The Opposition View: Leyton Orient

Last updated : 05 February 2016 By Jim Bonner

Firstly, let's look back at the Boxing Day game. You predicted a 5-0 Pompey victory. It didn't quite happen like that, did it!?

The only reason it didn't happen was because Adam Webster got himself needlessly sent off and Adam Barton had to play as a centre back!

Do you think Ian Hendon deserved the sack and what do you make of Kevin Nolan's appointment as player-manager?

Ian Hendon 100% deserved the sack. We couldn't defend under him as a team, he struggled to set us up properly and his signings from last summer have made a very poor impact on the squad with the players we already had. He was also picking arguments with supporters and was blaming everyone but himself in his post match interviews.

The appointment of Kevin Nolan is the fourth manager of Bechetti's tenure and it is yet another gamble. He has no experience as a manager or coach and is still completing his relevant coaching badges so he will need to be given time over the summer to build his own team and therefore it is impossible to judge him until the end of the season.

What do you make of Nigel Atangana since he arrived from Portsmouth? Is he likely to start on Saturday?

Nigel Atangana has done well since he arrived here because he brings strength and energy into our midfield. He is very likely to start for us - he balances our midfield setup a lot better.

Have there been any other new arrivals to Orient since the last time the two sides met? How much of a difference will they make to your squad?

We've added: 

Callum Jhrauldo-Martin - a winger/striker from Hull, he is very quick but is young and a bit raw. I see potential in him though and would like to sign him pernamently.

Jerome Binnon-Williams - A young left back from Crystal Palace who can also play as a centre beck, he will likely be on the bench but after our regular left back Frazer Shaw made a very poor error last Saturday, he may well start.

Nicky Hunt - Mansfield captain and friend of Kevin Nolan's, added for experience and to provide competition for the right back position.

Shaun Brisley - A polished centre half on loan from Peterborough for the rest of the season, we've needed a more steady player to partner Mathieu Baudry there all season.

Armand Gnanduillet - A striker signed on a two-and-a-half year deal from Chesterfield, 6'4 inches tall and a hard worker, brought in to give us more striking options. He has looked OK so far and scored last week.

Last time, you mentioned your attack as being your main strength and defence your biggest weakness. Has anything changed since then?

Not much has changed since Boxing Day, we have enough talent in our team going forward to create chances and score goals but we badly rely on scoring first and killing teams off quickly, I'm still not convinced we're capable as a team to hold many slender one goal leads.

What kind of match can we expect at Fratton Park on Saturday?

I think it could be very similar to Boxing Day, very open with both sides willing to get bodies forward and create chances.

Predict the outcome of the game.

We will lose 5-0 again I reckon.