Houllier said: "We played well for an hour against Chelsea then the rest of the game was patchy. We followed that with a difficult game but a good result against Aston Villa but the football we played against Tottenham and Everton was more in relation what I expect from this team when you take into account the quality we have.
While optimism is rightly rife at Anfield following the recent upturn in performances, Houllier concedes that Blackburn will offer a stern examination of Liverpool's improvement.
"I remember we were 2-1 up and they scored a late goal to make it 2-2, so we probably let two points slip there but it happens some times. We were also 1-0 up against Blackburn at Anfield but lost another two points," added Houllier.
"They are a good side and I have a great respect for what they have achieved. They are a very offensive team and it promises to be a good offensive game I hope."
Another highlight of the mouth-watering fixture will, of course, be Markus Babbel's appearance for the Lancashire club against the side that deemed him surplus to requirements for the forthcoming season. Houllier, though, insists his focus is purely upon his own squad.
"I'm only interested in Liverpool and we will focus on our strengths rather than the other team's qualities," said the Frenchman.