JOBI MCANUFF says he is determined to win back his place after being left out of the Watford team for the last two games.

The arrival of Adam Johnson on loan from Middlesbrough and the form of Tommy Smith has meant the 25-year-old has found himself on the bench for the away trips to Cardiff and Queens Park Rangers.

And the former Palace winger is again set to be named among the substitutes against Blackpool this afternoon (Saturday).

But McAnuff has vowed to force his way back into the manager's plans, a statement that will be music to the ears of Aidy Boothroyd who has been striving for this level of competition for the last 12 months.

"It is frustrating as the last three years I have been pretty much a regular in the teams I played in," said McAnuff, signed for £1.75m from Crystal Palace in the summer.

"One of the reasons I came here was because of the competition for places and so I can push myself. It's something that I've had before and I've dealt with so it's just one of those things. We've got a strong team that is doing well and I have just got to work as hard as I can, bide my time and get back in the side."

How did McAnuff react to being left out against Cardiff?

"I was disappointed to lose my place in the team as we have had a good start and I'd like to think I played my part in that," he said.

"The gaffer has obviously got his reasons for it. It's only been two games so far and, to be fair, the lads who have played have done well so there is not much I can say at the minute."

McAnuff is a polite, laid back, softly spoken individual and does not strike you as the type to bang on the manager's door demanding an explanation for his omission. And the winger confirmed as much.

"I haven't had a proper sit down with him but I did have a brief chat with him," he said. "We have had a lot of games and it's about picking the right time to sit down with him and have a chat. I need to get an understanding of what he wants when I am playing.

"A lot of it is about getting to grips with how we play as it's very different to what I have experienced before."