Although Rafa made no reference to Cisse himself, he did speak of the necessity to be ready to play when required-and to be patient until then.
"I've spoken to all of the players, some who are used a lot and some who are used differently," Rafa said.
He added, "They all know there are a lot of games to play. At one point around Christmas, I expect to play about three games in eight days. There is also the Champions League and Carling Cup to think about."
He then added, "This is a big club, so every player here must be ready. Maybe you will be used in a week, maybe it will be in three weeks. If a player isn't ready when he's needed it means he hasn't the mentality and attitude for a big club."