🔗 Share this article

Just a couple of weeks back, Liverpool seemed set to secure back-to-back Premier League titles and potentially another Champions League trophy. Their capacity to secure victories without optimal performances felt like the mark of true title-winners.

However, subsequently the tide shifted. The Anfield side persisted with average showings and began dropping matches. At the same time, Arsenal, renowned for their stubborn backline and strength in depth, began closing the distance at the summit.

Defining a Crisis in Modern Football

Does three straight defeats represent a collapse? As with many sporting discussions, it depends completely on your interpretation of the central term. Was the United midfielder elite? How do you define "world class" actually signify? Are Aston Villa a big club? What constitutes "big"? Are Manchester United returned to prominence? Well, maybe that is one we might answer.

For a club of this club's size and last season's excellence, a minor crisis seems a fair assessment. During a radio show, ex- striker Neil Mellor was questioned how many losses in a row would cause panic. His answer was six. Currently, they are halfway to that particular threshold.

Identifying the Tactical Issues

There are clear footballing issues. Integrating new signings like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who offer a different skill set to previous key players Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, presents a challenge. Likewise, incorporating a talented playmaker like Florian Wirtz has reportedly unbalanced the midfield. Experts of the Bundesliga point out that Wirtz is a technical player who elevates those around him, connecting play seamlessly rather than imposing himself on the game.

Furthermore, a host of players who excelled last campaign—such as Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are now below their best. In fact, most of the squad is. Yet they all have one profound, fresh event: the passing of their colleague and friend, Diogo Jota.

The Unseen Impact: Grief on the Pitch

We are now just over three months since the tragic loss of their friend. While the outside world progresses rapidly, diverting focus to global events, the club's squad continue going to work each day in the absence of their mate.

It is not possible to know how each individual and staff member is coping from one day to the next. It requires a great deal of projection. Maybe Salah failed to defend in a recent match simply he was tired. Or perhaps his form is down a few percentage points because he misses his pal.

Chelsea's head coach, Enzo Maresca, commented eloquently before a fixture, drawing a comparison to his personal experience of the loss of a fellow player, Antonio Puerta, when at Sevilla. "How they are doing this campaign is fantastic," he said of Liverpool. "Especially after Jota's loss. I lived a very similar experience when I was a player two decades past."

"It is difficult for the squad, it's not easy for the organization, it's not easy for the manager when you come to the training complex and you see every day that spot vacant. So you must be very strong. And this is the reason why for me they are doing not well, even better than good. Because they are trying to handle a situation that is not easy."

Just as summarized succinctly on a popular supporter's show, the memory triggers are ongoing. They hear his song in the 20th minute, they see his empty peg in the changing room. Even during games, a through ball might be played and the realization arises: 'Ah, Jota would have reached that.' When the Egyptian showed emotion in front of the Kop a few games ago, it indicates that everything is not all right.

The Limits of Punditry and Personal Grief

After reporting on football for two decades, one comes to believe there is a inherent lack of depth in the majority of punditry. We genuinely cannot know how an individual is feeling at any given moment and how that impacts their play. Jota's passing is one of the clearest examples. We know a tragic event occurred, and we comprehend the nature of sorrow. Beyond that lies an intangible layer of impact on various individuals at the organization. It is highly likely that some of the squad themselves don't fully understand its influence from one day to the next.

The way the press reports on this and how supporters analyze performances is obviously not the most important thing. On a functional basis, mentioning Jota's death is challenging to do in a brief segment before moving on to tactical issues. Beyond this particular event and beyond Liverpool, it would seem bizarre to preface every criticism of a player with an acknowledgment that we know so little about their private circumstances—be it their family situation, health challenges, or relationship difficulties.

An ex- pro player, the defender, lately spoke on a broadcast about how his mother's passing midway through his playing days affected his passion for the game. "I didn't enjoy football as much," he stated. "The highs and the low points that come with it didn't really feel 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 in the coming months—be it success or failure—whether or not we don't mention it every time we discuss their matches, and even if it is not the sole reason for their eventual outcome, we should not forget that a short time ago they lost not just a brilliant player, but, crucially, they said goodbye to a friend.