Rodgers sees season as 'hurdles race'
Three hurdles down and many more to go – that's the message from Brendan Rodgers to his Liverpool squad as the Reds take their 100 per cent start to the season to Swansea City on Monday.
The Northern Irishman has presided over a trio of 1-0 victories in the 2013-14 Barclays Premier League to date, with Stoke City, Aston Villa and Manchester United all defeated.
Rodgers is confident that his team will continue to improve as the season progresses but warned that previous positive results will count for nothing as they approach their next obstacle.
He told the Liverpool Echo: "No-one is getting carried away here. We see this season as a race. It's like a 110m hurdles race and we have many hurdles in front of us.
"We have jumped the first three hurdles but that counts for nothing now. We have to approach the next hurdle, which is Swansea, with the same mentality, passion and drive. It will be a difficult game.
"It's all about the next game and trying to keep accumulating points. That's what we've done throughout which has seen us go on this run dating back to January.
"We will take a look at it after 10 games this season and see how the league shapes up. Then we'll see where we are at the halfway point knowing that come the second half of the season we will be stronger.
"I said that last year that we would be stronger in the second half of the season and it will be the same this time. We will get better and better.
"It's still very early in the season and I know we can get better. In all the games so far we've seen flashes of the progress in the team. We played some great football against Stoke and created many chances which we didn't take.
"At Aston Villa we started brightly and had great control, but in the second half we could have been better on the counter-attack and that's something we've been working on.
"The Manchester United game was more about the result. Performance-wise we started well but in the second half we dropped too deep.
"It's not a plan to do that, it's just something that sometimes happens within a game. We've been working to ensure that in those moments, when you are under pressure and don't always have the ball, that you can cope with that and still be a real threat."
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Rodgers will be forced to make an alteration to his starting XI at the Liberty Stadium due to Glen Johnson's injury, although the boss is comfortable with his available replacement options.
"Glen will be missed but we have got players capable of filling in," he continued.
"Young Andre played there for a number of games last season and did very well. Martin Kelly is working well in training but isn't quite ready yet and still needs a few more games.
"Kolo could play there. I don't think he would want to do it over the long-term but he's an option.
"That's the idea of bringing in players like Kolo who are flexible and can play in a number of different positions. It means you can have a smaller squad, knowing the flexibility is there."
The 40-year-old was required to make a change in defence against United too, with Martin Skrtel providing a towering performance in the absence of summer signing Kolo Toure.
Two more centre-backs have arrived at Anfield since then, in the form of Tiago Ilori and Mamadou Sakho, and the manager is delighted with the level of competition now within the ranks.
"It's not a dilemma for me. If the team is doing well and the team is winning then you keep your shirt," said Rodgers.
"We felt we already had some excellent centre-halves here - Daniel Agger, Martin Skrtel, Kolo Toure and Sebastian Coates, who is currently injured.
"But not only do we need to think about the present, but also the future. With centre-halves, there aren't many really good ones around.
"We'd had our eye on Sakho for a while. I was speaking to Gerard Houllier about him in London last week and he also rates him very highly.
"Now it's about him getting up to speed with training and this way of working. He hadn't done a great deal prior to coming in but he has worked hard over the past two weeks.
"We believe Ilori could end up being a top centre-half. He needs some development and he needs to adapt to the British game, but he's 6ft 3ins, super quick, comfortable on the ball and powerful in the air.
"Once he adapts to the intensity and physicality of this league he's one who can be a really outstanding player.
"Sakho and Ilori both became available and it was about making sure we had really good back-up. You never know what's going to happen in football.
"Daniel Agger, until last year, had had a lot of injuries which had kept him out for parts of seasons.
"The centre-backs who were already here now know they have got serious competition. That makes you better and that makes you fight for your place.
"The boys have made a brilliant start to the season and there is real belief and confidence in the team. Everybody is determined to keep this good run going."
The boss also reserved words of praise for the unstoppable Daniel Sturridge, who has struck five goals in four fixtures to start the campaign - and all despite being short of 100 per cent fitness.
"Daniel's record of 16 goals in 20 games since he signed is remarkable really," he enthused.
"I always thought that given an opportunity he would get goals. He is a natural goalscorer but he possesses so much more than that. You see his power, his pace and his skill.
"The goals he has scored so far this season have all been interesting. Against Stoke that was a terrific finish from outside the box, the goal at Aston Villa was down to wonderful technique and skill, and his one against Manchester United was about anticipation and improvisation.
"All that has been achieved while trying to regain his fitness. This is a player who missed most of pre-season and is a while behind the others.
"But he is getting through on his natural body fitness and on his will and desire to want to do well for the team."