PAST PLAYER PROFILE - Djibril Cisse

Date of Birth: 12/08/1981
Birthplace: Arles, France
Debut : v Grazer AK. 10th August 2004, Champions League qualifier. Won 2-0
1st team games: 79
1st team goals: 24
Other clubs: Auxerre, Marseille
International caps while with Liverpool: 32
International goals while with Liverpool: 9
Honours with Liverpool: UEFA Champions League (2005), UEFA Super Cup (2005), FA Cup (2006)

PROFILE

Flamboyant striker Djibril Cisse became a club record signing when Liverpool paid £14 million for his services in July 2004 and he went on to score in three major cup finals for the club.

Regarded as one of the top strikers in Europe, he was signed by Gerard Houllier, even though the Frenchman had left before the player arrived at Anfield.

The speedy striker had awful luck on signing for the Reds when he broke his leg during a match at Blackburn on October 30th 2004. He then made an amazing recovery and was back in the nick of time to score a vital penalty in the Champions League shoot-out win over AC Milan.

The following season he came off the bench to help Liverpool win the UEFA Super Cup when he scored twice and set up another goal for Luis Garcia in the 3-1 win over CSKA Moscow.

His last game for Liverpool ended in glory too when he achieved a dream of scoring in three cup finals in a red shirt. He scored a fantastic goal as Liverpool beat West Ham in Cardiff to win the FA Cup.

Unfortunately for the player he was then ruled out of the 2006 World Cup Finals when he broke his ankle for a second time in the space of two years.

The striker then recovered and spent the 2006/2007 season on loan at Marseille. The move was then made permanent in the summer of 2007.

PAST PLAYER PROFILE - Bruno Cheyrou

Bruno Cheyrou : Midfield (2002-2006)

Debut: v Southampton, August 2002. Won 3-0.
1st team games: 48
1st team goals: 5
Birthplace: Suresnes, France
Other clubs: Other clubs: Lens, Racing Club of Paris, Lille, Marseille, Bordeaux



PROFILE

Bruno Cheyrou left Liverpool in the summer of 2006 to return to France with Rennes bringing to an end a disappointing spell at Anfield.

He was signed by Gerard Houllier from Lille for a big fee of 4.5 million in June 2002 but was been a major disappointment at Anfield. When he signed him Houllier labelled him the 'next Zidane'. Cheyrou looked fantastic in a pre-season game against Lazio at Anfield in 2002 but then by his own admission struggled with the pace and physical presence of the English game.

The French central midfielder had many highs and lows in the 2003/2004 season. After starting the first game of the season against Chelsea he left the pitch after an hour with a foot injury. This was to keep him out of action for almost five months. Upon returning he scored twice in an FA Cup win over Newcastle and scored a few more vital goals including the winner at Chelsea. However, that was to be as good as it got for Cheyrou in a red shirt and he was played in a variety of positions by Houllier including left wing, right wing, central midfield and even up front.

After the departure of Houllier the France international found himself surplus to requirements under new boss Rafael Benitez. He spent the entire 2004/2005 season on loan at Marseille and the following season on loan at Bordeaux before moving to Rennes.

PAST PLAYER PROFILE - Alou Diarra

Alou Diarra : Midfield
Date of Birth: 15/07/1981
Birthplace: France
Other clubs: Bayern Munich, Freiburg (loan), Le Harve (loan), Bastia (loan), Lens (loan)







PROFILE
It is fair to suggest that central midfielder Alou Diarra made far more of an impact for his country than he did at Liverpool before he was sold by Rafael Benitez in 2005 to Lens. He was signed by Gerard Houllier from Bayern Munich in 2002 but only played 45 minutes in a pre-season game in Le Havre. He was never seen again in a red shirt but then ended up playing in the 2006 World Cup Final as a substitute for France in their defeat to Italy.

Diarra is now playing under Houllier at Lyon. Before leaving Anfield Diarra spent season long loan spells with Le Havre and Bastia before being transferred to Lens.
Before he signed for Liverpool Diarra had found it hard to break into the Bayern Munich team but did gain experience on loan at German side Freiburg during the 2001-2002 season.

