Liverpool's Current Struggles: The Ways Diogo Jota's Loss Impacts the Squad

Only a couple of weeks back, the Merseyside club appeared destined to secure back-to-back Premier League championships and potentially a further Champions League trophy. Their capacity to win without optimal performances seemed like the hallmark of true champions.

However, then the momentum shifted. Liverpool continued with mediocre showings and began losing matches. At the same time, Arsenal, known for their stubborn defense and squad depth, began narrowing the gap at the summit.

Understanding a Slump in Modern Football

Does three straight defeats constitute a collapse? As with most football debates, it hinges entirely on your interpretation of the central term. Is Paul Scholes world class? How do you define "elite" actually signify? Is the Birmingham club a major club? What defines "big"? Are Manchester United returned to prominence? Well, maybe that's one we can answer.

At a team of this club's size and last season's brilliance, a mini setback seems a reasonable assessment. On a recent radio show, ex- striker Neil Mellor was questioned how many defeats in a row would cause alarm. His answer was six. Currently, they are midway to that point.

Pinpointing the Tactical Problems

There are obvious tactical problems. Assimilating new additions like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who offer a distinct style to departed stalwarts Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, presents a difficulty. Likewise, blending in a talented attacking midfielder like Florian Wirtz has reportedly unbalanced the midfield. Experts of the Bundesliga point out that Wirtz is a creative talent who improves those around him, linking play seamlessly rather than forcing himself on the game.

Furthermore, a host of players who excelled last season—including Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are now underperforming. In fact, the majority of the team are. And they all share one significant, fresh experience: the passing of their teammate and friend, Diogo Jota.

The Unseen Impact: Loss on the Pitch

It has been just over three months since the devastating loss of their friend. While the outside world moves on quickly, diverting attention to global matters, the club's squad continue going to work each day in the absence of their mate.

It is not possible to gauge how every player and member of the backroom team is coping from one day to the next. It requires a significant amount of speculation. Maybe Salah didn't track back in a recent match simply he lacked energy. But perhaps his form is down a few percentage points due to the fact he misses his friend.

The London club's head coach, Enzo Maresca, spoke eloquently before a fixture, drawing a comparison to his personal experience of losing a teammate, Antonio Puerta, while at Sevilla. "The way they are doing this season is fantastic," he said of Liverpool. "Especially after the tragedy. I went through a very similar thing when I was a player two decades past."

"It's not easy for the squad, 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 spot vacant. So you must be incredibly resilient. And this is the reason why for me they are performing not well, even better than good. Because they are attempting to handle a situation that is not easy."

As summarized succinctly on a well-known supporter's show, the reminders are ongoing. The players hear his song in the 20th minute, they notice his empty peg in the dressing room. Even during matches, a pass might be made and the realization arises: 'Oh, Jota would have been there.' When the Egyptian was seen crying in front of the Kop a matches ago, it signals that everything is far from all right.

The Boundaries of Punditry and Human Emotion

After reporting on football for two decades, one comes to believe there is a inherent lack of depth in most punditry. We genuinely do not know how an player is coping at any specific moment and how that affects their performance. Jota's passing is one of the most stark illustrations. We are aware a tragic thing occurred, and we understand the nature of sorrow. Beyond that lies an intangible level of effect on various individuals at the organization. It is highly likely that some of the players personally do not fully grasp its influence from one day to the next.

The way the media reports on this and how fans analyze displays is obviously far from the primary thing. On a functional level, bringing up Jota's death is difficult to accomplish in a brief soundbite before transitioning to on-field issues. Beyond this specific tragedy and beyond Liverpool, it would seem strange to preface each criticism of a player with an acknowledgment that we know so little about their private circumstances—be it their parental situation, health struggles, or marital difficulties.

A former pro footballer, Nedum Onuoha, lately spoke on a broadcast about how his mother's passing midway through his playing days affected his love for the game. "I didn't enjoy football as much," he stated. "Some of the high points 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 Thought

So, whatever Liverpool accomplish this season—if it's something or failure—even if we don't mention it whenever we analyze their matches, even if it isn't the cause for their eventual result, we must remember that a short time ago they suffered the loss of not merely a brilliant footballer, but, crucially, they lost a friend.