🔗 Share this article

Only a few weeks back, Liverpool seemed set to secure back-to-back Premier League titles and potentially a further Champions League trophy. The team's ability to win without optimal performances seemed like the mark of true champions.

But, then the tide shifted. The Anfield side continued with mediocre showings and began dropping points. At the same time, Arsenal, known for their stubborn defense and squad depth, began narrowing the gap at the summit.

Defining a Slump in Today's Game

Does a trio of straight losses represent a collapse? As with most football debates, it hinges entirely on your definition of the key word. Was the United midfielder elite? How do you define "world class" even mean? Are Aston Villa a big club? What defines "big"? Are Manchester United back? Alright, perhaps that's a question we might answer.

For a club of this club's stature and previous campaign's excellence, a mini crisis appears a reasonable assessment. On a recent broadcast, ex- striker Neil Mellor was questioned how many defeats in a row would trigger panic. His reply was six. Currently, they are halfway to that point.

Pinpointing the On-Pitch Issues

One can observe clear tactical issues. Assimilating new additions like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who offer a distinct style to departed stalwarts Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, creates a difficulty. Likewise, incorporating a talented playmaker like Florian Wirtz has reportedly disrupted the engine room. Experts of the Bundesliga point out that Wirtz is a creative talent who improves those beside him, linking play effortlessly rather than forcing himself upon the game.

Additionally, a host of individuals who shone last season—such as Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are currently below their best. Actually, most of the team are. And they all have one profound, recent experience: the passing of their colleague and companion, Diogo Jota.

The Unseen Impact: Grief on the Field

We are now just over three months since the tragic loss of their friend. While the outside world progresses rapidly, shifting focus to other events, Liverpool's players continue going to work each day without their mate.

It is not possible to gauge how every player and member of the backroom team is dealing on any given day. There is a great deal of projection. Maybe Salah didn't track back in a particular match because he lacked energy. But maybe his form is down a small percentage points due to the fact he is grieving for his friend.

Chelsea's head coach, Enzo Maresca, commented eloquently before a fixture, drawing a comparison to his personal experience of the loss of a teammate, Antonio Puerta, while at Sevilla. "The way they are performing this season is fantastic," he said of Liverpool. "Particularly after the loss. I went through a very similar experience when I was a player two decades past."

"It is difficult for the squad, 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 spot vacant. So you have to be very strong. And this is the explanation why for me they are performing not well, but exceptionally well. Because they are trying to handle a problem that is not easy."

As summarized well on a popular supporter's show, the reminders are constant. They hear his song in the 20th minute, they notice his unused peg in the changing room. In the middle of games, a pass might be played and the realization arises: 'Oh, Diogo would have been there.' When the Egyptian was seen crying in front of the Kop a few games ago, it indicates that all is far from normal.

The Limits of Punditry and Human Emotion

After covering football for two decades, one comes to believe there is a fundamental superficiality in the majority of analysis. We genuinely cannot know how an player is feeling at any given time and how that impacts their performance. Jota's death is one of the clearest illustrations. We are aware a tragic event happened, and we comprehend the nature of grief. Beyond that lies an intangible layer of impact on different individuals at the organization. It is highly likely that some of the squad personally do not fully understand its influence from one day to the next.

The way the press covers this and how supporters dissect displays is clearly far from the primary thing. On a practical basis, bringing up Jota's death is challenging to do in a short soundbite before moving on to tactical concerns. Beyond this particular event and beyond Liverpool, it would seem strange to preface every critique of a footballer with an acknowledgment that we know so little about their private circumstances—be it their family situation, personal struggles, or relationship difficulties.

An ex- professional footballer, the defender, recently spoke on a broadcast about how his mother's death halfway through his career impacted his passion for the game. "I lost some joy in football as much," he stated. "The high points and the low points that accompany it no longer felt the same any more." And that was half a career; for Liverpool and Jota, it has been just three months.

The Final Point

So, regardless of what Liverpool accomplish this season—be it success or if it's nothing—whether or not we don't mention it whenever we analyze their fixtures, and even if it isn't the reason for their eventual result, we must remember that a short time ago they suffered the loss of not merely a brilliant player, but, crucially, they lost a dear friend.