LIVE: Leyton Orient v Arsenal U21 – Football League Trophy

With Richie Wellens unavailable for the post-match interview, assistant manager Paul Terry spoke after Orient’s 2-1 Football League Trophy defeat to Arsenal Under-21s and gave a frank assessment of the performance.

Terry made it clear from the outset that several players had been given an opportunity to stake a claim for Saturday, but in his view nobody had done enough to take the shirt. He felt the game offered players the chance to prove they were ready to force their way into the starting XI, but none had made themselves impossible to leave out.

He also admitted the overall performance was not good enough, despite Orient taking the lead midway through the first half.

Terry felt it took around 25 minutes for Orient to produce the type of football they had worked on in training, which ultimately led to Nick Oyekunle’s opening goal. His frustration was that, having gone 1-0 ahead, the O’s then appeared to sit back rather than continue pushing for a second and third goal.

He stressed that the message from both the dugout and dressing room is for Orient to keep attacking rather than becoming satisfied with a narrow lead, with the coaching staff trying to instil that mentality into the squad.

Terry was also frustrated by some of the basics that were missing from the performance. He highlighted stopping crosses, winning aerial duels and coming out on top in individual battles as areas the players can control, insisting those fundamentals have to improve if Orient are to compete consistently.

On individual players, Terry was pleased with Dane Scarlett’s work rate after his half-time introduction, saying the striker ran himself into the ground. The staff know Scarlett is a clinical finisher, but the immediate priority is continuing to build his fitness.

Alex Gilbert was another player Terry praised, explaining that the plan was essentially for the midfielder to keep going until he had nothing left before being withdrawn. Gilbert did exactly that and gave everything during his first Orient start.

Asked about Idris El Mizouni’s workload, Terry acknowledged that while the squad may appear large on paper, injuries have reduced the options currently available. He was not looking to use that as an excuse, though, and made clear that players who are available have to be ready to play.

There were also several injury updates. Aaron Connolly has returned to training but remains a few weeks away from being ready, while Ollie O’Neill is also still a few weeks away. Alfie Gilchrist is expected to need another couple of weeks, Demetri Mitchell is set to be sidelined for a few weeks with his hamstring injury, and Phil Chinedu will miss this weekend and is also expected to require a little more time before returning.

Terry’s overriding message was that Orient need to improve the things within their control over the coming days and weeks — becoming more aggressive after taking the lead, winning their individual battles and executing the basic details more consistently.

We’ll be hearing from Richie Wellens shortly, with the Orient boss set to give his reaction following tonight’s 2-1 Football League Trophy defeat to Arsenal Under-21s.

Another frustrating night at Brisbane Road and, in many ways, a familiar home performance from Orient.

The O’s controlled large spells of the contest and created more than enough opportunities to win it, but once again failed to make their pressure count. Arsenal stayed in the game, took their chances when they arrived and punished Orient for their lack of ruthlessness.

Nick Oyekunle had given Orient the lead in the first half, but Arsenal levelled just before the break before completing the turnaround late in the second half.

Plenty of positives in the performance and valuable minutes for several members of Richie Wellens’ squad, but another evening where Orient will feel they should have got far more from the game.

Orient’s final attack sees a cross flashed across the box before the ball falls to Yusuf Akhamrich, but his effort is straight at the Arsenal goalkeeper, who gathers comfortably.

Orient work the ball down the right as they continue to push for an equaliser, but Isaac Hayden’s cross is played too close to the Arsenal goalkeeper, who gathers comfortably.

There will be five minutes of added time at Brisbane Road, with Orient pinning Arsenal back as they search for an equaliser.

Idris El Mizouni gets his head to a cross into the area, but his touch takes the ball away from Isaac Hayden, who looked ready to strike.

Dane Scarlett tries a scissor kick but the cross is cleared before the ball can get to him.

Dane Scarlett leads an Orient counter down the right-hand side, but his final ball is overhit and runs beyond the players arriving in the middle.

Tony Springett delivers another excellent cross into the area and finds Dane Scarlett, who heads the ball down looking to create a second phase, but Arsenal manage to clear.

The visitors then break quickly on the counter, only to waste the opportunity by overcomplicating things with an attempted drag-back.

Armando Dobra gets another shot away, but his effort is straight at the Arsenal goalkeeper, who gathers comfortably.

Arsenal turn the game around. Their right winger cuts inside and fires towards goal, with Oliver Dovin able to parry the initial effort but not hold it.

The rebound falls kindly to an Arsenal attacker, who reacts quickest and taps home to put the visitors 2-1 ahead.

Yusuf Akhamrich sends a dangerous ball across the face of goal, but nobody in an Orient shirt is there to make the connection.