Will Liverpool stay the distance?

Are Liverpool becoming a Premier League force again? Whilst talk of a title challenge seems delusional, this season has witnessed a genuine resurgence from Brendan Rodgers’ men and their impressive start to the season shows little sign of fading. The optimism currently surrounding Liverpool is in stark contrast to the despondency that pervaded Anfield at the same stage last year.

A paltry 2 wins and just 12 points from the first 11 games of Rodgers’ inaugural season pales in comparison to the 7 wins and 23 points Liverpool have registered in the same number of games this year. This points to real progress under Rodgers, and under his stewardship hope of a return to the top 4 is gradually turning to expectation.

The humbling against Arsenal was a reality check to those who talked of a title challenge, yet Rodgers’ team answered criticism of their limp performance with arguably their most imperious display of the season against Fulham on Saturday. It was performance which encapsulated Rodgers’ famous ‘death by football’ quote; wearing opponents down through relentless pressing and short, probing passing. The home side registered a remarkable 32 shots to the visitors 4 whilst retaining 68% of possession in a performance that simply overwhelmed Martin Jol’s men.

Critics could fairly point out an emphatic home win against 18th place Fulham is hardly the kind of result that proves top 4 credentials. However, the emergence of an attacking ruthlessness this season offers sure signs of progress for a team whose general wastefulness in front of goal over the last few seasons has cost them dearly.

Rodgers still has plenty to think about if his side are going to win the league this season

This improvement in front of goal is almost entirely down to Liverpool’s lethal strike force. Both Sturridge and Suarez are fairly selfish footballers whose talent and ego can impact on their decision making in the final third; however, this has not prevented them from developing a prolific partnership. Together they have fired in 16 league goals in 16 appearances this season and have rapidly developed an effective understanding of the each others game. The threat of Suarez and Sturridge is amplified by the presence of the excellent Philippe Coutinho in the hole just behind them, and they profit handsomely from his ability to consistently find them with perfectly weighted through balls.

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Liverpool’s greatest strength however, is also a source of vulnerability: they are hugely reliant on their strikers Sturridge and Suarez. “SAS” are responsible for 76% of Liverpool’s league goals, no other player has managed more than one league goal from open play, and the meagre total of 4 goals scored by the rest of the team is cause for concern.

Indeed, the fact that the striking pair managed to notch as many goals in a single game (4, against West Brom) as the rest of the team have managed in 11 games season is a testament to Liverpool’s dependence on their front men. Furthermore, the patchy injury and disciplinary record of Sturridge and Suarez respectively make this issue especially concerning, and a sustained absence of either from the first team would deal a crushing blow to Liverpool’s top 4 hopes.

Despite the impressive start, Liverpool’s failings in the transfer window could yet cost them this season. The need for a goal-scoring midfielder was blatant enough last season as none of Allen, Henderson, Gerrard or Lucas looked capable of assuming a share of the goal scoring burden. Of the signings Rodgers did make, Aspas looks out of his depth and Alberto remains an unknown quantity.

On the upside, Sakho and Mignolet have shown significant promise to suggest they will prove shrewd signings, and although only on loan, Moses adds another dimension to Liverpool’s attack in the short term. That said, they still lack the strength in depth of their top 4 competitors, a fact that was highlighted against Arsenal as Rodgers was forced to deploy the inexperienced Flanagan at right back after Glen Johnson was incapacitated with illness.

Liverpool have had a relatively easy start to the season, and the true test of their mettle will come in December with away games to Tottenham, Man City and Chelsea in what could prove a make or break month. If they can manage to continue their momentum against these teams then they will have taken another step towards securing the Champions League football that is so vital to the club’s short and long term success.

Image courtesy of The Mirror and huffingtonpost.com