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Beth Lindop
Liverpool‘s head coach Arne Slot expressed that it’s «impossible to quantify» the effect of Diogo Jota’s passing on the team but emphasizes he would never want the tragedy to be cited as a justification for the club’s recent poor performances.
Defender Andy Robertson disclosed this week that he has been «devastated» by Jota’s death ahead of Scotland’s 4-2 victory over Denmark, which secured their place in next year’s World Cup.
The 31-year-old’s heartfelt interview has sparked debate on how much Liverpool’s unsatisfactory results can be linked to the effects of mourning.
When asked if he believes his team has been fairly assessed this season, Slot replied: «We are always evaluated, occasionally justly, occasionally unjustly. But I witnessed the interview live and recognize that it is a concern for us, which is entirely normal.
«At this moment, I continuously think about how must it be for his wife and children?
«Because it is so, so, so much tougher for them than for us. But the fact that we will miss the player and the individual is undoubtedly clear. Now we face Nottingham Forest; last season there, we were down 1-0, and it took him [Jota] just one minute to net the equalizer.
«Therefore, I am discussing the player we definitely miss. It is also clear that we miss him as a person.»
The Dutch coach continued: «It’s important for us to honor him consistently. This is feasible due to the individual and player he was. It’s impossible to gauge what it does to the players and to our performances. The last thing I would consider is utilizing it as an excuse.
«I don’t know. What I do know is that we miss the player; that is absolutely confirmed, and we miss the person, but I cannot ascertain the impact that holds on our outcomes. That is beyond my ability to determine, and we will never employ it as an excuse.»
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Liverpool has suffered defeats in seven of their last 10 matches across all competitions but aims to recover when they host Nottingham Forest at Anfield on Saturday. However, the Premier League champions will be missing Florian Wirtz and Conor Bradley, both of whom picked up injuries during international duty.
«Andy Robertson has not trained yet, but he will be with us today,» Slot mentioned.
«Alisson [Becker] practiced last week and this week, so he should be ready to play tomorrow if everything goes well today.
«If he is fit to play, he will be in the starting lineup. Nonetheless, we do have some concerns following the international break, sadly. Conor Bradley is unable to participate, and Florian Wirtz is unable to participate. This is far from optimal.»
