ALIADIERE LIKES BORO'S ATTACKING FLAIR

Aliadiere - excited by Boro flair.

Middlesbrough's former Arsenal forward Jeremie Aliadiere believes there is a familiar feel about his football on Teesside these days.

The 25-year-old believes there is a touch of the Gunners style of play in the way Boro are approaching their football this season.

Manager Gareth Southgate has placed the accent firmly on taking an adventurous approach in all games, just like Arsene Wenger's Arsenal, and as a result Aliadiere feels very much at home.

He said: "Obviously it's good for every attacking player at Arsenal because of the way in which they play the game.

"When I first came here last season, the manager told me that he wanted to try to play the same way. but we had a lot of injuries last year and it wasn't easy.

"This year it's been better and we are trying to play our football. It's great for me, because I like to attack, and if everybody stays fit I think we can go on and have a good season."

Aliadiere, who arrived at Teesside as a striker, has been asked to play a wide role on the right side by Southgate this season.

Aliadiere, who scored five goals in a more orthodox attacking role last season, said: "It's great to be a part of the team at the moment so I don't mind where the manager asks me to play.

"But I am happy to play on the right. I have said before that I feel I can do a job there for the team.

"It's a different kind of role because I have had to learn the job from a defensive point of view.

"When the opposition have got the ball you have to defend more in that position.

"I have learned in every game I have played there but I feel that I have done well."

Aliadiere scored his first goal of the new campaign on Tuesday when netting Boro's third in their 5-1 home win against Yeovil in the second round of the Carling Cup.

The win helped Boro wipe away the memories of their last-gasp defeat at Liverpool three days earlier, where they allowed a 1-0 lead to slip from their grasp in the closing minutes.

Aliadiere said: "The boys were very disappointed after the Liverpool game because we thought that we had done enough to win it.

"You need something to get that kind of result out of your head so it was a good thing that we had a game in midweek.

"With respect to Yeovil we were determined to show that we could bounce back and we played well and scored a lot of goals.

"Obviously it is always nice to score, but I was pleased for the whole team because everybody played well and we had five different goalscorers."

Aliadiere looks certain to stay on the right flank for Saturday's Barclays Premier League game against Stoke at the Riverside Stadium.

This game represents a different proposition for Boro because they were underdogs in their first two Premier League outings against Tottenham and Liverpool but are strong favourites with the bookies to beat Stoke.

There is a theory on Teesside that Boro turn it on against the big teams, but struggle to win bread and butter matches.

However Aliadiere said: "I know what people are saying, but we did not have any problems performing well against Yeovil.

"I think that's the thing about the players at the moment. We have a great attitude and we are determined to perform well in every game."