Cisse determined to be top of scoring charts
Aug 4 2005
By David Prior Daily Post Staff
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DJIBRIL CISSE believes he can top the 20-goal barrier this season as he seeks to catch up on lost time at Anfield.
The £14million striker was one of the few highlights of Liverpool's Champions League win over FBK Kaunas on Tuesday, capping a lively second-half display with a well-taken goal after initially being rested by Rafael Benitez.
It was the Frenchman's third consecutive strike of the pre-season, and went some way to confirming he has lost none of his ability since recovering from his long injury lay-off last season.
And now Cisse is confidently predicting he can show the fans what he is really capable of over the coming months.
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"I just want to score the maximum number I can, and I would love to get 20 goals," he said.. "That would be good, that's what I'm after. And although I've got three in the Champions League so far, I want 20 in the Premiership."
The 23-year-old added: "But I am still not back to my best yet. I still have a lot of stuff that I want to improve about my game.
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"I would like to think that the fans have not seen the real Djibril Cisse just yet. There are plenty of things I want to do better. I scored on Tuesday, but that was an easy goal, and I have to work harder to get even more.
"Yes, my form has been okay so far. But I missed one that I should have scored and I know I can do better.
"But I'm just delighted to be playing again after so long out. And it doesn't matter who I'm alongside, whether it's Peter Crouch or Fernando Morientes, because they're both good play-ers."
The horrific leg break suffered by the former Auxerre man at Blackburn last October kept him out of the game for six months.
Many felt Cisse would struggle to fully recover his trademark turn of pace, but tests during the pre-season have conclusively proved otherwise.
was so important to me to do so well because after the injury that was one of the things I worried about most, getting back that acceleration. But in the running tests I was the one who jumped the highest and ran the fastest. No-one at Liverpool can beat me! Djibril is back!"
Cisse claims he has finally adjusted to life in the Premiership after a difficult first season - his injury aside - that saw him score just five times in 24 games.
"At first, I admit it was difficult," he admits. "Most foreign players need a bit of time to adapt when they arrive in England. I had never played with Milan Baros before, so it's only normal that it takes a bit of time to settle in and get to know each other's game. But I felt that I just as I was getting into my stride and getting used to things on the field, the injury came along and struck me down.
"I can take criticism, all the time it's fair. People pay their money to come to the stadium and they expect you to give your best.
"The thing is, I have to put my talents to the best use. I have to use my pace at the right time. Yes, sometimes I wave my arms around and complain I didn't get the ball when and where I wanted it but that's just my way of dealing with things.
"Thierry Henry does the same, showing his frustration. Sometimes people confuse that with some kind of superiority complex, when nothing could be further from the truth. I'm just always wound up when I'm out there on the field.
"I live for my football and I'm desperate to do my best. That's just the way I am and the way I express myself but people who've played alongside me over the years will vouch for the fact that I've always been a team man.
"This season, you're going to see another Liverpool and people will see another Djibril Cisse. I'm ready now. This is going to be my season. After all I went through last season, it's only normal for me to want to pay everyone back. I owe so much. The club was always behind me, always believed in me, even when I was seriously injured. I owe it to all my friends and to all the fans who were there for me."
Cisse also explained what is becoming a post-match tradition for the Frenchman. He added: "I always throw my shirt to the crowd after every game, sort of as a thank-you to the fans.
"I did it in France and I am not going to change now. I love playing in front of them, they seem to like me, and I'm really happy and enjoying it here - but they've still not seen the best of me."
* THE updated draw for the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round is:
Basel v Werder Bremen, Artmedia Bratislava v Partizan Belgrade, Shakhtar Donetsk v Inter Milan, Steaua Bucuresti v Rosenborg, Man Utd v Debrecen, Malm FF v FC Thun, Everton v Villarreal, Liverpool v CSKA Sofia, Sporting v Udinese, Valerenga v Club Brugge, Rapid Vienna v Lokomotiv Moscow, Anderlecht v Slavia Prague, Anorthosis Famagusta v Rangers, Brondby IF v Ajax, Real Betis v Monaco, Wisla Krak w v Panathinaikos. First leg: August 9-10. Second Leg: August 23-24.
