MIDDLESBROUGH head coach Aitor Karanka insists strike duo Patrick Bamford and Jelle Vossen will play vital roles this season, despite being behind Kike in the pecking order.

Bamford and Vossen were brought in to strengthen Boro’s attacking options, but by the time they both arrived in the closing stages of the transfer window, Spanish striker Kike had already got off to an impressive start with three goals in his first four games for the Teessiders.

Such form cemented Kike as Karanka’s number one striker and with the Spaniard sticking with his preferred 4-2-3-1 system it meant Vossen and Bamford had to be patient.

The on-loan Chelsea youngster has netted twice in nine appearances, including in the Capital One Cup against Liverpool, while Vossen is yet to score in eight, but Karanka believes the fact Kike had a full pre-season with the squad has given him a head start.

“I think Kike is better now because he started with us in pre-season,” Karanka said. “He has an advantage over the others, because when Jelle and Patrick arrived, Kike had scored four or five goals.

“Strikers live off goals and it will be hard for them that they haven’t scored as many, but I am very happy with all of them. They are training very well.

“They are all thinking about the team. Patrick and Jelle are good players and I have no doubt they will score goals.

“The worst thing they can do is lose their confidence because they are not scoring goals, but the way they are working every single day I am sure the goals are going to arrive.”

Karanka is expected to name a similar starting line-up to the one that drew 1-1 with Watford for today’s trip to Rotherham.

Grant Leadbitter will return after serving a one-match suspension while Adam Reach could also reclaim his place in attack.

Karanka admitted he made a mistake with his team for the defeat at Wolves, but the Boro head coach insists he will continue to tinker with his team.

He said: “In the Wolves game I thought the starting line-up was the best one for that game.

“You always have to improve after the game and learn from your mistakes.

“We changed it a little bit against Watford and they all played really well. Sometimes I am right and sometimes I am wrong. I expect to be right more times that I am wrong!”

Karanka allowed Luke Williams to join Scunthorpe on loan last week in the hope regular football with benefit the young striker.

The Boro boss was impressed by the 21-year-old during pre-season, but having seen the positive effects of loan spells on Adam Reach and Ben Gibson, Karanka is keen for Williams to spend more time learning away from the club.

“Every player is different and every player needs different things for his development.

“Reach and Ben Gibson were three or four times on loan and they improved, they came back more mature.

“I think the club thinks for his development Luke needs another season on loan, another season living on his own because when you are living at home sometimes you need to experience other things because no one doubts that he is a very good player and a Middlesbrough potential player.

“Last season he was on loan in Hartlepool and he came back more mature, he played several games at the end of the season and he played very, very well and now, again, we have improved our squad and he needs now more..

“All of us thought that for all of his development it would be good to go on loan.”