🔗 Share this article

Only a couple of weeks back, the Merseyside club appeared set to secure back-to-back Premier League titles and potentially another Champions League crown. Their ability to win despite not peak performances felt like the hallmark of true champions.

But, then the tide shifted. Liverpool persisted with mediocre showings and began dropping points. Meanwhile, the North London club, known for their resolute backline and squad depth, began narrowing the distance at the top.

Defining a Crisis in Today's Game

Does three consecutive defeats represent a collapse? As with many sporting discussions, it depends entirely on your definition of the key term. Is Paul Scholes elite? What does "world class" even mean? Are Aston Villa a big club? What constitutes "major"? Is the Old Trafford outfit returned to prominence? Well, perhaps that is one we can answer.

For a club of Liverpool's size and previous campaign's brilliance, a mini crisis seems a reasonable assessment. During a broadcast, ex- striker Neil Mellor was asked how many defeats in a row would cause panic. His answer was six. Currently, they are halfway to that particular point.

Identifying the On-Pitch Issues

There are clear footballing problems. Assimilating recent signings like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who offer a distinct style to previous key players Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, creates a difficulty. Similarly, blending in a gifted playmaker like Florian Wirtz has reportedly unbalanced the midfield. Observers of the Bundesliga note that Wirtz is a creative talent who elevates those beside 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, the majority of the squad are. Yet every one of them share one profound, recent experience: the passing of their teammate and companion, Diogo Jota.

The Invisible Effect: Grief on the Pitch

It has been just over three short months since the devastating passing of their teammate. Although the outside world moves on rapidly, shifting attention to global events, Liverpool's squad carry on going to work day after day without their mate.

It is impossible to know how each individual and member of the backroom team is dealing on any given day. There is a significant amount of speculation. Perhaps Salah didn't track back in a recent match simply he lacked energy. But perhaps his form is down a few per cent because he is grieving for his pal.

Chelsea's head coach, Enzo Maresca, commented insightfully before a recent, drawing a parallel to his own experience of losing a teammate, Antonio Puerta, when at Sevilla. "The way they are doing this season is remarkable," he said of Liverpool. "Particularly after the loss. I went through a very similar thing when I was a player 20 years ago."

"It is difficult for the players, it's not easy for the organization, it's not easy for the coach when you arrive at the training ground and you see every day that place empty. So you have to be incredibly resilient. And this is the reason why for me they are performing not good, even better than good. Because they are trying to handle a situation that is not easy."

As summarized 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 peg in the changing room. In the middle of games, a through ball might be made and the thought arises: 'Oh, Jota would have been there.' If Salah was seen crying in front of the Kop a matches ago, it indicates that all is far from normal.

The Boundaries of Punditry and Personal Grief

Having covering football for two decades, one realizes there is a fundamental lack of depth in the majority of punditry. We simply cannot know how an individual is coping at any specific moment and how that affects their play. Jota's passing is one of the clearest illustrations. We know a terrible event happened, and we understand the nature of sorrow. Beyond that lies an intangible layer of impact on different people at the organization. It is very possible that some of the players themselves do not fully grasp its effect from one moment to the next.

The way the press reports on this and how supporters dissect displays is obviously not the most important thing. On a functional basis, bringing up Jota's passing is difficult to accomplish in a brief soundbite before transitioning to tactical issues. Outside of this particular tragedy and beyond Liverpool, it would seem strange to preface every critique of a player with an acknowledgment that we are largely ignorant about their private circumstances—be it their family situation, health struggles, or marital difficulties.

A former professional player, Nedum Onuoha, recently talked on a broadcast about how his mother's passing midway through his career affected his passion for the game. "I lost some joy in football as much," he said. "Some of the highs and the lows 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 short months.

The Concluding Point

Therefore, whatever Liverpool achieve this season—be it success or if it's nothing—even if we don't mention it whenever we analyze their matches, and even if it is not the sole cause for their eventual outcome, we must remember that a short time ago they suffered the loss of not just a exceptional player, but, more importantly, they said goodbye to a dear friend.