Liverpool FanZoner Richard Garnett feels Brendan Rodgers' side are adapting well to life without two huge names and a big change in formation.
It only seems like yesterday that Brendan Rodgers was found guilty of losing the plot with his Liverpool side that came so close to ending the club's league title drought last season.
Fast forward a couple of months and that self appointed football jury looks to have come to a premature conclusion. Welcome to modern football.
The loss of talisman Luis Suarez and prolonged injury to Daniel Sturridge would be a serious problem for any side and so it proved for Rodgers as his new signings failed to live up to expectations and hopes of replicating the form and charisma of the last campaign eroded at lightening speed.
But Rodgers made a change to his formation that brought confidence back to the side and since then, slowly but surely, Liverpool have started to return to the performance levels of last season, without Suarez.
More significantly though, Rodgers' evolving team is also now reaching those heights without another key Kop influencer - Steve Gerrard.
Since Gerrard announced his intention to leave the club for LA Galaxy at the end of the season it is like the shackles have been lifted off the young players in his shadow.
He may have been the backbone of Liverpool's successes over the past decade and a half but he is not the future.
In Phillipe Coutinho, Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson, Jordan Ibe and Sturridge, Rodgers has the talent and attitude at his disposal to rebuild a side that can dazzle and compete for the title in years to come.
He also has a diamond in Emre Can who, eventually, could fill the midfield void vacated by the club's departing captain.
The young German may be part of a defensive trio that has brought stability back to Liverpool's game, but it is surely only a matter of time before he is pushed into the engine room where his stunning potential will be ultimately realised.
With only one defeat in their last 16 matches in all competitions, the reds are in a good moment.
Simon Mignolet has found his confidence and looks a different player to the confidence-sapped bag of nerves at Turf Moor on Boxing Day. Even Mario Balotelli smiles now.
The five times champions of Europe may have feebly dropped out of the continent's premier competition in the group stage but unlike other seasons, the carrot of Champions League qualification for the eventual winners of the Europa League ensures that the tournament will be taken very seriously by all at Anfield.
The visit of Besiktas will be no easy obstacle to overcome and chances of a repeat of the 8-0 landslide inflicted on the visitors the last time they came to Anfield is next to none.
Jordan Ibe was cup tied for last week's trip to Selhurst Park but is eligible this time round and could hold the key to unlocking the Turkish defence.
His pace and direct approach will be problematic for Besiktas' slow fullbacks and one would hope that Liverpool could build an advantage before they head to Istanbul where they will find the task significantly tougher.
The club has a number of important fixtures at its door that will go some way to determining whether Liverpool's resurrection stays on course, including league games against Southampton and Manchester City.
But Rodgers' reds are showing character and togetherness that suggests they are ready to tackle whatever is thrown at them.
There is much hyperbole about Liverpool winning the FA Cup for Steven Gerrard. As nice as that would be, the reality is that the players should really look to land silverware to lay the foundations for a new period of success without him.
By Liverpool FanZoner Richard Garnett. Follow him on Twitter here, and don't forget you can follow @FanZone too!
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