Cole scored 34 minutes into his fourth Ligue 1 game, according to Fox Sports, and appears to have comfortably settled with the French champions. He went 88 minutes on Saturday, as Lille appeared to have sealed the victory only to concede a stoppage-time equalizer after Cole's removal.
Though he is playing for Lille this season, Cole remains a Liverpool player. He moved to Anfield in the summer of 2010 after seven years at Chelsea. This is the second of a four-year contract he signed with the club.
After being sent off in his English Premier League debut for LFC, he was unable to cement a place in the Liverpool team. He battled injuries at the beginning of 2011 and was sparsely used by boss Kenny Dalglish.
He took a chance on the French adventure after Dalglish would not assure him of a place in the Liverpool team for the 2011-12 season. The England international could return to the Reds next season or find a new permanent home.
Cole's early success in French soccer shows that he still has something to offer Liverpool. His experience, attacking instincts and unpredictability in the final third could benefit Dalglish's squad over the course of the season. However, his high salary in relation to his on-field contribution could prevent him from featuring for LFC in the long run.
See below for a video of Joe Cole’s first Lille goal.
