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Just a couple of weeks back, Liverpool seemed destined to secure back-to-back Premier League titles and potentially another Champions League trophy. Their capacity to secure victories without peak performances felt like the mark of genuine champions.

But, then the tide shifted. The Anfield side continued with average showings and started losing points. At the same time, Arsenal, renowned for their stubborn backline and strength in depth, started closing the gap at the top.

Understanding a Crisis in Today's Game

Can a trio of consecutive defeats constitute a crisis? As with most sporting discussions, it hinges completely on your definition of the key word. Is Paul Scholes world class? What does "world class" actually signify? Are Aston Villa a big team? What constitutes "major"? Is the Old Trafford outfit returned to prominence? Well, perhaps that is a question we might settle.

For a club of this club's stature and previous campaign's brilliance, a mini crisis seems a fair description. During a radio show, ex- forward Neil Mellor was asked how many defeats in a row would cause panic. His answer was six. Currently, they are halfway to that particular threshold.

Pinpointing the Tactical Problems

One can observe clear footballing problems. Integrating recent additions like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who offer a distinct skill set to previous key players Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, creates a challenge. Similarly, blending in a gifted attacking midfielder like Florian Wirtz has reportedly disrupted the engine room. Experts of the Bundesliga point out that Wirtz is a technical player who improves those around him, connecting play seamlessly rather than imposing himself on the game.

Furthermore, a number of individuals who shone last season—including Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are currently below their best. Actually, most of the team is. Yet they all share one profound, fresh experience: the tragic death of their teammate and friend, Diogo Jota.

The Unseen Effect: Loss on the Pitch

It has been just over three short months since the tragic passing of their friend. Although the outside world moves on quickly, diverting attention to global events, Liverpool's squad carry on training and playing each day without their mate.

It is impossible to gauge how every individual and staff member is dealing from one day to the next. It requires a great deal of speculation. Maybe Salah failed to defend in a particular match simply he was tired. Or maybe his performance level is down a few per cent due to the fact he misses his friend.

Chelsea's head coach, Enzo Maresca, commented eloquently before a recent, making a parallel to his own situation of losing a teammate, Antonio Puerta, when at Sevilla. "The way they are doing this season is fantastic," he said of Liverpool. "Especially after the loss. I went through exactly the same experience when I was a player two decades past."

"It is difficult for the players, it's not easy for the organization, it's not easy for the manager when you arrive at the training complex and you find daily that place empty. So you must be very strong. And this is the explanation why for me they are performing not good, even better than good. Because they are trying to handle a problem that is not easy."

Just as explained succinctly on a well-known fan podcast, the reminders are ongoing. The players are reminded by his song in the 20th minute, they notice his empty locker in the dressing room. Even during games, a pass might be played and the realization arises: 'Oh, Jota would have reached that.' When the Egyptian was seen crying in front of the Kop a matches ago, it indicates that all is far from normal.

The Boundaries of Punditry and Personal Grief

After reporting on football for two decades, one realizes there is a inherent superficiality in the majority of analysis. We simply do not know how an individual is coping at any given time and how that affects their performance. Jota's passing is one of the clearest illustrations. We know a tragic thing occurred, and we understand the nature of sorrow. But further lies an intangible level of effect on different people at the club. It is very possible that a few of the players themselves don't fully understand its effect from one moment to the next.

The way the press reports on this and how fans analyze displays is clearly not the primary factor. On a practical level, bringing up Jota's passing is challenging to do in a brief soundbite before moving on to on-field issues. Beyond this specific tragedy and outside Liverpool, it would seem bizarre to preface each critique of a player with an admission that we know so little about their personal lives—be it their family relationships, health challenges, or relationship difficulties.

An ex- pro footballer, Nedum Onuoha, lately spoke on radio about how his mother's passing midway through his playing days impacted his passion for the game. "I didn't enjoy football as much," he said. "Some of the highs and the low points that come with it didn't really feel the same after that." And that was many years into his profession; for Liverpool and Jota, it has been just three short months.

The Final Thought

Therefore, regardless of what Liverpool achieve this season—be it success or if it's nothing—even if we omit reference to it whenever we analyze their fixtures, even if it isn't the cause for their final outcome, we should not forget that a few weeks ago they lost not merely a brilliant footballer, but, more importantly, they said goodbye to a dear friend.