It’s safe to say that Joe Cole hasn’t enjoyed the best of times since moving to Liverpool from Chelsea on a free transfer. The former West Ham prodigy was ignominiously dismissed on his Premier League debut, and injury and loss of form have continued to hamper his fledging Anfield career.
Now Roy Hodgson has told Liverpool’s number ten that he must accept any role in the team.
“Joe has to come to terms with the fact that he has come here after an unsuccessful period at Chelsea with high hopes of taking Liverpool by storm and unfortunately it’s not happened,” said the Liverpool manager.
“If he says ‘Well I’m not playing in my right position’, then you’d have to ask him what his right position is. If he says the only place he can play is behind the striker, then he is limiting his chances of playing here.
“We also have Gerrard and [Raúl] Meireles who can play in that position, and at the moment quite often we are playing with two strikers. I would be sad to hear him saying something like that, because he would be suggesting he can’t do what he has done so often for England and Chelsea, which is playing in a different position.”
Cole arrived at Anfield with high expectations, and his signing gave Kopites fresh cause for optimism after a turbulent 12 months. Even after his opening day sending-off against Arsenal, team-mate Jamie Carragher described Cole as being like a “God in the city” and said that the playmaker’s arrival had ”lifted the whole city.”
A paltry return of one goal and one assist, along with the side’s underwhelming form, has meant that the excitement generated by his summer arrival has dissipated. Cole has struggled to make his impact upon games, and has frequently looked short of fitness and confidence.
Hodgson’s Liverpool team is one sorely lacking in creativity. Cole is undoubtedly a player gifted with technical ability, flair and the ability to unlock defences.
However, Cole has failed to show the willingness and discipline required to fit into Hodgson’s rigid system. If he can marry his inspiration with perspiration, he will undoubtedly have a big part to play in Liverpool’s quest for a European spot this season.
Follow me on twitter at www.twitter.com/zarifrasul
