Birmingham City earned a very respectable 0-0 draw at Luton Town on Saturday to get themselves up and running under John Eustace.
The Blues have been flirting with the relegation zone in the Championship for many seasons now, and their off-pitch situation has made it difficult to strengthen the squad in the summer transfer window.
Auston Trusty stepped into the back three for his debut, on loan from Arsenal, and looked the part alongside Marc Roberts and Dion Sanderson as the Blues picked up a valuable point.
The 23-year-old took to Twitter to express his emotions after the game.
He wrote: “English football debut.
“What a feeling being in that atmosphere.
“Looking forward to more battles #KeepRightOn #BCFC #TrustyTheProcess.”
English football debut✅ What a feeling being in that atmosphere🤩 Looking forward to more battles #KeepRightOn #BCFC #TrustyTheProcess pic.twitter.com/eLCfQNnjiw
— Auston Trusty (@austheboss3) July 31, 2022
If it was not for points deductions last season the Blues would have been in some nail-biting predicaments, the relationships that Trusty can build with the likes of Roberts and Sanderson could be crucial to enhancing Eustace’s men’s chances of survival.
The Blues will be aiming to add some depth in defensive areas, their most sparsely populated area of the pitch, and for that reason it was important for Trusty to start well in looking to cement a place in the starting XI.
The Verdict
Quiz: Can you remember the score the last time Birmingham City played at these 26 stadiums?
Four of Birmingham’s next five stand out as games that they should be optimistic about picking up points.
They host Huddersfield Town, travel to Cardiff City, then they host Watford before Wigan Athletic arrive at St Andrew’s and they go to Rotherham United.
Trusty touched on how much he enjoyed the atmosphere at Kenilworth Road in the tweet, and that should only increase his desire to perform well on his home debut.
If Eustace can instill a siege mentality in the squad, and the senior players within it can ensure that the group keep believing in their own ability, then the Blues can defy the odds once again in spite of their issues at board level.
