Auston Trusty may not have started a game for Celtic, but his signing has proved to be priceless, in pushing on Liam Scales…
United States international Auston Trusty made his Celtic debut last night when he came on as a late sub for Cameron Carter-Vickers in the 5-1 mauling of Slovan Bratislava at Celtic Park. The substitution allowed Brendan Rodgers to safeguard CCV who had just been booked, from the risk of a second yellow and with it an unnecessary suspension. It also gave Trusty his first taste of football at the incredible arena that we call Paradise, and with good reason too.
That’s been his only minutes as a Celtic player since his £6 million move from Sheffield United on transfer deadline day, so you can’t really say if it’s been money well spent. But judging by Brendan’s other signings we can expect Auston to be Trusty by name and by nature.
That signing has been proved to be money well spent when we consider what it has done for Liam Scales to have another left-sided central defender in the Celtic squad competing for his starting spot. The Irishman was expected to make way for the American international, but the presence of Trusty has pushed Scales to a whole new level and he now looks a more accomplished player knowing his place in the side is under credible threat.
Liam has been absolutely solid since the arrival of Trusty and he kept up that form last night by scoring the opener in a Man of Match performance against Slovan Bratislava, on the biggest stage of all in club football. And when you consider that Scales prevailed ahead of so many other top performers in the Hoops last night – Engels, McGregor, Johnston, Maeda and so on – then that shows the new level Liam Scales has now reached under the guidance of Brendan Rodgers.
It just shows the importance of bringing in extra quality as it also brings the best out in the rest of the squad with places up for grabs, and Liam Scales is living proof of just that.
I suspect we’ll get the chance to see more of Auston Trusty on Sunday against Falkirk in the League Cup. He might even start as Brendan may look to get minutes into the legs of most of the players on the bench last night. However he wants to win the League Cup and will not underestimate high flying Falkirk.
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A bit unfair on scales, and wouldn’t solely put the signing of Trusty as an upturn in the current form of scales either imo?
Last season, especially in the first half of the season, he was one of our more consistent players, when so many established players where really struggling with their own consistency levels, which were effecting our performance levels hugely?
Admittedly the form of scales did drop off after the winter break, when many others improved hugely?
Still, it was only scales first season at playing with ourselves where the demands and pressure involved can be immense?
Yet he was able to produce in our bigger games last season, which was a very pleasant surprise, and overall had a decent season, especially when it wasn’t expected from many, including myself?
So the question was the same for scales, along with many others within our squad, was can they improve upon last season?
Every player for ourselves have improved upon their performance levels to date?
The consistency levels produced are quite outstanding from our players to date also?
Yet we play a squad game at present, and opportunities will come for the player’s getting less game time at present, but they already know what the standards of expectations are within our club now?
Doesn’t mean our 2nd choice player’s in a position are any worse than the current 1st choice player in a position, as the much needed competition for starting positions has finally been created throughout our team at present?
Our team and overall squad is currently in a very strong position at present, and that’s without even really knowing what our strongest available 11 is either?
It’s been a long time in waiting, to get ourselves to where our Club should be operating as a team/squad where everyone knows their roles in matching the demands involved?
This is fast becoming one of my favourite team/squad that we have ever assembled in recent times, and that’s for some fantastic work been done from all of those involved in representing our club?
Long may it continue, especially as I still believe that we are only getting started in what the future holds for ourselves as a club imo?