Electric Chair

Stevenage's draw with League Two leaders Lincoln last weekend was a notable point for Boro - but it was the virtuoso performance of loanee Ilias Chair that really got tongues wagging. 

The Morocco U23 international was sensational: a long-range thunderbolt that stung Grant Smith's fingertips serving warning regarding his ability in the first-half. A wicked free-kick against the Imps' crossbar followed, but after 71 minutes Stevenage found themselves trailing 2-0 after a Bruno Andrade double for the hosts. 

The formbook was being followed...until Chair ripped it to pieces in front of the 9,026 lucky spectators at Sincil Bank. With 87 minutes on the clock, Chair received the ball near the edge of the box, found a yard and curled one into the top corner. 2-1. With seconds left, it looked as if Chair's cameo would ultimately be for nothing - until he controlled Scott Cuthbert's header 30 yards from goal, burst forward and smashed another spectacular effort just below Smith's right-hand upright. 2-2: a point gained for Boro, and a point proved by QPR youngster Chair, who has made serious waves in just three League Two games on loan at Stevenage. 

Chair looked fantastic on the video highlights, but we put Boro fan Reece Donnelly (@BoroFCcentral) - who was at Sincil Bank - in the hotseat to get his verdict on Chair.   

So, just how good has Chair been since he joined on loan?

"Ilias Chair is the player Stevenage have been crying out for since Chairs' team-mate Luke Freeman left the Boro for bigger and better things. Ilias has certainly put Boro fans on the edge of their seats, and brings something we didn’t have to the table: Creativity.

©Getty / Luke Walker

"Every team has players that are too good for this division but this kid takes the biscuit. Things look so easy for him, he's so comfortable on the ball, so composed and most importantly has real intent to go forward. With a real eye for goal and not shy to hit one from distance, you can see similarities between the impact another QPR loanee, Eberechi Eze had at Wycombe.

"In Chair's first match (v Yeovil), he won 'Man of the Match' after running the game with his inventive passing and ability to get past his man. 

"His performance against Lincoln was simply breathtaking. He ran Neal Eardley ragged and scored two outstanding goals in the dying minutes. He quite easily could have scored six!

"He works hard, tracks back, and has dealt well with the physicality element considering he is only 5ft 2. After just three games, you can tell he’s destined for the Championship, if not higher. His creative mindset, skill, eye for a pass, shooting and decision making is up there with the best I’ve seen at the club and that’s really promising after just three games.

"He will obviously be targeted from now on, but I have no worries, as you just can’t stop kids of that ability. Scarily, for the rest of the league, he says we have seen nothing yet! 

"If Boro are to kick on and mount a promotion challenge, Chairs' dribbling, trickery and overall attacking play are going to be huge for us."

Next up for Stevenage are Northampton Town, currently 16th in the fourth tier, on Saturday. Boro boss Dino Maamria will surely look to newboy Chair to get the crowd at the Lamex Stadium off their seats again, but his side certainly have other strings to their bow: having scored more headed League Two goals (14) than any team so far this season.

📈 Most headed League Two goals in 2018/19:
14⚽: ⚡@StevenageFC⚡
13⚽: Exeter
11⚽: Newport
10⚽: Mansfield, Port Vale
  9⚽: Crewe, Forest G, Tranmere#StevenageFC #WeAreStevenage pic.twitter.com/fqElMKOUXy

— playmakerstats (@playmaker_EN) February 22, 2019