The final day of the last transfer window was embarrassing for many at Stamford Bridge, but for Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole it helped provide his salvation.

For up until the moment Chelsea embarrassingly lost out to Manchester City in the bid to sign Real Madrid winger Robinho, despite months of hard negotiations, Cole knew he faced a battle for his future at the club.

But Cole is now a key player for his manager Luiz Felipe Scolari and will line up tonight against Roma in the Stadio Olimpico in the hope of helping secure Chelsea's qualification into the knock-out phase of the Champions League.

Scolari had wanted Robinho, not Cole, to provide the magic that would unlock defences this term after the Portuguese was not overly impressed with the England international during pre- season.

To add to Cole's woes, the club postponed contract talks until next summer even though that will leave him with just 12 months left on his current deal.

In August there was talk of Liverpool, Aston Villa and Tottenham all weighing up bids for a midfielder who was voted Chelsea's Player of the Year last season by the fans.

Publicly he was adamant he was going nowhere, but the 26-year-old's confidence did take a blow.

However, the Abu Dhabi United Group came to the rescue of Manchester City, and Cole as it turned out, by buying Thaksin Shinawatra's stake and providing instant funds to bring Robinho to the north west instead.

It left many at Chelsea with egg on their faces, yet for Cole it gave him the chance to convince Scolari that he could make the difference after all.

Since then he has thrived in the role designated for Robinho, although it may have taken his spell out injured last month for his manager to appreciate it.

Scolari began to worry about his lack of a plan B and his team's failure to break opposition defences down after they laboured to a 1-0 win over Roma in the Champions League and then lost at home for the first time in 87 League games to title rivals Liverpool.

But after Cole's return from an ankle injury last week, Chelsea have scored eight goals in two games and restored their place at the top of the table.

It also restored Cole's position as a vital member of the first team, something which even Scolari is now keen to acknowledge.

He said: "We seem to play differently when Joe is in the team. I tell Joe not to play just as a winger on the right, but also as a midfielder and centre forward.

"I tell him he needs to move, to build, to create something more and not only on the right side.

"I have given him the chance to change his position during the game sometimes and he is playing very well.

"The way he played on Saturday against Sunderland [when Chelsea won 5-0] was the best he has played since I became coach here."

It has been a massive turnaround for Cole, who in his time at Chelsea, has also had to win over previous managers Claudio Ranieri, Jose Mourinho and Avram Grant in the same way.

The former West Ham star has earned most of his plaudits for his skill, yet few have recognised the mental strength and determination that has ensured his career in south west London has progressed.

He hopes to take his game to another level now that Scolari has become a member of his fan club and said: "I'm really enjoying playing under him.

"For a player like me it's great to have the freedom to go out and play, it's something I've waited for in a manager and hope it carries on."

Whether coach Luciano Spalletti, who was linked to the Chelsea job in the summer before Scolari got the nod, carries on in charge of Roma may depend on whether his side can win tonight.

His side have lost five games in a row, are one point above the relegation zone in Serie A and are being abused by their own fans on a regular basis.

Morale is so low that Italian international defender Christian Panucci said: "It's a really bad moment for me and I confess that I can't eat.

"I can't understand why we are unable to react after conceding a goal.

"We are soft, passive, in the hands of the opposition."

That should give Cole and his team-mates plenty of food for thought at a ground which is scheduled to host the final in May.

Scolari already has one eye on returning with his team to the Cavalieri Hilton, where they are staying on this trip, but he added: "There is a long way to go. Tonight is an important game that we want to win and go to the next stage.

"We are here to beat Roma. But I like the hotel we are staying in and if we should arrive in the final and the hotel will have us, I would like to be there."