Liverpool may have faced trickier European ties down the years, but last night’s victory against Rabotnicki was a good start to the 2010-11 season. An inexperienced Reds side was spearheaded by Frenchman David Ngog who scored a brace to secure the 2-0 victory.

However, Liverpool’s season proper begins on August 15th with a tough Premier League opener against Arsenal at Anfield, followed by an away tie at Manchester City. Starts to the season don’t get much tougher than that and Liverpool will have an early opportunity to demonstrate whether they can once again be considered as top four contenders.

It is only really by the results on the pitch that we will fully be able to judge whether Liverpool are back on the right track, but if the current climate at Anfield is anything to go by, it looks as if Hodgson has made a more than solid start to his Anfield managerial career. Even prior to last night’s Europa League tie, Hodgson seemed to have brought some much needed reassurance to Anfield, following a very unsettling 2009-10 campaign. Players and fans alike seem to be impressed by both his appointment and his subsequent actions.

His most important initial project was to keep his two star players at Anfield, a task which looked near on impossible in June. But now with captain Steven Gerrard confirmed to be staying and Fernando Torres looking increasingly likely to follow suit (see here), Hodgson seems to have pulled off a minor miracle.

On the transfer front, Hodgson managed to persuade Joe Cole to leave London behind him and the opportunity to play Champions Legaue football with Arsenal or Spurs to head to the north-west. More big names will have to follow however. Milan Jovanovic had in principle already agreed to join Liverpool prior to Hodgson’s appointment, and if he can adapt to the pace of English football, could be one of the surprises of the upcoming season. The 29 year old Serb was widely considered as Standard Liege’s best player and was for long courted by Real Madrid. On this front, Hodgson skills will be tested in terms of integrating a talented continental player into the side, an area that predecessors Rafael Benitez and Gerard Houllier both failed on. Up and coming defensive talent Danny Wilson has also been added (see here) as Hodgson tries to build a more British squad.

Liverpool have been linked with the likes of Juventus defensive midfielder Christian Poulsen and various left backs throughout the last few weeks as Hodgson searches for replacements for the likes of Javier Mascherano and the inconsistent Fabio Aurelio and Emiliano Insua, who are also on their way out. A solid replacement for Mascherano in particular will be important if Liverpool are not to suffer another ‘Xabi Alonso effect’

Overall Hodgson has done much to give Liverpool fans a more optimistic outlook towards this season. He will be given time, in the Anfield tradition, to build his team and follow through on his vision for Liverpool Football Club as they aim to show that the 2009-10 season was a mere blip and not a sign of long term decline.

Highlights – Rabotnicki v Liverpool