Brendan Rodgers has challenged his players to prove they have the right mentality as the Reds attempt to bounce back from FA Cup disappointment when they travel to Arsenal on Wednesday.
Following defeat by League One Oldham at the weekend, the boss outlined the kind of character he wants in the Liverpool squad - and how he identifies it.
"I'm trying to piece together here a group who are mentally on the same wavelength," Rodgers explained."There are certainly question marks about the mental strength and not just in this period.
"They have to step up to the demands and do it week in, week out. If they don't they won't be here and that goes for both youth and senior players. This is a great season of learning for me in terms of what we have here."What I've found from working with players is that plenty of people tell you they care. The greatest benchmark and way I assess it is what people do physically. "People tell me: 'I want to be in your team, I want to play and do this or that'. I say 'okay', but the minute they walk out the door I look to see what they do physically."What you do physically is your commitment mentally."If they are one of the last
ones in in the morning and one of the first ones away in the afternoon, then really they don't care."
Rodgers selected a youthful XI for the FA Cup clash at Boundary Park, and expressed his disappointment with their performance in the immediate aftermath of elimination.On further reflection, the Northern Irishman warned his fledgling charges that it works both ways - they will be given all of the support they need, but must grab the opportunity handed to them.He added: "The young players know they have a manager here who is 150 per cent behind them."They have had great support since the first day I walked in here, but you can't be too nice to young players, especially the modern player.
"The modern player has been brought up differently to the likes of the Carraghers and the Gerrards. Being young doesn't exempt you from criticism."But they know they have a manager who will be up in the room going through their mistakes with them individually."We never leave them hanging out to dry. We will look at where they need to improve. But they have to understand the responsibility to play for such a club."You need resilience and steel.
"When you go to places like Oldham, you know what you're getting. It's not a Premier League game. You need to roll your sleeves up and fight. It was too soft.
"This is very much about the group. For me the pressure starts higher up the pitch, that's the first point. It was too easy for the ball to be played forward.
"There's a problem when it comes forward but there's always the root of the problem which for me was the pressure at the top end of the field. Can we stop
the ball coming forwards? Following defeat by League One Oldham at the weekend, the boss outlined the kind of character he wants in the Liverpool squad - and how he identifies it."I'm trying to piece together here a group who are mentally on the same wavelength," Rodgers explained."There are certainly question marks about the mental strength and not just in this period.
"When you go to places like Oldham, you know what you're getting. It's not a Premier League game. You need to roll your sleeves up and fight. It was too soft.
"This is very much about the group. For me the pressure starts higher up the pitch, that's the first point. It was too easy for the ball to be played forward.
"There's a problem when it comes forward but there's always the root of the problem which for me was the pressure at the top end of the field. Can we stop the ball coming forwards? That's not down to one player in particular, it's the front three or four. I don't want to single anyone out here as that's not how I work.
"As a group we have to take a greater responsibility."I was bitterly disappointed because the FA Cup was a competition we had really focused on doing well in."
Questioned on whether his team lacked the necessary physicality to cope with the Latics, Rodgers issued a confident riposte."We've been in many games where physical questions have been asked of us and we've come through that. We just have to be more consistent," the 40-year-old continued."Take Fabio Borini and Joe Allen, for example. If you ask people about Borini, they would say his biggest attribute is his physicality."His power and aggression - that's what he's renowned for. That's where his qualities lie but that's something he needs to improve on for us.
"As for Joe, I've seen him throw Yaya Toure to the ground in games last season. He has never been found wanting physically."For some players their power and strength is in their brain. Otherwise you would just have basketball players throughout your team."I don't think that as a team we are physically light or short in any way. I think it's mental and that's something we need to improve."with Barclays Premier League fixtures at Arsenal and Manchester City to navigate this week, there has been little opportunity for Rodgers and his side to dwell on the result at Oldham.
The boss accepted that the Reds were below-par when they tackled the Gunners earlier in the campaign but expects a much stronger showing this time around.
He concluded: "It's a very important game and one that we are capable of winning."When Arsenal played at Anfield earlier in the season we weren't at our best and deserved to lose, but we have made improvements since then."When our intensity and focus is right, we've shown we have great quality.
"When I changed the team on Sunday it showed our lack of depth. But it made it pretty clear what group we go forward with for these remaining games to try to get some success."
Fair enough ,but if you're going to criticise the kids ,ffs don't spare the horses on Joe Allen ...it wasn't just the kids that needed a chiding .
It would give his words a lot more credibility if he layed into Borini and Allen with the same voracity he does with our youngsters http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/rodgers-i-m-looking-for-right-mentality
his power and aggression 
