Liverpool FC: Picking the Best and Worst from the Reds' First Six EPL Matches

Half a dozen Premier League games into the new season, and Liverpool Football Club have already seen enough twists and turns, ups and downs and controversial moments to fill the entire season review of most clubs.

Plenty of players have taken to the field for the team between the league and the League Cup, while results have ranged from extremely impressive to the depressingly bad, as has the performances to go with them.

Here is a comprehensive look at some of the best and the worst from Kenny Dalglish's team from the first two months this season as we head into October.

Most Impressive Three Players: 3. Stewart Downing

Downing has filled a big void down Liverpool's left side of midfield since his arrival, and his early performances suggested he could have a massive impact on the Reds' season.

His form has fluctuated until now with that of the team: when Liverpool play well, Downing is exceptional, but when the team underperforms, so does the winger.

This is indicative of Downing requiring constant supply of the ball to give him the chance to have an impact on the game, and he can have a big impact given the right service. He also needs good movement ahead of him, something which inevitably goes missing when things aren't going well all over the pitch.

Most Impressive Three Players: 2. Jose Enrique

Another new arrival who has impressed thus far, Jose Enrique has shown already that he can be the best left-back Liverpool have had since John Arne Riise's early years at Anfield and quite possibly in the entire Premier League era.

His solidity in defence is commendable, and his willingness to make breaks down the flank and get crosses in will sooner or later be recorded in multiple assists.

Good link-up play and understanding with Downing ahead of him is also a huge bonus to the fluidity of Liverpool's play, especially at Anfield.

Most Impressive Three Players: 1. Luis Suarez

Who else?

Luis Suarez has started this campaign in blistering form, hitting three league goals in six games and one League Cup goal in two.

His dribbling skills are beyond belief at times, and his attacking aggression and desire to score, win and be the best must be infectious to the rest of the Liverpool squad. If they don't feel suitably impressed to do the same, the Uruguayan soon lets them know about it.

Already a massively key player to the Liverpool system, Suarez can get better as the whole team gels, and his movement is a real pleasure to behold off the ball.

Three Players with Work to Do: 3. Charlie Adam

Charlie Adam is a talented player with a good eye for a pass, and he is willing to get stuck in when it matters.

But playing central midfield for Liverpool comes with so many more responsibilities.

Adam needs to start making more attempts to really control the game, especially away from home, if he wants to be considered a major—and indispensable—part of the Liverpool 11.

Too often he is simply one of many, passing the ball well enough and filling a defensive position and taking some decent set pieces....but he needs to do more. More energy, more authority, more incisiveness about his play is required.

He has made a good start in terms of assists and goals, but I want more from a Liverpool FC central midfielder.

Thre Players with Work to Do: 2. Andy Carroll

A hugely encouraging performance against Wolves indicates that Carroll is ready to work on the troubles that have been part of his early season form, but there is still work for the big forward to do.

A goal today would have been a big lift for him, but he was denied by a combination of the woodwork and good defending, though his all-around contribution was certainly much better and his work-rate would have been a pleasing sight for Dalglish too.

There is loads more to come from Andy Carroll, and on this evidence he's on the right track—but more than one game have pointed towards the opposite and he needs to continue this form into some massive matches next month.

Three Players with Work to Do: 1. Jordan Henderson

For someone who has started almost all of Liverpool's matches this season, Jordan Henderson has far from impressed.

Forget the price tag, forget being bought for potential, future promise and all the rest of it—if you are a first-team player at Liverpool, you have to perform.

Doing the live text commentary for Liverpool vs. Wolves today, I am hard-pressed to recall more than half a dozen occasions where Henderson's name was needed. Is that what is required of a midfielder of a side aiming for the top four?

Dirk Kuyt must be privately seething at having lost his place to the former Sunderland man—not because he is a poor player, but because he has not yet shown for more than a handful of minutes at a time exactly why he should be in the team.

Henderson has a lot of work to do to earn his starting spot and show why Liverpool wanted him in the first place. At this point, I would have no hesitation in saying that Kuyt should be reinstated for the derby next week.

Biggest Overall Positives: Playing at Anfield & the Return of Steven Gerrard

Hooray, we can stop using old photos of Gerrard or snaps of him in the crowd, at Melwood or at photo shoots!

Gerrard's reintroduction to the Premier League today gave Liverpool a big boost in the final minutes of the game, and he even came close to opening his account for the season with a typical rasping drive.

The position which the skipper will figure in initially in this team is up for debate; a wide-right midfield role could be suitable at the moment as much as a general central midfield role, if Dalglish does not want to stop playing with a top two.

Wherever he plays though, Gerrard will have a huge impact on the team, and the movement shown at times by the likes of Downing, Suarez, Bellamy and Kuyt will be a real pull to Gerrard in getting back on the pitch and showing what he can do.

Playing at Anfield, meanwhile, has been a source of comfort for Liverpool this season with two wins and a draw in the league, with an average of two goals scored per game.

Negatives to Work On: Midfield Shape Playing Away And, as Usual, a Clinical Edge

Playing away from home in the league Liverpool has actually been pretty good: a solid 2-0 win over Arsenal was followed by a dominant performance, a defeat at Stoke and that terrible showing against Spurs, which can be written off as a generally awful day.

Away performances at Brighton and Exeter have also been professional and good, so away form in itself has not been a huge issue.

The midfield, however, is something that I feel may need to be altered a little to allow us to dominate teams more away from home in the future, and clearly, the return to fitness of Steven Gerrard could be a big part of that as he can play just off the forward and link the centre to the attack.

Aside from that, Liverpool's habit of wasting five or six good chances to score in a game has continued into this season and needs to be rectified as, like against Stoke, it will cost them points in the end.

As top scorer this season, Luis Suarez can hardly be criticised more than anyone else, but he has missed a penalty and seen several good opportunities go begging, while in the last two games alone Suarez, Bellamy, Spearing and Carroll have all hit the woodwork.

Liverpool need to be more ruthless going forward and put in the extra single percent of concentration necessary at the vital moment to ensure a shot rolls the other side of the post, a header goes on target, a shot doesn't fly high or the keeper can't pull off a flying save.

Easier said than done, I know.

Looking Forward to the Derby

Liverpool must have one thing on their collective minds now and one thing only: beating Everton in the derby.

Next Saturday's game at Goodison Park is a huge fixture for Liverpool—win, and they go into the clash against Manchester United probably in the top four in the league and on the back of three straight wins; lose, and they enter the United match having lost three of their last four league games.

A high-tempo, disciplined team shape and, crucially, that cutting edge in front of goal, must all be spot-on, and Kevin Keen and Steve Clarke will be whipping the team into tactical shape ahead of this huge game.

With Suarez in irrepressible form and Gerrard coming back to fitness, anything is possible for Liverpool. And with two wins in the next two games, we could be sitting here listening to the media talking again about Liverpool's title chances, being only three points behind this week's league leaders.