Leyton Orient will be well aware of key Huddersfield Town threat | OneFootball

Former Orient wonderkid returns to E10 after five years away.

Josh Koroma was once a shining light in a poor Leyton Orient side

He joined the academy at the age of 15, and made his senior debut for the O's at the end of the 2015/16 season, making three appearances in the final weeks of the season.

The year that followed was a breakout one for the forward, despite the trials and tribulations that faced the East London side in 2017. Koroma became a reliable figure in the Orient team plighted by unpaid wages, relegation, and ultimately the threat of liquidation.

Despite being taken over and saved from a winding-up order in June 2017, Koroma and the O's had to face non-league football for the first time in the club's history. This, however, worked in the then-England C international's favour as it gave him the gametime to help progress and become one of the first names on the team sheet.

The hiring of Justin Edinburgh in late 2017 was key for both Orient and Koroma himself. He only missed a solitary game in Edinburgh's first full season as the O's went on to win the National League and re-join the Football League.

After the promotion-winning season, Koroma joined Huddersfield Town - who themselves had just been relegated from the Premier League after a two-year spell in the top flight.

Koroma and Orient have been on very different paths

In his first year for the Terriers, Koroma made seven league appearances before joining Rotherham United on an ill-fated loan spell - cut short by the Covid-19 pandemic after just five appearances.

Following this, he remained with Huddersfield as an important figure, making 54 league appearances across two seasons before joining Portsmouth on a season-long loan, which the South Coast side cut short in January 2023.

Since then, Koroma has been a regular fixture in the Huddersfield squad, despite their relegation to League One last season he has made himself one of the first names on the teamsheet in West Yorkshire - a trusted weapon under Michael Duff this season.

Meanwhile, Orient under the stewardship of Ross Embleton were a mid-table side in League Two, something they would grow to get used to as the following three years didn't see the O's reach the top ten - even finding themselves in a relegation battle in 2022 prior to the appointment of Richie Wellens.

Under Wellens, however, the O's have pushed on and regained their place in League One after winning League Two in 2023 where they find themselves facing off against Koroma and his Huddersfield side.

Koroma can drag Orient back down to earth

Orient have been in relatively good form at the moment, with the O's unbeaten in their last four and progressing in both the FA Cup and the EFL Trophy. A win against the Terriers could lift the East London side out of the bottom four and potentially as high as 16th.

Huddersfield, on the other hand, are unbeaten in their last five league games, with their last defeat coming at the hands of Birmingham City at the start of October as they sit amongst the play-off places.

Koroma has missed that run after being sidelined for over a month with a back issue but returned to the starting lineup in Saturday's win over Charlton Athletic.

His return to full fitness will be a worry for Orient as Koroma has been terrifying defences this season. He currently leads Huddersfield for xG (Fotmob) and has added four goals and an assist in 11 games. He ranks among the top 25% of third-tier forwards in terms of chance creation and touches in the opposition box, highlighting what a persistent threat he is, while given he plays in a Michael Duff side, it's no surprise that he has been working hard out of possession as well - rating well in terms of blocks, recoveries, and turnovers in the final third.

Orient themselves will know what Koroma can bring to a promotion-challenging side and will need to do everything they can if they want to continue their unbeaten run at E10 on Tuesday night.