The Reds' Recent Difficulties: How Diogo Jota's Absence Continues to Affect the Team

Just a couple of weeks ago, Liverpool seemed set to claim back-to-back Premier League titles and potentially another Champions League crown. The team's capacity to secure victories despite not optimal performances felt like the hallmark of genuine champions.

But, then the momentum turned. Liverpool persisted with average performances and started losing points. Meanwhile, the North London club, renowned for their stubborn defense and squad depth, began closing the distance at the summit.

Defining a Crisis in Today's Game

Can a trio of straight losses constitute a crisis? As with many football debates, it depends entirely on your interpretation of the central term. Is Paul Scholes elite? How do you define "elite" even signify? Is the Birmingham club a major club? What defines "major"? Is the Old Trafford outfit back? Well, maybe that is one we might settle.

For a club of this club's size and last season's brilliance, a minor setback seems a reasonable description. On a recent radio show, former forward Neil Mellor was asked how many losses in a row would cause panic. His answer was six. At present, they are midway to that point.

Pinpointing the Tactical Problems

There are obvious tactical issues. Assimilating recent signings like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who provide a distinct skill set to previous key players Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, creates a difficulty. Similarly, incorporating a talented attacking midfielder like Florian Wirtz has reportedly unbalanced the midfield. Observers of the Bundesliga note that Wirtz is a creative player who elevates those beside him, linking play seamlessly rather than imposing himself on 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. In fact, the majority of the squad are. And every one of them share one significant, fresh event: the passing of their teammate and friend, Diogo Jota.

The Unseen Impact: Grief on the Field

We are now just more than three short months since the devastating passing of their friend. Although the wider world moves on quickly, diverting focus to other events, Liverpool's squad continue going to work day after day without their friend.

It is impossible to gauge how every player and staff member is coping from one day to the next. There is a great deal of projection. Maybe Salah failed to defend in a recent match because he was tired. Or perhaps his form is down a few percentage points due to the fact he is grieving for his friend.

Chelsea's head coach, Enzo Maresca, spoke eloquently before a fixture, drawing a comparison to his own experience of losing a fellow player, Antonio Puerta, while at Sevilla. "How they are performing this season is fantastic," he said of Liverpool. "Particularly after the loss. I went through exactly the same thing 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 manager when you come to the training complex and you find every day that spot empty. So you must be very strong. And this is the reason why for me they are doing not good, but exceptionally well. Because they are trying to handle a situation that is not easy."

As summarized well on a well-known fan podcast, the memory triggers are constant. They hear his chant in the 20th minute, they notice his unused locker in the dressing room. Even during matches, a through ball might be played and the realization arises: 'Ah, Diogo would have reached that.' When the Egyptian showed emotion in front of the Kop a few games ago, it signals that everything is far from all right.

The Boundaries of Punditry and Personal Grief

After reporting on football for two decades, one comes to believe there is a inherent superficiality in most punditry. We simply do not know how an individual is feeling at any specific moment and how that impacts their play. Jota's passing is one of the clearest examples. We know a tragic event happened, and we understand the nature of sorrow. But further lies an immeasurable level of impact on various people at the organization. It is very possible that some of the squad personally do not truly grasp its effect from one moment to the next.

The way the media covers this and how supporters analyze performances is clearly far from the most important thing. On a functional basis, bringing up Jota's passing is challenging to do in a brief segment before transitioning to on-field issues. Outside of this particular event and beyond Liverpool, it would seem strange to qualify each critique of a footballer with an acknowledgment that we are largely ignorant about their personal lives—be it their parental relationships, health challenges, or relationship difficulties.

A former pro player, the defender, lately spoke on radio about how his mother's passing midway through his playing days impacted his passion for the game. "I lost some joy in football as much," he stated. "The highs 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 just three months.

The Concluding Point

Therefore, regardless of what Liverpool accomplish in the coming months—if it's something or failure—whether or not we don't mention it every time we analyze their fixtures, even if it is not the sole reason for their eventual result, we should not forget that a short time ago they lost not just a brilliant player, but, more importantly, they said goodbye to a friend.