He didn't play ffs, anybody who attended matches will remember that he didn't have much of an impact and seemed to upset our rhythm
The only point I made about Joe Cole was that we did better with him on loan that after he signed permanently. That's a fact. I didn't make any statement about whether he improved the team/squad or whatever overall.
My main reason for posting was that once again Grendel was moving goalposts about. His original statement was
Results declined sharply after his arrival
Now for me to decline sharply after his arrival would mean that as soon as he's part of the squad results nose-dived. They didn't, as CCFC88 pointed out (although choosing the 7 games was a bit arbitrary).
It is more accurate to say they tailed off over the season.
Grendel then replied with
well they did as we averaged two points per game prior to his arrival and by the time he left they had sharply declined
This is not "results declined sharply after his arrival". It is a moved goalpost.
When CCFC88 pointed out we only lost 1 in 15 after he arrived as another reason why results hadn't declined sharply we then got.
He started 6 games in that period - we won 2
Again, a moved goalpost. Grendel just brings in about him playing games when it had started off as being after he joined. A lot of managers talk about the effect of a senior pro in the dressing room, how it can up morale and what knowledge they can impart to the younger players etc.
For what it's worth I actually largely agree with Grendel and yourself and felt, on the pitch, Cole was similar to the Gary McAllister effect early on. When he played the team seemed to be instructed to make sure the ball went through him, which made us more one dimensional and like Macca he seemed to be one step ahead of the players he was playing with so much of what he tried didn't come off. Plus by that time he was past his best and not match fit physically even if mentally he was once step ahead of everyone else. It was in hindsight a signing we didn't need.
But imagine if we'd turned down the chance to sign him and places like here had heard of it. It'd have been up in arms about the owners not showing ambition/not investing in the team etc/think how well we'd have done if we'd had Joe Cole available etc. Damned if you do......