No ordinary Joe: Cole has struggled to make
an impact at Anfield following his summer arrival on a free
transfer
Liverpool midfielder Joe Cole hopes hard work will
help change his luck and turn around a disappointing first season
for him at his new club.
The 29-year-old moved from Chelsea on a free transfer in
the summer but his Reds career got off to the worst possible start
when he was sent off in the first match of the season against
Arsenal.
Since then he has suffered a number of injuries which have
resulted in a stop-start campaign, where his infrequent appearances
have mainly come in the Europa League.
He does not look comfortable on the left-hand side of
midfield but has to be thankful for the pitch time and got another
90 minutes under his belt in the 1-0 defeat away to Braga in the
Europa League last 16 first leg tie last night.
But Cole knows that is not enough and is determined to
work out a solution to his difficulties.
The England international said: 'I am just going day by
day. I am enjoying my football and I love to go into training with
a smile on my face.
'I'm trying to get a run in the side and trying to get
back to where I need to be. 'If you work hard you get a bit of luck
here and there and I am sure my luck is around the
corner.
'This is a cracking club and I really think we are going
in the right direction with Kenny Dalglish, Steve Clarke
(first-team coach who also worked with Cole at Chelsea) and Damien
Comolli (the director of football strategy).'
Cole is one of a number of new arrivals at the club who
have so far failed to produce their best form.
The likes of Christian Poulsen and Milan Jovanovic have
also been restricted to occasional appearances while the
much-derided left-back Paul Konchesky lasted five months before he
went out on loan to npower Championship club Nottingham
Forest.