STUART Parnaby: Goal machine!
Boro's very own Shayne Ward lookalike was a smash hit as he fired in the all important second away goal in Stuttgart to have the wild eyed optimists on Teesside booking flights to Rome.
After going 60 odd games without scoring our Shayne has now struck three in eight games, which for Maccarone would constitute a Golden Age. That shows a crucial sense of timing by Dave's lad because just a month ago he may well have pleased the judges but he was in danger of being voted off by the public.
Injury jinxed Parnaby was well on the way to becoming a boo-boy target - only the presence of Rochemback protected him from the worse excesses of intolerance - and he faced wild allegations of nepotism and mediocrity (Darlington was mentioned). And worse still he was "keeping out" Tony McMahon, an injured teenager with half a dozen games under his belt who has become an icon by not playing.
If Parnaby keeps scoring and playing well he has a chance to change his critics' perception. If not, well, the X Factor Live tour rolls into Telewest Arena soon and he can get back to singing.
ANDREW DAVIS in "no clangers dropped" shock!
The one time mulleted maestro turned No 1 with an excellent display that will have won over some of the doubters - and I have to put my hands up and place myself in that camp.
I have always liked Davies since his eye-catching debut display in which the precocious bottle blonde teenager rollocked seasoned international Tony Vidmar non-stop for 90 minutes, pushed him into position at set pieces and slapped him affectionately across the back of the head in his rare error free moments, no doubt calling him "son" in a patronising but completely justifiable way.
But Boro were tonked 5-2 at home to Villa in that match and that became Davies early hallmark. He put in outstanding displays in heavy defeats and soon whispers of a jinx were heard in the underpass. Worse, he started dropping one costly clanger in every match, like the slip against Leeds that gave them a winner.
He is loved at Derby because things happen around him; he seems to either score or get sent off. But while that may may count as high drama in the Championship it is high risk in Europe and I confess that when I heard he was in the team I revised my earlier confident 0-0 prediction down to a brave defeat through a defensive blunder.
But credit where it is due, Davies looked the real deal in Stuttgart. His postioning was excellent, he was strong in the tackle and commanding ing the air, his distribution was superb and he seems to have lost that early cockiness but retained the confidence. Okay Derby, thanks for knocking off the rough edges. We'll keep him now.
"ARE YOU Chelsea in disguise?"
Boro fans played a blinder in Stuttgart with 90 minutes of passion, good natured banter and unconditional support... but please, lads, keep the shirts on.
I know it has become a tradition since Banik showed us how to behave in Europe and that Boro fans have peeled off everywhere bar Graz, but really. Let's leave the beer bellies to the Geordies eh?
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