The Reds' Barclays Premier League title challenge fell just short, they were gallant quarter-final losers to Chelsea in the Champions League, while their campaigns in the domestic cup competitions had little time to get going.

Fans will certainly see 2008-09 as a qualified success and hopes have been raised that the league title could be a realistic possibility next time around.

Here we look at what Benitez must do to transform Liverpool from contenders to kings.

KEEP IT POSITIVE

Liverpool's season can be broadly split into three distinct parts - a brilliant start which took them top at new year; a subsequent, deflating run of two wins in seven league games which saw them overhauled; and a rousing finale which has so far brought nine wins in 10 unbeaten top-flight games. The latter period has been by far the most convincing and was sparked by a 5-0 aggregate demolition of Real Madrid. In the 4-0 second-leg hammering of the Spaniards you could almost see 11 lightbulbs switching on in unison, as the often conservatively-minded Reds realised they were good enough to bludgeon teams into submission, rather than throttle them. Given the way his team has performed since, Benitez appears to have been similarly illuminated and that epiphany must not be forgotten come August.

STRIKE IT LUCKY

The signing of Robbie Keane - which Benitez has suggested was taken out of his hands - failed lamentably to provide the partner-cum-understudy to Fernando Torres that Liverpool so glaringly needed. Dirk Kuyt has long since ceased to be considered as a frontline striker, while Ryan Babel and David Ngog are young and of debatable long-term value. High-class striking reinforcement is a must if the Anfield club are to maintain form for an entire season.

WING IT

The arrival of Albert Riera, a genuine and sometimes classy left winger, helped to change Liverpool's shape and they have stretched teams far more this season than previously under Benitez. Another on the right, where Kuyt toils admirably but with limited guile and zero inclination to find the bye-line, would improve things further.

KEEP ALONSO

The Kop left Benitez in no doubt of what they thought last summer when it looked as though Xabi Alonso could be sacrificed to finance a deal for Gareth Barry. After another excellent season - only the untouchable Steven Gerrard has been better - the Spaniard is adored even more, and any new central midfielders should only be brought in to supplement the current crop, the below-par Lucas aside.

BITE HIS LIP

There is nothing to be gained from indulging Sir Alex Ferguson in the mind-numbing playground tedium that constitutes Premier League managerial mind games. Benitez's 'facts' speech backfired badly and a touch more class and, therefore, gravitas would do nicely.