Ronaldo and Messi prove why Bamford can play wide for Boro

Bamford, who was this week named in the England Under-21s squad as reward for his Boro form, has been used as a wide-man more often than not by Karanka this season.

But when goals were proving to be a problem recently, the versatile forward was asked to switch to a more central role in the hope it would lead to a boost at just the right time.

And after witnessing Bamford score three goals in two victories over promotion rivals Ipswich and Derby County already this week, the player is set to continue in that position at top two contenders Bournemouth this lunch-time.

The switch has raised the question of why the 21-year-old was not played in that position earlier, but his boss is satisfied with his previous tactical decisions regarding the promising youngster – citing Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as reasons why.

“No I don’t regret playing him where I did,” said Karanka. “I've been speaking with him since he arrived here and he understood from the first moment that he was going to play in the best position for the team.

“When he's played (out wide) - not as a winger as he's not a winger - he still understood the role and played really well there, attacking and defending.

“And when he plays up front he plays well as he's a quality player. The main thing is he understands his role every game. Sometimes, for example, Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi, they don't play as a centre forward and they score 50 or 55 goals. They are players that are maybe more comfortable starting in different positions.”

Bamford’s finishing has been of the highest order and had found the net 16 times in a Boro shirt, even though it took him time initially to become a regular and the fact he was more of a wide-man.

His performances have led to suggestions that Boro will try to lure him back to the Riverside again next season, with talk of a reputed £2m offer if promotion to the Premier League can be achieved.

Asked if he will try to sign him, Karanka said: “I like to have the best players in my squad and Patrick is one of them.”

The Spanish head coach could certainly do with Bamford continuing his good form on the south coast today. Bournemouth could do with defeating the side immediately above them to close the two-point gap which stands between them and the top two.

The Cherries have lost three games at home this season and Karanka is full of admiration for the manager leading them, Eddie Howe.

Karanka said: “He's different, he tries to play in a different way and if you're British and you're trying to change something and you're being successful, I think it's something you want to emulate because sometimes it's easy to do something everyone else is doing.

“But he's changing his style, he likes to play and he's improving his team every single week and every single year.”

Howe is regarded as a forward-thinking, innovative manager and has been largely responsible for Bournemouth’s rise through the divisions which has put them within touching distance of a top-flight spot for the first time.

There are similarities between Howe and Karanka, in that both are firm believers in creating a successful unit rather than a team full of individual talents which is more unpredictable.

And Karanka said: “He's been a manager for four or five years and I've been here 14 or 15 months, so he's more experienced than me.

“The similarities are that we try to play in the right way, we try to build a team rather than the players. My philosophy is that always the team is above the individuals, so I think Eddie is the same because his team is a team.

“I know that he left Bournemouth to go to Burnley and then came back again, so he's happy there, he was an important player there and he feels confident in Bournemouth and he's doing a really good job.”

Boro have not ruled out Jonathan Woodgate making his third consecutive appearance but Daniel Ayala is available again after a thigh problem.