This Liverpool is the most pure, uncut essence of Rodgers so far

The Guardian/LondonIt is no more than a handy coincidence but there was an unavoidable resonance about Liverpool’s first post-Balotelli performance at the Emirates Stadium on Monday night.Just as the ultimate “haircut player” heads back on loan to Milan – it seemed poignant that Liverpool should produce not only a third clean sheet in a row but an urgent, industrious performance that underlined the suggestion of a team once again in meaningful transition.The two events are of course unconnected. Balotelli was simply wrong for Liverpool, a terrible fit for a manager who prizes movement and adaptability in his forward line and who never had the time or the patience to bend the most listless, room temperature of maverick footballers to his will.What was clear during the 0-0 draw at the Emirates is that Brendan Rodgers has maintained his own remarkable thirst for on-the-hoof rebuilding. Liverpool’s manager may still be waiting for his first trophy but he has now achieved the remarkable feat of conjuring up four significantly different teams in four seasons at the club, in each case out of an unavoidable shemozzle of revolving personnel and evolving tactics.First up was the light, neat, Swansea-flavoured Liverpool of his first year at Anfield. After that came the Luis Suárez-driven attacking machine, with its thrilling, doomed title challenge. Then came last season’s stodgy sixth place, a season of defensive introspection that felt a bit like an extended Viking funeral for a single, indigestible superstar presence.This time around, post-Gerrard, post-Balotelli, post-Sterling, Rodgers has had a tournament-free summer to concoct not only his fourth Liverpool team but perhaps his most intriguing. Make no mistake: whatever Liverpool produce from here it will at least be pure, uncut essence of Brendan, a team no longer bound up with leftovers from someone else’s grand plan.In Rodgers’ first year at the club Jamie Carragher and Joe Cole were still knocking about the place. Suárez was a thrilling presence one year, a potent absence the next. Managing Steven Gerrard wasn’t so much a footballing challenge but a matter of overseeing, with as little collateral damage as possible, an epic, slow-burn sentimental goodbye.No more, though. This is undeniably a Rodgers team now. Of Liverpool’s 18-man squad at the Emirates only Martin Skrtel and Lucas Leiva were signed as first-team players by somebody else. It will take time – and the team will evolve further as players return from injury – but after three Premier League matches it is hard to avoid the impression that this is the gnarliest, most resolute, most obviously team-like Rodgers team to date.Without the need to accommodate Gerrard, who was never a very disciplined – or by the end very mobile – central midfielder, Liverpool were able to field a genuinely high-pressure central midfield three. Before the match Rodgers had suggested his team would pass up dominating possession in favour “dominating space”, which as boilerplate football-blah goes certainly makes a change from all the lads going out and giving 130%. The desire to stay compact was clear from the start, however, with Emre Can, Lucas and James Milner providing a gristly central fulcrum, assisting Arsenal in their desire to give the ball away by closing down the space, and often retaining the ball well with simple, patient passing.Liverpool’s physical power was notable throughout. This is a team of athletes, with strength and mobility and defence and attack, and with a pair of Brazilian inside-forwards prepared to scuttle and harry between the lines. Liverpool made almost half as many passes as Arsenal but they made more tackles, won more aerial duels and often outmuscled their opponents in the clinches.Christian Benteke has already made a difference. Against Arsenal he was a mobile, menacing presence, making runs right across the forward line and showing a fine touch. Without really seeming to play an airborne game, Benteke won an astonishing 16 aerial challenges and was by some distance the most adhesive, mobile centre-forward on the pitch.Arsène Wenger has often complained there simply aren’t enough high-class centre-forwards out there. Well, he saw one on Monday night.