1. Nothing was the same.
Brendan Rodgers cut a concerned figure on the touchlines at Upton Park, and rightly so. In comparison to last season's blitzing attack, this year - Liverpool have struggled up front in all but one performance. When they had both Mario Balotelli and Daniel Sturridge, finer things seemed around the corner - but with either or, the Reds have struggled. After failing to get the best out of Balotelli as a single striker, Rodgers paired Fabio Borini with him to add some more pace, movement and to give the summer signing someone to work off up top. Unfortunately, the plan back-fired. Massively. Within 10 minutes, they were 2-0 down and on the back foot, neither got a look in further forward. Whilst Balotelli, for the fourth game running, showed promising glimpses but failed to maintain his flashes for 90 minutes - Borini was vacant. The all-Italian front-two was poor, and the club's goal came through teenage sensation Raheem Sterling instead. Balotelli scored in mid-week with a neat finish, but this time found chances hard to come by and whilst that is by no means to say he wasn't good enough - Liverpool fans are still a little underwhelmed by the 24-year-old for all of his improved attitude and work ethic, he has little end product to show for it. The Reds lived last season off their liveliness, constant movement and the nuisance of Luis Suárez, who single-handedly seem to create and score every game. This season, a new way of playing has meant a slower build-up, more long balls and less of those quick starts that blew opponents away last year. Every game post-January, the Reds were flying out of the blocks and no-one knew how to handle it (bar Chelsea) but this season, it's slower, it's more patient and there's a little less excitement. As a consequence, the results just aren't following as smoothly as they did last year.
2. Except defensive issues.
Point one may have been a lie in terms of defensive worries, in which we've seen them all before in the past few months. No confidence, a number of mix-ups and miscommunications and individual errors and another defeat. It's becoming all too similar at the back, and Simon Mignolet is as much to blame. Notably, he was caught in no man's land for the second goal as Diafra Sakho's chip beat him all ends up and he didn't show any signs of improving on his lack of leadership inside his own box. Though he wasn't the sole person to blame, as bar Alberto Moreno, all Liverpool's defenders were guilty of issues. Martin Skrtel was heavily at fault for marking nobody for the opening goal, stood in acres of space and allowing two clear headers where his aerial presence could have helped prevent a goal. Mamadou Sakho's header for the third goal, was aimless, although the midfield was also nowhere to be seen. Dejan Lovren too, has yet to convince the critics who questioned his £20 million fee. Javier Manquillo too, who has been impressive, was brought off early after being outmuscled by West Ham's dynamic forward trio. The defence has not yet had time to gel, with everchanging faces and that has certainly contributed but as even Jamie Carragher has pointed out - they now actually look worse than last year. Whether the problem is coaching, who knows? But no matter who they cram into their back four, the problems persist. Perhaps it's the Reds' style and set-up, but it's an increasingly obvious flaw and it might just end up being fatal.
3. Midfielders still trying to find form.
As well as the defence, the midfield were again very disappointing against West Ham. Once the club's reliable game-changing skipper, Steven Gerrard has become more of a liability than defensive anchor in recent weeks. After impressing at times versus Ludogorets in Europe, the 34-year-old, perhaps as a toll of playing three games in a week, was even less mobile than usual and didn't even seem to showcase the best of his abilities with his passing considerably off target more than usual. He wasn't helped by having Lucas Leiva ahead of him, who isn't much more of a roaming midfield maestro, and so they lacked legs in comparison to the tireless Mark Noble and co. in the Hammers' midfield. There was no urgency, tempo or pressing - even with Jordan Henderson a part of it. Joe Allen's busy body in the middle was missed as Gerrard struggled to get a hold of the game. The game simply passed him by and if the Reds are to progress and move on from the Luis Suárez era, changes are going to have to be made to the system and it's personnel and it's becoming an increasing feeling that one of the victims of those changes may have to be Liverpool's perennial heartbeat in the centre.
4. Daniel Sturridge couldn't return quick enough.
Perhaps the most obvious of all, star striker Daniel Sturridge is sorely missed. He may have only been out three games, but it has been painfully clear that he hasn't been on the field. The movement and pace he can bring up front will make the world of difference and Balotelli has simply missed a partner of the same quality to link-up with. It's not exactly a secret that the club's best performance came when the two worked in tandem in a diamond away at Spurs, where Liverpool looked every inch the side they did towards the end of 2013-14. A huge part of that is Sturridge's ability to drop deep, be on the last man or push out wide and cause havoc with his pace, ability to beat a man and sheer clinical nature. When a draw at home to Southampton seemed inevitable, he popped up with the important flick into the far corner and Sturridge was often on hand to score important goals throughout last year. Without him, there aren't too many natural goalscorers in the squad, at least not consistent ones. The ex-Chelsea and Manchester City man who notched 21 goals in his last campaign is unfortunately made of glass, and is hampered by thigh injuries - meaning his return may not exactly be a long term solution to the club's problems. Still, his return may help add some of the fluency and togetherness that the Reds showed as they came 2nd, at least Rodgers will be hoping so.
5. Lallana switch made some difference.
The midfield was devoid of creativity and neat passing in the first half, as they panicked whenever they picked up possession and struggled to knit moves together. Because of this, Adam Lallana entered the field at half-time and was perhaps the side's most impressive player despite enduring a difficult start to his Anfield career. The playmaker, who shone as Southampton captain last year, has so far not been able to find the magic spark that meant he could change the game with a single touch last year. Maybe it's his price tag, or the pressure of moving to a bigger club, there could be plenty of explanations - but at Upton Park, Lallana started to show a little of what he can bring to the table. His passing and movement in the middle added some support for the likes of Raheem Sterling, and he also got back and defended well. He's Brendan Rodgers type of player, and he'll be hoping to add a similar impact in his future performances - as Liverpool looked twice the team in the second-half than they had in the first 45 minutes. In the final third, the Reds were much better - reverting to the style-of-play which saw them blitzkrieg teams last year. The England international will now be hoping that the difference he made will mean he features in the cup in midweek and perhaps even against Everton next weekend.