Jake Wright is raring to return for Oxford United tomorrow – but insists it was the right decision to be left out of the side in midweek.
The U’s skipper missed last weekend’s 5-0 win against Accrington Stanley, but was available for Tuesday’s trip to Rochdale.
To the surprise of many, he was not recalled by manager Chris Wilder, so he watched from the substitutes’ bench as the side lost 2-0 at Spotland.
Wright is set to return tomorrow, with Michael Raynes banned for one game after picking up his fifth booking of the campaign.
The 26-year-old was hopeful of coming straight back into the side, but understands the decision.
He said: “I was frustrated but it’s one of those things – it was my fault I got five bookings and was suspended for the Accrington game.
“I wouldn’t say I was surprised not to play against Rochdale. It’s disappointing because I want to start every game, but if you win 5-0 and everyone plays well I can see it’s a lot easier for the gaffer to leave me out.
“The lads who played deserved to keep their shirts.
“Definitely it was the right thing to do. If I had come straight back in whoever missed out would have thought ‘what else am I supposed to do?’ “I was fine about it and you have to get on with it to wait for your chance.
“Hopefully that will come tomorrow.”
The meeting at Adams Park will be between two of npower League Two’s biggest under-achievers.
Both sides were predicted in the summer to be among the promotion contenders, but come into the game in the bottom seven.
Wright said: “At the start of the season people would have thought Oxford v Wycombe would be a top-of-the-table clash, or at least two teams in the play-offs, but we deserve to be where we are.
“It will be a good atmosphere so I’m really looking forward to coming back for it.”
Despite playing well for much of Tuesday’s game, the defeat was United’s eighth in 14 league games.
And Wright knows they need to build an unbeaten run sooner rather than later.
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