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Only a couple of weeks back, the Merseyside club appeared set to secure back-to-back Premier League titles and potentially a further Champions League crown. Their ability to secure victories without optimal performances seemed like the hallmark of true title-winners.

However, subsequently the momentum turned. The Anfield side continued with mediocre performances and began dropping matches. Meanwhile, Arsenal, known for their resolute backline and strength in depth, began closing the distance at the summit.

Understanding a Crisis in Modern Football

Can a trio of straight defeats constitute a crisis? Like many sporting discussions, it depends entirely on your interpretation of the central word. Was the United midfielder world class? What does "elite" even mean? Is the Birmingham club a big team? What defines "big"? Are Manchester United returned to prominence? Well, perhaps that is one we can answer.

At a team of Liverpool's size and last season's brilliance, a minor crisis seems a reasonable description. On a recent radio show, ex- forward Neil Mellor was asked how many defeats in a row would trigger panic. His reply was six. Currently, they are halfway to that particular point.

Identifying the On-Pitch Issues

One can observe obvious tactical issues. Integrating new additions like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who provide a different skill set to departed stalwarts Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, creates a challenge. Similarly, incorporating a gifted attacking midfielder like Florian Wirtz has reportedly disrupted the engine room. Observers of the Bundesliga point out that Wirtz is a technical player who elevates those around him, linking play seamlessly rather than imposing himself on the game.

Additionally, a host of individuals who shone last campaign—such as Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are now below their best. Actually, the majority of the squad is. Yet they all share one significant, recent experience: the tragic death of their colleague and companion, Diogo Jota.

The Unseen Effect: Loss on the Field

We are now just over three months since the tragic loss of their teammate. While the outside world moves on quickly, shifting focus to other matters, Liverpool's players continue going to work day after day without their friend.

This is impossible to gauge how every player and staff member is dealing from one day to the next. There is a great deal of projection. Perhaps Salah failed to defend in a particular match because he lacked energy. But maybe his form is down a few percentage points because he misses his friend.

The London club's head coach, Enzo Maresca, spoke insightfully before a fixture, drawing a parallel to his own experience of the loss of a fellow player, Antonio Puerta, while at Sevilla. "How they are performing this campaign is remarkable," he said of Liverpool. "Especially after Jota's tragedy. I went through a very similar thing when I was a player 20 years ago."

"It's not easy for the players, it's not easy for the club, it's not easy for the coach when you come to the training ground and you see daily that place empty. So you must be incredibly resilient. And this is the reason why for me they are performing not well, but exceptionally well. Because they are trying to deal with a situation that is not easy."

Just as explained succinctly on a well-known fan podcast, the memory triggers are constant. The players are reminded by his chant in the 20th minute, they see his unused peg in the changing room. Even during games, a through ball might be made and the realization arises: 'Ah, Jota would have been there.' When the Egyptian was seen crying in front of the Kop a matches ago, it signals that all is not normal.

The Boundaries of Punditry and Personal Grief

Having covering football for two decades, one realizes there is a inherent lack of depth in most analysis. We simply cannot know how an player is coping at any specific moment and how that impacts their performance. Jota's passing is one of the clearest illustrations. We are aware a tragic thing happened, and we comprehend the nature of grief. But further lies an immeasurable level of impact on different people at the club. It is highly likely that some of the players themselves do not fully understand its effect from one day to the next.

How the media reports on this and how supporters dissect displays is clearly far from the primary thing. On a functional basis, bringing up Jota's passing is challenging to do in a short segment before moving on to tactical issues. Beyond this particular event and outside Liverpool, it would seem strange to qualify every critique of a footballer with an admission that we are largely ignorant about their private circumstances—be it their parental situation, health challenges, or relationship problems.

An ex- pro footballer, the defender, recently talked on a broadcast about how his mother's passing midway through his career affected his passion for the game. "I didn't enjoy football as much," he said. "Some of the high points and the lows that come with it no longer felt the same after that." And that was half a career; for Liverpool and Jota, it has been only three months.

The Final Thought

Therefore, regardless of what Liverpool accomplish this season—be it success or failure—whether or not we omit reference to it whenever we analyze their fixtures, and even if it isn't the cause for their eventual result, we must remember that a few weeks ago they lost not merely a exceptional player, but, crucially, they lost a friend.