Joe Cole is currently the most-discussed footballer in England following his goalscoring feats at the weekend.

For the second international running, Cole rose from the subs' bench to find the net. This time his two second-half goals finally broke stubborn Andorra, following on from a last-minute equaliser at Wembley the previous month against Czech Republic. The strikes took his total to 10 England goals in 52 appearances.

Whether this season's goals will be enough to earn Cole a return to Fabio Capello's starting line-up on Wednesday remains to be seen, but the player has received a glowing reference from his colleague for club and country, Frank Lampard.

'Joe is staking his claim,' Lampard has told fifa.com.

'No player likes being left out of the starting line-up and Joe isn't any different. No-one trains harder or gives his all as much as Joe.

'When you aren't in the team, all you can do is do your stuff when you are called on, and Joe has done that yet again.

'He's got tremendous ability and he can score important goals,' Lampard emphasised.

'He's done that for Chelsea over the past couple of years. Against Andorra his goals were the kind of goal-poaching he's added to his game in recent years. That's the sort of player you want when you are desperate to nick a goal.'

Cole himself, speaking on Monday afternoon before England fly out, was playing down the debate over his inclusion and the way Fabio Capello wishes to see him play.

'Managers are there to tell you what they want. He tells you and you go and do it, simple!' Cole insisted.

'I am here to play for England and the main thing is England wins, whoever starts.'

Cole wasn't fit when England lost 2-0 away to Croatia in the Euro 2008 qualifiers but he knows the opponents and has warned of the need for tactical maturity, whether he is in the team or not.

'The main thing is to stay solid. Croatia haven't lost a qualifier there for a long time.

'We need to come out the traps fast and play with the passion and fire that England should have but not be naive.

'In the past England teams have thrown men forward and got caught on the counter attack. We are working on that - being resolute and strong and being hard to break down.'

Cole's captain, John Terry, was on the pitch for the previous defeat in Zagreb and has said:

'We owe them one but it is a fresh campaign.

'Of course, what happened two years ago is at the back of the players' minds but it is not revenge we are looking for, it's three points.'