Source: Daily_Mail
Joe Cole deserves better than this: Entitled to consider 2010 one odd year
On the day Joe Cole signed for West Ham United, before a game against Chelsea 13 years ago, such was the excitement, such was the anticipation surrounding this diminutive adolescent, that over the Tannoy came the following words: 'You can tell your grandchildren you were there the day Joe Cole signed for West Ham.' [LNB]From the ages of 10 to 20, Joe Cole was one of the properties in English football. When Paolo di Canio began training with Cole, he delivered this verdict: 'I played with Alessandro del Piero when he was Cole's age. In terms of ability they are similar, though perhaps Cole has an edge. I also played with Roberto Baggio and, I can tell you, Cole is a stronger version of Baggio.' [LNB] Rise and fall: Joe Cole has endured a disappointing start to his Anfield career [LNB]Di Canio praised Cole's 'feline' movement. He said Cole was 'like an illusionist'. Many others made similar comments. Manchester United and Arsenal tried to sign him. In a way, Di Canio's illusionist remark holds true today because the Joe Cole English football knows has all but disappeared. [LNB]It is a blunt and unsettling truth for him, for Liverpool and for England. A new knee injury meant he did not make the bench against Stoke on Wednesday night. [LNB]Key man: Cole won three Premier League titles during his time at Chelsea [LNB]In the Reds' three previous games, he was an unused substitute. The teenager who was once the centre of the production has, shortly after his 29th birthday, become an onlooker. [LNB]Not that long ago, Sunday's Chelsea-Liverpool game would have been all about 'Joe' going back to Stamford Bridge. Cole did a bit there after all: three Premier League titles, three FA Cups and two League Cups after joining them from West Ham in 2003. [LNB]He played 273 games for Chelsea across seven years at the club he first joined as a ball boy in 1993. He was voted the club's player of the year in 2008. In that year's Champions League final Cole played 99 minutes in Moscow against Manchester United.[LNB] When Chelsea won the Premier League title's decisive match at Old Trafford last April, it was a Cole back-heel opener that set them on their way. Cole, as John Terry said this week, 'deserves a great reception' on Sunday. But a question not many are asking is: would Joe Cole have made Liverpool's bench before this latest injury? [LNB]Cole's return has been obscured. Fernando Torres is 'unveiled' at Chelsea's Cobham training ground this lunchtime. Today, tomorrow and Sunday will be all about him. Cole has been handed the anonymity he often sought as a prized boy. His last start was a month ago, in the 3-1 defeat at Blackburn, when his night was memorable for stern criticism from Steven Gerrard over a 50-50 challenge. That was Roy Hodgson's last game in charge. [LNB]In came Kenny Dalglish and Cole did not figure on the bench for the new manager's first two games. When he did get back there, for the Merseyside derby, Dalglish sent on 18-year-old Jonjo Shelvey rather than an England international of 56 caps. [LNB] False start: the Liverpool midfielder was sent off on his debut in the 1-1 draw against Arsenal [LNB]Three days later, Cole was playing a half for Liverpool reserves against Manchester City in a Lancashire Senior Cup tie, though as Dalglish explained: 'Joe's attitude and commitment to the game was superb. He wanted to stay on longer. That wasn't necessary.'[LNB] Dalglish will have been fully aware of Cole's strengths, weaknesses and personality long before he returned to the manager's office. The Scot will have known that Cole settled well on Merseyside, that he has not moped at Melwood despite acknowledging this is the 'worst run' of his career. [LNB]Enlarge Why this is so is a combination of injuries, tactics, confidence, luck and a new club that was not stable. Consequently, Cole is entitled to consider 2010 one odd year. [LNB]After that April goal at Old Trafford, Carlo Ancelotti referred to the 'old Joe Cole', yet a month later Cole's contract at Chelsea had run out just as he was part of the team completing the Double.[LNB] He then went to the World Cup in South Africa. He featured in neither of the first two games but replaced Wayne Rooney - to an ovation - in the 1-0 win over Slovenia. [LNB]Cole then came on for James Milner against Germany with the score 2-1. Six minutes later it was 4-1. It was hardly his fault. [LNB]Throughout the tournament Cole was linked with Arsenal and Tottenham but both London clubs referred to excessive wage demands. Even in ownership turmoil, or perhaps because of it, Liverpool accepted Cole's salary and gave him a four-year contract last July. [LNB]The Joe Cole buzz was back, but then on his Premier League debut for Liverpool , against Arsenal, he was sent off, harshly. A false start. A suspension resulted, then a hamstring injury meant November was lost. [LNB]It was not until the first day of 2011 that Cole scored his first Liverpool league goal, the 90th-minute one-yard winner against Bolton. But that has proven to be another false start and if Cole's confidence has dissolved, who can be surprised? [LNB]'I am still in contact with him, he is confident in his own ability,' Terry added. If Terry is correct, resilience is another Cole attribute. Sadly he may need it on Sunday.[LNB] Cole goal should just be the start! Liverpool boss Hodgson demands more from Anfield slow starterLiverpool 2 Bolton 1: Cole keen to kick on after late heroics save HodgsonChelsea FC news from across the web Liverpool FC news from across the web [LNB] Explore more:People: John Terry, Kenny Dalglish, Fernando Torres, Wayne Rooney, James Milner, Joe Cole, Roy Hodgson, Steven Gerrard, Carlo Ancelotti Places: Moscow, Liverpool, London, Slovenia, Germany, United Kingdom, South Africa
