All the best for Cisse as France finish warming up

I mentioned in comment on the previous article my impression of why Italy may be one of the major teams to struggle towards the quarter-final with three major players in Alessandro Nesta, Gennaro Gattuso and Francesco Totti doubts for their opening match with Ghana on Monday, at the least. Not having such players available for the first match may produce a unsettled karma to the rest of the players. Last night France finished their last warm-up match against China with another awful injury to Djibril Cisse, who broke his right leg as he ran challenging for the ball just 10mins into the game, practically at the same area as his previous injury. Unfortunate is an understatement, when one recalls Cisse suffering a compound fracture to his left leg after 30mins playing for Liverpool against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on 30th October 2004 while challenging with Jay McEveley.

From the team's POV and that of the fans, it is a traumatic blow, Fenerbahce's Nicolas Anelka or Barcelona's Ludovic Giuly are said to be on hand to take Cisse's place in the squad, which I think is good consolation. From this football fan's POV, it is shocking, particularly happening to Cisse within 24 months of each other, but from a Liverpool fan's POV, it is also demoralising. The current rumours are suggestive in stating Cisse is favourable in leaving Anfield to attain the interests of French sides Lyon or Marseille, since Rafael Benitez, while utilising the Frenchman mostly on the right flank to cover for the absence of a resolute right winger, had little preference for Cisse's employment overall. Nonetheless Cisse is a favourite with the fans, and has the general character of a jovial member of the football community. From his changing haircuts, hair colours, boots colours, pass his acute fashion sense off the field, to his contributions and his goals when they happen, few and far between but still potentially a major asset for any side. Our best wishes to Cisse for a full and rapid recovery.

David Trezeguet came on for Cisse and scored on the half hour but France were pegged back when left back Eric Abidel fouled in the penalty area for China to score from the spot via captain Zheng Zhi. France began to look very sheepish in front of the home support until sub Franck Ribery came on and introduced some spark into the game, his pressure allowed him to deliver into the box for Wang Yun to attempt to clear yet horribly slice a spinning ball up and over into the goal. Would have looked superb coming off a French foot. A scoreline of 2-1 would have done little for France's reputation but the own goal encouraged the French to come forward with better link-up play. Ribery set up a one-two with Thierry Henry to run onto a through ball with just the keeper to beat, the keeper only managed to knock the ball to Henry, who side-footed an effort through players for 3-1. It wasn't pretty but the result counts and more of the same is expected from Raymond Domenech.

Whether he will receive it is questionable. With renowned Lillian Thuram and William Gallas in central defence, Willy Sagnol and Abidel are full backs who can be tested by the likes of Joe Cole, Lionel Messi, Arjen Robben, Roberto Carlos or Christiano Ronaldo, much less Togo's Emmanuel Adebayor, the Swiss Alexander Frei, South Korea's Lee Young-Pyo or Park Sung-Ji.



RedsMan.