Liverpool 4 Swansea City 1 - "10 thoughts" by Paul Natton

1. Get in!!! A proper Liverpool performance and result at last. This was easily the best display of a very disappointing first half to the season and surpassed the 3-0 victory over Spurs that was surely the beneficiary of the paucity that surrounded it in the praise it received. Caveats should be applied to this performance too of course, in terms of the quality of the opposition and the continuing propensity to make errors when defending; but this was a hugely enjoyable game and I'm made up for the players and especially Brendan, who has taken an inordinate amount of stick so far.

2. That said, the criticism (in content, if not always tone) has been deserved and this match does not represent the end of the many doubts that linger over this team. However, if you can't enjoy a game like this then you've got problems, in my view.

3. It's been said time and again this season, but we are nothing without tempo and aggression and it was so heartening to see both fundamental qualities back in spades. The constant pressing high up the pitch, the fizzed movement of the ball and the determination to get forward in numbers as quickly and as often as possible were all major factors in this result. From now on, we need to ensure that these qualities are pre-requisites for any transfer targets because without them we are supine.

4. To be fair to the transfer committee (now there's a phrase you don't hear very often these days) most of their summer recruits do have those qualities I've just mentioned. The only exceptions would be Balotelli and Lambert and, while the signing of the former was clearly a gross error, even despite the public admission of it being a gamble, the recruitment of Lambert was always about having a Plan B that didn't involve leaving a £35m young forward on the bench for most of the season.

5. It's now clear that time is beginning to help the new players; well, that and Brendan learning how to get the best out of them all. As I've said repeatedly over the years on TLW, mental fortitude is a massive factor in how a player settles and develops at Liverpool and the negative side of the eternally stratospheric expectations of fans and the microscopic degree of media scrutiny has been clear in the starts made by most, if not all of the new recruits. Certainly Markovic has shown recent signs of being more than the scared little boy he looked initially, Can looks like a very good addition now being cannily deployed as a footballing defender and the full backs are continuing to be what they always seemed: enthusiastic young talents who are improving with experience and support. Hopefully Lovren can regain some semblance of composure and eventually return to show the form upon which we based his signing.

6. The one player about whom there have been few doubts is Adam Lallana. Certainly many of us were bemused by his inconsistent selection and subsequent deployment on the margins of the pitch, but his quality was clear to every Red I spoke to. What's changed for him now is the way he's being used. Brendan's 343 allows Lallana and Coutinho to play between the lines and exploit their sublime close control and eye for a pass in the space and confusion created by their pressing and Raheem's pace. Last night saw Lallana deliver an exemplar performance in that regard because his first goal was entirely down to hard work and persistence, pressing Fabianski, as he did, from a starting point inside the centre circle. His second though was a thing of beauty that saw the three men in our forward line each make a significant contribution to what was a very classy goal: Coutinho's skill and vision created the opening for Lallana, Sterling's run took the defenders away and Lallana's composure and finish sealed the deal. Wonderful football.

7. What now? Clearly we need to build on this and the prospect of Sturridge returning into this set up in the next few weeks is mouthwatering. That said, major obstacles to a top four finish (which has to remain our goal) persist. We must sign a new goal keeper in the forthcoming window as the ones we've got are patently not up to the task. If there is a goal keeper available out there who can cope with both the pressure of playing for Liverpool and the requirement to be great with his feet whose name isn't Victor Valdes, then we should snatch him up immediately. If not, then how about we accept that Valdes is a no brainer in our current situation and worry about his wages and age at a later date from a position of greater strength? He would simultaneously tighten us up at the very back, inspire confidence and improvements in the defence and make us more effective in getting the ball forward quickly, which our attacking game is so suited to.

8. Furthermore, we must have more options at centre forward who can play with pace and aggression. Don't ask me who that should be because it's not my job to know. What I do know though is that: a) Balotelli, Lambert and Borini are not the men for this set up; b ) Sterling must be protected at his age from playing every week - look at Michael Owen for evidence of the dangers in that approach; and c) Daniel Sturridge's fitness will always be unreliable. I know we've got Origi coming in the summer, but you cannot have too many top class options and at the moment, we've not got enough.

9. My final observation of what we now need (although I don't foresee it happening) is a new Steven Gerrard in the middle of the pitch. Yes, I'm now on the Paul Pogba bandwagon. Even at his ridiculously prodigious age, I'd throw everything at getting him as soon as possible because he has everything we're looking for in a central midfielder. Clearly he'll move to Madrid next, so we need to find "the new Paul Pogba" (yes, I know he's only 21, but you know what I mean) as soon as possible. An all-action player in the middle of this team would shore up the back line and enhance the attack, as well as cement this entire aggressive, high tempo and high pressure style of football once and for all.

10. I can't wait for the Leicester game now. Yes, we'll be without Skrtel and, possibly Sterling, but let's not forget that this win and performance was achieved without Suarez, Sturridge or Gerrard. As long as we keep those fundamentals to our game of pace, aggression and tempo, we'll be a threat to anyone. Come on you Reds!!!

Paul Natton

@OxtonSoulBoy