Blueprint for Liverpool to Fight for the Premier League Title

It's easy to get carried away after such a good start to the season.

After all, Liverpool have only dropped seven points from a possible 27 and have two of the league's top three goalscorers (not to mention one was suspended for the first six games of the campaign).

But, as Brendan Rodgers calmly reminds us each week, the club is still in a rebuilding phase, and the target for this year is to improve on last year's finishing position of seventh.

Still, it's exciting that we can, as Liverpool supporters, start thinking about winning the Premier League.

For Rodgers, he will no doubt take a pragmatic approach to his long-term plan for the club, but there are some key points that must be addressed in order for the Reds to be challenging for the title.

Safeguard Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez

The incredible partnership of Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez continues to flourish.

Four more goals between the two of them on Saturday saw Liverpool convincingly sink West Brom 4-1 at Anfield.

The pair not only play well together by scoring goals, but they are also both very capable of creating chances for each other and team-mates, often out of nothing.

There must be a priority to protect these crown jewels in Liverpool's side. Lose one and the shine may be taken off the other.

Liverpool's biggest concern in this area will be holding onto Suarez after his want-away actions of the summer. However, he is looking happier than ever to be playing his football on Merseyside right now.

Buy a Central Defensive Midfielder

Liverpool's central midfield partnership of Steven Gerrard and Lucas Leiva has been inconsistent this season, with many pointing to it as a weak spot for the team.

In many games, especially in the second half, Gerrard and Lucas' performances have wained, disconnecting the defence from the attack.

As Liverpool look further into the future and hopes of winning the Premier League, Gerrard will surely see less and less game time, owing to his age.

There are plenty of players vying for those midfield positions at the club already, including Jordan Henderson, Joe Allen and Luis Alberto; however, all three are more attack-minded than defensive.

Names such as Derby County's England Under-21 international, Will Hughes (pictured), have been linked with a move to Liverpool.

Strengthen the Right Side of Defence

Glen Johnson's high ankle sprain this season saw the England international sidelined for around six weeks, and oh how Liverpool missed him.

It showed a massive flaw in the Reds' depth of squad, with Rodgers keen to implement his wing-back system.

The signing of Aly Cissokho in the summer allowed Jose Enrique to feel the pressure of trying to keep his first-team place.

More recently it has allowed the Spaniard the luxury of undergoing long-overdue surgery, with Cissokho there to cover.

While Johnson fits the right side perfectly with his strong, athletic and intelligent mind for both defence and attack, the likes of Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson and Andrew Wisdom struggled to cope with both responsibilities.

While Johnson will deservedly remain first-choice, a signing to back him up and give him some quality competition for that place can only be healthy for Liverpool's league title ambitions.

Bring Through Youth Cautiously

Brendan Rodgers recently warned Liverpool's young stars, in a press conference covered by ESPN, that they shouldn't take breaking through to the first team for granted.

While Rodgers' footballing philosophies heavily involve bringing through youth into matured and able first-team players, it is not the be all and end all—and the Northern Irishman won't be afraid to shatter dreams.

Liverpool have a number of players on the verge of first-team football. Raheem Sterling, Jordon Ibe and Andre Wisdom have all been seen fairly regularly since Rodgers' arrival at the club.

However, the signing of Tiago Ilori—the 20-year-old Portuguese defender from Sporting Lisbon—and the departures of Dani Pacheco and Jonjo Shelvey, show Rodgers is not afraid to look elsewhere to fulfil his youth quota.

Qualify for the Champions League

In order to be challenging at the top, one would feel Liverpool need to be playing against the best opposition on a weekly basis.

Europe's elite competition, the Champions League, allows Liverpool to be facing the continent's best teams and players regularly.

Through that, Liverpool will gain valuable experience to take back to a domestic level and compete for the Premier League.

Champions League qualification also opens up the ability to attract a higher calibre of player. The summer saw failed bids for both Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who ended up at Borussia Dortmund, and Willian, who signed for Chelsea.

Add to that the fact that Diego Costa decided to remain at Atletico Madrid and Luis Suarez expressed his desire to leave Liverpool for a Champions League club.

Buying and keeping players happy with Champions League football has never been more important.

Just Try to Stay Positive

Brendan Rodgers and Fenway Sports Group are building a positive atmosphere around the club, which stretches from the players to the fans.

It all contributes to a good feeling that could give Liverpool the extra lift when looking for the vital points that cement their place as Premier League contenders.

As Liverpool look to expand Anfield, the club are showing determination and ambition to move on from the darker days of George Gillett, Tom Hicks, Joe Cole and Paul Konchesky.

Now Rodgers is assembling a young squad that play competitively for each other with attractive, exciting football.

That blueprint he has in place must continue and be adapted along the way, with problems being solved as soon as they appear. Only then will Liverpool finally get their hands of their most desired of trophies.