Madmax 9,219 Posted May 13, 2013 Author Share Posted May 13, 2013 But what are your reasons for saying that? As a Chelsea fan it is easy to say Cole is the best LB in the world but facts is facts, he is not as good a she was before. He is exposed quite a lot and sometimes tbh I think he has been a liability this season. Baines in comparison has been superior to Cole all angles this season and that is obvious. Baines has been superb this season and I reckon he has surpassed Cole. Deserved to be in the team of the year.Firs things first, I said England, not the world. He is exposed quite a lot? We're watching different games then because I can't recollect occasions where too many wingers have skinned him on a consistent basis. Remains one of the best around, imo, in one v one situations. Baines' attacking play is better, I'll grant you that, and a part of that is down to how Everton play; most of their attacks come down the left where Baines and Pienaar are given free run. If you're talking numbers, of course Baines picks up more assists, but that's to be expected when he's their principal set piece taker. In fact, let's look at the numbers on whoscored : (defensive only)Tackles per game : Cole 2.1 vs Baines 2.4Interceptions per game : Cole 1.4 vs Baines 1.5Fouls committed per game : Cole 0.4 vs Baines 0.8Offsides won per game : Cole 0.1 vs Baines 0.1Clearances per game : Cole 2.6 vs Baines 2Was dribbled past : Cole 0.6 vs Baines 0.6Shots blocked per game : Cole 0.2 vs Baines 0.2Hardly " Baines in comparison has been superior to Cole all angles this season and that is obvious", is it? At best, he is a marginally better tackler. But then, he also commits twice as many fouls. They're equal in terms of offsides won, one-v-one (thus, not 'exposed a lot of times') and blocked shots. Cole leads the way in terms of clearances, but that is obvious to any Chelsea watcher. Then you add in the fact that Baines is 4 years younger and Cole is playing with a dodgy ankle and it's not difficult to see how he is still the best leftback in E ngland Rambo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHOULO19 24,332 Posted May 13, 2013 Share Posted May 13, 2013 Defensively, Cole is still miles ahead of Baines but the latter, now, offers more offensively. I'd still take Cole over Baines any day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stats 7,142 Posted May 13, 2013 Share Posted May 13, 2013 Firs things first, I said England, not the world. He is exposed quite a lot? We're watching different games then because I can't recollect occasions where too many wingers have skinned him on a consistent basis. Remains one of the best around, imo, in one v one situations. Baines' attacking play is better, I'll grant you that, and a part of that is down to how Everton play; most of their attacks come down the left where Baines and Pienaar are given free run. If you're talking numbers, of course Baines picks up more assists, but that's to be expected when he's their principal set piece taker. In fact, let's look at the numbers on whoscored : (defensive only)Tackles per game : Cole 2.1 vs Baines 2.4Interceptions per game : Cole 1.4 vs Baines 1.5Fouls committed per game : Cole 0.4 vs Baines 0.8Offsides won per game : Cole 0.1 vs Baines 0.1Clearances per game : Cole 2.6 vs Baines 2Was dribbled past : Cole 0.6 vs Baines 0.6Shots blocked per game : Cole 0.2 vs Baines 0.2Hardly " Baines in comparison has been superior to Cole all angles this season and that is obvious", is it? At best, he is a marginally better tackler. But then, he also commits twice as many fouls. They're equal in terms of offsides won, one-v-one (thus, not 'exposed a lot of times') and blocked shots. Cole leads the way in terms of clearances, but that is obvious to any Chelsea watcher. Then you add in the fact that Baines is 4 years younger and Cole is playing with a dodgy ankle and it's not difficult to see how he is still the best leftback in E nglandAs much as I like Cole he has been vulnerable several times. Valencia almost always gets the better of him when he plays against him. Sissoko who is not even a winger made Cole his bitch in that 3-2 loss and had him doing the merry go round for parts of the match. Also he seems to have lost miles of pace. I remember watching the game against United in the FA Cup and Welbeck just blew past him. A few times I have seen that with Cole now. Quality player, I agree with you but his performances are hit and miss and he is getting older and probably going to have worse performances. The Villa game was one of a few this season where I would say he had a very good game.Also regarding Baines, I can honestly say I don't remember once this season where he has had a 'bad' game. He looks impressive every time I watch him and due to the narrow style we play, with not out and out wingers, I feel our play requires full/wing backs who are offensively dangerous like Baines. This is what IMO restricts us and is a hindrance because Cole is not offensively dangerous as he was before. Mufassir08 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike 12,049 Posted May 13, 2013 Share Posted May 13, 2013 I wish he would get rid of that stupid mohican hairstyle. Gosh. Amblève., silviupastean and Peace. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milan 17,956 Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 Cole: I've lost count of my medalsASHLEY COLE admits he has lost count of how many medals he has won since joining Chelsea.http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/4929793/Ashley-Cole-is-unsure-of-Chelsea-medals-tally.htmlI heard Arsenal players have been having the same problem francozola and Amblève. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nono 791 Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 Weirdly Cole gets so much more criticism than Lampard despite consistently playing better than him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madmax 9,219 Posted May 17, 2013 Author Share Posted May 17, 2013 Weirdly Cole gets so much more criticism than Lampard despite consistently playing better than him. You seem obsessed with Lampard. Is that you, AvB? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milan 17,956 Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHOULO19 24,332 Posted May 25, 2013 Share Posted May 25, 2013 Apparently he's going to turn down captaining England on his 100th app: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/england/10080052/Chelseas-Ashley-Cole-expected-to-rejected-offer-to-lead-England-out-against-Republic-of-Ireland.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amblève. 4,995 Posted May 25, 2013 Share Posted May 25, 2013 Apparently he's going to turn down captaining England on his 100th app: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/england/10080052/Chelseas-Ashley-Cole-expected-to-rejected-offer-to-lead-England-out-against-Republic-of-Ireland.htmlDidn't he play his 100th match for England a few months back? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHOULO19 24,332 Posted May 25, 2013 Share Posted May 25, 2013 Didn't he play his 100th match for England a few months back?I think that was his 99th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHOULO19 24,332 Posted May 27, 2013 Share Posted May 27, 2013 Great finish: Hamilton 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase 43,479 Posted May 28, 2013 Share Posted May 28, 2013 Cole will captain England against Ireland tomorrow.http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/1462438/ashley-cole-captain-england-ireland?cc=4716Roy Hodgson has announced that Ashley Cole will skipper England against Ireland to mark his 100th cap - but will not perform any other captain's duties other than to lead the team out and wear the armband.http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=N07qPS-afos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase 43,479 Posted May 29, 2013 Share Posted May 29, 2013 England's pre game vs Ireland... Sam Wallace @SamWallaceIndy Ashley Cole at the formal handshakes. 'Mr Bernstein, this is Theo, Alex, Phil etc. Lads, this is the bunch of twats I was telling you about' Amblève. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milan 17,956 Posted May 29, 2013 Share Posted May 29, 2013 England left-back Ashley Cole receives a special commemorative cap to mark 100 appearances for the Three Lions. Bir_CFC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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