The O’s interim head coach also insisted he was happy with the 3-5-2 system, but will change it if it stops benefitting the team

Ross Embleton is hopeful Leyton Orient will secure the services of another midfielder this week, who could be available for the trip to Mansfield Town on Tuesday.

The O's were unable to break Stevenage down in the end last weekend, settling for an entertaining 0-0 draw at Brisbane Road in League Two.

Orient are next in action tomorrow and there seems a good chance Embleton will have a new player to pick after discussions with a club ahead of Saturday's game.

"We have been looking for a midfield player because of the way the squad sits," he confirmed at the weekend.

"We are very, very, very close to getting something done over the next couple of days. We had conversations with a club on Friday and Saturday and depending on how quickly we can get the paperwork done we may potentially have him by the time we play Mansfield and if not, hopefully done by the weekend."

Embleton has favoured a 3-5-2/3-4-1-2 formation this season and it was one Orient used to good effect in the second half of the previous campaign.

Although O's struggled to create chances during the games with Cheltenham Town, Macclesfield Town and Plymouth Argyle, they fashion a number of openings in the goalless draw with Stevenage.

Paul Farman denied Josh Wright, Conor Wilkinson, Lee Angol and Dale Gorman and O's also squandered several other good opportunities.

The interim head coach believes it is only a matter of time before the forwards at the club start scoring, like they were during various friendly fixtures in the summer.

"All the strikers got goals in pre-season and we feel they are on the right path and they played well on Saturday, but they just couldn't put the ball in the back of the net," Embleton added.

"As strikers that's what they want, but at the same time once they get one I think the floodgates will open; for the team and then for the boys at the top end of the pitch."

In terms of the formation, Embleton admitted he likes the system currently being used by Orient right now, but is open to change.

He said: "What the formation does is give us natural width. Not in out-and-out wingers, but natural width on the pitch and we have three very good centre backs and it's gives all three an opportunity to be in the team at the same time and they defend the box well.

"Dan Happe and Marvin (Ekpiteta) are experiencing league football for basically the first time, so it's important we give them the opportunity to develop and progress.

"The formation is not set in stone and not something I'll definitely stick with forever, but right now I don't think it's doing us too much harm."

While Orient deserved three points against Stevenage, it seemed they had been given a let off in the 26th minute.

Happe and Kurtis Guthrie came together in the area and referee Lee Swabey seemed to initially shake his head before then pointing to the spot.

After speaking with his linesman, he changed his decision to a corner and Stevenage were left incensed.

When replays were slowed down, though, it did show Happe got the ball first and it was in fact the correct decision.

Embleton added: "I've seen it back and I don't think it was. And then also what it shows is that element of communication is there with the officials.

"We had one, nowhere near the box, but a foul in the second half that we felt we deserved and the assistant explained to me that the referee had thought it was a foul, but the assistant had made the decision.

"I think for us it's a step up in terms of the quality of the way the match officials were working (compared to the National League)."