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Only a few weeks ago, Liverpool seemed set to claim back-to-back Premier League championships and potentially a further Champions League crown. The team's capacity to secure victories despite not optimal performances seemed like the mark of true title-winners.

But, subsequently the tide turned. Liverpool continued with average performances and began dropping points. Meanwhile, the North London club, known for their resolute backline and squad depth, began closing the gap at the top.

Defining a Crisis in Modern Football

Can a trio of consecutive losses constitute a collapse? Like many football debates, it hinges entirely on your interpretation of the key term. Was the United midfielder elite? What does "elite" even mean? Are Aston Villa a major club? What constitutes "big"? Are Manchester United back? Alright, perhaps that is one we might settle.

At a team of Liverpool's stature and previous campaign's brilliance, a minor setback appears a reasonable description. During a radio show, ex- striker Neil Mellor was questioned how many losses in a row would trigger alarm. His reply was six. Currently, they are midway to that threshold.

Pinpointing the On-Pitch Problems

One can observe obvious tactical issues. Assimilating recent additions like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who offer a different style to previous stalwarts Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, creates a difficulty. Similarly, incorporating a gifted playmaker like Florian Wirtz has reportedly disrupted the midfield. Observers of the Bundesliga note that Wirtz is a technical talent who improves those beside him, connecting play effortlessly rather than forcing himself on the game.

Furthermore, a number of players who excelled last campaign—such as Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are now below their best. Actually, most of the squad are. And every one of them have one profound, recent event: the passing of their teammate and companion, Diogo Jota.

The Unseen Impact: Grief on the Field

It has been just more than three short months since the tragic passing of their teammate. Although the wider world moves on quickly, diverting attention to global matters, Liverpool's squad carry on going to work each day without their friend.

It is not possible to know how each individual and member of the backroom team is coping on any given day. There is a significant amount of speculation. Maybe Salah failed to defend in a particular match because he lacked energy. But maybe his form is down a small percentage points due to the fact he is grieving for his friend.

Chelsea's head coach, Enzo Maresca, commented eloquently before a fixture, making a parallel to his personal experience of losing a fellow player, Antonio Puerta, when at Sevilla. "How they are performing this campaign is remarkable," he said of Liverpool. "Particularly after Jota's loss. I lived exactly the same thing when I was a player two decades past."

"It's not easy for the squad, it's not easy for the club, it's not easy for the coach when you arrive at the training ground and you find daily that spot 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 deal with a situation that is not easy."

As summarized well on a well-known supporter's show, the memory triggers are ongoing. They are reminded by his song in the first half, they see his empty peg in the dressing room. Even during games, a pass might be played and the realization arises: 'Ah, Jota would have reached that.' If Salah was seen crying in front of the Kop a matches ago, it indicates that all is far from all right.

The Boundaries of Punditry and Personal Grief

Having covering football for twenty years, one comes to believe there is a fundamental superficiality in the majority of analysis. We genuinely cannot know how an individual is feeling at any specific time and how that impacts their performance. Jota's death is one of the clearest illustrations. We are aware a terrible thing occurred, and we comprehend the concept of grief. But further lies an intangible level of effect on various people at the club. It is very possible that a few of the players themselves don't truly understand its influence from one day to the next.

The way the media reports on this and how supporters analyze performances is obviously not the primary thing. On a functional basis, bringing up Jota's death is difficult to do in a short segment before transitioning to on-field issues. Beyond this specific tragedy and beyond Liverpool, it would seem bizarre to qualify each critique of a player with an acknowledgment that we know so little about their private circumstances—be it their family situation, personal struggles, or marital difficulties.

An ex- pro footballer, the defender, lately spoke 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 stated. "Some of the highs and the low points that accompany it no longer felt the same after that." And that was half a career; for Liverpool and Jota, it has been just three months.

The Concluding Thought

So, regardless of what Liverpool accomplish this season—be it success or failure—even if we don't mention it whenever we analyze their matches, even if it isn't the reason for their final result, we must remember that a few weeks ago they suffered the loss of not just a exceptional footballer, but, more importantly, they said goodbye to a friend.