More things change, more they stay the same
Throughout Liverpool's pre-season programme, encouraging as the results and performances were, came a sense they were futile in an instructive sense.
One or two nuggets regarding individual players aside, we learned nothing, Jurgen Klopp's side often awesome in attack and alarming in defence.
And it took just eight minutes to rediscover the old frailties at the back when Liverpool faced their first corner of the Premier League season.
Stefano Okaka, unmarked, gleefully nodded in.
Watford's second, a mere two minutes and 41 seconds after Sadio Mane's equaliser, was arguably even worse, the kind of goal that could happen to anyone but seemingly happens to Liverpool more than is necessary.
As for the home side's third... it's just as well these analysis pieces have a word limit.
Small wonder, then, the previous interest in Southampton's wantaway centre-back Virgil van Dijk that will be reignited should the Saints decide they are open to offers.
Whatever it costs, Liverpool and Fenway Sports Group simply have to cough up.
And if it's not van Dijk – and Klopp, you suspect, remains confident the Dutchman will come – an alternative domineering, commanding centre-back must be considered.
Defending isn't just about personnel – in fact, as Gini Wijnaldum's 50p head demonstrated, it's not even just about defenders – it's also about coaching. But it's a lot easier to coach top-class defenders.
Liverpool need more of them. And quickly.
Mo time, mo danger
“What a waste of money!” chanted the Watford support after Mohamed Salah ballooned a glorious first-half chance into the Vicarage Road stands.
It had been that kind of afternoon for the Egyptian.
With all the hoo-ha over the thus far failed attempts to sign van Dijk and Naby Keita, it's easy to lose sight of the business that has been done by Liverpool this summer.
That said, club record signing Salah was the only one afforded a start here with Andy Robertson not even making the bench.
The forward line of Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino had fans salivating during pre-season.
Here, for most of the first half, it merely had them foaming at the mouth.
Yes, there was Mane's brilliantly-worked goal, but otherwise the attack malfunctioned horribly, Salah subdued.
Then the second half started and the new boy, like Liverpool, turned up.
His raw pace saw him reach Firmino's flick ahead of Watford goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes to win the penalty from which Firmino converted.
And, moments later, he latched on to the Brazilian's lob over Gomes to put the visitors into the lead.
Liverpool transformed, Salah transformed.
He could have had another two later on, but this was a tantalising glimpse of what could be to come, Salah's ovation from the away end on his late substitution richly deserved.
Room for a central reservation
Liverpool had played only three competitive games since their most recent visit to Vicarage Road back on May 1.
Much, though, has happened in the meantime.
That night, Philippe Coutinho hobbled off early on and was replaced by a returning Adam Lallana as the Reds eked out a narrow 1-0 win thanks to a stout defensive rearguard and Emre Can's wondergoal.
Of course, neither Coutinho nor Lallana were present this time, both stricken with injury although only one would sooner not pull on the red shirt again.
The midfield onus, then, was placed on Jordan Henderson, Emre Can and Gini Wijnaldum, a triumvirate that didn't smack of creativity.
So it proved.
Henderson – this, don't forget, his first competitive outing since February – took time to bed into the game, Wijnaldum even more so.
And while Can provided a clever flick for Mane's goal – there must be something about Vicarage Road that brings the flamboyance out of the German – his game is more graft than guile.
It seems churlish to criticise craft when Liverpool have scored three goals away from home.
But it's not without reason that Klopp is still seeking midfield reinforcements. Especially with Lallana lame and Coutinho in a huff.
Alberto the not bad, actually
Mere weeks ago, even the most speculative of punters would have thought twice before putting any sort of wager on Alberto Moreno still being at Liverpool for the start of the Premier League season, let alone seeing his name on the teamsheet.
Yet when the line-up was announced, there was the Spaniard.
Perhaps we shouldn't have been surprised given how Klopp has talked up Moreno during the summer and particularly hailed his performance against Bayern Munich in the Audi Cup.
Then there's the fact Liverpool turned down an £11million bid from Napoli for the player.
But one good outing in a friendly does not a player make, and few have longer memories than football fans.
Yes, Moreno could have done a bit better preventing the cross from which Abdoulaye Doucoure scored Watford's second.
This, though, was a more mature display from a player who you'd hope has realised he's long been drinking in the last-chance saloon.
James Milner, a late substitute here, will probably start against Hoffenheim in midweek.
But with Robertson bedding in, at least Klopp knows he has a reliable enough replacement to Milner at left-back. For now.
100 not out
Not quite a happy 100 for Jurgen Klopp, then.
The German was within minutes of a morale-boosting opening-day victory as he reached a century of games in charge at Anfield.
Yet the 101 match promises to be the most important of his tenure to date.
Klopp would argue every game is big, and point to two previous cup finals while at Anfield.
But reaching the Champions League group stage has become an imperative if progress is to be maintained.
The trip to Hoffenheim on Tuesday for the first leg of the qualifying play-off should offer little of the unknown to Klopp.
However, the evidence at Watford suggests there will be not much that could shock the Bundesliga side either.
Liverpool of 2017-18 are very much the same as Liverpool of 2016-17, the strengths remain strong, the weakness as apparent and at times horribly exposed as ever.
None of that can change in the next four days.
The challenge is now set. Klopp's side are going to have to clinch their return among the European elite in very much the same manner in which they earned the opportunity.