The signing of Joe Cole from Chelsea on a free transfer last summer looked like a bargain for Liverpool, especially beating off potential interest from Tottenham and Arsenal for the England star. However after a sending off on his debut for the club and misfortune in injuries, he’s yet been able to shine in the Red jersey and with the likes of Newcastle United interested in the players services, would it be wise for the club to cash in on the player who has failed to live up to expectations or does the talented 29-year old deserve more of a chance at Anfield?

The player certainly has a lot of admirers from fans to players; with Steven Gerrard claiming that Cole is as good as Lionel Messi. At the World Cup last summer, England fans were demanding that Joe Cole saw more time on the pitch than on the bench but Fabio Capello showed he lacked faith in the player being a talisman in the first eleven. It is clear that Joe Cole has an abundance of talent and let’s not forget he played an integral role in Chelsea’s success in the last decade but the player is not the most consistent of performers. Although Liverpool manager, Kenny Dalglish commented on the player after he came on as a substitute against Sparta Prague last night :

“We have got to be patient with Joe. That is his first run out since I came here. We want to give him a bit of time and make sure he gets there. Form is temporary, class is permanent and that is where we stand with Joe”

It is important that Dalglish is showing faith in the player, something that was missing from the previous manager, Roy Hodgson but could it be a gamble? Hodgson is not the only manager who hasn’t favoured Cole, with his team work and lack of defensive qualities often cited. However, Cole is that typical talented attacking midfielder that gets played out of position. Whether on the left or right side of midfield, his best position is playing in the hole behind the striker but it’s that free role position that isn’t favoured by many mangers in England.

Personally I’ve always been a fan of Joe Cole and believe if it wasn’t for injuries, he would’ve achieved even more in the game by now. But the former West Ham player will be turning 30 towards the end of this year and with his fitness in question you have to wonder if the player can make it back to the form we knew a few seasons ago. On the positive side, Dalglish is being patient and allowing the player enough time to get his match fitness back and eventually with more games under his belt for Liverpool we should all start to see the Joe Cole we all like to watch, or at least I hope we do.

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