Although there may be no great expectation that Liverpool will offer a top-four challenge this season, let alone have a title tilt, events on the pitch at Anfield may still prove to be attractively diverting in a league likely to be contested by the usual suspects. Brendan Rodgers' attempts to impose the tiki-taka style of play that won him so many plaudits at Swansea and ultimately the Liverpool job will make for compelling viewing - whichever way the cards fall.
Rodgers' success in getting Swansea to play a brand of football based on Barca principles flew in the face of conventional wisdom that such football could only be played by high-quality players, schooled from youth in that possession and pressing approach. It's a wisdom that admires what the Catalans have done but believes that while elements can be integrated into the way you play, emulating the whole package is impossible without the likes of messrs Iniesta, Xavi etc. Hence few, if any, seem to even try.
Last season, Rodgers appeared to turn that overawed thinking on its head. Working with a squad of low-profile players. Building on the good work of previous managers at the club, he brought tiki-taka to south-west Wales. Liverpool's owners have pinned their hopes on him repeating the trick at Anfield with a better calibre of player, eventually returning the club to the top four at least.
The Northern Irishman's attempts to communicate his vision and values to the egos at Anfield will be one of the most interesting narratives of the 2012/13 season - and if last week's slick thrashing of an admittedly poor FC Gomel is anything to by, Rodgers seems to be getting his message across.
The Europa League defeat of the Belarus side hinted heavily at what we are likely to see from Liverpool this season and at how absorbing Liverpool might become to watch. The high defensive line and the tactics of pressing and possession - whilst all still works in progress - were all very much in evidence.
Also of interest were the team selection and formation. In terms of personnel, it would appear that swapping Joe Allen for Jonjo Shelvey, the XI who started against Gomel will be his first-choice side, suggesting that the likes of Andy Carroll, Charlie Adam and Jordan Henderson will have to content themselves with a place on the bench for the time being.
In terms of formation, Rodgers introduced an interesting lopsided 4-2-3-1 set-up - in which Lucas Leiva and Shelvey prompted and covered from the base of midfield, Stewart Downing hugged the right touchline, Luis Suarez and Fabio Borini rotated between the centre-forward and a narrow left-sided position and Steven Gerrard roamed free in an advanced role. Gerrard's remit should enthuse Liverpool fans, with Rodgers returning the skipper to the kind of attacking areas that saw him thrive under Rafael Benitez. In fact, watching the game, you got the impression that the team is set up with the aim of getting the most out of Liverpool's two best attacking threats in Suarez and the England captain.
The mobility and game intelligence required to make the fluid front four system work would certainly give credence to the belief that Rodgers does not really see a future for Carroll at Anfield. Moreover, the work rate required by whomever fills the two central midfield positions would also suggest that Charlie Adam will be shown the exit door.
All in all, there's obviously still plenty of work to do - with a pressing need to bring in more players capable of playing the Rodgers way in a number of positions. But with the manager laying out the foundations of his vision, it will be most interesting to see how this Liverpool side evolves over the season and as the players attempt to realise the Rodgers blueprint.
Paul Little - he's on Twitter here
