Staying grounded is difficult in the face of mild success. People get carried away with the a taste of victory they begin to dream of whatever else may come their way without first thinking of the work involved to obtain it. In trying to sustain a real momentum, the individual or the group must remain as hungry as ever and not just be satisfied with a handful of points here and there. Reflecting in the glory of any kind of conquest rather than focusing on the challenges ahead, is a recipe for disaster.
After beating Wigan at home, Jamie Carragher made a few comments about finishing in fourth place which went around the world and came back as a foolhardy battle cry. His comments were fairly standard - and accurate in that nobody has yet put their marker down - but easily misinterpreted by those who then claim that the sky is falling following a goalless draw with Swansea. The young side that had everyone beaming with their potential and possibilities against West Brom came undone in the worst way against Swansea and all of a sudden everyone is written off apart from Suarez. Neither are accurate representations of what Brendan Rodgers has at his disposal but together - along with all the other performances to be factored in - the positives and negatives of the squad can be laid bare.
While the performance - and subsequent destiny - of the team fluctuates rapidly, it happens far more often with the players themselves. Joe Cole has gone from someone who couldn't do anything right to a potential game changer in the space of one half decent ninety minutes. Is it heartwarming to see someone apply themselves and try - no matter how unlikely - to make things right? Yes. But ultimately his transfer has been a poor one all around and he will be leaving the squad at the earliest possible opportunity. With someone like Cole it's not too much of an issue. His transformation from dud to superstar is one born out of hope more than anything malicious. The problem arises when someone like Pepe Reina goes through a patch of bad form and is suddenly cast in the role of Massimo Taibi. In reverse it hits a players confidence hard, and it can be quite a struggle to get back.
If an opinion or thought process can be swayed overnight, the chances are that there wasn't much of a foundation for it in the first place. It's very easy to arrive at a sudden conclusion and then subsequently look for evidence which fits into that theory but it's an ultimately backward process which can obscure the truth and ignore the real issues. Things are not perfect at Liverpool. They could both be infinitely better or worse, depending on whichever alternative scenario you would care to think of. Concentrating on those false realities will do nothing but shift the focus from the problems that are affecting the team right now.
Champions League qualification and the dream of it right now - remote though it may be - may even turn out to be fools gold. That the state of the Premier League even allows this as a possibility right now is a damning indictment of it's quality. There can be no doubt that Liverpool Football Club needs the prestige and the financial benefits of being among the European elite once more but it alone would not solve every problem. Rodgers needs to concentrate on improving the players and - in January the squad - let that take care of itself. If the club is good enough then they'll be there.
Take the lack of striking depth for example. The club needs a few more players to help with it's clear lack of a cutting edge but the right players won't be available until we're in a position to challenge. There's a chicken and egg situation that develops in this regard and as such it means more chances may need to be taken. Certain risks aren't worth taking just for the sake of them (you only have to look at last summer to see evidence of that) and so we're left with the same dilemma. It's easier and more beneficial in the long term for the team to gradually become ruthless than get carried away with the notion that one high placed finish in the league will see the answer to every single problem then arrive at Anfield.
Brendan Rodgers inherited a squad full of under performers, yet one brimming with talent. They are a little toothless and quite fragile mentally who have this horrible habit of accepting their fate when it goes against them, rather than fighting against it. That being said, there is reason enough to believe that things will get better. Luis Suarez is a genuine world class talent while Glen Johnson is playing at a level which makes an absolute mockery of his critics. There's a wonderful explosion of young talent coming through at the club, some of which is starting to bear fruit already.
Importantly, nothing will change quickly. As it treads carefully into this new era, a single win, draw or loss and the picture of this season will not change. It's only collectively that the true image of Liverpool Football Club will begin to come into focus. Once it does, the management and everyone involved will have better idea of what looks out of place and the things that need to be done to make it better. In the meantime, a message to all those watching on; hope for the best, prepare for the worst and above all do not get carried away with any individual result.
It doesn't take very long to destroy something. A career, a reputation even a club can be brought to it's knees in a relatively short period of time. Building is quite the opposite however. The groundwork needs to be done properly otherwise it will all come crashing down at the first sign of trouble. Right now, proclaiming anything about Liverpool's long term future is getting too far ahead, whether or not you see it all as rosy or bleak. The present is what needs everyone's full attention, to make sure that when that future does arrive, nobody looks back with regret.
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