Ashley Cole: Silencing the boo boys?

By: Jamie | January 23rd, 2011

Ashley Cole, the man everyone loves to hate. The boo boy of Arsenal fans and England fans in general. The best left back in Europe, as any Chelsea fan will tell you.

Delivering a kick up the arse…

A few days ago, UEFA released their 2010 Team of the Year. Our own Mr. Cole was the only England player and the only player in the entire Premier League to win a spot on the team. The Team of the Year is actually chosen by users on the UEFA site, so I’m pretty surprised and rather pleased that football fans can put whatever bad feelings they have about Cole personally aside and, perhaps begrudgingly, recognize his ability as a left-back.

For years, we’ve watched and praised Cole for his consistency and enthusiasm to join in the attack without sacrificing his defensive duties. We all of course remember the sumptuous long ball from JT to Cole last season against Sunderland, beautifully brought down by Cole, moved to his other foot away from the defender, and fantastically finished with the outside of his boot. He plays through the boo’s from opposition fans, and the derision only seems to make him work harder. He may have his few off days and make mistakes, but I can’t recall him every having a truly awful match for the Blues (okay, there was that back pass to Petr Cech a couple months ago against Sunderland, but we were lost at that point anyway). His ability and link-up with an in-form Malouda is part of what has made our left side so dangerous and thus made other teams so aware and eager to make us work down the right and become completely disoriented instead.

The UEFA poll is supposed to take into account both the European and international competitions, another interesting factor considering we were knocked out of the Champions League early and England had a pretty woeful World Cup. It just goes to show how many England players emerged with their reputations damaged after South Africa that Cole, so derided by England fans, is also up for the England Player of the Year prize on the FA website. (Hey, I thought Super Frank came out of that relatively unscathed as well, but people still refuse to give him any recognition…)

Maybe the recognition is a step in the right direction to finally keeping the boo boys quiet…

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Category: Player News

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Alex

Ashley Cole is a great athlete, with a rare combination of speed, strength and toughness. But he is far from a legend. He is often clumsy and careless with the ball. In fact, the only time he is a threat is when he is running at full speed and even then he is always capable of losing control and giving it away. He is great defensively though. I know its a generalization, but he is typical of the English player in that he is a great athlete but is frustratingly lacking in technical ability.
Devin

Someday down the road people will come to their senses and realize he's a living legend. Can't think of another left back in the modern era that is as menacing going forward as he is in the tackle. True Blue.
VanBlue

He has been getting a solid rep for years now

I mean, where exactly are some of you all living?
captainmarveljt

I'm so pleased that he's getting the recognition that he deserves. When he first arrived and was playing under Mourinho, he was finding it very hard to rediscover the form he had at Arsenal. TBH he wasn't very good for a while and I thought we made a big mistake in signing him and letting Gallas go (remember, we had neither Alex nor Bran at that time). But the last 2-3 years he's been stunning. Outstanding at both defending and going forward.

LEGEND!
arn00b

Cole, eh? Yet Rooney was the PFA player of the year last year and Giggs the year before that. And this year, irrespective of performances and results, I think the PFA player of the year's name will rhyme with -atov or -ani. (no, not Benjani)

I'm glad that Ashley Cole won. He really is the best left back in the world, no doubt. It's unfortunate that when it comes to the local awards, he doesn't even make it into the PFA team of the year anymore, despite stellar performances. SAF's back three are better supposedly.
Jamie

I still can't believe Evra made it into the PFA Team of the Year over Ash last season.
arn00b

I'm still fuming over Rooney as player of the year, and Giggs who showed up to half the games that season. VdS as goalkeeper of the year last year. Even Fletcher made the list!

In 2007, the team of the year was everyone from Manchester United, + Drogba, Gerrard and Berbatov.

This year, the team of the year will be: Vidic, VdS, Evra, Nani, Fletcher, Berbatov... plus a few from other teams just enough to make it look like there's no favoritism towards Sir SAF (not a typo, that's how it's going to be soon.)

Sprinkle in a few other players here and there. Maybe that Welsh one. Hopefully they'll chose the right Welsh one this time.
Preye George

good for him that shows, he's appreciated
Susan

Best leftback in the WORLD! There may be a few others as good going forward but no one else has both the attacking AND defensive quality that our Ash has!

Please go vote for Ash, we can't let Stevie Me win an award for such a crap WC performance can we? I am begging!!