Steven Schumacher can fix Bolton Wanderers issue – it involves how Marcus Forss is used | OneFootball

Steven Schumacher should tweak the system at Bolton Wanderers in order to accommodate Marcus Forss.

It has been a bright start to the season for Bolton Wanderers in terms of their performance level, but they must now start to put victories together to propel themselves up the League One table.

The Trotters, in their first full season under the management of Steven Schumacher, have transformed their squad with 14 new signings and several previously key first-teamers having departed the Toughsheet Community Stadium over the summer.

They lost to Stockport County by two goals to nil at Edgeley Park on the opening day of the season, but many supporters left that match feeling positive with an impressive performance and one that should have perhaps merited all three points, let alone the avoidance of a defeat.

Since then, Bolton have gone nine matches unbeaten inside 90 minutes across all competitions, but they have managed just three victories in that run of form with five 1-1 draws holding them back in League One.

In pretty much every game bar their most recent 1-1 draw at Leyton Orient, the Trotters have been the better side and should have pinched the victory – but there was just something missing.

That something may well be in the final third because they aren’t conceding too many but they are struggling to put teams to bed, and that is where marquee loan signing Marcus Forss should come in to play.

Bolton Wanderers: Steven Schumacher should switch the system to get Marcus Forss involved

Prior to the summer transfer window, Schumacher had said he wanted Bolton to recruit for a different shape and that is certainly what happened with new Sporting Director Fergal Harkin and new Head of Recruitment Jimmy Dickinson meeting those demands.

Amario Cozier-Duberry, Thierry Gale, Ibrahim Cissoko and Charlie Warren were all brought in to play with wingers, with Bolton having spent the last four years playing without natural wide men in attack.

That has paid off thus far in terms of the performances of Cozier-Duberry in particular, but with flashes from Gale and Cissoko, and so that bit shouldn’t be tampered with but the 4-2-3-1 does appear to be wasting the talent of Marcus Forss.

The 4-2-3-1 has allowed John McAtee and Joel Randall to be given opportunities to nail down a starting spot as the main central attacking midfielder and chief creator but neither have been able to really impress, despite the latter showing some improvement.

That is where perhaps tweaking the system to a 4-4-2 or a 4-4-1-1 with Forss being brought in to play either just off or alongside the in-form and impressive Mason Burstow would surely give Bolton more effectiveness and cutting edge.

Both McAtee and Randall have flattered to deceive thus far this season and more output is required from that position, so slightly altering it could be imperative for Bolton to finally get themselves over the line more often.

Marcus Forss has to begin starting for Bolton Wanderers - his Championship experience could prove vital

Forss did make his a debut a day after joining Bolton when he played as a right-winger in a 1-0 defeat of Rotherham United in the group stages of the EFL Trophy a couple of weeks ago.

Since then, the Middlesbrough loanee, who has previously torn up League One with AFC Wimbledon and also has Premier League experience with Brentford, has been a substitute in a victory over the Dons and then in the recent draw with Leyton Orient.

His signing, though, is one that sparked surprise in many League One observers because it has to be seen as a bit of a major coup for Bolton to have brought in the Finland international attacker, who is out of contract at the Riverside Stadium next season.

Forss has to eventually force himself into the 11, but his natural striking position is currently occupied by the in-form Burstow, whilst the right-wing, his second position, is occupied by arguably one of the most exciting players in the division in the form of Cozier-Duberry.

That leaves the second striker or so-called ‘number ten’ role open, and it would surely allow Forss to thrive to be able to buzz around the hold-up play of Burstow, whilst also being able to run off the Hull City loanee in more of a traditional 4-4-2 system.

The Wanderers midfield is full of players who would also be deemed as natural box-to-box players, too, and so the 4-4-2 system, not as common anymore, may well be the ideal setup for Schumacher moving forward.