The Reds' Current Difficulties: The Ways Diogo Jota's Loss Continues to Affect the Team

Only a few weeks ago, the Merseyside club appeared set to claim back-to-back Premier League titles and possibly a further Champions League trophy. The team's ability to secure victories without optimal displays felt like the hallmark of true champions.

However, then the momentum turned. The Anfield side continued with mediocre performances and began losing matches. Meanwhile, the North London club, renowned for their stubborn backline and strength in depth, started closing the gap at the top.

Understanding a Slump in Today's Game

Can a trio of straight defeats represent a collapse? Like many sporting discussions, it hinges entirely on your interpretation of the key word. Was the United midfielder elite? What does "elite" actually signify? Is the Birmingham club a major team? What defines "major"? Are Manchester United returned to prominence? Alright, maybe that is a question we might answer.

At a team of Liverpool's size and last season's brilliance, a mini crisis seems a fair assessment. On a recent broadcast, former striker Neil Mellor was questioned how many defeats in a row would trigger alarm. His answer was six. At present, they are midway to that point.

Pinpointing the Tactical Issues

There are obvious tactical problems. Assimilating recent signings like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who offer a distinct skill set to previous key players Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, presents a difficulty. Likewise, incorporating a gifted attacking midfielder like Florian Wirtz has reportedly disrupted the midfield. Experts of the Bundesliga point out that Wirtz is a creative player who improves those around him, connecting play seamlessly rather than forcing himself on the game.

Furthermore, a number of players who excelled last campaign—such as Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are now underperforming. Actually, the majority of the team is. Yet every one of them have one profound, recent event: the tragic death of their colleague and companion, Diogo Jota.

The Invisible Effect: Loss on the Field

It has been just more than three short months since the tragic loss of their teammate. Although the outside world moves on rapidly, shifting focus to other events, Liverpool's squad carry on going to work each day in the absence of their mate.

This is not possible to gauge how each player and staff member is coping from one day to the next. It requires a great deal of speculation. Perhaps Salah failed to defend in a recent match because he was tired. Or maybe his performance level is down a small percentage points due to the fact he misses his pal.

The London club's head coach, Enzo Maresca, commented insightfully before a recent, drawing a parallel to his own situation of the loss of a teammate, Antonio Puerta, while at Sevilla. "How they are performing this campaign is fantastic," he said of Liverpool. "Especially after the tragedy. I went through exactly the same experience when I was a player 20 years ago."

"It is difficult for the squad, it's not easy for the organization, it's not easy for the manager when you arrive at the training ground and you find every day that spot vacant. So you must be incredibly resilient. And this is the reason why for me they are doing not well, but exceptionally well. Because they are attempting to deal with a problem that is not easy."

Just as summarized well on a well-known fan podcast, the memory triggers are constant. The players are reminded by his song in the first half, they notice his unused peg in the dressing room. Even during games, a pass might be played and the realization arises: 'Oh, Jota would have reached that.' If Salah showed emotion in front of the Kop a few games ago, it signals that everything is far from all right.

The Boundaries of Football Analysis and Personal Grief

After covering football for two decades, one realizes there is a fundamental superficiality in most punditry. We genuinely cannot know how an player is feeling at any specific time and how that affects their play. Jota's passing is one of the clearest examples. We know a tragic thing occurred, and we comprehend the nature of sorrow. Beyond that lies an intangible level of effect on different people at the club. It is highly likely that a few of the squad themselves don't truly grasp its effect from one day to the next.

How the media covers this and how fans dissect displays is obviously far from the most important factor. On a functional basis, bringing up Jota's death is challenging to do in a short soundbite before transitioning to tactical concerns. Outside of this specific tragedy and outside Liverpool, it would seem bizarre to preface every critique of a player with an admission that we know so little about their personal lives—be it their parental relationships, health challenges, or relationship difficulties.

A former pro footballer, the defender, recently spoke on radio about how his mother's death midway through his playing days impacted his passion for the game. "I lost some joy in football as much," he stated. "Some of the highs and the lows that come with it no longer felt the same any more." And that was half a career; for Liverpool and Jota, it has been just three short months.

The Final Point

Therefore, whatever Liverpool achieve this season—if it's something or if it's nothing—even if we don't mention it whenever we discuss their matches, even if it isn't the reason for their final 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.