Hello lads..some good news. Dare I post it? Dare I?
Alonso recovery is boost for Benitez
Feb 11 2005
By Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo
XABI ALONSO
is winning his battle to make a surprise return to the Liverpool line-up before the end of the season.
Rafa Benitez admits he'd virtually written off the play-maker's chances of playing again during this campaign.
But
Alonso
has made good progress after returning to Spain for treatment on the broken ankle he suffered on January 1 inflicted by that witch's tit of a son, Fat Lampard.
Now the youngster is back at Liverpool and Benitez is cautiously hopeful the 22-year-old could return by April.
"
Xabi
has been working hard in Spain and he came back to Liverpool this week," said Benitez.
"I said recently I wasn't waiting for
Xabi
this season, but that was because I don't want to rush him back. I'm always optimistic, but I preferred not to think too much about him because I didn't want to be disappointed. If you put too much hope in him returning, you can get frustrated.
"Now, it looks better for him. He may be able to play for the last month. He's working with our physiotherapists and making progress."
Alonso is not the only Liverpool player who's over the worst of his troubles.
Djibril Cisse could be running again in just a month's time as he continues his fightback from an horrendous broken leg.
There were some fears Cisse's injury was career threatening, but he's eased those concerns with his rehabilitation.
"Cisse has been in the gym here and will be running again in a month. When you have a problem like his you need a timescale and he's on schedule," said Benitez.
Harry Kewell, however, is still a few weeks away from a comeback according to the latest medical bulletin.
The Aussie has recovered from a groin operation but now has an Achilles problem.
Benitez added: "We must wait longer for Harry because he has an Achilles tendon injury. It's not a big problem but he can't work properly. Sometimes it takes a week, other times it can be 15 days, so I don't know when he'll be back.
"Tomorrow Luis Garcia is suspended so we will see how fit Smicer and Nunez are. Smicer may need more time, but I think he could play for 60 minutes. If he's really ready to play, he can."