🔗 Share this article

Only a few weeks back, the Merseyside club appeared set to claim back-to-back Premier League titles and possibly a further Champions League crown. Their ability to win despite not peak displays felt like the hallmark of genuine title-winners.

However, subsequently the tide turned. Liverpool continued with mediocre performances and started dropping points. Meanwhile, Arsenal, renowned for their resolute defense and strength in depth, started narrowing the gap at the summit.

Defining a Crisis in Today's Game

Does three straight defeats represent a crisis? As with most sporting discussions, it hinges entirely on your definition of the central word. Is Paul Scholes world class? What does "world class" actually mean? Are Aston Villa a major club? What constitutes "major"? Are Manchester United back? Well, perhaps that is one we might answer.

At a team of this club's stature and previous campaign's excellence, a mini crisis appears a fair description. On a recent broadcast, ex- forward Neil Mellor was asked how many losses in a row would cause panic. His answer was six. Currently, they are midway to that point.

Identifying the Tactical Problems

There are obvious footballing problems. Integrating recent additions like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who offer a distinct style to previous stalwarts Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, presents a challenge. Similarly, blending in a gifted attacking midfielder like Florian Wirtz has reportedly unbalanced the midfield. Experts of the Bundesliga point out that Wirtz is a creative talent who improves those beside him, connecting play seamlessly rather than imposing himself upon the game.

Additionally, a number of individuals who excelled last campaign—including Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are currently underperforming. In fact, the majority of the team are. Yet they all share one significant, fresh experience: the tragic death of their teammate and friend, Diogo Jota.

The Unseen Impact: Grief on the Field

It has been just over three months since the tragic passing of their teammate. Although the wider world progresses quickly, shifting attention to global events, Liverpool's squad carry on training and playing each day without their friend.

It is not possible to know how every player and staff member is dealing from one day to the next. It requires a great deal of speculation. Maybe Salah failed to defend in a particular match because he was tired. Or perhaps his form is down a few per cent due to the fact he is grieving for his pal.

The London club's head coach, Enzo Maresca, commented eloquently before a recent, making a comparison to his own experience of the loss of a teammate, Antonio Puerta, while at Sevilla. "How they are doing this season is remarkable," he said of Liverpool. "Especially after Jota's tragedy. I went through exactly the same experience when I was a player 20 years ago."

"It's not easy for the squad, it's not easy for the organization, it's not easy for the manager when you arrive at the training complex and you find every day that spot empty. So you must be very strong. And this is the explanation why for me they are performing not good, but exceptionally well. Because they are attempting to handle a problem that is not easy."

Just as explained succinctly on a well-known supporter's show, the memory triggers are constant. They are reminded by his chant in the 20th minute, they notice his empty locker in the dressing room. Even during matches, a pass might be played and the realization arises: 'Ah, Jota would have been there.' When the Egyptian showed emotion in front of the Kop a matches ago, it indicates that all is far from all right.

The Boundaries of Punditry and Personal Grief

After reporting on football for twenty years, one realizes there is a inherent superficiality in the majority of analysis. We genuinely cannot know how an player is feeling at any specific time and how that impacts their performance. Jota's death is one of the most stark examples. We know a terrible thing happened, and we comprehend the nature of grief. But further lies an intangible layer of effect on various people at the organization. It is very possible that some of the squad themselves do not truly understand its influence from one day to the next.

The way the media reports on this and how fans dissect displays is obviously far from the primary factor. On a practical level, bringing up Jota's passing is challenging to do in a short soundbite before moving on to tactical issues. Beyond this particular tragedy and outside Liverpool, it would seem strange to qualify every critique of a footballer with an admission that we know so little about their private circumstances—be it their family situation, health challenges, or marital difficulties.

A former professional player, the defender, lately talked on a broadcast about how his mother's death halfway through his playing days impacted his love for the game. "I lost some joy in football as much," he stated. "Some of the high points and the lows that come with it no longer felt the same any more." And that was half a career; for Liverpool and Jota, it has been only three months.

The Final Thought

So, whatever Liverpool accomplish this season—if it's something or failure—whether or not we don't mention it whenever we discuss their fixtures, even if it is not the sole reason for their eventual result, we should not forget that a few weeks ago they suffered the loss of not merely a brilliant footballer, but, crucially, they said goodbye to a dear friend.