DESPITE his side not finding the back of the net in the last two games, Sunderland head coach Tony Mowbray has reaffirmed the club’s stance that they will not be dipping into the free agent market for a new frontman.

With Ross Stewart and Ellis Simms both sidelined through injury, the Black Cats have failed to score in their last two games but have earned goalless draws against Preston North End and Blackpool.

Amad Diallo deputised in their place against the Tangerines whilst they played without a recognised striker against the Lilywhites. Mowbray is in the process of trying to figure out a way to cope without Stewart and Simms but the answer to that is not bringing in an unattached player according to the former Boro boss. “The plan is to stick to the plan” he said.

“The recruitment department have scoured every free transfer out there and there are strikers. There might be a Sunday league striker out there but it doesn’t mean we sign you because you’ve got number nine on your back for a local team. They have to fit what we do.

“If there is a bigger plan, you have to fit them in if you are going to give them contracts and pay them money. In my opinion, they have to be part of the journey that you are on. I don’t see anything wrong in trying to find the answers or trying to play football.”

The Manchester United loanee came in for constructive criticism from the boss after missing a guilt edged chance at the Stadium of Light that would have put the Black Cats in front against the Tangerines in midweek. Amad, who is naturally a winger, has been tasked with being more ruthless in key attacking areas when they chance arrives.

Mowbray remains confident they can mould him into the attacker they need right now as the nature of the game is a rapidly changing environment.

He continued: “When I played in the 80’s, everyone played 4-4-2 and nobody played anything other than that. I marked the centre forward and that was it. All of a sudden, somebody played one up front and a number 10 and we’re thinking ‘what is a number ten?’. Football has changed so much.

“We have to get on with it. If there is a centre forward out there who is a free transfer who we all liked and wants to fit into this football club moving forward, he’d be here. But that’s not the case. They’ve scoured the world in the free agent market.

“At the moment, let’s get on with what we are doing. Amad is a striker but in our mind he’s not quite ready to do the job like Ross or Ellis would do. We are just getting on with it.”Mowbray was quick to labour the point that the top teams in the English football pyramid tend to just have one stand out striker in their squad and they are prepared to cope with the loss if injury strikes.

“Before they signed Richarlison, what would Tottenham do if Harry Kane got injured?” he asked. “The top teams have a top centre forward but they don’t have three or four sitting around because the centre forwards always want to play.

“Unfortunately, when you don’t fill your club with strikers and you have a few injuries, you have to deal with it. I don’t want to moan about the situation, we have to find a way. The last two games have been 15 and 16 shots but only four on target. But it’s not as if we are not having any shots on goal. We have to accept it and keep moving forward. If we keep working on it in training, we’ll score more and win football matches.”