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Only a few weeks back, the Merseyside club appeared set to secure back-to-back Premier League championships and possibly another Champions League crown. Their capacity to win without optimal performances seemed like the mark of true champions.

But, then the tide shifted. The Anfield side persisted with mediocre showings and began losing matches. Meanwhile, Arsenal, renowned for their stubborn defense and squad depth, started narrowing the distance at the summit.

Defining a Crisis in Modern Football

Can a trio of consecutive losses constitute a crisis? As with most football debates, it hinges entirely on your definition of the key term. Was the United midfielder world class? What does "world class" even signify? Are Aston Villa a big team? What defines "major"? Is the Old Trafford outfit returned to prominence? Well, perhaps that is a question we can answer.

For a club of this club's size and last season's brilliance, a mini setback seems a reasonable description. On a recent broadcast, ex- forward 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.

Identifying the Tactical Problems

One can observe clear footballing issues. 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 challenge. Likewise, blending in a talented playmaker like Florian Wirtz has reportedly disrupted the midfield. Experts of the Bundesliga point out that Wirtz is a technical talent who improves those around him, connecting play seamlessly rather than imposing himself on the game.

Additionally, a host of individuals who shone last campaign—including Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are currently below their best. In fact, the majority of the team is. And every one of them share one significant, fresh experience: the passing of their teammate and companion, Diogo Jota.

The Unseen Effect: Loss on the Field

It has been just more than three months since the tragic passing of their friend. While the wider world progresses quickly, shifting attention to global matters, the club's players continue going to work each day in the absence of their friend.

It is not possible to gauge how each individual and member of the backroom team is coping from one day to the next. It requires a great deal of projection. Maybe Salah failed to defend in a particular match simply he was tired. But maybe his form is down a few per cent because he misses his friend.

Chelsea's head coach, Enzo Maresca, commented insightfully before a fixture, making a parallel to his own experience of the loss of a teammate, Antonio Puerta, while at Sevilla. "The way they are performing this season is remarkable," he said of Liverpool. "Especially after Jota's tragedy. I went through exactly the same thing when I was a player two decades past."

"It is difficult for the squad, it's not easy for the club, it's not easy for the coach when you come to the training complex and you see every day that place empty. 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 trying to handle a problem that is not easy."

As summarized succinctly on a well-known supporter's show, the reminders are constant. They hear his chant in the 20th minute, they notice his empty locker in the changing room. Even during matches, a pass might be played and the thought arises: 'Ah, Jota would have reached that.' When the Egyptian showed emotion in front of the Kop a few games ago, it signals that all is not all right.

The Limits of Football Analysis and Personal Grief

After reporting on football for two decades, one comes to believe there is a fundamental lack of depth in the majority of punditry. We genuinely cannot know how an individual is feeling at any given time and how that impacts their performance. Jota's death is one of the clearest illustrations. We know a terrible thing occurred, and we comprehend the nature of sorrow. But further lies an immeasurable level of impact on various individuals at the organization. It is very possible that some of the squad personally don't truly understand its effect from one day to the next.

How the media covers this and how supporters dissect displays is obviously far from the most important thing. On a practical level, mentioning Jota's passing is challenging to accomplish in a short segment before moving on to on-field issues. Outside of this particular tragedy and outside Liverpool, it would seem strange to qualify every critique of a footballer with an acknowledgment that we are largely ignorant about their private circumstances—be it their family relationships, health challenges, or marital problems.

A former professional footballer, the defender, recently talked on a broadcast about how his mother's death midway through his playing days affected his passion for the game. "I didn't enjoy football as much," he said. "The highs and the lows that accompany 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 Thought

Therefore, regardless of what Liverpool achieve in the coming months—be it success or failure—whether or not we omit reference to it whenever we discuss their matches, even if it is not the sole reason for their eventual result, we must remember that a few weeks ago they lost not just a exceptional player, but, more importantly, they said goodbye to a dear friend.