Today's Banter: Cisse injured?, Benitez demands defense improve, Fabio wants love, & more

- Apparently Cisse was injured in practice at some point in the last couple of days and may or may not be able to go tonight. I'll be shocked if he isn't at least on the bench. I expect him to start though and I'm not playing this up to mind games, but it wouldn't surprise me.

- Despite the fact that it's been thirty years since we've allowed less goals in league play and that we've yet to concede a goal from open play with Pepe in the net, Rafa still demands improvement on the defense. I have to agree. We were lucky not to allow a goal against Wigan. When Agger comes back, it'll be a lot easier though.

- Fabio Aurelio wants to repay the fans for their loyalty. The first Brazilian ever to play for Liverpool, Aurelio has finally returned from a devastating knee injury he got against PSV last April. Going into that match, the 28-year-old was showing signs of improvement and finally adjusting to the English game. I think the big thing with him was patience on the ball. Early on he tried to force things, but as he got more relax, his skill and style really came through. I just hope he doesn't revert back to his old ways.

Some more links to digest as we wait to take on Marseilles:
- Kudos to this fellow American blog for banning the Sun
- Bolo believes Rafa can lead us to the Premiership title
- Does Fernando Torres have obsessive-compulsive disorder?

Bolo knows our secrets

I couldn't help but laugh after reading this article from the official site. Not that it probably isn't true that Zenden will be able to provide 'inside information' about our side to Marseilles, but Bolo did a poor job carrying out and participating in such tactics while in a Liverpool shirt. Unless turning over the ball incessantly and dribbling the ball out of bounds were a big part of the game plan.

I really don't understand why Rafa would even say such a thing. One could play it up to 'mind games' but what benefit does that play? To make Marseilles think we're worried that Bolo knows the super secrets of Rafa's playbook? Please, we're going to play a 4-4-2 and I can only recall only one 'trick' play that we've used successfully in the past year and that was Daniel Agger's goal versus Chelsea. Having the wingers switch sides is not really a tactic and if we have any other movement schemes, we do a well enough job of making them neither noticeable nor effective.

If Rafa bothers to change things, great, but he won't be doing it because of Bolo.