🔗 Share this article

Only a few weeks back, Liverpool appeared set to secure back-to-back Premier League championships and potentially a further Champions League trophy. The team's capacity to win without optimal performances felt like the hallmark of true title-winners.

But, subsequently the tide shifted. The Anfield side continued with average showings and began losing matches. Meanwhile, the North London club, renowned for their resolute defense and squad depth, started closing the gap at the summit.

Understanding a Slump in Modern Football

Can three consecutive defeats constitute a crisis? Like many sporting discussions, it depends completely on your interpretation of the key word. Is Paul Scholes world class? What does "world class" actually mean? Are Aston Villa a big team? What defines "major"? Is the Old Trafford outfit back? Well, maybe that's a question we might settle.

For a club of Liverpool's stature and last season's excellence, a mini setback seems a fair description. On a recent broadcast, ex- forward Neil Mellor was questioned how many defeats in a row would cause alarm. His reply was six. At present, they are halfway to that point.

Identifying the On-Pitch Issues

One can observe obvious tactical problems. Assimilating new additions like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who offer a distinct style to previous key players Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, presents a challenge. Likewise, incorporating a talented playmaker like Florian Wirtz has reportedly disrupted the midfield. Experts of the Bundesliga point out that Wirtz is a creative talent who improves those around him, connecting play seamlessly rather than imposing himself on the game.

Additionally, a number of individuals who excelled last season—such as Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are now below their best. In fact, the majority of the squad are. And they all have one significant, fresh event: the tragic death of their teammate and friend, Diogo Jota.

The Invisible Effect: Loss on the Pitch

We are now just over three short months since the tragic loss of their teammate. While the outside world progresses rapidly, diverting attention to global events, the club's players continue training and playing day after day without their friend.

This is not possible to gauge how every individual and staff member is coping on any given day. There is a great deal of projection. Perhaps Salah failed to defend in a recent match because he lacked energy. Or maybe his form is down a small percentage points due to the fact he misses his pal.

The London club's head coach, Enzo Maresca, commented insightfully before a recent, making a comparison to his own situation of the loss of a teammate, Antonio Puerta, when at Sevilla. "The way they are doing this campaign is remarkable," he said of Liverpool. "Especially after the tragedy. I lived a very similar experience when I was a player 20 years ago."

"It is difficult for the players, it's not easy for the club, it's not easy for the coach when you arrive at the training complex and you see daily that place empty. So you have to be very strong. And this is the reason why for me they are doing not good, but exceptionally well. Because they are trying to deal with a problem that is not easy."

Just as explained succinctly on a popular supporter's show, the reminders are constant. They hear his chant in the 20th minute, they notice his empty locker in the changing room. Even during games, a through ball might be made and the thought arises: 'Ah, Diogo would have been there.' When the Egyptian was seen crying in front of the Kop a few games ago, it indicates that everything is far from normal.

The Boundaries of Punditry and Personal Grief

After reporting on football for two decades, one realizes there is a fundamental superficiality in the majority of analysis. We genuinely do not know how an individual is feeling at any specific moment and how that affects their play. Jota's death is one of the clearest examples. We know a tragic event happened, and we understand the nature of sorrow. Beyond that lies an immeasurable layer of impact on various individuals at the club. It is very possible that some of the players personally don't truly understand its effect from one moment to the next.

How the press covers this and how supporters dissect performances is clearly far from the primary factor. On a practical basis, bringing up Jota's passing is difficult to do in a brief soundbite before moving on to on-field issues. Beyond this particular event and beyond Liverpool, it would seem strange to qualify every criticism of a footballer with an admission that we are largely ignorant about their personal lives—be it their family situation, personal struggles, or relationship problems.

An ex- professional player, the defender, recently talked on radio about how his mother's passing midway through his playing days impacted his love for the game. "I lost some joy in football as much," he said. "The highs and the low points that come with it didn't really feel the same after that." And that was many years into his profession; for Liverpool and Jota, it has been only three short months.

The Final Thought

So, whatever Liverpool accomplish in the coming months—if it's something or failure—even if we don't mention it whenever we analyze their matches, even if it is not the sole cause for their eventual outcome, we should not forget that a few weeks ago they lost not just a brilliant player, but, crucially, they said goodbye to a friend.