This article was going to be great. I was about to tell you all the reasons Liverpool have been so sh*t this season.

Like some footballing oracle, I was going to say how we have struggled without Trent Alexander-Arnold. How, without him, as much as it pains me to say it, we lack creativity, can’t build out from the back and sorely miss his 40-yard pass ‘get out of jail free card’.

I was going to mention how we miss Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez at the end of those 40-yard passes. How we miss their unpredictability.

I was going to delve into the stats to show why Liverpool’s midfield isn’t physical enough this season. How we should have finally signed a Fabinho replacement instead of Alexander Isak.

I was about to point fingers at Richard Hughes and co. How they could have delivered Liverpool’s rebuild a lot more gradually, instead of cramming five new signings in one summer, whilst simultaneously shoving several others through the back door.

I was even going to have a go at Arne Slot. How he’s been so naive, stubborn and negative.

I had all these problems lined-up in chronological order from the summer up until now. You’d have loved it – probably.

But then I read the first reason on my list, and the whole idea seemed so callous.

After reflecting on the tragic passing of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva last summer, Liverpool’s poor season was put into perspective again.

Liverpool still coming to terms with the loss of Diogo Jota

There has been plenty written about the impact Jota’s death has had on Liverpool. But nearly eight months on, it bears repeating.

Firstly, Liverpool did not just lose a fantastic footballer. His wife Rute lost her husband, his children lost their father, and his parents lost their son. His teammates also lost a wonderful friend.

One week, the team was about to start pre-season after celebrating Jota’s wedding. The next week, they were attending his funeral. If this is heartbreaking to write, imagine how Jota’s loved ones still feel.

The psychological impact of his death is immeasurable for everyone related to Jota, but the signs of grief in this Liverpool team have been there for everyone to see.

The inconsistent performances, individual errors and late collapses that have plagued Liverpool this season are all the hallmarks of a side still struggling to come to terms with the loss of their beloved number 20.

More obviously, there have been tears from Salah in front of the Kop on the opening day of the season, and Andy Robertson held back the tears after leading Scotland to their first World Cup since 1998 in November. “I couldn’t get my mate Diogo Jota out of my head today,” he recalled.

Liverpool aren’t ‘bad champions’

When seven consecutive victories to start the season turned into seven defeats in 10, Jota was in everyone’s head.

As analysts scrambled to explain the dramatic drop off, many were quick to point to the devastating events of the summer.

The Athletic’s Simon Hughes wrote that “xG doesn’t stand for Expected Grief.” Fans started debating whether we should stop doing the Jota chant, which has been sung in solemn tribute in the 20th minute of every match. Psychologists even weighed in on the debate.

However, as time has gone on, Jota’s death seems to have been forgotten.

Whether it’s the suggestions that Alexis Mac Allister’s legs have gone, the daily assassination of Cody Gakpo online, or the disrespectful questions put towards Slot about being replaced by Xabi Alonso, people seem to have lost all perspective.

Of course, some of it is normal, for a few reasons.

For one, the subject of Jota’s death remains a sensitive topic which is much easier to avoid.

But from a football perspective, it is also difficult. As Hughes pointed out, that’s largely because of the stature of Liverpool Football Club – mention Jota, and you can be accused of being too soft on the Champions.

Moreover, there’s the need to sell papers. It’s far more engaging to say Liverpool are rubbish because ‘Salah’s fallen off a cliff’, or ‘Slot’s out of his depth’, than mention a still uncomfortable truth.

You get the odd quote from time to time. Pundits call back to the difficult summer Liverpool have had. But it quickly becomes drowned out by the noise on social media after another poor performance.

Life goes on as they say, and the game must go on too, unfortunately. But did some Liverpool fans have to go with it?

There’s still time to make this season special

As we reach the business end of the campaign, where results are steadily improving but performances flatter to deceive, it seems some fans have lost sight of what’s important – and I include myself in that.

It’s easy to do. After all, they are human and we are too. Football is an escape from the grief present in our own lives as well. And when you’re trying to forget your troubles for 90 minutes, it can be difficult to remember as well. You get so caught up in the nonsense that in the midst of being a fan you can lose what it means to be a supporter.

That’s not to say all the problems I was going to write about don’t exist simultaneously. But until there’s a golden sky, we won’t know for certain.

Until then, remember what has happened, remember how much it hurts, and, above all, remember to cut this Liverpool team some slack.

There’s still time to make this a season to remember for positive reasons. Let’s ride the storm together.

(Featured Image by Alexander David on Unsplash)