BILLY Bodin hopes a goal on his first start of the season will play his way into Liam Manning’s thoughts after Oxford United’s ponderous start to the campaign.
Former Bristol Rovers man Bodin found an equaliser in United’s 5-1 drubbing away to Bristol City in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night, having impressed during an 18-minute cameo at Cambridge United on the opening day.
Summer signing Ruben Rodrigues started in the No 10 role against Cambridge, while another recruit – Max Woltman from Liverpool – is regarded as someone to challenge Bodin and Rodrigues for a starting berth.
READ ALSO: The key talking points from Oxford United’s dismal Carabao Cup exit
Bodin said: “Ruben’s a top class player and he’s got great vision for that position.
“When I play, I’m slightly different and want to get closer to the striker, and play off the striker.
“It’s all about how you do and trying to get into the manager’s thoughts, but I think it just shows we’ve got pretty good cover in most positions now.
“I think the manager still wants to bring in a couple more, but every time you step over that white line, you’ve got a point to prove now.”
The 31-year-old added: “The manager said ‘go out and try and claim your place in the team’ and thankfully I’ve got a goal and created some chances.
“You’ve got to try your best and do what you can to try and get in the team.”
Discussing the defeat at Bristol City, Bodin said: “It’s disappointing, especially the amount of chances we created in the first half, and even in the second half, we got into some good areas.
“It’s always nice to get a goal but disappointing that we didn’t put away our chances.
“In the first half, we showed we can compete at this level.
“The chances we created, on another day, we should’ve put them away and it would’ve been a different scoreline at half-time.”
The U’s trailed 2-1 at the break, however three goals within a 15-minute spell early in the second half ended United’s hopes of reaching the second round.
Bodin said: “The goals after half-time really killed us. The manager wanted me and Gats [Gatlin O’Donkor] to press a little bit higher, and not let the centre halves have as much time on the ball.
“It seemed like the first press we put on, they played it down the left and Els [Elliott Moore] came out of his slot, and they were in behind and squaring it for a goal.
“They probably came out with the manager wanting them to do a little bit better, and it’s the same for us.
“We’ve come out of our slots trying to press and all of a sudden, they’ve hit us down the left.
“It was disappointing to start the half like that and before you know it, it’s pretty much game over.”
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