The Robins finished runners-up last season - their best league finish - but a dismal start to this campaign has left them in 16th place after nine games.
However, Alsop’s troops showed what they were capable of on Saturday as they cruised to a 2-0 home win over high-flying Gorleston - and the Robins boss thinks there is more to come.
“We’ve got back to playing the way we did last year,” he said.
“I’ve been missing a lot of players but on Saturday I had a strong squad. I would match us against anyone in the league with that side.
“We’ve got a lot of catching up to do but the season is still in its infancy. I’m looking upwards and I want us to go on a run of five, six, seven games now.
“We started poorly and some teams might think we’re cannon fodder but we’ll surprise them.”
Alsop added: “If we can finish top six with the budget we’ve got then we’ll be doing well, but I know the capability of my side and we can achieve even more than that.
“I want Ely to be that place where teams don’t want to go. That’s what it was last year.”
Striker Andrew Claydon gave the Robins a first-half lead on Saturday as he converted Adam Murray’s neat pass.
Nick Impey, continuing in his new central midfield role, sealed an impressive performance by doubling Ely’s lead mid-way through the second period.
“We were never really in trouble,” said Alsop.
“Gorleston are a good team with good players but we thoroughly deserved it. We were the better side for the whole game.
“One of these days we’re going to give someone a hiding because we’re playing really well.
Match report as printed in the Ely Standard