Who will blink first?
As a beautifully picturesque sunset lit up the Teesside sky Boro once again demonstrated why they won’t be disappearing into the darkness this season.
There’s almost an inevitability about looking at results elsewhere and seeing that Bournemouth and Derby have picked up maximum points.
But even after a lethargic first half display against a team rock bottom of the Championship’s form table, there was also an inevitability about the outcome of the match.
Boro were miles short of their best in the first half against the Addicks.
The early goal should have triggered a free-for-all hammering, instead Boro took their foot off the gas and let Charlton back into the game.
But Boro didn’t panic and instead came out all guns blazing in the second half.
A despondent Guy Luzon admitted Boro have the quality to play in the Premier League.
“They’re the best team in the Championship,” he said.
Considering he’s only come up against Rotherham before the trip to Teesside in his short stint as boss it’s difficult to read too much into his observation.
But the league table doesn’t lie and Boro are still just a point off the summit.
And one of the top two will slip up this week as Derby and Bournemouth go head to head on Tuesday.
Here’s what we learnt from Boro’s win over Charlton:
Curse? What curse?
The cries of Typical Boro would have echoed around the underpass as the cynics bellowed “I told you so” had Boro not picked up maximum points against Charlton.
Aitor Karanka’s Manager of the Month award was met with trepidation in some quarters - fears ‘the curse’ would strike.
Utter tosh!
The Typical Boro tag has already been put to bed this season and Aitor Karanka’s side emphasised the point against the Addicks.
They burst out of the blocks in the first half then allowed the visitors to get foothold in the game instead of putting them to the sword.
But there was no repeat in the second period.
At times in the second half Boro looked at their best - powerful, free flowing, easy on the eye.
They justified their favourites tag. Big favourites, in fact. It’s been a while since an opposing team at the Riverside has been priced as high as 9/1 to spring a surprise and pick up the points.
A team unbeaten in eight boasting the manager and the player of the month against an outfit absent of confidence and winless in 11 in the league.
Banana skin avoided. Same again against the basement boys on Tuesday.
We’re seeing the very best of Lee Tomlin
The keypad warrior’s Twitter antics ensured he was in the headlines after deadline day.
But Lee Tomlin backed up his light-hearted ‘#banter’ packed Tweets with a stunning display in the second half.
It was a performance from a player high on the crest of a wave.
He buzzed about desperate to get the ball at his feet and when he did he made the very most of it.
On more than one occasion in the second half Tomlin threaded the ball through the eye of a needle. Whoever gets the nod up-top must lick their lips when the No.10 is in this form.
And the style was twinned with substance. An assist to start the second half, a stunning strike - his fourth in four league games - to wrap it up late on.
Tomlin had reportedly caught the eye of Premier League scouts last month.
Whether he can make the step up to that level still remains to be seen but on this form and he could well have his chance with Boro next season.
AK’s belief in his strikers has been vindicated
After failing to score in three out of four league games at the end of December and start of January, some fans were angling for AK to strengthen his attack.
The Boro boss was having none of it, insisting he had the best four strikers in the league at his disposal.
His front-men are certainly repaying that faith right now.
Bamford has scored three in his last four in the league, Tomlin four in four, Kike was on the scoresheet against City and Vossen hit the net against Charlton.
Karanka has faith in his players. It’s rare he chooses not to tinker but his decision to stick with the same team against Charlton that battled past Brentford last week was just the second time in 112 games that Boro fielded an unchanged side.
Considering the quality and quantity of the squad and the number of games coming up in a jam-packed February, nobody really saw it coming.
The squad depth keeps players on their toes and brings the best out of them.
And Forshaw's ability to play in the No.10 role that Tomlin has occupied so well recently has added even more competition.
Kike could well get his chance against Blackpool on Tuesday night if Karanka, as expected, decides to make a few changes.
Incoming players know they need to grasp opportunities. If they don't they'll be back out of the team for the very next fixture.
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