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Among the more annoying characteristics of Liverpool squads over the past few seasons has been the fragility--both physically and mentally--that's all too often cost them points. Subject to producing disaffected displays on a somewhat regular basis, Liverpool couldn't have nice things with any sort of consistency, and when they did they managed to flub them away in a spectacularly soul-crushing manner.
Last season saw a handful of these instances; in his first season at the club, Brendan Rodgers saw Liverpool take 2-0 leads at Arsenal and Everton, and lead the title-holders both home and away. And, as had been their custom, they couldn't manage to get all three points, succumbing to individual errors and collective insecurity that cost them points and only served to further their struggles.
There's been a gradual turnaround from early spring onward, though, and the three wins to start this season have all been closely followed by some version of "they'd have lost or drawn this one last season." That, according to Rodgers, is down to the work and resilience that's been fostered throughout the squad:
"We have shown in all three of our games at some stage the qualities we want. The quality of our football has been good and that commitment and desire to win games and our resilience has been there.
"We haven't always been at our best throughout the 90 minutes of games this season but we certainly have resilience and a way to win games. In this league, it is so tough, you need that. We're not worried. Our perception is what we think about ourselves. Football is very much about opinion. All we try to do here is work well, work honestly and work hard."
Aside from points and wins and European football and trophies and stuff, that's about all we can ask from Liverpool, especially when their pattern over the past few seasons has been marked with disappointment and disinterest. Three wins out of three is a nice start, but that's all it is, and there's no question that Rodgers and company are going to have to rely on their work and resilience if they're going to make this season--not just its first few weeks--a success.