Chelsea FC: Has the Time Come for the Blues to Move on from Ashley Cole?

Sunday's 3-1 win over Southampton marked the fifth Chelsea match in a row that did not feature an appearance from the English left-back Ashley Cole.

While that might not be an unusual occurrence for many players, this prolonged absence is more than a little odd for a man who was once a Chelsea stalwart, ever-present for just about every season since he joined the club.

In fact, he has made more than 40 appearances for Chelsea in each of the past seven seasons. Not only does he not get seriously injured, but he does not experience bad form. Ever.

This sort of record is extremely rare for a player who is over the age of 30. Even more so for someone who plays for a club like Chelsea, who have many quality players to rotate. So when you consider that for the majority of this time, Cole has been widely touted as the best left-back in the world, it comes as little surprise.

All of this makes the past five games all the more unusual, and it has left many people questioning Cole's future at Stamford Bridge.

When asked about this situation, Jose Mourinho replied that, while a bad performance against Newcastle had cost Cole his starting place, good performances from Cesar Azpilicueta—and not a falling out with Cole—have since kept the latter out of the team. He also stated that with the busy schedule that is coming up, every player will get a chance to show his worth in the coming days.

Be that as it may, it still brings into question the future of Cole.

With a contract that is due to run out at the end of this season, Cole could walk away from Stamford Bridge this summer, a free agent to join whichever club is lucky enough to secure his signature.

There have been many rumours in the past few days, with many news outlets claiming (via Fox Sports) that a move to the MLS, and the New York Red Bulls, could be on the cards.

So should Chelsea let him go?

That Cole has given a lot to Chelsea is certainly in no doubt, but whether he could give much more is the bigger question. As was made clear by last year's Frank Lampard contract saga, "legend" status holds little weight when it comes to negotiations, and Cole has far less clout than Lampard in that respect.

Cole was in a similar situation to Lampard last year, but his value to the club, and especially to the first team, was far more obvious than Lampard's, and he was offered an extension much earlier. This year however, one might argue that it is the other way around.

As Mourinho stated, Azpilicueta has certainly stepped up, and is stronger both defensively and offensively than he was last season; his place in front of Cole has been rightfully earned. Even if the Spaniard was to suffer an injury or a loss of form, Chelsea have sufficient depth at the back to cover him. Ashley Cole is still a top class player, but perhaps he is no longer the essential cog in the team that he used to be, and Chelsea might be looking to cut back on the cost of his wages.

With many potential options and a World Cup this summer, a move away might also be in Cole's best interests. Leighton Baines has long been challenging for Cole's England place, and it would appear that he might finally have stepped ahead of him in the pecking order.

Although a move to the MLS could potentially harm Cole's England chances, if Cole cannot get playing time in London, he may have to do something to prove that he is still deserving of a place in Roy Hodgson's squad.

It remains to be seen whether Cole's absence is permanent or just a minor blip, but if Mourinho opts to place him on the bench for the majority of the remainder of the season, both Chelsea and Cole will have to consider whether they still belong in each other's future. And while he might still be one of the best left-backs around, it might be time for the two to finally part ways.