Gillett and Rafa Benitez to meet in France
By Ben Lyttleton
George Gillett is expected to fly in to witness Liverpool's night of European destiny in Marseille on Tuesday.
The Anfield club's co-owner has made a surprise decision to be at the Stade Velodrome to see for himself whether Liverpool can pull off the great escape and reach the last 16 of the Champions League.
Gillett and Tom Hicks were not expected on this side of the Atlantic until later in the week for their much-heralded meeting with manager Rafael Benitez, after the fall-out over the new American owners' transfer policy. The pair were due to be on Merseyside at the weekend for the Premier League clash with Manchester United, but Gillett will now have the chance for a low-key chat with Benitez in France first.
Gillett will hope to witness Liverpool's third successive group win, which will ensure a remarkable qualification for the knock-out stages few expected after the Reds' dreadful start to the campaign.
Meanwhile, two Marseille players will be welcoming their former club. After the appointment of Eric Gerets as coach and his decision to settle on the 4-2-3-1 formation that beat Liverpool at the start of this tournament, Bolo Zenden has won his place back in the side while Djibril Cisse, once Liverpool's record signing, has been demoted to a substitute.
Zenden has rewarded the new-found faith in him with a series of consistent performances and a few goals. "I didn't understand exactly why I was left out by Albert Emon, but I never had an explanation of what was supposed to be missing from my game," the Dutch winger said. "But when the new coach came in, it was like we started over. We worked differently in training and had a new outlook. We've been working hard on intensity, discipline, concentration, and to create a team sprit."
Gerets has preferred Mamadou Niang as the lone front-man over Cisse, a decision justified by the Senegal forward's six goals in five league games. Marseille went through November unbeaten, and surprisingly won away at leaders Lyon. Indeed, Marseille's last league defeat came when Cisse, who has not scored in nine matches, came off the bench against Sochaux and struck a late penalty straight at the goalkeeper in a 2-1 defeat.
"I'm preoccupied by the Cisse situation simply because in the eyes of the supporters, a goalscorer is only worth the number of goals he scores," admitted Marseille president Pape Diouf. "Even if he's improving, when Djibril doesn't score, he gives the impression of being unproductive. He deserves a bit more indulgence even if his recent matches have not met with expectations."
Cisse's France team-mate, Philippe Mexes, said he made a mistake in leaving England so soon, while former international Jean-Michel Larque, now France's top TV pundit, suggested that his two broken legs had ruined what were his strengths. "His power, strength and speed are not what they once were, so he needs to change his game."
Cisse has conceded that Niang is in better form. He has delayed an operation to take metal plates out of both legs until the summer because he wants to remain available. He has also been linked with a move to Lens in January.
Marseille's defence still looks shaky and they may be only two points away from Ligue One's relegation zone, but they have become harder to beat under Gerets. Zenden said: "We might not be able to rotate our squad like Liverpool, but we've rediscovered our confidence since the new coach arrived."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/mai.../sfnliv109.xml
By Ben Lyttleton
George Gillett is expected to fly in to witness Liverpool's night of European destiny in Marseille on Tuesday.
The Anfield club's co-owner has made a surprise decision to be at the Stade Velodrome to see for himself whether Liverpool can pull off the great escape and reach the last 16 of the Champions League.
Gillett and Tom Hicks were not expected on this side of the Atlantic until later in the week for their much-heralded meeting with manager Rafael Benitez, after the fall-out over the new American owners' transfer policy. The pair were due to be on Merseyside at the weekend for the Premier League clash with Manchester United, but Gillett will now have the chance for a low-key chat with Benitez in France first.
Gillett will hope to witness Liverpool's third successive group win, which will ensure a remarkable qualification for the knock-out stages few expected after the Reds' dreadful start to the campaign.
Meanwhile, two Marseille players will be welcoming their former club. After the appointment of Eric Gerets as coach and his decision to settle on the 4-2-3-1 formation that beat Liverpool at the start of this tournament, Bolo Zenden has won his place back in the side while Djibril Cisse, once Liverpool's record signing, has been demoted to a substitute.
Zenden has rewarded the new-found faith in him with a series of consistent performances and a few goals. "I didn't understand exactly why I was left out by Albert Emon, but I never had an explanation of what was supposed to be missing from my game," the Dutch winger said. "But when the new coach came in, it was like we started over. We worked differently in training and had a new outlook. We've been working hard on intensity, discipline, concentration, and to create a team sprit."
Gerets has preferred Mamadou Niang as the lone front-man over Cisse, a decision justified by the Senegal forward's six goals in five league games. Marseille went through November unbeaten, and surprisingly won away at leaders Lyon. Indeed, Marseille's last league defeat came when Cisse, who has not scored in nine matches, came off the bench against Sochaux and struck a late penalty straight at the goalkeeper in a 2-1 defeat.
"I'm preoccupied by the Cisse situation simply because in the eyes of the supporters, a goalscorer is only worth the number of goals he scores," admitted Marseille president Pape Diouf. "Even if he's improving, when Djibril doesn't score, he gives the impression of being unproductive. He deserves a bit more indulgence even if his recent matches have not met with expectations."
Cisse's France team-mate, Philippe Mexes, said he made a mistake in leaving England so soon, while former international Jean-Michel Larque, now France's top TV pundit, suggested that his two broken legs had ruined what were his strengths. "His power, strength and speed are not what they once were, so he needs to change his game."
Cisse has conceded that Niang is in better form. He has delayed an operation to take metal plates out of both legs until the summer because he wants to remain available. He has also been linked with a move to Lens in January.
Marseille's defence still looks shaky and they may be only two points away from Ligue One's relegation zone, but they have become harder to beat under Gerets. Zenden said: "We might not be able to rotate our squad like Liverpool, but we've rediscovered our confidence since the new coach arrived."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/mai.../sfnliv109.xml
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