Alberto Cavasin arrived at Leyton Orient just over a week ago with a huge question mark hanging over him, and two 1-0 defeats in his first two games will have done little to reassure the doubters, writes Fan’s View correspondent Jim Nichols.

OK, one of the games was in the pointless EFL Trophy and the other against the biggest club in the division and a promotion favourite and the Os have had to field a makeshift midfield due to absentees.

However, the lack of chances being created is a big worry and the manner of the goals conceded continues to frustrate at the other end.

After a promising start, Orient struggled against a well-organised Portsmouth side and could easily have gone behind before a lapse in concentration at a corner resulted in the crucial goal.

From then on they didn’t even come close to putting Portsmouth under pressure.

Perhaps most worrying was the inevitability of it all. Unrest in the stands can filter through to the players; a lack of stability at the club doesn’t help.

Most supporters would surely agree there is a core group of players at the club that should be performing a lot better than they are, but at the same time it is not a great surprise they are not.

With all the key players missing in midfield, many fans will wonder why new signing Zan Benedicic remained on the bench on Saturday, while two right-backs were operating in the middle of the park during the second half.

No matter who the opposition is, this is no way to play at home, where the fans have been starved of entertainment for far too long now, and especially when needing to chase the game.

The form of the club’s array of talented wingers has tailed off in recent weeks, and the lack of goals from frontman Jay Simpson since his return to the Os squad is a concern, with the club’s other strikers also struggling to have much impact. Just one goal in the last six games is proof of that.

Most teams have a slump at some stage of a season, but this time it could have the feel of an irreversible decline if things do not change quickly.

Fans will continue to (quite rightly) point the finger at Francesco Becchetti’s running of the club the longer this goes on.

Certainly spirit like that shown in the recent defeat to Plymouth will be needed in abundance with some tough looking games on the horizon.

Luton have been going along steadily thus far and are expected to bring a large away contingent with them on Saturday.

The very early impression of Cavasin would suggest he is looking to introduce a more patient style of possession football than the direct (and somewhat ineffective) style of play regularly seen under Andy Hessenthaler.

This is all well and good if it doesn’t take too long to bed in.

Once again, however, a mid-season management change means the current manager does not necessarily have the players he requires for this to work at his disposal.

The language barrier could also be a factor in restricting the effectiveness of the messages he will need to get across to the squad.

It is early days but any promotion hopes seem a long way away, and while the club in its current shape relegation cannot be considered an impossibility. 

Some positivity is desperately needed and a home win on Saturday would be a great way to start.

Jim Nichols is the current editor of the long-running Leyton Orientear fanzine.

The remaining copies of the 30th anniversary edition of the fanzine will be on sale prior to the Luton game.