points if we won.

MAKE NO MISTAKE , WALSALL FC ARE A MIGHTY FORCE . Orient , bless em, will be lucky to cross the half way line seven or eight times in 90 minutes. And they will be the little tap forward when they kick off at the start of the half and after we have scored.

0-7 Saddlers and the reds go marching on .

[PT]

I think we've got half a chance tomorrow. Regardless of how they much they are trying to talk it down, Orient will start to feel a burden of expectation soon.

On this Saturday last year we won at Bournemouth and had what looked like two very winnable home games to come. Ironically the first of those was Orient. We lost them both and didn't win again until December.

So I think we'll begin Orient's fall to normality, not that I have anything at all against Orient - I like them, their fans and management. They are very like us.

The quandary I've got is that for only the second time this season I'm either not there or not there because I'm doing something else. The first game was Wolves in the JPT and I found the commentary on Saddlers World excruciating. Mick Kearns is a lovely fella and a club legend but he isn't cut out for radio. The text commentary on BBC is too banal to give you a real flavour. I like Jeff Stelling but the screeching Phil Thompson is enough to ruin anyone's Saturday afternoon and the BBC equivalent is amateurish by comparison. Think I might need to go old school and stick Ceefax and the wireless on. Brass-rubbing anyone?