Leyton Orient have creative wildcard that may force January rethink | OneFootball

Leyton Orient may have found the solution to their creativity problems.

Leyton Orient are currently statistically the least creative side in League One so far this season, per Fotmob.

Not many saw Orient being in this position, especially after a comfortable season last year which saw an eventual top half position.

The attacking issues are severely impacting the O's season so far, as shown by their defensive efforts which sees them having conceded fewer than any other side in and around the relegation zone, which is where Orient find themselves so early on in the season.

It is clear to see where the issues lie for Orient, who have lost by a singular goal six times so far in the league this season.

Failing to create enough chances has seen the O's slip further and further down the table and plagues the good momentum that Orient had coming into the season.

Orient brought in many new faces in the summer

Following the departure of strikers Ruel Sotiriou and Shaq Forde in the summer, Orient made a considerable effort to reinforce the attacking effort in the summer window.

Winger Diallang Jaiyesemi, who had worked with manager Richie Wellens before at Swindon Town, joined the club, shortly followed by the loan arrivals of strikers Sonny Perkins and Charlie Kelman - the latter having spent a season on loan at Orient in 2023 prior.

Tottenham's Jamie Donley also joined on a loan deal, giving O's fans confidence that they would improve on last season's 53 goals scored.

However none of them have found form or consistency so far this season, with the O's ranking 21st for shots on target per match and 20th for expected goals per Fotmob.

Ethan Galbraith and the aforementioned Kelman are currently both on three goals each, with striker Dan Agyei being on two.

With the January window fast approaching, it would seem likely that there will be some departures from East London, with the possibility of Perkins' and Donley's parent clubs being frustrated at their lack of appearances and impact.

This would inevitably lead to speculation about possible incomings in the forward areas, however Orient are neglecting the creative ability of a key figure already in the side.

The O's could find attacking help in defence

One standout this season so far for Orient has been fullback Tom James.

James joined the club in 2021 and has been a mainstay in the side in both League Two and League One.

James has had his critics and has had spells in and out of the side at points during his Orient career, but this year he seems to be coming into his own and bringing something different that the O's really need to utilise while he's in good form.

So far this season, James is averaging 2.2 chances created and 2.6 successful crosses per 90 minutes this season, per Fotmob. Having contributed a goal and two assists this year - including the assist for Tuesday night's win against Rotherham United.

However, with Orient starting the season on the back foot, the use of long balls has become more frequent.

For as much technical ability as James has, he has only managed a 28.6% success rate for long balls - with Orient overall ranking 21st in League One in this statistic.

James, who is in the 97th percentile for successful crosses and 91st percentile for chances created amongst League One players, could be utilised much more to his strengths, and help Orient find their creative spark that has been sorely missed during this campaign so far.

Manager Richie Wellens will want to find a way to make James as effective as possible, or risk slipping further down the table and forcing James to make a decision on his future ahead of the January window.