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Following a five goal demolition job at White Hart Lane, Brendan Rodgers called Liverpool's victory over Spurs the most complete performance since he signed on to manage the club a year and a half ago. With midfield dominant, the attack clicking, and Spurs not managing a single shot on target, it would be difficult to disagree with him.
"It was probably the most complete performance, to come here and get a victory like that," said the Liverpool manager at his post-match press conference. "I loved our arrogance today. The arrogance with the ball was very good—lots of angles, lots of people moving and interchanging positions. We looked a real threat whilst retaining that solidity in defence. It was very good.
"The model of our game today was outstanding. We were like animals without the ball, how we pressed, and our hunger for the football was great. Once we got it, the use of the ball was outstanding. It was a complete performance and a big victory for us. Our concentration was good, we kept a good shape, and the organisation was very good from the players when they pressed.
"In football, it is very hard to sustain that level. We have had a lot of first-half performances that have been exceptional and sometimes it just tailed off in the second half. We knew today we had to retain our focus. Tottenham have an outstanding squad here, with a lot of talented players, and if you lose your concentration, you can concede."
Despite one of the best Liverpool performances in recent seasons, there remains an exceptionally tough close to 2013 and a need for the squad to now focus their concentration on the coming weeks, with away dates against Chelsea and Manchester City closing out the year after a relatively simple looking home fixture against Cardiff next weekend.
Liverpool's focus cannot slip against Malky Mackay's red-and-bluebirds without risking undoing much of the good that has followed on from a terrible outing against Hull, and a win on Saturday would guarantee Liverpool end the year—and the first half of the season—on pace to break the 70 point mark for the first time since 2008-09's title challenge and put them in a strong position to finish in the top four.
"What really pleased me was when they went to 10 men," he added, "how tactically we opened up the pitch with the ball but also pressed even harder to get the ball back. We work on overloads in training when you have the man advantage, and I thought we saw that through very well. We scored five and maybe could have had seven or eight."
If the way Liverpool finished Sunday's match against Tottenham is a sign the squad can keep their composure through the end of end of December, Rodgers will deserve a great deal of credit for putting Liverpool in prime position to achieve their top four goal. It also might be time to start wondering where—or if—Steven Gerrard and Daniel Sturridge fit into the lineup when they return from injury in the new year.
