cisse may play some part against juventus?

galwaydude

Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse could be in line for a stunning return to action in his side's Champions League quarter-final clash with Juventus tomorrow night, six months after an injury that could have ended his career.

The France international was expected to miss the whole of the season after he suffered a horrific broken leg in a league match against Blackburn in October last year.

Cisse admitted at the time of his injury that he feared the damage was so bad he might even lose the leg but he has made a miraculous recovery, to the extent that Benitez is willing to take the risk in Turin.


Benitez said: "He will not start the match, but maybe we will use him in the last 20 minutes or so if we need something different and he is quick and can score goals."

"He has been saying for a couple of weeks that he is ready, but we have wanted to be careful and make sure he is okay."

The Reds could also welcom back Xabi Alonso to action, the Spanish midfielder has played just 45 minutes of a reserve game since breaking his ankle on New Years' Day.

However, Liverpool's injury misery is not over yet as skipper Steven Gerrard has been ruled out of the match due to a groin injury.

Benitez said: "We decided it was not worth the risk, he could have travelled but then we might have lost him for the rest of the season and the final Premiership games are too important."

Liverpool are also without cup-tied pair Fernando Morientes and Mauricio Pellegrino while Dietmar Hamann, Harry Kewell, Josemi, Florent Sinama-Pongolle and Neil Mellor are all long-term injury victims.

p.pete

I wouldn't like to see Cisse used in any part of the match unless he has at the very least taken part in a reserve match which I don't believe he has. Alonso probably couldn't last 90 minutes against Juventes but at least he has 45minutes reserve football under his belt.

Quite funny what we're reduced to for making up a team at the moment - I wouldn't be surprised to see us go down 3 or 4 nil but hopefully we can drag something out of it, fingers crossed

galwaydude

yep i know.I wouldnt want to risk him either considering we need that 4th spot more than tomorrow's match.
I hope its not a mauling but then again liverpool beat a certain roma team away a few years back in the EUFA cup.
Good to see him back though.

SteM

I think Liverpool would be crazy to consider Cisse. This is huge game for them and they need 11 fully fit men on the pitch. Whatever about trying it in the Premiership I don't think you can get away with this sort of thing in the second leg of a knockout competition.

ianomccabe

i think its fair to say that rafa will know his state better than anybody, i trust him to use him i fhe feels he could play a part for the club in what could be a momentous night in our history

sleepwalker

would be similar to ferguson rushing van nistelroy back for the milan game it wouldnt be a good idea and i dont think benitez will bother trying it

super_furry

I don't think he will unless it's a case where we need a goal in the last 20 minutes or we're out. Cisse's recovery has been little short of remarkable though.

Cianan2

It is surprising how quickly he seems to be recovering. I'd like to see him come on,maybe if they were down 2-0 and score the away goal,or something effective. T'would be a good return,and if he does lets hope he makes an impact!!

Draupnir

would it be worth it? he didnt look that good before his injury, how good is he gonna be now?

p.pete

Draupnir wrote:

would it be worth it? he didnt look that good before his injury, how good is he gonna be now?

Excellent poing - he needs time to settle into the team. He hadn't quite managed to do it before his lay-off so it will inevitably take a few matches before he hits any kind of form.

Having said that he scored on his debut against Spurs but he would have been fitter then....

BaZmO*

galwaydude wrote:

Benitez said: "He will not start the match, but maybe we will use him in the last 20 minutes or so if we need something different and he is quick and can score goals."

I find it odd that he'll be hoping to use the pace and quickness of a player that has just come back from a career threatening broken leg, and who is not gonna be match fit. Strange.

B.

LizardKing

I reckon He's just trying to give Juve something more to think about in terms of what Liverpool can throw at them, its mind games ... like putting Xabi on the bench last week ... I'd say he more than likely won't start him / bring him on ...

cerbeus

He may just be in the squad. There is no guarantee that he'll get onto the bench let alone start. I don't think Benitez is that silly to throw him in at the deep end so quickly no matter how impressive he is in training.

Alonso is more likely to get a place on the bench after his run out in the reserves last week.

The Rooster

Its fantastic news for Liverpool that he is nearly fit. Whatever about how good he is or isnt, with Mellor and Sinama (and even next best Mark Smyth) all injured, Liverpool have no back-up to Baros and Morientes (both of whom are also prone to the odd knock), so Cisse should be very useful for the rest of the season.

And he may even be useful tomorrow night. As I said we have no other striker option. I would expect his touch and control to be poor, but there's no reason why he cant be fast and strong and put himself about for the last quarter.

And, while he's yet to prove that he is any good, his determination and single-mindedness to get back playing this season from the moment he's been injured, despite everyone telling him he'd no chance, is a good sign in the player and the man.

WhiteWashMan

id rather have a fit player than a nearly fit player myself, but there you go.

uberwolf

WhiteWashMan wrote:

id rather have a fit player than a nearly fit player myself, but there you go.

you'd think - but then I read on teamtalk yesterday that Smicer was in line for call up due to Gerrards injury. I'd rather have a crippled Gerrard on rather than another of the alice band brigade.

p.pete

Well Smicer hardly counts as fully fit either does he? has he got 90mins under his belt yet? Team sheets are very interesting these days

mayordenis

I'm actually quite ashamed that liverpool fans dont think its worth the risk if cisse wants to play and believes he can help put him in there.
If he plays the last 20 mins and puts the ball in the back of the net then the risk would be so worth it we have to go for them 2moro we have to throw every person who we can at them because we wont get an oppurtunity like this for quite some time.
and the chance of having a nearly fully fit squad for the semi's gives us a real incentive.

PHB

I don't agree at alll mayordenis

I think the priority should be the premiership, you're bed and butter, and qualifying for next years CL, rather than get to the semis or even finals of this year

fade2black

It's those healing hands of rafa....

http://www.redbrick.dcu.ie/~almighty/Rafa.gif

galwaydude

cool picture.

Emmo

Cisse is tall, great heading abaility.

Juve small team and bad at defending set pieces.

= Well worth his place on then bench.

When the ball breaks in the box and is bobbling around you really want it to fall to an instintive finisher ala Robbie ala Cisse ala Owen.

Let Baros run them for 70 mins and then allow Cisse to stretch his legs.

I think its a great call, he is taking the focus off the team and everyone is talking about Rafa being made.

Amen Rafa, amen Rafa

He is faster than anything else on the pitch and depsite what someone might think a leg break does not take anything away from pace. Ligament and Muscle damage does that, Cisse had neither, just a commuted break.

I was fortunate to watch the team training in Melwood when I was over there last week and he has not lost any pace and is now fluently communicating with his team mates from what he was shouting if you know what I mean???

With Trezeget out and with them conceding goals for fun against corners and free kicks im thinking that Liverpool could surprise a few people!

Emmo

Guy:Incognito

WhiteWashMan wrote:

id rather have a fit player than a nearly fit player myself, but there you go.

That's just it though, there are not fit stikers to warm the bench. With Baros' recent scoring run I'd rather have Cisse on crutches than him tbh.