HIDDE ter Avest hopes he has done enough to retain his place in the Oxford United line-up for the trip to Hull City tonight.
The 27-year-old Dutch defender made his first league start under Gary Rowett as the U’s battled to a 1-1 draw at Norwich City on Friday night.
Rowett tweaked formation at Carrow Road, switching from his customary 4-2-3-1 set-up to a 3-5-2 shape.
It allowed ter Avest to play at right wing back, and he got 82 minutes under his belt before being replaced by Sam Long.
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The defender said: “I had to be patient, but it felt good to be back in the starting XI. It was a difficult game away from home. We knew before it would be a difficult game, and it was a really good point.
“How we defended gave us a lot of confidence and we want to keep on going.
“I showed what I can do, and I showed it when I came on, and the coach has to make a decision.”
ter Avest joined United in August following his exit from FC Utrecht earlier in the summer.
He spent three and a half years with the Eredivisie side, following previous stints at FC Twente and Udinese.
With the latter in Serie A, ter Avest operated as a wing back, therefore the switch of formation at Carrow Road wasn’t a novel experience for the defender.
He said: “I can go forward, which is what I like, but at the end of the day, I do my defensive part as well.
“In the Netherlands, we always played with a four in the back, and in Italy, we played always with a five.
“When I’m playing with a back four, I like to take part in the attack as well. You switch all the time. When you’re with a back four, you can build up with a back three.”
Since joining the U’s, ter Avest has made 15 appearances for the club, including four starts in Sky Bet Championship.
Reflecting on his time with United so far, ter Avest said: “It’s been good. I became a father, so it’s been a totally different experience for me.
“It’s really good. I like the city, I like living here, I like playing here with a group full of good lads, and I’m enjoying myself.
“We want every game to go for the win. Of course, we still need the points, but there’s still a long road to go.”