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Analysis: Joe Cole's attitude and inspiration will rub off on trophy-less Arsenal colleagues
England midfielder's hunger is much-needed in the Gunners dressing room
10 Jun 2010 11:43:00
By Wayne Veysey | Chief Correspondent
In a summer when Arsene Wenger has a £45million transfer kitty at his disposal, it will raise a smile among some supporters that the Arsenal manager's first two signings of the window are free transfers – first Marouanne Chamakh and now Joe Cole.
Old habits die hard, it seems, for the notoriously frugal Frenchman who has a penchant for misplacing the padlock code required to prise open Arsenal’s piggy bank.
While the demand for high calibre defensive reinforcements who cost a bob or two is high at Emirates Stadium – two centre halves, a goalkeeper and a midfield anchorman are understood to be Wenger’s priorities – few would dispute the logic of adding Cole to a roll-call of nimble, technically adept ball-carriers in midfield.
MORE...
There are whispers, too, that his body is not as durable as it could be following knee surgery and that various minor ailments suffered since are not unrelated.
Furthermore, the old adage of not buying your rivals’ cast-offs will gnaw away at some Arsenal fans who are used to seeing stars of the future rather than stars of the present turn up at Emirates Stadium. Mikael Silvestre, anyone?
Yet Cole’s qualities are well known to Premier League audiences and were enough for every Champions League-calibre club to express an interest once it became clear that the final chapter of his Chelsea career had been written.
He is a match-winner who is mobile, technically gifted and versatile enough to play across any of the advanced midfield positions in Wenger’s preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, whether wide right or left, or centrally behind the main striker.
If Cesc Fabregas stays, it is unlikely that Cole will get much opportunity to play in his favourite No.10 position but it is this tactical flexibility which makes him so attractive to Fabio Capello, despite what even the player would admit has been a disjointed campaign in Chelsea blue.
Despite looking far from convincing since returning from 10 months on the sidelines last October, Cole has still provided the kind of inspirational moments that have dotted a career that has perhaps not quite lived up to the expectation by Sir Alex Ferguson twice trying to steal him from West Ham before he had even made his first-team debut.
The season's highlight was undoubtedly the brilliant goal he scored at Old Trafford that set up a vital 2-1 victory over Manchester United, one of only two goals he scored all season. Ancelotti later admitted the victory was the most important of Chelsea's Double-winning season.
Crucially, for an Arsenal dressing room which has forgotten the thrill of lifting silverware, Cole has a bulging trophy cabinet, including three Premier League medals and he has just come off the back of winning the ‘Double’. Wenger will be hoping that this serial-winning habit rubs off on his new colleagues.
Cole also possesses something that is all too rarely seen in the polite, deferential, after-you-sir Arsenal dressing room: attitude. Bags of it. While he is never going to lead from the front in the manner of a Tony Adams or Patrick Vieira, Cole has a hunger and sheer footballing joie de vivre that is infectious.
He will buzz around the training ground like a teenager and throw himself into his new club. Cole might be free but you can’t put a price on that kind of inspiration.
Critics will sneer that Arsenal already have plenty of Cole-alike trinket players in the mould of Andrey Arshavin, Samir Nasri and Tomas Rosicky.
But if this is merely the start of a major overhaul of a squad that undoubtedly needs major refurbishment, there will be few complaints from Arsenal worshippers.
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In a summer when Arsene Wenger has a £45million transfer kitty at his disposal, it will raise a smile among some supporters that the Arsenal manager's first two signings of the window are free transfers – first Marouanne Chamakh and now Joe Cole.
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Old habits die hard, it seems, for the notoriously frugal Frenchman who has a penchant for misplacing the padlock code required to prise open Arsenal’s piggy bank.
While the demand for high calibre defensive reinforcements who cost a bob or two is high at Emirates Stadium – two centre halves, a goalkeeper and a midfield anchorman are understood to be Wenger’s priorities – few would dispute the logic of adding Cole to a roll-call of nimble, technically adept ball-carriers in midfield.
MORE...
- Revealed: Joe Cole has signed a contract to join Arsenal after World Cup
- Press Wrap: 'Whenever he played against us, he did us damage' - how Joe Cole found his way to Arsenal
- Goal.com Poll: Is Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger right to sign Joe Cole?
- In Pics: Joe Cole's London journey - from West Ham to Chelsea to Arsenal
- Arsenal will only sign Joe Cole if he drops wage demands by a third
- Poll Results: Readers agree with Arsenal - Joe Cole is worth £80,000 a week
There are whispers, too, that his body is not as durable as it could be following knee surgery and that various minor ailments suffered since are not unrelated.
Furthermore, the old adage of not buying your rivals’ cast-offs will gnaw away at some Arsenal fans who are used to seeing stars of the future rather than stars of the present turn up at Emirates Stadium. Mikael Silvestre, anyone?
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HOW ARSENAL MIGHT LOOK
WITH COLE BUT NO FABREGAS
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He is a match-winner who is mobile, technically gifted and versatile enough to play across any of the advanced midfield positions in Wenger’s preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, whether wide right or left, or centrally behind the main striker.
If Cesc Fabregas stays, it is unlikely that Cole will get much opportunity to play in his favourite No.10 position but it is this tactical flexibility which makes him so attractive to Fabio Capello, despite what even the player would admit has been a disjointed campaign in Chelsea blue.
Despite looking far from convincing since returning from 10 months on the sidelines last October, Cole has still provided the kind of inspirational moments that have dotted a career that has perhaps not quite lived up to the expectation by Sir Alex Ferguson twice trying to steal him from West Ham before he had even made his first-team debut.
The season's highlight was undoubtedly the brilliant goal he scored at Old Trafford that set up a vital 2-1 victory over Manchester United, one of only two goals he scored all season. Ancelotti later admitted the victory was the most important of Chelsea's Double-winning season.
|
HOW ARSENAL MIGHT LOOK
WITH COLE AND FABREGAS
|
Cole also possesses something that is all too rarely seen in the polite, deferential, after-you-sir Arsenal dressing room: attitude. Bags of it. While he is never going to lead from the front in the manner of a Tony Adams or Patrick Vieira, Cole has a hunger and sheer footballing joie de vivre that is infectious.
He will buzz around the training ground like a teenager and throw himself into his new club. Cole might be free but you can’t put a price on that kind of inspiration.
Critics will sneer that Arsenal already have plenty of Cole-alike trinket players in the mould of Andrey Arshavin, Samir Nasri and Tomas Rosicky.
But if this is merely the start of a major overhaul of a squad that undoubtedly needs major refurbishment, there will be few complaints from Arsenal worshippers.
Become a fan of Goal.com UK's Facebook fan page for all the latest news and insight into everything related to the beautiful game!
| Sign up with 188BET for a FREE bet up to £25 – Great Prices, Every Game |
|
| Open an account with Sportingbet today and get up to £50 in free bets! |
|
| Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25 |
|
| Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 |
|
| Sign up with Paddy Power - Bet £10, Get £20! |
|
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