8:40am Thursday 4th February 2010
WEST HAM striker Carlton Cole insists his place in the team could soon come under threat from emerging talent Frank Nouble.
The 18-year-old former Chelsea academy player has filled Cole's boots in recent weeks, as the Hammers' top scorer recovered from a knee injury that had kept him out of action since November before he made his return against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.
Nouble has played the lone striker role admirably, causing problems for defenders with his size in a way not dissimilar from Cole.
The youngster has invested in the help of his team-mate as he seeks to develop his game, but he is likely to take a back seat now, as the club brought in three new strikers on transfer deadline day. Benni McCarthy arrived from Blackburn, Egyptian forward Mido has come in on loan until the end of the season from Middlesbrough and Brazilian Ilan Araujo has been snapped up on a free transfer after he was released by French club Saint Eitenne last month.
But perhaps the biggest boost for manager Gianfranco Zola will be the sight of Cole ready and raring to go.
"It's coming on really well,” Cole said of his injury after the goalless draw with Rovers at Upton Park, in which he made a cameo appearance. “I'm trying to get my explosivity back, my sharpness, my match sharpness. It's always a long hard road back but I'm getting there."
The 27-year-old has been impressed by the work of his understudy in his absence however, and he remains confident that Nouble can carve out a successful career for himself at West Ham.
“Yeah (I've been helping him). It's hard to play the pivotal man up front,” added Cole. “He's only 18 but people forget that because he's built like a bulldozer. He's still learning about the game, learning about his body and how to use it and he's doing a really good job.
“He's learning in every game he plays and he's doing really well, looking sharp in training. He's impressing and I've been impressed with everything he does.
"He's always picking my brains to see what he can do. We've started to watch DVDs together to learn what other players do. He's in the same boat as me, trying to learn to be a better player.”
Asked if he felt threatened by Nouble's emergence, Cole said: “Yeah. He's doing a really good job. But I felt he needed a partner (against Blackburn) up there and when went 4-4-2 we started to get a bit more joy in front of goal and started to create and cause them a few more problems.
"When you are up front alone and do the job he was asked to do it's really hard for him. He was a bit relieved, he told me, that I came on and helped him get in more attacking positions.
Next up is a critical encounter against Burnley, who have slipped down the table and now occupy one of the relegation places.
The Clarets are sure to pose a threat at their Turf Moor home, which they have transformed into something of a fortress this season, having beaten Manchester United earlier on in the campaign, while they recently held Arsenal to a draw.
Cole admits he has geared himself up for the clash, as it was during the return fixture at Upton Park in November that the striker injured his knee in a challenge with keeper Brian Jensen. West Ham won the game 5-3 and Cole was on the scoresheet.
“I've got unfinished business with them because I got injured playing against them last time. Hopefully I can stay away from injury and try and notch another goal against them.”
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