The enigma that is Joe Cole.

The enigma of Joe Cole is one that has flattered to deceive many early onlookers of the young Englishman’s fortunes. Whilst undoubtedly being a man of talent, the former West Ham prodigy has failed to live up to the early hype he once promised. Cole  received national media attention as a schoolboy, when  he famously scored 7 of the 8 goals the England youth team scored against Spain in a match. The lad was long touted as one of the hottest young talents  in the nation and finally put pen to paper on a deal taking  him to Stamford Bridge in 2003.

A young Joe Cole

This was the apparent beginning of the end for the young playmaker. The arrival of Jose Mourinho and his new look Chelsea signings meant there would be competition for places in the starting eleven which in turn provided restricted time for the attack-mined midfielder. Moreover, the defensive 4-5-1 formation adopted by ‘The Special One’ meant Cole would  be plying his trade on either wing, much to his disappointment. It wasn’t easy for anyone, let alone a young Joe Cole to displace established stars such as Damien Duff, Arjen Robben and Shaun Wright-Phillips from the Chelsea line-up, but taking advantage of  injuries to several key players, Cole cemented his position at Chelsea. Important strikes for both club and country led many to believe that the once coveted midfielder had finally realized his potential to be up there as one of the greats.

Lets face it, from the moment he was old enough to lace up his first set of football boots, it was inevitable Joe Cole was going to be something special. He is a playmaker who enjoys the feel of the ball, toys  with it almost affectionately and then releases passes to his team mates that are designed to hurt the opposition.

However, that was not for a certain  Ancelotti to see as the former  Milan gaffer had other plans which frankly, Joe didn’t really fit into. Ancelotti’s idea of Chelsea meant strong bodies in midfield dictating the pace of the game and Joe here was no Hercules. Joe also made it clear to the boss  that he believed he no longer possessed  the required pace to take on opposing full backs as he once did, and asked for a more central role, in which he could support the strikers. But the ever-presence of Chelsea talisman Frank Lampard meant he would be pushed further down the pecking order.

Finally the English midfielder got his chance in Chelsea’s  5-0 demolition of Blackburn Rovers at Stamford Bridge after an injury sidelined the midfielder for a long spell. He dictated the midfield and generally treated the Blackburn defence as if it were a rag doll. For the rest of the 90 minutes Cole was in his element, spraying long and short passes of masterful accuracy, re-discovering his old West Ham form.

Joe in action for Chelsea

However it was all to late for Chelsea to see. Cole rejected a new contract from the Blues, making him one of the most sought-after free agents in the market. After a long period of thought and discussion it was announced Cole would be joining Liverpool F.C. in a 4-year deal.

Suddenly there was an air of positivity flowing through the city. And why not, Cole  possesses all of football’s most sublime skills. He is artful, scheming, wondrously tricky and never less than in complete control of the ball. The arrival of Cole meant Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres had another reason to stay at the club.

So as it was expected all eyes were fixed on the new guy’s debut in a Red shirt and by no means did he disappoint. Although his opposition weren’t of the highest standards, Joe put in a wonderful debut display against Robotnicki F.C. effectively laying down the assist from a sublime cross.

However his league debut wasn’t so inspirational. Starting in his preferred attacking midfield role behind the striker, Cole went into the game against Arsenal with much enthusiasm. This was thought to be the real test of Joe’s calibre. Moving around the pitch, he struggled for possession and unfortunately  was sent-off following a rash tackle on Laurent Koscielny late in the first half. So his  KOP league debut ended in much disappointment.

He promised much more and was soon to deliver. Liverpool’s next game was a Europa league game against Trabzonspor. Fielding a weaker side,  Joe was once again the highlight of the game. Neat touches, creative passes and an array of tricks filled his schedule on the day, and it wasn’t surprising Liverpool’s only breakthrough came from an inch perfect pass by the midfielder.

So what could really be made of this ?

Although just a few games for his new club yet, it is these Jekyll and Hyde performances that confuse the minds of onlookers. Many believe that Cole will now finally realise his true potential at a club where he feels loved, and for Cole’s sake, I pray he does.