Slade: “I can handle the pressure”

Orient go into Saturday’s game against struggling Shrewsbury Town knowing that a defeat would drop them into the bottom four.

Boss Russell Slade admitted: “It’s a big, big game, but I said to the players we are inches away rather than miles away and as long as we go out with the same attitude and focus we showed against MK Dons results will come.”

Orient have lost their last four league games and Slade admits things are tough, but insists he can handle the pressure,

“There is always pressure of some nature. It’s something I’m used to and it’s something the senior players are used to and I will be looking towards them to make sure we are making the right decisions and help the younger players,” he said.

The O’s have managed to score just one goal in their last seven league games and that’s been the main reason for their slide down the table.

“It’s disappointing, we are creating chances but we are not finishing,” he said.

But the O’s boss insists that morale is still high: “I have to say the players have been fantastic,” he said.

“They are a great bunch, a real positive bunch and we’re trying to keep them positive because we don’t want confidence affecting them because they don’t deserve that.

“The last couple of performances, all be it we haven’t scored against Coventry and MK Dons, but the performance have been sound.”

Orient’s goal worries may be eased as striker Kevin Lisbie could start against Shrewsbury after he came on as a substitute at MK Dons.

“The game plan was always to get Kevin Lisbie some game time and we have done that. It looks like he has come through which is really positive for us and our bench is getting stronger as players come back to full fitness.”