The Boro v Ipswich Town pre-match press conference on Thursday largely consisted of national journalists asking an increasingly exasperated Gareth about Roy Keane's motivations until he burst about "I'm not his agent or his wife, I don't know!"
It was very clear where we ranked in importance.
But it was Boro who held everybody's attention on a sweltering day at the Riverside.
Seriously, for any of the ooo about 15,000 fans who stopped supporting Boro when we were relegated and therefore missed the match, it was dizzyingly hot.
The second match I've seen at the Riverside this season - I missed Doncaster as I was in Chester dressed as Rainbow Bright for a hen night, as you do! - was a massive improvement on the first.
It could be argued that the opposition was also far poorer. Roy Keane's Ipswich were recognisable as a team managed by the Irishman only due to the amount of cards they clocked up for 'challenges' ranging from risky to 'Oh ffs he just took his legs away from him!'.
In terms of threatening to score however, well, it soon became clear just why they are struggling at the bottom of the Championship. Despite starting the stronger team, Ipswich never really unsettled the home side, captained once again by David Wheater.
Back at the Boro, it looks like the international break seems to have done everyone the world of good. This is probably because the only player in our side involved was Rhys Williams, and he just had a nice trip to South Korea without stepping on the pitch for Australia.
Williams was no worse for his long flight, in fact he continues to play better in midfield than most 'real' midfielders.
The exception to that statement is Gary O'Neil who scored a stunning header and looked first class.
Poor Andrew Taylor was getting the usual stick from 'fans' before he was stretchered off obviously in considerable pain, later diagnosed as ankle ligament damage.
Seb Hines was given his chance to 'be the new Huth' and did very little wrong.
Danny Coyne was preferred over the returning Brad Jones to most fans relief (sorry Brad) and Leroy Lita and Marvin Emnes got the nod up front.
Emnes looked strong, held the ball up well and showed good movement but once again he lacked the end product. Lita looked off the pace throughout.
And this was not the best performance Boro could have put in by any stretch of the imagination.
I'd say probably eight of our players were in cruise control with one eye on Tuesday's trip to Sheffield. But we were comfortable.
Lackadaisical defending let the Tractor Boys through more times than Southgate would have liked but they still needed a soft penalty to score.
It was disappointing to concede in the 94 minute as Danny Coyne deserved another clean sheet but I'm not going to complain about a 3-1 score line in our favour.
And the other two goals came from one man. I don't know the statistics but I don't think many of our current players (Adam Johnson excepted) have managed that in quite some time, or else I've forgotten.
I find Jeremie Aliadiere incredibly frustrating, not because I don't rate him as a player but because I do. When he is in the mood to show us, his technical play is excellent, his reading of the game is good and on the odd occasion he does find the net, he usually does so with style.
He does not score enough. And last season he stopped doing much of anything.
Replacing Leroy Lita just after the hour mark, Ali looked the player we bought from Arsenal at the second time of asking. Impatient to get on the pitch, he looked full of intent. And on Saturday, at last, he brought his whole bag of tricks with him. Winning headers, controlling the ball with pretty much every part of his body, oh yes, and he scored two goals too!
He would also have had an assist had Emnes finished the easy tap in Ali laid on a plate for him.
Turns out he is a striker after all.
We now need this from him on weekly basis though.
Adam Johnson still hasn't scored at home but his cross for Ali's first goal was excellent. The penalty he conceded, and his 'Edurado moment' however were not.
The matches are coming thick and fast now starting with tonight's clash with Sheffield Wednesday, and we will need to keep the momentum going to prove that Bristol City, and not our start to the season, was the blip in normal service for this season's Boro boys.
First published on www.ComeOnBoro.com on 15/9/2009
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