Eustace’s attention to detail is key for Blues
BIRMINGHAM City battled back from a goal down to secure a hard-earned – but fully-deserved – 1-1 draw and another Championship point at Sheffield United.
After a goalless first half, in which Blues probably created the best chance only for John Egan to block Tahith Chong’s shot, the Blades went ahead through Oli McBurnie’s rising half-volley.
However, John Eustace’s side were behind for only six minutes as Troy Deeney was given the freedom of the penalty area to score his first of the season.
Here’s what stood out in South Yorkshire.
n First time
Blues became the first away team to avoid defeat at Bramall Lane this season. While Millwall, Blackburn, Sunderland and Reading have all been sent packing, Blues left with a share of the spoils to show for their efforts.
How? Largely through defensive organisation. The Blades had 60% possession and in the first half in particular were the ones picking at the seams of the opposition rearguard, sending several crosses into the Blues penalty area and getting behind the visitors on a couple of occasions.
However, they didn’t really get to see the whites of John Ruddy’s goal. In the opening 45 they were restricted to attempts from near the edge of, or just inside, the penalty area and to shooting through a forest of defenders.
The closest they came was Tommy Doyle’s free-kick from near the touchline which had Ruddy backpedalling before it struck the crossbar.
In the second they did find a way past the goalkeeper, but that was a piece of quality and opportunism from McBurnie rather than through any tactical breaking down of defensive shape.
Blues only lost that in stoppage time when Maxime Colin couldn’t cut out a pass to Billy Sharp and the veteran only had Ruddy to beat. Even then the experienced keeper got his angles right and Sharp’s effort was repelled.
Eustace revealed afterwards that Blues had spent the international break working on defensive structure, not only to face Sheffield United but Middlesbrough and Bristol City too. It is that attention to detail which is elevating Blues to be greater than the sum of their parts.
n Handy Manny
Longelo made his first appearance since his loan move from West Ham. Indeed, it was the first senior league appearance of his career.
The 21-year-old has been sent to Blues for 30-odd lessons in the Championship’s School of Hard Knocks and it’s fair to say the defender passed his first test. He was given a
fairly stern examination too, particularly in the first half, as Sander Berge and George Baldock picked away at the left side of Blues’ defence. There were times when they got in behind Longelo and afterwards Eustace admitted there is still developing to be done on the defensive side of things.
But two things stood out. His ability to affect the game going forward. The two free-kicks he won were as many as anyone in the Blues team and his quick footwork extricated him from some tight spots and set his team on the attack.
He got into promising crossing positions twice, first when he scuffed his pull-back but found Chong near the penalty spot in the first half – with Egan blocking Chong’s shot – and then in the second when he made a storming run, under-lapped Deeney but delivered the ball behind Scott Hogan.
___The fact he lasted the full game, having not done so since last season, was a credit to his natural fitness and his engine.
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Teen spirit
In his pre-match press conference Eustace was very keen to emphasise the role teenagers have played in Blues’ season so far.
No Championship team has fielded more teenagers than Blues’ six, and none has invested as many minutes into their young players than the 1,700 Blues have entrusted to the likes of Jordan James, Josh Williams and George Hall.
Make no mistake, with 10 more games to come in the next 38 days both figures will increase as a large part of Eustace’s squad is made up of Under-20s and injuries continue to gnaw away at his senior options.
However, for only the second time this season Blues fielded a starting XI without a teenager. While Hall, Jobe Bellingham and Hannibal Mejbri all made it on to the pitch, the team that started was made up of more experienced campaigners.
And with Chong the recipient of a nasty tackle from Oliver Norwood, it would be no surprise to see either James or Mejbri given a start at Middlesbrough tomorrow – but for the time being at least, informed, strategic use of younger players is far more likely to reap long-term rewards.