Player Focus: Cast Aside Cole Has Mourinho to Blame
The return of José Mourinho, The Special One, the messiah, the manager who can do no wrong in the eyes of Chelsea fans, was supposed to be a 'happy' homecoming. After 7 different managers and 7 trophies won, a still unsatisfied Roman Abramovich reinstated the Portuguese at the helm, and with him he was supposed to bring the good times back to Stamford Bridge. After a trophyless season and a third-place finish in the Premier League, Mourinho's first campaign back in English football has not been the return fans would have been hoping for.
The thought of a core of Petr Cech, John Terry, Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard rekindling their relationship with the manager that led Chelsea to their only successive Premier League crowns, whilst also teaming up with their latest favourites on the pitch, will have had fans salivating, but it has not quite been the perfect reunion they'd have wanted.
While Terry and Cech have retained an integral status in the team, Lampard has played a bit-part role and two-time player of the season Juan Mata was phased out of the club. Arguably a greater shock, however, has been the pace and extent of the decline of Cole's use in the first eleven. The left-back has in the space of 10 months gone from England's first choice and possibly still one of the best in the position on the planet, to without a club and not even in Roy Hodgson's squad for the World Cup. Few would have foreseen such a fall from grace for the player many consider to have been England's most consistent performer over the past decade, and at 33 years of age there is certainly something to say for him still having plenty to give.
But until Branislav Ivanovic's suspension for the first leg of Chelsea's Champions League semi final against Atlético Madrid, Cole had not played consistently since the turn of the year. Between January and April he didn't feature at all for the Blues but still started for England in a friendly against Denmark. When called upon for the aforementioned clash with Diego Simeone's side, however, Cole proved his continued class.
Just 12 minutes of action for the Blues in the months leading up to the match, and the veteran, supposedly considered on the wane by his manager, put in a typically assured and energetic display as his team picked up a clean sheet in the Spanish capital, making 3 tackles, 3 interceptions and playing one of his team's two key passes. Tireless and tenacious, Cole showed he was certainly still good enough to play at that level. Mourinho must have agreed to an extent, as Cole started each of the Blues' remaining matches, including the 2-0 win at Anfield.
When he was withdrawn with the second leg against Atleti tied at 1-1, the player who has usurped him as Chelsea's first choice left-back, César Azpilicueta, dropped back into that position. The manager's decision was a real roll of the dice as he went in search of an all-important winning goal with two up front. An increased openness in midfield and attack certainly contributed, but Cole's absence meant space down that flank that Juanfran exploited to set up Arda Turan's goal that killed the tie. In fact, in the Premier League this season, Chelsea have conceded just 8 goals in 15 games with Cole starting (0.53 per game), compared to 19 in 23 without him (0.83 per game). That is no coincidence.
In this particular instance, Azpilicueta had been dragged into the middle of the field and Eden Hazard left the Atlético right-back to saunter in behind him and cross the for Turkey international. As good as Azpilicueta has been filling in on the left this season, he remains a right-back playing out of position, and isn't Ivanovic still really a centre-back playing on the right side of defence? Physically, at least, he is certainly more a central defender.
Cole's performances throughout the campaign just past were more than adequate. Despite significant disruptions to his season, he maintained a WhoScored rating of 6.91 in Premier League games, which is better than he managed in 3 of the 4 previous seasons for which ratings are available. He registered 2 assists in just 17 appearances, which is as many as he picked up in 31 games last season and only 1 fewer than he got in 38 appearances in 2010/11. He made 2.3 tackles per game this term, roughly continuing his average over the past 4 seasons and his 1.2 interceptions per game is exactly the same as last season. He is making more dribbles per game (0.5) than last season and completing a higher proportion of his passes (90%), but those aren't necessarily less ambitious passes; he is also up on key passes per game (1.0).
Most onlookers would agree that Cole still has something to give both at club and international level, and it would make perfect sense if Mourinho had in fact had an issue with the left-back's attitude more than anything else. Cole was dropped just after he attended Arsenal's Christmas party and reportedly reacted badly to his manager's decision. In the period in which Cole was left out for weeks on end, Mourinho insisted his left-back was injured despite widespread reports that he was fit and available to play. The Chelsea boss should have swallowed his pride and done his utmost to make peace with the defender.
It is easy to say that with hindsight, but a season in which the team came third and failed to win a single trophy simply cannot be considered a success for a club of Chelsea's size and ambition. Hell, even the unwelcome interim manager, Rafa Benitez, whose every move was met with a chorus of boos, did better than that.
It now seems that Cole will be on his way - for free - this summer, and he will make a fantastic signing for whoever he does end up joining. Chelsea fans have already been subjected to seeing Juan Mata pulling the strings in a United shirt and will be praying they won't be made to watch Cole marauding up and down the left flank for the likes of Liverpool next season. If they are, though, they will only have their supposedly 'infallible' manager, José Mourinho, to blame.
Do you think Cole is still good enough to play for Chelsea or England? Let us know in the comments below
Oh please. Cole has already won every trophy at Chelsea and has given 8 long years of service to the club. It was only natural he was going to leave sometime. And judging by some of his early season performances, Mourinho had solid ground to bench him and Azpilicueta has done more than enough to justify his inclusion (though I personally will like to see him back in his natural position next season). Like you said, both Azpilicueta and Ivanovic as fullbacks cannot be a long term option. One of the few things you're right about. Interestingly, Alistair, you fail to mention that Ashley was also out of position for Atletico's first goal that left Hazard exposed. He was in the box instead of holding his position at left back. It's clear that this article is just very immature and awful journalism that is completely at odds with reality. When you allow your personal vendettas and agendas to get in the way of your job, then you cannot be very good at it.
Letting him go will come back to haunt Chelsea, in my opinion.
England must definitely use him.
@TobbyD79 He's retired. It's over.
Did Benitez MAintained Chelsea in C1 ? Cuz I remember Chelsea battling for the title when Di Matteo was fired. And that same team was tottaly out of it december... Ok Mourinho didnt win trophies and win c3 is good. But loose a semi final of C1 against the la Liga winner with your key midfielder not gualified (Matic), your main scorer just back from injury (Hazard), Oscar burnt, Ramires injured. It is far from shameful...
@G_Fauvana Exactly. My only concern is Mou's choice with Iva on RB, i think he contributes very little offensively. Azpilicueta has become a world class fullback this year, so it is not all negatives. Cole can still contribute, but his lack of pace was very clear against Newcastle (Sissokho tore him apart)
Most definitely. Will be a mistake for Chelsea to let him go!