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Only a few weeks back, Liverpool seemed set to secure back-to-back Premier League titles and potentially another Champions League crown. Their ability to secure victories despite not optimal displays felt like the hallmark of genuine champions.

However, subsequently the momentum shifted. The Anfield side persisted with average showings and started dropping points. Meanwhile, Arsenal, renowned for their stubborn backline and strength in depth, began narrowing the gap at the top.

Understanding a Crisis in Modern Football

Can three straight defeats constitute a crisis? Like most football debates, it hinges entirely on your interpretation of the key term. Is Paul Scholes elite? How do you define "elite" actually signify? Are Aston Villa a major club? What defines "major"? Is the Old Trafford outfit back? Alright, maybe that is a question we can settle.

At a team of Liverpool's stature and last season's brilliance, a minor crisis appears a reasonable assessment. During a broadcast, former striker Neil Mellor was questioned how many defeats in a row would trigger panic. His answer was six. Currently, they are midway to that threshold.

Pinpointing the Tactical Problems

One can observe clear tactical issues. Assimilating recent signings like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who offer a distinct skill set to previous stalwarts Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, presents a difficulty. Similarly, incorporating a talented attacking midfielder like Florian Wirtz has reportedly disrupted the midfield. Experts of the Bundesliga point out that Wirtz is a creative talent who elevates those around him, connecting play seamlessly rather than forcing himself on the game.

Additionally, a number of players who shone last season—such as Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are now below their best. Actually, most of the team are. Yet they all have one profound, recent experience: the tragic death of their teammate and companion, Diogo Jota.

The Unseen Effect: Loss on the Field

It has been just more than three short months since the tragic passing of their friend. Although the outside world moves on rapidly, diverting focus to global matters, the club's players continue training and playing day after day in the absence of their friend.

It is not possible to know how every individual and member of the backroom team is dealing on any given day. It requires a significant amount of speculation. Maybe Salah didn't track back in a particular match because he lacked energy. But perhaps his form is down a small per cent because he misses his friend.

Chelsea's head coach, Enzo Maresca, spoke eloquently before a fixture, making a comparison to his own situation of losing a fellow player, Antonio Puerta, while at Sevilla. "How they are performing this season is remarkable," he said of Liverpool. "Particularly after Jota's loss. I lived a very similar thing when I was a player 20 years ago."

"It is difficult for the players, it's not easy for the organization, it's not easy for the manager when you come to the training ground and you see daily that place vacant. So you must be very strong. And this is the reason why for me they are performing not good, even better than good. Because they are attempting to handle a situation that is not easy."

As explained well on a well-known fan podcast, the reminders are ongoing. They are reminded by his song in the first half, they see his unused locker in the dressing room. In the middle of games, a pass might be made and the realization arises: 'Oh, Diogo would have reached that.' When the Egyptian was seen crying in front of the Kop a few games ago, it indicates that all is not all right.

The Limits of Football Analysis and Human Emotion

Having reporting on football for two decades, one comes to believe there is a fundamental superficiality in most punditry. We simply cannot know how an individual is feeling at any given moment and how that affects their play. Jota's death is one of the clearest illustrations. We are aware a terrible event occurred, and we understand the concept of sorrow. Beyond that lies an immeasurable level of effect on various individuals at the club. It is highly likely that a few of the squad themselves do not truly understand its influence from one day to the next.

How the media reports on this and how fans dissect displays is obviously not the most important factor. On a practical basis, bringing up Jota's death is challenging to accomplish in a brief segment before moving on to tactical concerns. Beyond this particular tragedy and beyond Liverpool, it would seem strange to preface each criticism of a player with an admission that we know so little about their personal lives—be it their family situation, personal struggles, or marital problems.

A former pro player, the defender, lately spoke on a broadcast about how his mother's passing midway through his career affected his passion for the game. "I lost some joy in football as much," he said. "The highs and the lows that accompany it didn't really feel the same any more." And that was many years into his profession; for Liverpool and Jota, it has been just three short months.

The Final Thought

So, regardless of what Liverpool achieve in the coming months—be it success or failure—whether or not we don't mention it whenever we analyze their fixtures, and even if it isn't the cause for their eventual outcome, we should not forget that a short time ago they suffered the loss of not merely a exceptional player, but, more importantly, they said goodbye to a dear friend.