Leyton Orient boss looking to build on starting point

O’s battled to a goalless draw at Blackpool last weekend to end a run of three successive defeats since promotion.

And head coach Wellens said it was important to finally open their account for 2023-24.

“It gives us a starting point,” he told the club website.

“Sam [Howes] will take confidence from his clean sheet.

“It was important for him and the back four that we did defend properly.

“I think in the other games we’ve been better on the ball.

“With the injuries we have and the changes we have to make, the lack of options on the bench, we’re not quite at it.

“We looked comfortable. There was a few hairy moments at the end, when the ball is flashing about, but that is to be expected.”

Theo Archibald’s tireless display was one of the highlights at Bloomfield Road and Wellens was quick to praise the Scot.

“I think him [Archibald] and Ethan Galbraith, both at wing backs were very good,” he added.

“Ethan has got the opportunity to be a top player and Theo, his attitude, energy – a little bit more subdued in terms of his attacking threat but what we’ve got available and the options we’ve got at the moment, he had to do a job. 

“He put his head down and stuck in with it.

“We’re not having many decisions go for us, but the only thing we can control is our hard work and to a man we was outstanding in our workrate.”

Wellens will have Dan Happe available again after suspension this weekend and hopes to see Darren Pratley and Max Sanders back from illness and Jayden Sweeney and Rob Hunt pass concussion protocols.

And he admitted it has been hard to deal with all the injury problems the O’s have been dealt so far this term, but thanked the owners for their support as he looks to further add to his squad.

“At the moment, I don’t think one game, we’ve been able to play the way I want to play, but we’ll get there,” he said.

“We didn’t want to spend as much as we’ve spent. But with the injuries we’ve had, we’ve needed to go over-budget a little bit.

“They’ve been brilliant and supported us. It’s not nice when you start that way and you do lack bodies. They’ve been fantastic.

“We do need a front man. There’s going to be times when we dominate the ball but I do think the level of the top eight, top 10 is speed.

“Our recruitment will evolve the longer we stay in this division, we’ll build and build.

“I like Joe [Pigott], he’s a really good footballer, but we need speed around him. We’ll be recruiting speed.”