Ashley Cole Is Struggling to Find His Place at Title-Chasing Roma

Ashley Cole did a pretty good job of laughing along with his would-be tormentors this summer. Pictured standing awkwardly apart from his new Roma team-mates in a squad photo, he quickly became the subject of an internet meme, in which fans mocked up images of the defender lurking in a variety of improbable settings.

Rather than react angrily, Cole saw the funny side. He shared some of these pictures with his own followers on Twitter—including one in which he appeared peering in through a window at his ex-wife, Cheryl Cole, and her new husband, Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini. 

The defender later recreated the pose for a photo at the birthday party of One Direction singer Niall Horan.

But while the gags eventually died down, the original image continued to linger in the minds of some supporters. Why had Cole stood so far away from the other players? Was he having a hard time fitting in at Roma? Had he not been accepted by his new team-mates?

In a city that boasts half-a-dozen sports radio stations, as well as several newspapers and TV outlets, it was not surprising that the picture drew such attention. And who knows, perhaps this one really did speak a thousand words. Cole admitted during his first official interview at Roma that he was “kind of a shy guy and try to keep myself to myself at the minute." 

Or perhaps it was just a picture—an isolated and unrepresentative moment in time. None of Cole's team-mates said anything to suggest he was having a hard time fitting in. And they made sure he appeared in the middle of subsequent group photos. 

What mattered most to Roma was his ability to fit in on the pitch. A salary of €2.3m per year made him the eighth-highest paid player in their squad, per Panorama.it. That sum was justified by the experience he brought to the team.

During a feature for the AOL series WinWin (h/t Huffington Post), the club’s owner, James Pallotta, told Cole that “the reason everybody wanted you here was because of your leadership qualities" before asking the player whether he communicated more with words or actions. Cole replied, “I think the main thing is leading by example...I’m more of a leader on the pitch than in the changing room.” 

Four months later, however, the truth is Cole’s performances have not been up to scratch. Initially installed as the first-choice left-back, the 33-year-old was rotated out of the side for some lesser games in order to keep him fresh for the big ones. Lately, it has been the other way around.

In the last fortnight, Cole has been benched for key fixtures against CSKA Moscow and Inter.

That is in part a testament to his replacement, Jose Holebas, who has impressed coaches since joining from Olympiakos in the summer. But it is also a reflection of Cole’s struggles. In his 11 appearances so far, he has looked like a weak link in an otherwise robust Roma team.

Ruthlessly exposed during the club’s 7-1 humiliation at home to Bayern Munich, he might have been forgiven if his performances had been more impressive elsewhere. Roma have conceded just once in eight league games with the Englishman in the side, but he was very much at fault for the goal in question—he was beaten far too easily by journeyman Cristian Raimondi during a game against Atalanta last month. 

"

VINE: Após 60 segundos, a Atalanta abriu o placar contra a Roma (Moralez). Ashley Cole mal no lance... https://t.co/hiOoDtU8wO

— Futmais (@futmais) November 23, 2014"

Cole has not played since, and yet it was not one isolated mistake that cost him his place in the team. The Englishman’s grasp on the starting role had already been slipping because of his scant contributions to Roma’s attacking efforts.

Rudi Garcia’s 4-3-3 relies on defenders getting up the pitch to support and at times overlap the wide forwards, something Holebas has done to good effect. A head-to-head comparison using Squawka statistics shows that the Greek beats an opponent more often than Cole, creates more chances and takes shots of his own. 

Anyone who had watched Cole play for Chelsea in recent years knows he is no longer the dynamic force that he was earlier in his career, yet the same website also illustrates how his attacking contributions this season compare unfavourably with those he made at Stamford Bridge last year.  

Some of this disparity can be attributed to the challenges of adjusting to a new life overseas.

He is still learning how to speak Italian, a factor that cannot be underestimated when it comes to communicating with new team-mates on the pitch. And football is also played differently in Italy—at a slower pace, perhaps, but with a greater focus on strategy and shape.

There is still time for Cole to turn things around. Garcia has praised his attitude in training more than once this season, speaking of the positive mentality the defender brings to the pitch (quotes in Italian, via Correre dello Sport). 

But for now, Cole's role conforms to that early squad photo. Instead of standing at the heart of this title-chasing Roma team, he is stuck looking in from the fringes.