Ashley Cole reveals his all-time team-mate XI but does it boast more Arsenal or Chelsea stars?

PREMIER LEAGUE legend Ashley Cole has revealed his greatest teammate XI of all time.

And the former England left-back has played it safe, splitting it evenly between old clubs Arsenal and Chelsea.

Ashley Cole has revealed his greatest teammate XI of all timeGetty

GettyThe Premier League Hall of Famer chose pals from former clubs Arsenal and Chelsea[/caption]

Cole, 43, became the latest icon to be inducted into the Prem’s Hall of Fame this week.

He first played 228 times for boyhood club Arsenal, helping them win two titles and three FA Cups.

Cole then secured a controversial switch to Chelsea in 2006, where he featured 338 times.

The ace won a title, four FA Cups, the Champions League and the Europa League at Stamford Bridge.

And the 107-time Three Lions star retired in 2019 following further spells at Roma, LA Galaxy and Derby County.

Cole, now a coach with Birmingham City and England’s U21s, played with some incredible players during his glittering career.

But when it came time to choose his greatest-ever XI of teammates, Cole could only pick legends from Arsenal and Chelsea.

Incredibly, he split the side right down the middle, choosing five Gunners and five Blues —as well as himself.

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In goal, Cole opted for Petr Cech, explaining: “I’ve played with David Seaman but Cech was at the time one of the best goalkeepers in the world. He was calm, he was composed, he was a real goalkeeper. He had everything, he could do everything. And also he was a great team-mate. Always offering to help.”

Cole chose Branislav Ivanovic at right back, saying: “He turned up on massive occasions. A big-game player. Scored important goals for us. He was technically better than what people give him credit for. He could drive, he could dribble with the ball, he had power. He defended 1v1. He was diligent, he loved that fight.”

GettyCole opted for Frank Lampard and John Terry in the XI[/caption]

AFPPatrick Vieira, Robert Pires and Thierry Henry also made the cut[/caption]

Cole’s first centre-back was Sol Campbell, noting: “What I see him go through. You know, leaving, similar to what happened to me. But you leave a big club, you go to another big club. It’s a rival. But his performances did not waver. He was a colossus at the back.”

John Terry was next, with Cole saying: “We had an amazing relationship. I played against him as a kid, districts and youth teams. And then to get to play alongside him and understand actually how good he was.

“He had everything. He could play left and right foot. There were moments where he’d just hook a ball away but he was the intelligent one where for a big guy he moved his frame. He would chest it down. We had a good understanding of each other.”

As for his own inclusion at left-back, Cole quipped: “I could have put in Gael Clichy, Sylvinho. I’m not saying I was the best!”

Moving into midfield, he went for Patrick Vieira and Frank Lampard.

On Vieira, Cole said: “He changed what midfielders looked like. He could beat players 1v1, he was strong, he was aggressive, he had great timing of his runs to get into the box. Scored important goals. A leader. Certainly a big influence in our dressing room.”

He added on Lampard: “The amount of goals he contributed from midfield. One of the all-time top scorers. Was he as technically good as other midfielders? Maybe not, but seeing him day in, day out he certainly made up for that with work ethic.”

On the flanks, it was Freddie Ljungberg and Robert Pires.

Cole said about the former: “He came to the club with people not knowing anything about him. He changed the way we looked at wingers. He had the understanding to play inside as a midfielder, as an eight. He could do everything.

“But what I loved about him was his timing of his runs to always be in positions where he’s facing the goal. And it’s always like, ‘How has he got there?! He’s 1v1 with the goalie again!’ “

On Pires, he noted: “We just had a great chemistry and a great understanding of how we wanted to play. I wanted to bomb on and run forward, he was happy to come inside off the line and shoot with his right foot. We just had a straight connection. He joined just as I was breaking through and we just hit it off straight away.”

Cole then chose Thierry Henry as his first forward, saying: “Do I need to say anything? He was a trailblazer and a new type of striker. Playing off the left.

“At times liked to hug the left [wing] and make diagonal runs behind. We had little signals. I remember him looking at me, I’m on the ball in the left-back position and he would be, obviously body facing the goal to run, and he would give me like his little ‘va-va-voom’ eyes.

“I could see him pointing down and I knew that meant behind and I would just drive a little ball over the top. Even if it was overhit I knew he would continue his run and he’s got the speed to get onto it. And then in front of goal I don’t think there’s too many strikers you’d want ahead of him.”

The final place went to Didier Drogba, with Cole adding: “I’ll give an honourable mention to Dennis Bergkamp. What he did in training and brought to the Premier League was phenomenal. 

“But I’ve gone with Didier Drogba for the reason being I was with him and playing with him a long time, and again he turned up in massive games. Helped me win a lot of trophies.

“I’ve also seen the growth in him. When he first came to the Premier League and I played against him and he was a little at times maybe petulant with the fouls and not getting to grips with the Premier League and how rough it is. And then that was it.”

Ashley Cole’s career record

Those amazing stats in full…

Arsenal, 1999-2006: 228 games, 9 goals

Crystal Palace (Loan), 1999-2000: 14 games, 1 goal

Chelsea, 2006-2014: 338 games, 7 goals

Roma, 2014-2016: 16 games, 0 goals

LA Galaxy, 2016-2018: 94 games, 3 goals

Derby: 12 games, 1 goal

England, 2001-2014: 107 games, 0 goals

Trophies: Premier League x2, FA Cup x3, Community Shield (Arsenal); Premier League, FA Cup x4, Carabao Cup, Community Shield, Champions League, Europa League (Chelsea)