Some thoughts on Liverpool 2 West Ham 0 by Paul Natton

1. So the run of good performances and decent results continues. I know their record at Anfield is about as bad as you could ever hope for, but West Ham beat us well at their place back in September and were above us in the league prior to kick off having had their best run of form under Allardyce. We were pretty comfortable yesterday though and added another clean sheet to make it three on the bounce - the first time that's happened since the start of last season.

2. Is it the system, is it individual form or is it new players settling in that's led to the improvement? Probably all three. However, this system has coincided with the significant turnaround in results and performances and seems to suit the players we have and the balance of the squad better than any other.I was slightly worried about it leaving us vulnerable down the flanks with the wide midfielders being so attack orientated.

However, it hasn't transpired that way as the centre halves have become adept at shuttling across to nullify any threat from those areas and the centre mids are adroit at filling in the gaps. Clearly also, as Rodgers has consistently said and proven in his two and half years at Liverpool, when he has sufficient time on the training pitch with players, they adapt to his plans well and things improve - and that's been born out this season too.

3. The break for Raheem Sterling looks like a canny piece of management. The misconceptions around the whole "A teenager is tired???" hysteria have been made to look embarrassingly simplistic now the benefits of his holiday are clear for all to see on the pitch and in the scoring charts. He is fresh and firing and there's no doubt in my mind that the opportunity to get away from the pressure cooker for a bit of rest and relaxation is why.

This was never about his physical robustness though; rather it was about the pressure of playing for Liverpool and England under the weight of ridiculous expectations of a (then) teenager. Fans and pundits alike constantly dismiss or even fail to recognise the fact that stress is a very real condition everyone has to deal with and that it can have physical manifestations when it becomes too much. The opportunity to give his brain a rest has clearly worked for Sterling though, so well done Brendan.

4. Mignolet's improved form continues to be encouraging: the kicking is more purposeful (if not quite powerful enough) and his decisive command of his area, dramatically improved communication with teammates and much greater self-confidence were all on show once again after his excellent display against Chelsea.

There were also clear signs yesterday that there is a growing trust and understanding developing between the keeper and his back three that is mutually beneficial with one moment where Sakho ducked out of a header under instructions from Mignolet a case in point. Even a month ago, none of our centre halves would have trusted a shout from him even had he been coming for the ball or a shout been audible.That all said, he's not where we need a Liverpool goal keeper to be yet by any means, but I am very encouraged. For any keeper to come back from the ignominy of being publicly dropped with better form is impressive but to do so at Liverpool especially so.

5. Two olds boys were back yesterday and neither one gave me any cause to regret their departure. I was never a fan of Stewart Downing when he was at Liverpool, seeing a player whose possession of every technical quality you'd want in a forward player fundamentally undermined by a lack of heart. Murmurings of resurgent form at West Ham were blown out if the water by his reversion to type yesterday, putting in a typically supine performance where retreat was the better part of his valour at all times.

However, while I was never wildly pro-Carroll, I did harbour hopes that Kenny had seen signs of a new Alan Shearer in him when we paid all that money. However, as with all players who "enjoy socialising" he's perennially injured, with yesterday a case in point. Furthermore, he's nothing more than a blunt instrument really; a battering ram with a half decent touch. The battering ram part of that description was visible in his crude assault on Emre Can (he knew where the player was when he put that elbow there) and so it was a case of just desserts when another crude lunge on the same player in the second half resulted in him going off. He's an ale house player in more than one meaning of the phrase.

6. Daniel Sturridge: thank goodness he's back! He just oozed class yesterday in his 25 minute cameo with his body language speaking of a man entirely at ease with both the expectation and adulation that was poured upon him as he entered the field of play. This is a man who is supremely confident in his own ability and that ability was there for all to see in the sublime first touch and lethal strike at the near post that gave us our second goal of the day.

He was moving freely and showed his burst of pace has been undimmed by his lengthy lay off in a moment when he shot past Winston Reid to the byline as if he wasn't there. The canny little touches and crafty one twos were on show as well and it was obvious from the second he came on that he adds several more dimensions to our attacking play than we have without him.

Don't get me wrong, Sterling and Coutinho have been great in his absence, but he's a different beast entirely: a genuinely world class talent who only needs one chance to score. Assuming he can stay fit, we've now got a very good chance of top four and trophy.

7. We suddenly seem to have lots of very exciting attacking options allowing us to rotate the squad while maintaining our form. This was a team without Steven Gerrard and where Markovic was largely ineffective. Furthermore, we were offered another glimpse of yet another potentially very exciting young talent in Jordan Ibe's short run out where he looked fast, skilful and direct: everything you want young forwards to be.

8. The season seems to have been going on forever (yesterday was our 36th match of the campaign), but there's still plenty to play for, not least in the coming weeks with a glut of big games on the horizon. I'd hope we can brush Bolton aside on Wednesday to progress onwards in the FA Cup before the derby next weekend (Stevie's last) and onto a run of seven league games, five of which are against sides above us in the table.

As well as all that, there's the Europa League to contend with too. There's a reason they call this the business end of the season and it's great to see us seemingly coming into form at just the right time to do it justice.9. Come on you Reds!!!

Paul Natton

@OxtonSoulBoy