Reds We Can Believe In: Liverpool's Strengths and Weaknesses So Far

Barrack Obama is allegedly a West Ham fan but for the purposes of this piece lets imagine he's a manc-hating Red who persistently looks down on his nose at little blue neighbours. Lets imagine he is one of us and has had to endure the trauma of a generation without a league title and have to see many of our rivals outspend  us on their way to triumphs. However if he were in Rick Parry's shoes (now there's a thought), he would be urging Reds to say 'Yes We Can.'

Liverpool may be trophy-less at the end of the season but so far they have the hallmark and body-language of winners. They are spraying the ball around Anfield and other venues with a belief, conviction and skill that had not been since the best days of Evans. But they also have a resilience, hunger and determination to succeed and both of those combine to fuel a sustainable belief that Liverpool have turned a corner.

That is the story so far and while there has been two recent blips, Kopites are entitled to a cautious optimism for the rest of the season. However weaknesses remain within  but it's a hallmark of his managerial abilities that you have to think more to find those flaws.  

Strengths

Rafa and Sammy

The overall approach and fluidity of the team has reached a higher level than last season and I suspect this has more to do with the influence of Sammy Lee rather than that dreaded word 'rotation.' In fact Sammy's story is probably the most overlooked change within the Liverpool dressing room but that discussion is for another day. 

The biggest single improvement in Liverpool has been the collective mental strength of players and coaches. Some poor displays at the start of the season did not matter because late goals came that would not have come in previous seasons. Sometimes these goals come from luck, but more often than not they come from belief. Players are conditioned to give these performances by the training and tactics they  the coach so Rafa and Sammy - take a bow. 

Reina and Carra

Other than the Spurs game, Reina and Carra have been supremely solid at the back. The Spaniard had been more renowned for his wobbles than his talent for some bizarre reason. Now we are seeing his quality. Carra is as brave, mobile and as athletic as ever. Lets hope his heroism can continue. Martin 'don't meet me down an a dark alley'Skrtel is also worthy of a mention until his cruel injury. 

Alonso and Stevie G

Forget this rubbish that Rafa was 'lucky' he couldn't sell Alonso. The guy needed a kick up  the backside. After two supreme seasons in a red-shirt, his injury interrupted two seasons showed mostly mediocrity. Now he is giving the performances of his life and it may well be because his red career was threatened. It shows the man-management ability of ruthless Rafa to be able to test a player's resolve like that and still get the best out of him. Football is not a nice business but if you win, who cares? 

Anyway he has personified Liverpool's resurgence like no other player. He has started re-taking his tackling tablets and Frank Lampard has the bumps and bruises to show it. His passing is back to its 05/06 best and he will be a generational hero in Liverpool if he continues this way. 

Stevie G has been Stevie G so far this season - enough said. 

Albert Riera and Deadly Dirk

As a direct replacement for Harry Kewell, the Spanish winger has been among Rafa's best business. He takes the ball forward with menace and can easily link with the players around him. You can only conclude that the player at City under Stuart Pearce was a genetically inferior body-double or something. 

Dirk has shown so far that personality can be more effective than talent. Without boring people with platitudes about his attitude, the guy's commitment to the red shirt is unwavering. He surely knows he is no Torres, but when El Nino was out the former  Feyennord was man was the one who stepped into the breach. 

Robbie Keane

Yes I'm putting Robbie into the strengths category and I'm not apologising for it. He has worked selflessly for his team mates but has not gotten credit for this among pundits. He has put himself about against defenders and others have picked up the breaks. He will prove a good ally for Torres when the Spanish master returns. 

Weaknesses

The Full-backs

Rafa has adopted a new tactical system this season which involves wingers reverting to strikers in attack and using the full-backs as wingers when in possession. Such a system needs an Arbeloa over a Finnan. However the Spanish right back does not inspire confidence with his defensive abilities and while he has been unjustly criticised - opposition managers will no doubt target him. 

Dossena has also been defensively suspect but it takes 18 months or so to really judge a player when he moves to a new environment. The guy is highly-rated in Italy and must have talent but he is yet to show it in a red shirt. I continue to believe in him. 

The Bench

Our squad has unquestionably improved and we have 15 players that can compete with any club. It takes more to win a championship. Lucas offers something different to other midfielders but his progress seems to have stalled. Pennant is largely uninspiring as a substitute while N'Gog has not yet justified himself as a squad member but he may well do. Babel as a sub is the only real game-changer in our arsenal. 

Lack of Experience

There are no premiership medals on the Liverpool panel. No winning experience to draw from and no one who can pull players together as things appear to fall apart right at 'squeaky  bum' time. Lets not forget that our challenge will falter (like other clubs) How we respond to setbacks will define our season, just contrast Chelsea's response to losing to Arsenal's. Chelsea have experience, Arsenal don't. 

The Future Looks Good

Nobody can completely afford to look at the footballing-world completely though red-tinted glasses. We are joint-top of the table but that is almost insignificant in the grander scheme of things as its only important who is there in May. 

However having not been consistently at the top of the table for many years it is certainly OK to enjoy it as long as you cannot get carried away. Cautious optimism is the order of the day for Kopites. There has been so many false dawns that you can be fearful to see the truth. 

Liverpool have hit a blip with their last two games but given the relatively easy run of games they have coming up should see us back on the winning streak, especially as we continue to create chances. The foundations are solid. The work ethic is there and the hunger and appetite is unquestionably there.

Whatever happens this season will happen, but if you are a kopite make sure that you have given every last blast of your lungs to the Anfield atmosphere. If you see Robbie Keane in the street after he has missed 12 sitters to lose to united in March, tell him he's still a hero. If Fernando Torres looks stressed in a bar and takes an interest in your Mrs - Let him have her. 

The atmosphere at Anfield last season for league games was subdued but now we can change that. Now we have the chance to transfer our unyielding belief to the players that the red shirt will come always out on top. Now we have the chance to stand face-to-face, eye-to-eye with every other club in the land and believe in the present moment

Now we can take fight a trophy battle on four fronts, go from coast to coast, from sea to shining sea in search of victory with out Shankly-inspired warriors. 

"In the unlikely story that is Liverpool, there has never been anything false about hope (or Rafa)"