Liverpool's Current Difficulties: How Diogo Jota's Loss Impacts the Team

Only a couple of weeks ago, Liverpool appeared set to secure back-to-back Premier League championships and possibly another Champions League crown. Their ability to secure victories despite not optimal displays felt like the hallmark of genuine champions.

But, then the tide shifted. The Anfield side persisted with mediocre performances and started dropping points. At the same time, the North London club, known for their resolute backline and strength in depth, began narrowing the distance at the summit.

Defining a Crisis in Today's Game

Does a trio of straight losses represent a crisis? As with most football debates, it hinges completely on your interpretation of the key word. Is Paul Scholes world class? What does "world class" actually signify? Is the Birmingham club a major club? What constitutes "major"? Is the Old Trafford outfit returned to prominence? Alright, maybe that's a question we might answer.

For a club of Liverpool's size and last season's brilliance, a mini setback appears a reasonable assessment. During a radio show, ex- forward Neil Mellor was questioned how many losses in a row would cause panic. His answer was six. Currently, they are midway to that particular threshold.

Identifying the Tactical Problems

One can observe obvious footballing problems. Integrating new additions like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who offer a different style to previous key players Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, presents a challenge. Similarly, blending in a talented attacking midfielder like Florian Wirtz has reportedly unbalanced the engine room. Experts of the Bundesliga note that Wirtz is a creative player who elevates those around him, connecting play seamlessly rather than imposing himself upon the game.

Furthermore, a number of players who excelled last campaign—such as Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are currently underperforming. In fact, the majority of the team is. Yet every one of them share one profound, fresh event: the tragic death of their teammate and friend, Diogo Jota.

The Invisible Effect: Grief on the Field

We are now just more than three short months since the tragic loss of their friend. Although the outside world moves on rapidly, diverting focus to other matters, Liverpool's squad continue training and playing day after day in the absence of their mate.

It is impossible to know how every individual and staff member is dealing from one day to the next. It requires a significant amount of speculation. Perhaps Salah didn't track back in a recent match because he was tired. Or perhaps his form 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, making a comparison to his personal experience of losing a fellow player, Antonio Puerta, while at Sevilla. "The way they are doing this season is fantastic," he said of Liverpool. "Especially after the loss. I lived exactly the same experience when I was a player two decades past."

"It's not easy for the squad, it's not easy for the organization, it's not easy for the coach when you come to the training complex and you see every day that spot empty. So you must be incredibly resilient. And this is the explanation why for me they are performing not good, but exceptionally well. Because they are trying to handle a problem that is not easy."

As summarized succinctly on a popular fan podcast, the memory triggers are ongoing. They are reminded by his chant in the first half, they see his unused locker in the changing room. Even during games, a through ball might be played and the realization arises: 'Oh, Diogo would have been there.' If Salah showed emotion in front of the Kop a few games ago, it signals that all is not all right.

The Boundaries of Football Analysis and Human Emotion

After covering football for two decades, one comes to believe there is a inherent lack of depth in most analysis. We genuinely cannot know how an player is coping at any specific time and how that impacts their play. Jota's passing is one of the clearest illustrations. We are aware a terrible event occurred, and we comprehend the nature of sorrow. Beyond that lies an immeasurable layer of effect on different individuals at the club. It is very possible that some of the squad personally do not fully grasp its effect from one day to the next.

How the media covers this and how supporters dissect performances is obviously not the most important factor. On a functional basis, mentioning Jota's passing is challenging to accomplish in a short segment before moving on to tactical issues. Outside of this specific tragedy and outside Liverpool, it would seem bizarre to qualify every criticism of a footballer with an acknowledgment that we are largely ignorant about their private circumstances—be it their parental situation, personal struggles, or marital difficulties.

An ex- pro player, the defender, lately spoke on a broadcast about how his mother's passing halfway through his career affected his love for the game. "I lost some joy in football as much," he stated. "The high points and the lows that accompany it didn't really feel the same after that." And that was half a career; for Liverpool and Jota, it has been only three months.

The Concluding Point

Therefore, whatever Liverpool accomplish this season—be it success or if it's nothing—whether or not we don't mention it whenever we discuss their fixtures, and even if it isn't the cause for their eventual result, we must remember that a few weeks ago they suffered the loss of not just a brilliant player, but, crucially, they said goodbye to a dear friend.