Leyton Orient 0 - West Bromwich Albion 2

Dave Watkin:

CARLING CUP ROUND TWO

This is the 38th time Albion have appeared in Round Two of the League Cup, since our first ever tie, at The Hawthorns on Wednesday 22nd September 1965 against Walsall, when a 3-1 win started us on the road to success in that season?s final. It?s pleasant to recall that our biggest ever victory at this stage came a year later, when we thrashed Aston Villa 6-1. We?ve won through in 26 of the ties, a success rate of 68%.

ORIENT IN THE CUP

Our only previous League Cup match against Leyton Orient was exactly four years ago. On Thursday 24th August 2006, in Round One of the competition, we won 3-0 at Brisbane Road, with goals from Stuart Nicholson (booked for celebrating with his Dad), Darren Carter and Jonathan Greening. Not a single member of the 16 man squad is still at the Club. In the FA Cup, we?ve twice lost 2-1 away to Orient, in 1984-85 and 1991-92, but won 2-0 at The Hawthorns in 1909-10.

MATCH REPORT

Albion gained a comfortable victory over Leyton Orient at Brisbane Road. A goal from a set piece just before the half hour and an injury time strike were enough to beat an average League One side.

Perhaps uniquely, Roberto Di Matteo left out all eleven who began the game on Saturday, consequently there were two debutants, recently signed keeper Boaz Myhill and local youngster Sam Mantom, with Nicky Shorey making his first full appearance.

The Baggies had the better of the opening exchanges, but after the ball fell kindly for Orient in the box, it took an excellent diving save to his right by Boaz Myhill to keep out a snap shot heading for the bottom corner. Luke Moore drew a save from the home keeper before, in the 29th minute, Albion took the lead. We were awarded a free kick wide left, Sam Manton swung the ball into the area and Pablo Ibanez rose to send a glancing header wide of the keeper.

On the hour mark, Albion brought on Marek Cech and Chris Wood. We continued to have a majority of possession, but failed to convert any of the chances we created. The home side stepped up their game and well aware that just one successful counter attack would lead to extra time, the more pessimistic fans were getting nervous. This wasn?t helped when Cech was felled and in obvious distress was replaced by Gonzalo Jara. However, in the 91st minute, Chris Wood made the game safe. He received the ball with his back to goal just outside the area, turned, squeezed between two defenders and from a narrow angle hit a fierce cross shot, which seemed to go through the keeper.

The team was a lot less fluid without our first choice midfielders. However, the defence, led by Pablo Ibanez and ably supported by Leon Barnett was solid enough. Steven Reid showed that he is quite capable of handling the midfield defensive role. Sam Mantom impressed, he was enthusiastic, moved the ball on simply and swiftly, took a couple of decent free kicks and can be well satisfied with his debut.

ALBION FORMRATE: FAIR

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: SAM MANTOM

Finally, Leyton Orient have one claim to fame, they?re the only football club in the Good Beer Guide. An excellent arrangement between the Club and the supporters (take note Mr Peace), allow the latter to run a bar under the main stand, serving six real ales to home and away supporters alike, which makes a profit, which the Supporters Club then donate to Orient at the end of the season. Those of us who found this gem were made very welcome, appreciated the very reasonable prices and, I would imagine, gave a significant boost to the takings.

Londonbaggie:

Please no Moore. Enough is enough, how many chances doies this guy need to prove he is still interested and still carries some ability. I was one of those that when RDM came in was delighted Moore was given another chance after burning all his bridges with TM. However it is quite clear that he just not give a t@@S anymore. Probably by far the most highly paid player on the pitch last night and for me he outshone everyone else in the "I can't be bothered department". With no disrespect to Orient, it was an opportunity for LM to show he still has ability but on last nights showing no 1st division club would even want him, and to think he might even pick up a win bonus for last night!

Lets sit him down with his agent and come to a settlement figure and pay him off, I hope I never see him in an Albion shirt again.

On the positives, I thought Barnett had a good solid game last night and to a certain extent looked more assured than Pablo who is still obviously getting used to the pace of English football. He was caught in possession a couple of times trying to "play his way" out of tight defensive positions. one of the most impressive sights was PO's sublime finishing in the half time subs knock about, he was picking off the top corners at will with both feet. Lets hope this tranfers itself to the pressure situations he will find himself in during the coming weeks.

Although not a great game by any stretch, it was still good to see what is essentially our second eleven "comfortably" beat a team that could have proved a tricky opposition for a similar second eleven in recent years.

Paul Barnsley:

Some random thoughts from last night:

1. What is the point of the Carling Cup? We couldn't be bothered, they didn't seem bothered and the crowd (well, the few who turned up) couldn't be bothered either. It was a depressing night and one when I wasn't the only one wishing we'd stayed in the boozer.
2. I actually thought Moore did very well for the first 20/25 minutes - didn't give it away, looked to create, was busy and had a decent effort - and then just seemed to fall apart. There was a moment in the second half when, though trying, Moore managed to destroy a promising build up down the right by getting in the way like someone who'd never actually seen a football before. His face and hapless efforts were pure comedy and tragedy. I felt very sorry for him at that moment and I did think he tryed. But there is something going very wrong for this boy.
3. I thought Barnett was solid and did himself no harm at all - I thought Reid was MoM for us and held things together. Manton did nothing wrong at all on his debut. He passed it safely, he worked? hard and delivered some good set pieces. He can be well pleased with his first game and good on him. Let's hope we keep developing him.
4. If one of the aims is to protect the first team why on earth were Cech and Jara brought on? Cech's injury looked serious to me and I hope he is fit for Sunday as Shorey looked shaky at times, although still 1 million times better than the outlaw Joey Buttock.
5. Giles Barnes? Why? The ultimate non player imho and offers nothing ime. And his constant backing out of tackles is both frustrating and dangerous (to him).
6. If we don't care about the CC (and surely we don't) could we please at least try to entertain in the next match/es. ?22 to watch the reserves grinding in the dank East London night was a deeply existential experience and one I have no desire to endure again.

cliff61:

Yes it was all a bit depressing, when I got home from work around 5pm and read RDM was making wholesale changes I was tempted not to bother, I mean in effect this was the quality of a reserve match and even though I only live 40 miles from Orient it still took an hour and a half because of london traffic and cost about ?40.

I don't agree about Mantom, he did put a couple of decent crosses in at set pieces but other than that I thought he was poor, our moves broke down to often when he got the ball, on that showing I can't see him amounting to very much. Moore and Zuiverloon were hopeless on the right hand side and Bednar was also poor before he went off.

Ibanez, Reid, and Myhill were the only 3 who started that came out with any credit IMO, although Shorey looked safe enough he was rarely under any pressure, Orient were rubbish!