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Only a couple of weeks back, the Merseyside club appeared set to claim back-to-back Premier League titles and possibly another Champions League crown. Their ability to secure victories without peak performances felt like the mark of genuine champions.

However, subsequently the tide shifted. Liverpool persisted with mediocre performances and started losing points. At the same time, Arsenal, renowned for their stubborn defense and squad depth, began closing the gap at the summit.

Understanding a Crisis in Modern Football

Does three straight defeats constitute a crisis? As with most sporting discussions, it depends completely on your interpretation of the key word. Is Paul Scholes elite? What does "world class" even signify? Is the Birmingham club a big team? What defines "major"? Is the Old Trafford outfit back? Alright, perhaps that's a question we might settle.

For a club of this club's size and last season's brilliance, a mini setback seems a reasonable description. During a broadcast, former forward Neil Mellor was questioned how many losses in a row would trigger alarm. His reply was six. Currently, they are midway to that point.

Pinpointing the On-Pitch Problems

One can observe obvious footballing issues. Integrating recent additions like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who offer a distinct style to previous key players Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, presents a challenge. Similarly, incorporating a talented attacking midfielder like Florian Wirtz has reportedly unbalanced the midfield. Observers of the Bundesliga point out that Wirtz is a creative talent who improves those around him, linking play seamlessly rather than forcing himself upon the game.

Additionally, a host of individuals who shone last season—including Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are now below their best. Actually, most of the team is. And they all share one profound, recent experience: the passing of their teammate and friend, Diogo Jota.

The Unseen Impact: Loss on the Pitch

We are now just more than three short months since the devastating passing of their friend. While the outside world progresses quickly, diverting attention to other events, Liverpool's squad continue going to work day after day without their mate.

It is impossible to gauge how every individual and member of the backroom team is coping on any given day. It requires a great deal of speculation. Perhaps Salah didn't track back in a recent match because he was tired. Or perhaps his performance level is down a small per cent because he misses his pal.

The London club's head coach, Enzo Maresca, spoke insightfully before a recent, drawing a comparison to his own experience of the loss of a teammate, Antonio Puerta, while at Sevilla. "The way they are performing this campaign is remarkable," he said of Liverpool. "Particularly after Jota's loss. 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 manager when you arrive at the training complex and you find every day that place vacant. So you have to be incredibly resilient. And this is the reason why for me they are doing not well, even better than good. Because they are attempting to handle a situation that is not easy."

As summarized succinctly on a well-known supporter's show, the memory triggers are constant. They are reminded by his chant in the 20th minute, they see his unused locker in the changing room. In the middle of matches, a pass might be made and the realization arises: 'Oh, Jota would have been there.' When the Egyptian was seen crying in front of the Kop a matches ago, it signals that everything is far from all right.

The Limits of Football Analysis and Human Emotion

After covering football for two decades, one comes to believe there is a inherent superficiality in most punditry. We simply cannot know how an individual is coping at any given time and how that impacts their performance. Jota's death is one of the most stark illustrations. We are aware a tragic thing occurred, and we understand the concept of grief. But further lies an immeasurable level of impact on various individuals at the club. It is very possible that a few of the players personally don't truly grasp its effect from one moment to the next.

How the press reports on this and how fans analyze displays is obviously far from the primary factor. On a practical level, bringing up Jota's passing is challenging to accomplish in a brief segment before moving on to tactical concerns. Outside of this particular tragedy and outside Liverpool, it would seem strange to preface every criticism of a player with an acknowledgment that we know so little about their private circumstances—be it their parental relationships, personal challenges, or marital problems.

A former pro footballer, Nedum Onuoha, lately talked on radio about how his mother's passing midway through his playing days impacted his love for the game. "I didn't enjoy football as much," he stated. "Some of the highs and the low points that come with it didn't really feel the same after that." And that was half a career; for Liverpool and Jota, it has been only three short months.

The Concluding Thought

So, regardless of what Liverpool achieve this season—if it's something or if it's nothing—whether or not we don't mention it every time we discuss their matches, even if it isn't the reason for their eventual result, we must remember that a few weeks ago they suffered the loss of not merely a brilliant player, but, crucially, they said goodbye to a friend.