'Game is completely different this year'
John Achterberg insists that memories of what happened when Liverpool previously travelled to Crystal Palace will be banished as they seek to end a frustrating run of form when they face the Eagles today.
Before the international break called a pause to proceedings, Brendan Rodgers' team had endured three successive defeats in all competitions, being overturned by Newcastle United, Real Madrid and Chelsea.
A fortnight without a fixture concludes this afternoon with a trip to Selhurst Park, the scene of a remarkable 3-3 draw in May as the Reds surrendered a three-goal advantage and stumbled in their battle for the Barclays Premier League title.
The message upon their return, however, is that this is a completely different match, with goalkeeping coach Achterberg outlining the approach required in the capital to bring three points back to Merseyside.
It was a tough week going into the international break - what has been the general feeling about how things have gone and where we are at?
Obviously everyone is a bit disappointed at the moment with how the results have gone, but the effort and commitment is still there from the players and the staff - we are working hard to put it right.
How much did the international break come at a good time?
If you lose a game you really want to play the next day or the next game straight after, to try to win it and get the team into a positive light. Unfortunately, there was a break. The boys go away and they have to focus on their job and we have to focus on the next game again.
What have you done during the international break to try to rectify the issues?
The players that are here obviously keep working on things that they can improve on individually and as a team; obviously you look at the upcoming opponents in games and what they do and how they play, then try to put a strategy together before the players are back and work on that in training.
Is there anything you will be doing differently now that the players are back?
No, there are not big changes really. You focus on the players that are back and try to get the team together - put the strategy out for the next game and work in training on the defending and attacking parts like you always do.
Is it difficult not to be tempted into doing something different?
Sometimes people do things but there is not a lot wrong. We just have to be calm and focus on the defending and attacking improvement, and set our stall out for the next game.
A lot of the players who played so well last year are still here - it's very close to the same team, yet they have not quite been able to find the same form. Is it perhaps in the head?
If you are missing most of the goals out of the team, that is obviously a disadvantage. That is also probably what we have not done enough of - score goals. But I think with the commitment all of the players have been giving and working hard, it will turn around. There is no doubt about that.
The first-team players were at the Academy this week - what do you take from a day like that?
I take a look myself quite regularly at the Academy, watching sessions. It's good to see the smiling faces of the young boys seeing all their stars coming to training to have a chat with them. Some joined in as well, so it was great for the young boys to see them and speak to them.
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Crystal Palace this weekend - what kind of challenge do they pose and how different are they with a new manager?
It's a completely different game - last year we were fighting to win the league and there was a lot of pressure on the game. If we had scored a lot of goals, we could have closed the goal difference gap. So you can't compare the game. Palace are a decent team, well organised and they have fighting spirit. We have to do our job well, be organised and play our own game.
Will you talk about last season's game?
The past is history so you need to look forward and focus on the next games in the coming weeks. You can't change last year.
How do you make sure the players aren't put off by what happened last year and that they use it as an inspiration instead?
Last year was a completely different game. We know what Palace do as a team and we have prepared the players; we have to try to get into the right frame of mind to compete with them and get a good result.
Do you feel that one good result, one win, will act as a springboard?
It's always like that in football. If you win the game, you get a buzz. But in every game you have to fight to win, because everyone else does that. So that's what we will do, we will try to fight to get the three points.