Both games suggested that Liverpool would struggle this season. Liverpool were given far more trouble than they should have been against a Southampton side deplete of their stars from last season.. The Reds never in proper control of the game, and may have been rather fortunate to come away with a point from that fixture, let alone three.
A clash with Manchester City followed. Liverpool did not look much better. While few escape the Ethiad with any points at all, it is notable that Liverpool have caused Manchester City quite a few problems in recent seasons. Liverpool were not inferior by too much a distance, but the gap between the two sides was clearly visible.
If anything to be taken from the two matches, it was that Liverpool needed firepower to back up Daniel Sturridge. The striker was not allowed the freedom that the mere presence of Luis Suarez on the pitch gave him last season.
Liverpool's much needed striker came in the form of the controversial Mario Balotelli. Reasonably, the move was thought of as a gamble. The striker's work rate has been repeatedly called into question as well as his tendency to pick up bookings.
In his first game in a Liverpool shirt, he demonstrated that there can be no question about his talent with a superb display. Two minutes into his Liverpool career, he was already linking up with his Sturridge, and nearly on the score sheet. He gelled well with his teammates, and was clever on the ball.
Half an hour into the match, he showed that he is unquestionably capable of helping to fill the void left by Luis Suarez. The Italian held the ball from the two white shirts in the defensive half, turned them, and and fed Sturridge who would have been straight through on goal had Hugo Lloris not charged out of his goal. His poor clearance fell straight to Balotelli, who although a fair distance from goal, should have at least pulled his shot on target.
While his finish could have been better, the focus should be on what Balotelli did with the ball rather than the miss. Even from starting in the defensive half, he was able to create a great scoring opportunity for himself. Suarez's ability to create something out of nothing will not be missed at all if the Italian can replicate the brilliance he showed during that play, and if he continues to have similar performances.
Most notably however, his movement, or for that matter his very presence allowed Daniel Sturridge to have a significant impact on the match. Because the two partnered up top, neither was the main focus of Tottenham's defense, in turn allowing both far more freedom both on and off the ball. Sturridge caused a lot of problems for Spurs's defense, and played an important role in Raheem Sterling's opener before coming close a few times to adding his own name on the score sheet.
However, Sturridge and Balotelli were not the only players who should be receiving credit. Liverpool as a whole put in a dazzling performance. They created chances from start to finish, and the desire to score goals was clearly present, even after they were 3-0. Meanwhile, their defense remained untroubled for a majority of the match. Each defender, particularly Alberto Moreno, looked far more comfortable and confident than in previous matches.
The early opening goal reflected the performance Liverpool put in throughout the rest of the match. The Reds already had a strong foothold into the match when Sturridge did some fine work on the ball before playing a smart ball to Henderson. Henderson's cross was superb, and Sterling had little work to do to get the Reds off and running.
Liverpool then had an excellent start to the second half, although they may have been somewhat fortunate to have been awarded a penalty. Regardless, Gerrard confidently struck his penalty into the bottom left corner, and by that point, Tottenham had a mountain to climb if they wanted to get back into the game.
The third was a fantastic display of individual brilliance from Alberto Moreno. After winning the ball back, he expertly exploited the vast amount of space afforded to him and added his name to the score sheet with a superb strike just from the edge of the box. The goal summed up his and Liverpool's performance.
Liverpool were continued to look for another, and had several chances to be four up. Raheem Sterling should have added the fourth after his finish failed to replicate his excellent work to create that very chance.
The Reds were a far more convincing team this time around. Balotelli played an important role, but the team as a whole gelled well together. They played with confidence, and looked far more comfortable than they looked in the previous two games. The desire to score was evident, and they had a strong foothold on the match for the majority of the game.
A two week international break, should see the likes of Jon Flanagan and Adam Lallana return to the side. Their additions will grant Rodgers plenty of tactical options. The two, particularly the latter, must be given a proper amount of time to work their way back into the team. Neither should be expected to instantly deliver, but both should be on the same page as their teammates in the near future.
Liverpool look to be coming along well. Should they continue playing with the same confidence and desire to win, then the road may not be so rough after all.
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