Following a run of 13 points from five games, Leyton Orient are well and truly over their January blues with Idris El-Mizouni key to the O’s recent revival.
The Tunisian international has been in scintillating form throughout February as Richie Wellens’ side have made a recovery just as promotion-chasing rivals begin to suffer their own mini blips.
So often in League Two there are good ball playing central midfielders who lack the physicality and engine to get around the pitch or busy midfielders who are good at winning the ball back but once retrieved lack the requisite quality to do anything else.
Signed on loan from Ipswich in August, El-Mizouni has the unique skill set to do both – evidenced by the fact he has the third most completed tackles in the division while also providing key goals and assists.
El-Mizouni’s work in the middle of the park is vital to Orient’s style of play and he has been pivotal to the outstanding campaign the O’s have had as they sit comfortably at the top of the table.
The versatility and adaptability of the 22-year-old was a topic for debate prior to Orient bringing him in during the summer as Director of Football Martin Ling explained at the time: “Richie (Wellens) wanted an out and out ‘number four’ and previously Idris (El-Mizouni) had never played there.
“Steve Foster (Leyton Orient’s chief scout) has to take a lot of credit for this one – he badgered us saying Idris could definitely play there.
“I spoke to Bryan Klug, who’s his coach at Ipswich, and he said he’s probably better as an ‘eight’ but he’ll do whatever you tell him to do.
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“The fact that the ‘number four’ is his second best position and he can play it so well, I think we’ve really fallen on our feet.”
Despite deploying him for the majority of the season as a sitting midfielder, Wellens seems to have let El-Mizouni off the leash slightly in recent weeks.
Playing alongside Craig Clay, the Ipswich loanee has been emboldened to take risks with his ball progression, safe in the knowledge the energetic Clay will be on hand to cover the ground he departs.
It’s given the O’s a further dimension in attack and has seen El-Mizouni notch twice in his last two games.
The first, a composed finish after the ball broke to him in the box against Rochdale and the second, a perfect example of how Orient and El Mizouni’s game has altered slightly over the past month.
Prior to the January blip, Paul Smyth looked a shoe in for Leyton Orient’s Player of the Year yet following the Northern Irishman’s injury spell on the sidelines, El Mizouni now looks the front runner.
The O’s have barely missed Smyth in recent weeks with January signing Kieran Sadlier filling his void on the left admirably and it was the Bolton loanee who provided the inch perfect reverse pass to send El-Mizouni away for the only goal against Crawley.
El Mizouni’s remarkable run of form has also coincided with his return from the undoubted low point of his season; the midfielder’s second booking for a handball in the disappointing defeat at Stevenage was naïve, but it could have been a blessing in disguise.
Orient have turned it around in that time while Steve Evans’ side have faltered and for El-Mizouni, his first break in action since October may have done him some good in his first full season of playing week-in, week-out.
As a former central midfielder himself, Wellens has been key to the 22-year-old’s development and must also take credit for the man-management of allowing El Mizouni to return to his family-home of Paris for a period while he was suspended.
Speaking after the win against Rochdale, Wellens said: “I do believe that his performances are really good but there’s so much improvement in him.
“He’s unlucky that I played in his position so I’m on him a little bit more than anyone else.”
With the midfielder still having a year left to run on his Ipswich contract, attention has now inevitably turned to the possibility of the Tunisian remaining permanently in E10.
Orient fans will be hoping the Tractor Boys are promoted and deem their prospect unable to make the step up to the Championship, but regardless, they should try to enjoy arguably the most complete midfielder they’ve seen at Brisbane Road for a decade, while they can.