January Review

Orient's form in January was more up and down than Stevenage/Preston's 'passing' game. A real hotchpot of results saw the Os finish 9th in the form table for the month - a position no one should realistically be too upset about finishing in at the end of the season. To finish any higher we have to be capable of teams not manager by Graham Westley - although given his start as Preston manager and the unveiling of star signing Aaron Brown , one of our genuine rejects, he could be looking for his third job in 2012 before the season is out.

Perceptions are interesting because fans were most disappointed with the home draw against Chesterfield, who have actually had something of a revival this month. That draw was off the back of a celebrated win away at Preston - who have been terrible. With hindsight he most disappointing result has to be the home defeat to Colchester, who looked ordinary and their form in January has suggested as much. What we've really learned is that, not for the first time, the Os are stronger away from home. Sure, get too close to Scotland and we get stuffed but 2 away wins out of 3 isn't too shabby. 1 point at home is going to get the natives restless.

But since the blessed introduction of the transfer window, January is usually when fans look to their signings rather than their results as an indicator for how their team will fare in the run in. It stokes up unreasonable expectations, firstly that you MUST sign someone in January. Furthermore, you now must sign someone on deadline day, or at least the day before, if you are a club to be taken seriously. Timing meant the general consensus was that January was a disaster for Orient, as skipper Stephen Dawson left for Barnsley on deadline day and we weren't able to sign a player in a similar mould to replace him. Thank God Dean Cox has signed an extended contract. The signing of Dean Leacock is another positive sign that the Os are evolving rather than regressing. He looks assured and has been fit enough to play 90 minutes straight away. If he can avoid injury then he could be a better signing than Adam Chambers, a similar transfer that Orient were only able to complete due to a shocking injury record over the previous few seasons.

It's not just the loss of a tireless midfielder that will impact the Os for the rest of the season though, it is the loss of a genuine captain. This weekend the John Terry debate has moved onto "Is a captain important"? In my view a successful dressing room has a combination of personalities. Calm/reason, inspirational, friend and motivational. Taking into consideration the personality of the team you need the right balance between the manager, coaching staff and captain (or senior players more generally). Before the promotion season in 2005/6 the Os were slightly unbalanced. Martin Ling was calm and reasonable but slightly aloof and you certainly couldn't imagine him as passionate. His assistant Ian Culverhouse was by all accounts (including Ling's) a ranter but too much so for a coach and he alienated the players. We had a revolving door of skippers, most of the model pros, setting an example without actually being a leader of men.

Ling got rid of Culverhouse, brought ex-captain Dean Smith in and then signed John Mackie. Mackie was a similar character to Culverhouse but because he was one of them the players accepted him and followed him. Smith was there as someone the players could talk to, who would part an arm round the players if they needed it. He would instil self confidence by expressing his belief in players and backing them all the way, with Mackie kicking anyone up the backside if they tried to take advantage of Smith's good nature. The balance was absolutely crucial to the Os success. When Mackie left Ling was either unable or unwilling to sign someone with a personality as big as Mackie's and the team was rudderless as a result.

Similarly Dawson has been just as an important part of Orient's success over the last 18 months. He appears to be a similar character to Slade who is an unusually rounded manager, capable of being all things to all men. But Dawson is the one who takes that personality out onto the pitch, who sets the example and the standard for his team mates to follow. Orient were never beaten in a game until 90 minutes were up because Dawson didn't believe he was beaten and didn't give up . And if he didn't give up he wouldn't let any of the other players give up. Dawson imposed his personality on the team and it was needed because he was unique - he taught others how to be a model pro (aside from fairly frequent dissent!) and what they can achieve by doing so. There are some players in the current squad who didn't need to learn that lesson - particularly the two vice-captains, Chorley and Spring. But do either of them have the force of personality to impose that on the rest of the team? Do either of them have that sheer belief and self confidence that in times of adversity they won't be looking for a leader, they will BE that leader? I think Chorley is the stronger character of the two but not to the same extent as Dawson - and he isn't even first choice centre back at the moment.

Orient are going to have to finish the season with a key component missing and their success will depend on just how they they can paper over the cracks. But this summer, regardless of what positions we need to fill Russell Slade is going to have to find someone who can assume the captaincy. Dawson has left not only big boots to fill but a big armband too.