Mendieta 5, Maccarone 21,45, Southgate 30, Nemeth 90 Forssell 23,59, Morrison 45 Match Report 
Unfortunately Blues' defensive performance fell some way below woeful, and so Middlesbrough got what was strangely (given the fact that they scored five goals at home) probably an undeserved victory.
Steve Bruce made two enforced changes to his side. Robbie Savage's suspension ruled him out, so Damien Johnson - himself returning from a ban - came in on the right, with Bryan Hughes moving inside. Olivier Tebily's back problem also meant a return to the Premiership for Martin Grainger after 15 months away. Following a successful loan spell at Coventry, the popular left-back returned to the starting eleven, with Matthew Upson moving inside and Martin Taylor covering for Tebily at right back.
Well, let's get straight to the action, because I could be here all night...
After just 5 minutes, Boro were 1-0 up. Upson failed miserably to deal with a ball forward, and given the option of clearing with his head more or less anywhere, he opted for nodding the ball down to Juninho. The Brazilian laid the ball off for Gaizka Mendieta, and the talented Spaniard drove the ball home into the far corner of Maik Taylor's net.
Blues were looking fairly lively going forward, with Mikael Forssell going close twice, but it was the home side who struck again after 21 minutes. Mendieta was the creator on this occasion, exposing Grainger's understandable lack of sharpness at this level. He finished off his run down the right with a neat ball across the face of the goal that Massimo Maccarone bundled home.
Blues struck back just 2 minutes later. Stan Lazaridis dispossessed England right-back and apparent Blues target Danny Mills, and fed the ball inside to Forssell. After getting the ball under control, Forssell curled an excellent right-footed effort wide of Mark Schwarzer to make it 2-1.
Just moments later, Lazaridis attacked a Clinton Morrison cross, only to be denied by a superb save from his compatriot Schwarzer. It was the first of a succession of top class saves throughout the afternoon from the Australian 'keeper.
Middlesbrough, however, extended their lead on the half hour. Blues decided to stand statuesque at a Jonathan Greening corner. Mills headed the ball back across goal and Gareth Southgate was on hand to prod the ball home. Pity he hasn't always been able to find the net quite so easily... 1996 still lives in the memory...
Still with me? Good...
Middlesbrough actually then had a rarity - a chance that didn't go in - as Greening dragged an effort wide. It was still all Blues though, with Forssell hitting the bar with a header, before Schwarzer pulled off two great saves to deny Hughes after he was teed up by Forssell, and then Lazaridis again, following the winger's long-range effort. Grainger also whipped in some superb corners that failed to yield the goal that the delivery probably deserved.
A minute before half-time Blues scored again, and not surprisingly Forssell was involved again. Schwarzer saved (get used to that...) his shot, but Morrison was on hand to tap home the rebound from about a yard out. He punched the air with delight at the Blues fans after scoring, almost as if to say 'see, I am a top class striker!' Unfortunately, it was a tap in to an empty net from a yard out. When he starts scoring past goalkeepers I'll not mock his celebratory punches.
And everyone thought it was going to be 3-2 at half-time. Wrong. Maccarone made it 4-2 about 30 seconds later. Martin Taylor should perhaps have dealt with a ball forward, and Maik Taylor should perhaps have been less hesitant in coming from his line. The combination of 'Taylor Hesitancy' meant that the Italian striker nipped in, and curled a looping effort over Maik Taylor and into the far corner.
Ok, half-time now, surely?
Well, not quite... Morrison came up against a goalkeeper moments later and normal service was resumed. Schwarzer saved again - tipping the Irish striker's effort onto the crossbar. That really was half-time now, and Blues had gone in 4-2 down, despite some great forward play, and Middlesbrough having the grand total of 4 shots on target. If Maik Taylor had made even half the amount of saves that Schwarzer had been making, then Blues would have been at the very least level.
Stern John replaced Damien Johnson at the interval. The change enabled Blues to push another player forward, with John occupying 'the hole' behind Forssell and Morrison. There's a distinct possibility that the substitution was enforced too, as Johnson did pick up a heavy knock in the first couple of minutes of the game.
As in the first half, Blues dominated. John smashed a hopeless shot high and wide, as Blues mounted pressure on Middlesbrough. After 59 minutes, it was 4-3. Grainger's delivery was again exceptional, and his inswinging free-kick was glanced home by Forssell via both the post and Schwarzer.
Blues eased off slightly for a spell, obviously having lost count of the score and believing that they were level. Then they picked up the pace again, with Forssell just oozing class. One run was sublime and the only disappointment was the uncharacteristically poor finish straight at that goalkeeper - again. Morrison also looped an overhead 'effort' onto the roof of the net, whilst Stephen Clemence fired over after a good run.
On 90 minutes Blues' hopes were dashed, however. Maik Taylor was slow to come for the ball again, and then Upson decided to try some kind of bizarre method to get the ball back to his 'keeper. He failed - as he had failed at everything all game - and Szilard Nemeth finished coolly.
Upson may feel that playing at left-back recently was harming his England chances. I personally think that crap performances like this - at centre half too - are a little more harmful. It was by far his worst display in a Blues shirt. Kenny Cunningham too was poor, as was Maik Taylor. Martin Taylor was generally sound though, and of the defenders, Grainger was the best of the bunch. Apart from one of the goals (the second one, I think, but there were eight...) he was ok defensively, and his set pieces were excellent with the exception of a shot from a free-kick in injury time.
It's a strange game when a team scores five goals at home to win a game, and their goalkeeper is far and away the man of the match. If Blues attack like this for the rest of the season, then fans will be delighted, as at times they carved Middlesbrough open and created chance after chance. However, if they defend like this for the rest of the season, well... God help us. 
Player Name Shirt Schwarzer Southgate Ehiogu Mills Queudrue Juninho Mendieta Greening Doriva Maccarone Job Player Name Shirt Taylor Taylor Cunningham Upson Grainger Clemence Hughes Lazaridis Johnson (45) Forssell Morrison Substitute Name Nemeth Parnaby Ricketts Jones Downing Substitute Name Carter Bennett John (45) Cisse Barrowman
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