Liverpool living on the edge - right to the last match

Outsiders we may be, but if we keep winning then it'll be the West Brom game before we're finally out of the running at the earliest; a pleasant change from the Novembers and Decembers of previous seasons which have seen us lose so much ground on the league leaders that you'd think we'd had a Paula Radcliffe pit-stop.

So there's much to be proud of, and yes I think we have made progress.

But I'm trying hard not to think about the possibility that this will ultimately be another season where we end up with our noses pressed against the window as the prizes are handed out to clubs other than our own.

The reasons behind us opening up at both ends are not hard to pin down.

It's clear that, to a certain degree, Rafa has released the hounds, and that the players are free to commit more in the opposing half.

The return of Torres has also lifted the whole side just like the presence of Ian Rush used to do: you know there's always a chance they'll pull something out of the bag.

Even without Gerrard, the Spaniard is just lethal; if he can't run on to Stevie's rapier-like through balls, he'll just have to smack in volleys and headers instead. World-class, and no mistake.

But for me equally important in explaining the recent goal glut has been the much-improved movement around the penalty area, and the inspired form of Yossi Benayoun.

The Israeli has shown us what he is capable of only in flashes in the past, and has too often flitted on the periphery of games when he should have been seeking to be at their heart.

In the last month or two though, he has been a revelation, his twisting runs into the penalty area drawing defenders' bodies and attention to him while others seek space for the cross or cut-back he nearly always produces.

He's not afraid to shoot either, and weighs in with more than his fair share of goals, including some improbable headers.

Here then is an example to Albert Riera.

Riera has had his moments this season, and was excellent at Chelsea, but it would appear that Rafa is beginning to lose faith in him, and we all know what that means: banishment to the hell that is occupied by Antonio Nunez, Mark Gonzales and Sebastian Leto.

There's no escape Albert, so find yourself some courage, trust in your ability, and take some risks.

As for the defence, well you hope that they will recover form before they cost us a game.

It's true that the sort of mistakes individuals made against Arsenal won't always be so brutally punished by the likes of Arshavin; but if we want to be among the medals next season, we need to adjust the thermostat back slightly towards 'cautious' while we still look so vulnerable down the wings.

A commitment to attack is one thing; ignoring obvious weaknesses is another.