New Bolton Wanderers trend may concern Steven Schumacher – it may be a hidden advantage though | OneFootball

Amario Cozier-Duberry's recent dip in form could actually work to Bolton Wanderers' advantage in the long-term this season.

It isn’t often that a dip in form for a star player is actually potentially welcomed by supporters but that may well be the case for Bolton Wanderers fans, who will be desperate to ensure that Amario Cozier-Duberry remains at the Toughsheet Community Stadium beyond the January transfer window.

Bolton, who experienced a major overhaul of the squad, began the season slowly in terms of results, albeit performances remained steadily impressive, and now the Trotters are heading into the congested jam-packed fixture pile-up well in contention for automatic promotion from League One.

A come from behind 2-1 defeat of Exeter City at the weekend, backing up a slender 1-0 win against ten-man Mansfield Town in midweek, haven’t convinced supporters but, having been good and succumbed to too many frustrating draws this season, there may be a feeling that they are due a couple of victories without playing well.

The Whites’ back-to-back victories means that they have suffered just one defeat, away to League Two high-flyers Swindon Town in the second round of the FA Cup, in their last 11 matches across all competitions.

Key to the start of that run was Brighton and Hove Albion loanee Cozier-Duberry, who has begun to dip, and while perhaps a slight concern for Steven Schumacher, it could also be a blessing in disguise for the Bolton boss.

Amario Cozier-Duberry’s form has dipped at Bolton Wanderers

Having hit seven goals with six assists, six goals and six assists coming in League One, after a 4-0 thrashing of Port Vale in mid-November, in which he shone with two goals and two assists in the game, Amario Cozier-Duberry was the talk of the town, and lots of gossip columns.

There were suggestions that Sheffield United, struggling in the Championship, were set to make the Arsenal academy graduate a primary target in the winter window should Brighton deem it worthwhile for his development to again be sent into a higher division.

However, after an underwhelming stint with Bolton’s local rivals Blackburn Rovers last season, it has been reported that the Seagulls had and have no plans to recall the 20-year-old this winter – albeit things, especially in football transfer markets, can change extremely quickly.

The Islington-born attacker, who was capped for the England U20 side earlier this year after being a part of the U16, U17, U18 and U19 setups, has since suffered from a dip in form.

Even the unthinkable, especially in the aftermath of his impressive form, happened last week as he began on the substitutes bench for that defeat of Nigel Clough’s Mansfield.

It is a concern for Bolton because, aside from Mason Burstow, no other player has provided more than two assists in League One for the Trotters so far this season and, again aside from Burstow, no player has scored more than two goals.

However, convolutedly, it could well be the best possible situation for Bolton’s long-term aspirations of gaining promotion back to the Championship this season that Cozier-Duberry suffers from a slight dip just before the window reopens.

Less attention for Amario Cozier-Duberry can help Bolton Wanderers

As Sheffield United begin to pick up some form for themselves now back under the management of Chris Wilder, the desperation for reinforcements becomes lesser, albeit a mini overhaul is still expected, as Football League World has exclusively revealed, at Bramall Lane.

As for other Championship clubs, a sign of inconsistency from the left-footed right-winger may well put off any interest and further push Brighton to believing the best thing for his own development is to stay put in Lancashire.

As for Bolton, who have perhaps been viewed by many as verging into being a one-man team, at least in the final third, the Trotters are also now able to show that they can flourish without the major influence of Cozier-Duberry.

Earlier this season, following a brilliant last-gasp strike to earn a point against Leyton Orient, Wigan Athletic headed into the derby against Bolton with all of the talk being around the forward.

Bolton dispatched of Wigan by four goals to one and Cozier-Duberry’s involvement of the dismantlement of the Latics was minimal, with the likes of Thierry Gale and Marcus Forss instead starring for Wanderers.

Having now returned from injury, Gale was again one of the key factors in another Bolton win that saw Cozier-Duberry nullified, with the Barbados international coming off the bench to score an excellent equaliser against Exeter, after Sam Dalby had notched Bolton’s equaliser against the Grecians.

Being able to win games without Cozier-Duberry at his absolute best, as well as potentially minimising the risk of the loanee departing next month, could be massive factors in Bolton eventually gaining promotion this season, despite the short-term frustrations and concerns with regards to his form.