Skip to main content Skip to site footer
Interviews

Maamria Ready For Orient Test

22 February 2020

Interviews

Maamria Ready For Orient Test

22 February 2020

Sponsored by

Head Coach Dino Maamria is ready to get back to winning ways this weekend and in the process improve the form away from home.

After a full week of preparation, the squad are fit and raring to go and Maamria is adamant to finish the season strongly as a result.

"Our training pitch is quite heavy so we've had to adjust a couple of things this week but the lads are in good spirits again. The focus this week has been around realising we need to play a certain way away from home and a certain way at home.

"At home we can be more expansive. Away from home we have to learn from the last couple of performances and looking back this season in the games we've done well away from home and what did we do right?

"And in most of them we've been solid, resilient and we defended really well first and foremost, we gave nothing away and we attacked on the back of that.

"That's not be negative that's just the way we got those results on the back of good defensive organisation.

"What we learnt again also is we have to manage certain spells of an away performance in a different way to how we've been dealing with it of late to make sure we get a good positive away performance."

On the opponents, the newly promoted side find themselves directly above Latics, but the Tunisian is fully aware it's going to be difficult with the side looking to go six unbeaten at home.

"They've also made a fair bit of changes. Orient is always a tough place to go, it really is, with their crowd it's not easy.

"They're on a good run of form at home, we do realise that but it's an opportunity for us as they're just above us.

"The focus is always about us. We know Orient, we know what they're going to offer and we know their players, we know the ground and the situation we're going to face.

"It's about us coming through and getting better from those last couple of away performances."

He added: "We're focused on getting better and getting a settled team in and get that cohesion and that understanding between the units from the back four to the midfield and the forwards.

"As much as Orient have made changes, we'e made a lot as well. Now it's about finishing the season as strong as possible and we know how to do that and I think we will do that.

"We've got to make sure we go to Orient we're organised and we've got to manage the game better than what we have been doing in away games.

"We've got to get a foothold of the game and try and dominate the game the way we see it."

With a full squad training this week apart from the long-term injury of Jamie Stott, Maamria confirmed he may have one change to make.

"It's good to have Wheater back this weekend. The only doubt is Cameron [Borthwick-Jackson] who's just welcomed a new baby to his family, a little boy named Carter.

"So we'll see how he gets on as he might travel or might not depending on how things are at home.

"Sometimes you don't expect certain changes but his missus has had a baby and we're all happy for them as everything we're told is good.

"But that's another change we may have to make as he needs to be there for here so we'll have to look at that and wait and see."

Looking at the final stretch of the 2019/20 season, the Head Coach is focused on finishing strongly for a number of reasons.

"Focusing on finishing strongly in this last period of the season will put us in a really positive mindset to attack next season which is very important.

"It's important also to attract the right type of players in the summer as well.

"In terms of the players they know by now the level that is expected and the expectation at this football club.

"It's up to them in the next twelve games to show that they are capable of being here at this football club and challenging towards the top next season.

"I've got a very big next few months to try and bring a team that is capable of promotion."


Advertisement block

iFollow Next Match Tickets Account