Does Blackpool boss Michael Appleton regret not buying a striker during the summer?

The Seasiders have lacked quality in the final third of the pitch so far this season, finding the back of the net on just 10 occasions in their first 11 games.

Since drawing 3-3 in back-to-back games in August, Appleton’s side have only found the back of the net twice in their following five games.

Gary Madine has yet to get off the mark this season, while Shayne Lavery has only scored once. Jerry Yates, the third of Blackpool’s trio of strikers’ has bagged twice.

It’s a problem that wasn’t entirely unexpected, given the club were keen to bolster their options in attack during the summer – targeting both Ellis Simms and Colby Bishop.

Simms instead opted to join tonight’s opponents Sunderland, although he’s currently out injured, while Bishop ended up joining Portsmouth, where he’s since scored eight times in his first 11 games.

When asked if he regrets not getting a striker over the line during the summer window, Appleton told The Gazette: “Everything is a regret and a frustration when things are not going your way, but it’s easy to look at it like that.

“If it was that easy, I think everyone would be doing the same thing but ultimately there are a lot of competitive clubs who are all looking for the same type of player and striker.

“We are where we are at this moment in time, so there’s no point in me worrying about that. I can’t do anything to affect that and the club can’t do anything to affect that until January.

“For me, it’s about focusing all our energy on the players we’ve got in the building and trying to find a way of getting that first goal and going ahead in a game.

“Like I’ve said many times, we started the game excellently on Saturday for 15 to 20 minutes and looked like the side that was going to break the deadlock.

“It wasn’t to be, but the good thing with football is there’s another game around the corner and we’ve got another opportunity on Tuesday night.”