READING FC striker Jon Dadi Bodvarsson admitted he is resigned to showing what he can do from the bench after being axed from Royals’ starting line-up in recent weeks.

Bodvarsson, 25, has not started a game for the Royals since the 1-0 defeat against Bristol City and has played a bit-part role for Jaap Stam’s men.

The Icelandic international showed his pedigree when he came off of the bench to snatch a late equaliser against Hull City recently.

But his goalscoring cameo was not enough to earn him a start in the next two matches, a 2-1 defeat at Millwall last week and 2-1 home loss to Norwich City on Saturday.

Stam has instead opted for a forward trio of Garath McCleary, Roy Beerens and club-record signing Sone Aluko, but supporters have hit back at the Dutchman’s selection to leave a recognised strike like Bodvarsson out of his starting XI.

And summer signing Bodvarsson, who is the Royals’ only fit out-and-out striker - barring Academy stars Sam Smith and Danny Loader - admitted he is frustrated by his lack of game-time.

“It’s always hard to be on the bench,” bemoaned Bodvarsson.

“You want to start every game but you can’t say anything about it because it’s the gaffer’s decision and you are part of a team.

“The best thing I can do is come off the bench and put in the best performance I can in a short period of time.

“It doesn’t knock my confidence, I know what I can do and I know it’s nothing to do with my ability.

“It’s important for me to keep my head held high and play my own game.”

Reading Chronicle:

Bodvarsson celebrates after scoring at Birmingham City in August.

Royals slumped to a second straight defeat at the hands of Norwich on Saturday and now sit just one point above the Championship drop-zone after just two wins from their opening 10 matches.

But Bodvarsson insisted it is far too early to worry about the table and said Royals need to stick together to get out of their rut.

“The most important thing at the moment is not to point fingers at one another but remain together,” he stated.

“I think we can create more chances, so along with other stuff that’s something we can improve on.

“The season has just begun, obviously there are no excuses for the results but it’s a long season and if we can get on a good run in the next couple of games then anything is possible.

“It’s about getting confidence back in the team, especially when we’re not getting the results that we want.

“We need to bounce back, we know what we can do, we need to take every game step by step and improve from then on.”

Royals now have two weeks to address their frailties before facing Leeds United and Sheffield United away from home.

However, Bodvarsson has already jetted off to link-up with his international team-mates.

And the 25-year-old admitted he was brimming with excitement to join his Icelandic countrymen for World Cup qualifiers away to Turkey this Friday and home to Kosovo next Tuesday.

He concluded: “It’s always nice to change environment from time to time and meet the national team.

“You want to be with the team, especially at times like this when we have the chance to improve ourselves and learn from the games.

“On the other hand it’s good for me to go into a good national team and enjoy two games there.

“I can’t wait to get involved, it’s going to be two huge games.

“When the results aren’t going your way it’s always good to change environment.

"The national team is doing really well but Reading can do that as well.”