Neil Warnock admitted he deployed Yannick Bolasie centrally on his Middlesbrough debut because he did not think 'he could do a job' against the attacking full-backs of Norwich City after going 338 days without a competitive club appearance.
Bolasie helped Middlesbrough earn a goalless draw at Carrow Road as he played almost an hour on his first league start of the season.
Warnock compared Bolasie to West Ham United striker Michail Antonio after agreeing a loan deal with Everton on Friday and utilised the 31-year-old as a forward because he feared the threat of Norwich defenders Max Aarons and Dimitris Giannoulis.
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The Middlesbrough manager said: "I didn't think he could do a job wide against their two full-backs which is why I played him up-front.
"I thought he did alright. One or two silly fouls but he did well, he put pressure on at the right time and got a good hour under his belt."
Warnock also revealed the original plan was to ease Bolasie - who will leave Everton at the end of his contract in the summer - back into Championship action by taking him off at the break.
But he eventually asked the former Crystal Palace forward to continue before replacing him with Chuba Akpom early in the second period.
Warnock added: "At half-time I said what about another 10 or 15? He'll be better for getting that hour."
Middlesbrough are two points outside the Championship play-off places while Norwich have a four-point cushion at the top.
