page_title: Joe Cole
section_title: 2010–11 season
hierarchical_section_title: Joe Cole / Club career / Liverpool / 2010–11 season
caption_attribution_description: 5 mins before his Anfield debut.
context_page_description: Joseph John Cole is an English football coach and former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder or winger in the Premier League, Ligue 1, League One and United Soccer League.
  Cole started his career with West Ham United, where, after breaking into the first team in January 1999, he played more than 120 Premier League games over five seasons. He was one of a number of players who left West Ham in the summer of 2003, after the club had been relegated to the Football League First Division, with Cole signing for Chelsea. He spent seven seasons at Chelsea, playing over 280 games in all competitions and winning seven trophies, including three Premier League titles, two FA Cups and a League Cup. He left Chelsea on a free transfer in July 2010 to join Liverpool, who a year later loaned him to Lille. After a season in France, he returned to Liverpool before re-joining West Ham in January 2013. He signed for Aston Villa in June 2014, then joined Coventry City on loan in October 2015, joining on a permanent deal in January 2016. This was to be his last club in England.
context_section_description: Cole joined Liverpool on a free transfer after signing a four-year deal in July 2010. He was manager Roy Hodgson's first signing at the club and was given the number 10 shirt. Cole was to receive £90,000-a-week wages and was advertised as a major coup by the club. Club captain Steven Gerrard even claimed Cole was as technically good as Lionel Messi. After leaving the club in 2013, Cole said that joining Liverpool was a mistake due to not feeling a connection with the club or fans.
  Cole made his Liverpool debut on 5 August 2010 against Rabotnički in the UEFA Europa League assisting the opening goal for David N'Gog in a 2–0 win. His league debut, against Arsenal at Anfield on 15 August 2010, lasted just 45 minutes as he was sent off for a challenge on Laurent Koscielny. In his next match, on 19 August 2010, Cole missed a penalty against Trabzonspor in the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round first leg, though Liverpool still won 1–0. Cole played in Jamie Carragher's testimonial match, where he scored his first goal for the club. He then scored his first competitive goal for the club against Steaua București in a Europa League group stage match at Anfield on 16 September 2010, converting just 27 seconds into the game. Liverpool ended up winning 4–1. He scored his first Premier League goal for Liverpool in a 2–1 win against Bolton Wanderers on 3 January 2011. On 17 February, Cole played his first match under new manager Kenny Dalglish in a 0–0 draw against Sparta Prague in the Europa League, in which he came on as a first-half substitute for the injured Fábio Aurélio. Cole scored his first and only goal under Kenny Dalglish's tenure in a 5–0 win against Birmingham City at Anfield in April.
caption: Cole warming up for Liverpool
exif: {}