A defensive midfielder, Diarra moved to Bayern Munich from French second division side CS Louhans-Caiseaux in 2000, and appeared during the 2000/01 campaign in Bayern's third-league side.

PAST PLAYER PROFILE - Bernard Diomede

Bernard Diomede : (Midfield, 2000-2003)
Date of Birth: 23/01/1974
Birthplace: Saint-Doulchard
Debut : -
1st team games: 5
1st team goals: 0
Other clubs: Auxerre
International caps while with Liverpool: 8
International goals while with Liverpool: 0
Honours with Liverpool: -


PROFILE
Bernard Diomede brought an end to a disappointing spell with Liverpool when he joined French club Ajaccio in July 2003 after his contract at Anfield expired.
Diomede arrived at Anfield in the summer of 2000 to become the only member of the Liverpool squad to have won a World Cup winners medal. The dread-locked Frenchman played three times for France during their glorious triumph in 1998. However he failed to settle to the English game and in particular the physical side and was a regular in the reserve team.

Formerly with Auxerre, where Houllier's good friend Guy Roux nurtured his talents, Diomede tasted success at club level. He made his first team debut at Auxerre as a 19-year old in December 1992 and three seasons later was an integral member of the team that won the French League and Cup double, scoring nine goals in the process.

A relatively disappointing last two seasons with the French club saw him lose his place in the national side but Gerard Houllier did not hesitate in paying £3 million for him in June 2000.

He made his Reds debut in the 1-0 UEFA Cup win over Rapid Bucharest in September but his first team opportunities have since been restricted due to unfortunate injury troubles and difficulty adjusting to the pace of the English game. His best moment at Anfield was probably playing in the Premiership against Sunderland, and seeing a spectacular overhead scissor kick being tipped onto the post by Thomas Sorensen. If it had gone in who knows how Diomede's Anfield future would have mapped out?

He turned down a move to Charlton in July 2002. He spent the second half of the 2002-2003 season on loan with French side Ajaccio before completing the permanent move in July 2003.

PAST PLAYER PROFILE - Nicolas Anelka

Nicolas Anelka (Striker, loan 2001-2002)
Date of Birth: 14-3-1979
Birthplace: Paris
Debut : v Aston Villa, December 26th 2001 v Aston Villa. Won 2-1
1st team games: 21
1st team goals: 5
Other clubs: Paris St Germain, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Paris St Germain.
International caps while with Liverpool: 1
International goals while with Liverpool:
Honours with Liverpool: None

PROFILE
Liverpool Football Club astounded everyone when they announced the loan signing of Nicolas Anelka in December 2001.

A product of the France's National Youth Academy, where he first worked under Gerard Houllier, Anelka began professional career began at his hometown club Paris St Germain in 1995.

He made his debut for the Parisian giants when only 16 but lack of first team opportunities resulted in him leaving for Arsenal two years later.

At Highbury his goals earned him the PFA Young Player of the Year award and helped fire the Gunners to a League and FA Cup double in 1998.

He left Arsenal in controversial circumstances the following year to sign for Real Madrid but despite winning a Champions League medal his time at the Bernabau was also shrouded in controversy.

In July 2000 he rejoined Paris St Germain but has since struggled to rediscover the goalscoring form that earned him the reputation as one of Europe's top strikers.

With Liverpool short of firepower following the sale of Robbie Fowler, the Reds swooped to take Anelka on loan for the rest of the season, with the option of making the deal permanent during the summer.

Taking over the number nine jersey from Robbie Fowler he made his debut as a second half substitute in the Boxing Day win at Aston Villa and then a full debut in the 1-1 draw with West Ham United at Upton Park.

Highlights of his Liverpool career included an equalising goal in the Anfield Merseyside derby with Everton and a brilliant display in the 3-0 win over Newcastle United.

He signed off with a final day goal in the 5-0 Anfield win over Ipswich Town, which was to be his final appearance in a red shirt.

Gerard Houllier then decided against making Anelka's signing a permanent one.