Daniels confident Orient can push forward
ORIENT return to League action with two vital games in the space of four days as they look to gatecrash the play-offs.
Russell Slade’s side entertain Notts County on Saturday and then travel to Dean Smith’s Walsall next Tuesday, but a spate of injuries could sabotage his side’s hopes of climbing the table.
Orient are currently in 12th place, eight points off the play-offs, but have games in hand against most of the teams above them.
O’s defender Charlie Daniels revealed this week that the club’s league position means more to the players than their FA Cup expolits.
“If we had a choice we would want to do well in the league,” he said.
And although Orient made a poor start to the season Daniels believes the current squad is the best that has been at Brisbane Road for some time.
“I think this is the best team we have had for a few years,” said the former Tottenham defender.
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“We all get on well and we would like to push up together.
“Our goal at the start of the season was to be near the play-offs, but we didn’t have the best of starts.”
After taking just four points from their first seven league games, the O’s have started to gel and went on an excellent run. Before last night’s game at Arsenal they had lost just once in 22 matches.
“We just want to keep that going,” said Daniels, who has developed into a key figure this season with his rampaging runs from left back.
The 24-year-old admits it has taken a while to come to terms with playing at the back.
“It was difficult when I first arrived, as I had been playing as a left winger or left midfield and to come here and play left back was a bit of an adjustment,” he said.
“But it’s going well this season and every year my goal is to keep improving, because if you keep improving you get better.
“I feel like I have learned a lot from the gaffer and previous gaffers and now I just want us to push on.”
Daniels and Dean Cox have formed an impressive partnership down the left flank and the defender joked: “With ‘Coxie’ it’s like ‘Little and Large’ down the wing.
“I enjoy playing with him as we know each other’s game and I think we have got 31 assists between us.”
