If there is a vague and largely unfathomable law governing the art of managerial selection it is undoubtedly Sod's law. For it is often the case that even the most learned of coaches is at his most effective when his options are at their most limited.
Gerard Houllier is hardly one to tinker unnecessarily with the makeup of his team because he has always been acutely aware of the fragile nature of the modern-day footballer's ego; it is called man-management and the Frenchman is a fine exponent of what just might be a dying art.
Although Liverpool won comfortably enough against Slovan Liberec in the Czech Republic on Thursday there was, self-evidently, room for improvement.
And so the pack was shuffled. Out went such luminaries as Robbie Fowler, Christian Ziege and Jamie Carragher, all carried to the touchline by the wind of change.
With Dietmar Hamann inactive because of injury, this was a new-look Liverpool - yes, another newlook Liverpool - and, in truth, probably the one which average Joe Scouser would have marked down as his dream team.
Michael Owen returned to domestic action four weeks after a nasty head injury, Markus Babbel switched to right-back and, most significantly, Gary McAllister and Steven Gerrard were paired in central midfield for the first time.
Fitfully, the effect was both telling and absorbing as Liverpool shaped as if to sweep Coventry aside.
The irony was, that despite the presence of Owen and the on-fire Emile Heskey, Liverpool found it so difficult to transform water into wine; chances were created with piggish regularity only to be squandered.
Indeed had Liverpool converted, say, 25 per cent of the opportunities which fell their way in a disgracefully one-sided opening half, those in blue who worked so studiously to undermine the theory that Coventry teams at least give their all would have spent the interval discussing, not tactics but damage limitation.
Long before McAllister swept in a low and sweet drive against his former employers in the 13th minute, Coventry had moved to the cusp of capitulation.
Thereafter, the afternoon retained a semblance of a competitive edge only because Liverpool players queued up to make fools of themselves - Owen, Heskey, Vladimir Smicer, they were all at it.
At one point, in the minutes after David Thompson drilled home a magnificent shot from great distance, it did seem possible - just - that this alarming wastefulness might cost Liverpool the match. It did not because Coventry could not even conjure up a fightback when invited.
The game had appeared over when Gerrard headed in a McAllister corner on 51 minutes but it took Thompson's blissful strike to remind Liverpool there was still work to be done.
And done it was. Heskey's ninth and 10th goals of the season - a nice header and a delightful chip from the edge of the area, both in the final few minutes - finally placed daylight between two sides of quite differing merit.
"We have played a lot of games in a relatively short period of time so I am very, very happy with this result," said Houllier.
And so Liverpool again find themselves treading on the coattails of the leading two. As for Coventry, the annual fight for survival is now under way.
LIVERPOOL: Westerveld, Henchoz, Babbel, Smicer (Ziege 87), Heskey, Owen (Murphy 69), Hyypia, Gerrard (Carragher 78), Barmby, McAllister, Traore. Subs Not Used: Fowler, Arphexad. Goals: McAllister 13, Gerrard 51, Heskey 82, 87.
COVENTRY CITY: Kirkland, Williams, Shaw, Thompson, Chippo (Roussel 57), Hadji, Palmer, Breen, Bellamy, Guerrero (Edworthy 57), Strachan (Eustace 84). Subs Not Used: Hendry, Miller. Booked: Thompson. Goal: Thompson 56.
Referee: M Riley (Leeds).
