By staying the course, Liverpool put itself back on course in the Premiership

Slipping between the cracks earlier this week was the news that Liverpool had reported a profit for the first time in seven years. Barely back in the black, largely thanks to the latest blockbusting Premier League TV rights deal, there were other small victories: game-day revenue increased with solid gains on the commercial side, too.

And for John W. Henry, Tom Werner and all the other folks that make up the ownership side at Fenway Sports Group (FSG), there was a decrease in the $357-million debt they took on when buying the club back in 2010. Whisper it but the red side of the Mersey is solid underfoot after a testing and turbulent spell earlier this season.

Last year, I spoke with Billy Beane about short-termism in sport - how a crisis is always just one result away, how the bigger picture is usually lost in a haze of media hysteria.

“Any time you’re in a high-profile public business where there’s a lot of passion and emotion surrounding it, you’ve got to ignore all of the noise,” said the Oakland Athletics general manager and Moneyball guru. “Both good and bad.

“Plenty of times people will want to pat you on the back, just as they’re willing to criticize because of temporary results. No plan interrupted is ever successful. And any time you get resistance, if you’re willing to listen and give in, you’re probably not going be successful long-term. That’s the biggest challenge if you’re running a club – to ignore that temporary noise that exists when things aren’t perfect.”

When we chatted, the topic of Liverpool cropped up organically and Beane touched on the similarities between what Henry, his friend, had done at the Red Sox when he first arrived and the current strategy being deployed at his Premier League team: a focus on signing young players and hiring the right personnel to implement the plan. Since 2002, the Red Sox have won three World Series titles and essentially had two general managers – Theo Epstein and Ben Cherington.

At Anfield, there were some initial teething problems but once Roy Hodgson and Kenny Dalglish were both moved on, the style and philosophy of Brendan Rodgers complemented that of the American owners. When there were calls for the Northern Irishman to be sacked earlier this term, it was no great surprise to see FSG “ignore the noise”.

In this column back in November, when Liverpool had just suffered an embarrassing 3-1 league defeat to Crystal Palace and seemed past the point of rescue, I mentioned the uniqueness of Rodgers' position – losing the stardust qualities of Luis Suarez last summer, spending heavily on a collection of new additions and being without the game-winning capabilities of Daniel Sturridge because of a lengthy injury lay-off. It was a perfect storm that would eventually pass only if the team cured its defensive ills. And that's what Liverpool's subsequent recovery has been based around.

Since New Year's Day, the club has played 17 games and conceded 11 goals, allowing more than one on just two occasions. From those 17 games, the team has kept eight clean sheets. And the once-fragile back line has provided a stern and solid foundation, allowing confidence to swell and the creative, swashbuckling offensive talent to flourish.

With Sturridge back, Liverpool have a three-dimensional attacking unit once again. Watching him closely against Burnley on Wednesday night, he pirouetted neatly around tackles, fed a teammate and darted into dangerous zones in the area. Energy, purpose and movement – a short list so badly lacking for the team throughout much of the campaign.

Naturally, the new-found chest-out, chin-up attitude has affected other, often-frustrating individuals. Philippe Coutinho, a diminutive Brazilian wizard, is suddenly stamping his authority on games, taking them by the scruff of their necks. In successive league outings against Southampton and Manchester City, he conjured the type of inspirational moments that became commonplace when Suarez still ran loose and hungry and terrorized top-flight opponents. There's Jordan Henderson, too – such a maligned figure for the majority of his time at the club, repeatedly offering up mature and imposing performances, the captain's armband he's temporarily wearing seemingly fueling a new-found resoluteness.

Rodgers has his detractors. There were the David Brent comparisons when he first took over at the club – his cringe-worthy soundbytes cropping up frequently throughout the Being Liverpool documentary in particular. There was the way he handled Andy Carroll – Liverpool's misfiring record signing – the striker commenting recently on “losing respect” for Rodgers after his mixed messages and alleged poor man-management. The iconic Steven Gerrard may offer up a similar critique once when he heads to Los Angeles this summer – the way he's departing sure to leave a sour and long-lasting taste in his mouth. And there are the still-bitter memories of Anfield last spring, when Rodgers was foiled by Jose Mourinho and Liverpool allowed the Premier League trophy slip from their grasp.

But, the way he's turned the club's fortunes around this term deserves huge credit. He's had to alter the team's approach – placing an emphasis on functionality rather than fancy - and was forced into radically changing the formation, too. That’s something his counterpart at Manchester United - Louis van Gaal - will acknowledge isn't easy in English soccer. He's had to be patient and keep faith in those that hired him.

And in contrast to other club administrators who bow to the mindless demands of many so often, Henry and his cohorts have gone against type. As much as they may believe in Rodgers, they also believe in themselves. They believe in their decision-making acumen and the principles of successful planning and development. And they believe in drowning out the voices through a stubborn, steadfast refusal to listen.