Welcome to this week's News Shopper Friday sport opinion column. Read our rant and join the debate by adding your comments.

JOE Cole has made the biggest mistake of his career by agreeing to join English football’s most over-rated club.

Having been released by Chelsea, the talented midfielder had the pick of Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham.

His decision to head to Anfield instead can only be described as bizarre.

Sure, Liverpool have a great history but it counts for nothing in real terms because the bottom line is it is 20 years since they won the title.

No doubt their deluded fans will be hyping up Cole’s arrival as a sure sign Liverpool are destined to claim the championship next season, just as they do every year until the title dream crashes, usually by the end of August.

All of the three clubs mentioned above are vastly superior and in much better shape than Liverpool, a declining team up to their neck in debt and who just about qualified for the Europa League after scraping into seventh place last season.

That cost Rafa Benitez his job and although replacement Roy Hodgson is rightly admired for what he did with Fulham, there is still a big question mark over whether he can thrive at a big club.

Liverpool fans are divided by Hodgson’s appointment and it is vital for him he can make those title delusions last beyond August because a poor start will put the new boss under immediate pressure from the fickle radio phone-in brigade.

If he can sustain the title push until at least early October, that would have to be considered a huge success.

It is no surprise that English football’s most over-rated player Steven Gerrard has announced he is staying at the failure factory after Cole’s arrival.

What else did anyone expect from a man whose shocking lack of ambition has ensured he is guaranteed to never win a championship medal?

Not that he deserves one, mind, because despite all the hype, the plain fact is Gerrard just isn’t that good, as demonstrated by his regular poor showings whenever he pulls on an England shirt.

Take him out of his Anfield comfort zone and the hero worship from the club’s fans, and Gerrard struggles big time.

He knows it more than anyone, which explains why he always bottles out of a move to bigger and better things every summer.

This is a huge year at Anfield though, make no doubt about it.

With a new manager, Stevie G staying and Cole signed up, there is now a really good chance they may just make seventh place again and get in the Europa League.

This column is produced by an independent writer and in no way reflects the official position of News Shopper or its parent company.

What do you think? Are you a fan of Joe Cole and do you think he's made the right decision joining Liverpool? Add your comments below.

Check News Shopper's website every lunchtime for a new daily opinion column. Monday is back to the Shopper Rant on a topical news story. Tuesday is entertainment day. Wednesday is a reader's rant, and Thursday will cover a moral issue. Be sure to have your say if you agree or disagree with what you read.