HE hasn't hit the net since the opening weekend of the season but Emmanuel Latte Lath's lengthy wait for a goal isn't remotely concerning for Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick.

Latte Lath ended last season in blistering form for Boro, hitting 11 goals in 12 games and 18 in total in what was a hugely impressive first campaign on Teesside.

But so far this season the Ivorian has only managed to hit the net on one occasion and that came from the spot in the opening day victory over Swansea City.

But Carrick judges Latte Lath's displays on much more than just his goal return and says the striker is doing "a lot of good things for the team".

The head coach pointed to last Saturday's home victory over Stoke City when Latte Lath had a major part to play in both goals, with the centre-forward having tirelessly tracked back to win back possession in the build-up to Hayden Hackney's stunning second half strike.

And while Carrick insists he hasn't given Latte Lath's drought much thought, he has no doubt last season's top scorer will soon hit the goal trail again.

He said: "100 per cent. Certainly for strikers you can have a spell where it just doesn't seem to go in the back of the net, but he's doing a lot of good things for the team and certainly over the last week or so he's looked really bright and sharp. It's definitely coming.

"As a centre-forward, he's still doing a lot of good things without the ball for us. Whether that's us in or out of possession he's having a big impact for us. For instance the two goals against Stoke came from him counter pressing twice and we won the ball back and scored. It doesn't really get headlines but he has a big impact on the team."

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Carrick has always stressed the importance of his side not relying too much on certain individuals for goals.

"It's really important to share the load and play different roles," he said.

"We have the players to do that, whoever scores scores, as long as we're winning and the team is playing well, everyone benefits.

"I understand strikers want to score goals and the goals will come."

Latte Lath's Boro future was plunged into doubt in the final hours of the summer transfer window when Ipswich made a late move but Boro emphatically rejected the advances of the Premier League club.

Carrick and club bosses have been delighted with how Latte Lath has quickly put that dramatic final day behind him and the head coach says the striker is as positive and influential as ever behind the scenes at Rockliffe - despite his lack of goals.

“Yeah, 100% he’s still his usual self," he said.

"All the boys are and the atmosphere around training - whether it’s the boys that have played and the boys that maybe haven’t play as much as they’d like, they’ve all been top class."