🔗 Share this article

Just a few weeks ago, Liverpool seemed set to claim back-to-back Premier League titles and potentially a further Champions League trophy. The team's ability to win despite not peak performances felt like the mark of true champions.

But, then the tide turned. The Anfield side continued with average performances and started losing matches. At the same time, Arsenal, known for their stubborn defense and strength in depth, started closing the gap at the summit.

Defining a Crisis in Today's Game

Can three consecutive defeats constitute a crisis? As with many sporting discussions, it hinges entirely on your interpretation of the central term. Was the United midfielder world class? How do you define "world class" even signify? Is the Birmingham club a big team? What defines "big"? Are Manchester United returned to prominence? Well, perhaps that is one we can settle.

For a club of this club's stature and last season's brilliance, a mini setback appears a fair assessment. On a recent radio show, former striker Neil Mellor was questioned how many defeats in a row would cause panic. His reply was six. Currently, they are halfway to that particular threshold.

Identifying the Tactical Issues

There are clear footballing issues. Assimilating recent signings like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who offer a distinct skill set to departed key players Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, creates a difficulty. Likewise, blending in a gifted attacking midfielder like Florian Wirtz has reportedly disrupted the midfield. Experts of the Bundesliga point out that Wirtz is a technical player who elevates those beside him, linking play effortlessly rather than forcing himself on the game.

Additionally, a host of individuals who excelled last season—including Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are currently below their best. Actually, most of the squad are. And every one of them have one profound, recent event: the passing of their teammate and companion, Diogo Jota.

The Invisible Effect: Loss on the Field

We are now just more than three months since the tragic passing of their friend. While the outside world progresses rapidly, shifting focus to other events, Liverpool's players continue going to work each day in the absence of their mate.

It is not possible to gauge how each individual and staff member is dealing on any given day. There is a significant amount of speculation. Maybe Salah didn't track back in a particular match because he was tired. But perhaps his performance level is down a few per cent because he is grieving for his friend.

The London club's head coach, Enzo Maresca, spoke eloquently before a fixture, drawing a comparison to his own 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. "Particularly after the tragedy. I went through exactly the same thing when I was a player 20 years ago."

"It's not easy for the players, it's not easy for the club, it's not easy for the manager when you arrive at the training complex and you find daily that place empty. So you must be very strong. And this is the explanation why for me they are doing not good, even better than good. Because they are attempting to deal with a problem that is not easy."

Just as explained well on a well-known supporter's show, the reminders are ongoing. The players are reminded by his chant in the first half, they see his empty peg in the changing room. Even during games, a through ball might be made and the realization arises: 'Oh, Jota would have reached that.' If Salah showed emotion in front of the Kop a few games ago, it indicates that everything is far from normal.

The Limits of Punditry and Personal Grief

After reporting on football for two decades, one comes to believe there is a inherent superficiality in most analysis. We genuinely cannot know how an player is feeling at any given moment and how that impacts their play. Jota's death is one of the most stark illustrations. We are aware a terrible event happened, and we comprehend the nature of sorrow. Beyond that lies an immeasurable layer of effect on various individuals at the organization. It is very possible that a few of the players personally do not truly grasp its effect from one moment to the next.

The way the press reports on this and how fans dissect performances is obviously far from the primary factor. On a functional basis, mentioning Jota's passing is challenging to do in a brief soundbite before transitioning to on-field issues. Outside of this particular tragedy and beyond Liverpool, it would seem bizarre to qualify every criticism of a footballer with an admission that we are largely ignorant about their personal lives—be it their family situation, health struggles, or relationship problems.

An ex- professional player, the defender, lately spoke on a broadcast about how his mother's death midway through his career affected his passion for the game. "I lost some joy in football as much," he said. "Some of the high points and the lows that come with it didn't really feel the same any more." And that was many years into his profession; for Liverpool and Jota, it has been only three months.

The Final Point

So, whatever Liverpool achieve this season—be it success or failure—whether or not we don't mention it whenever we analyze their matches, and even if it isn't the cause for their eventual result, we must remember that a few weeks ago they lost not merely a exceptional footballer, but, more importantly, they said goodbye to a friend.