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Just a couple of weeks ago, Liverpool appeared destined to claim back-to-back Premier League titles and possibly another Champions League crown. The team's capacity to win without optimal displays seemed like the hallmark of true champions.

But, then the momentum shifted. The Anfield side persisted with average performances and began losing points. At the same time, the North London club, known for their stubborn backline and squad depth, started narrowing the distance at the top.

Understanding a Crisis in Today's Game

Does a trio of straight defeats represent a crisis? As with most sporting discussions, it depends entirely on your definition of the central term. Was the United midfielder world class? How do you define "elite" even mean? Are Aston Villa a big team? What constitutes "major"? Are Manchester United back? Alright, perhaps that's one we might settle.

At a team of this club's stature and last season's brilliance, a mini setback seems a reasonable description. During a broadcast, former striker Neil Mellor was asked how many losses in a row would trigger panic. His reply was six. At present, they are midway to that particular point.

Identifying the On-Pitch Problems

There are obvious footballing problems. Integrating new signings like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who offer a different style to departed key players Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, creates a difficulty. Likewise, blending in a gifted attacking midfielder like Florian Wirtz has reportedly unbalanced the midfield. Observers of the Bundesliga note that Wirtz is a technical talent who elevates those beside him, connecting play effortlessly rather than imposing himself on the game.

Furthermore, a number of individuals who excelled last season—including Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are now below their best. Actually, most of the squad are. Yet they all share 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 over three months since the devastating passing of their friend. Although the wider world moves on rapidly, diverting focus to other matters, Liverpool's squad carry on going to work day after day in the absence of their mate.

It is not possible to gauge how every player and member of the backroom team is coping from one day to the next. There is a great deal of speculation. Maybe Salah didn't track back in a recent match because he lacked energy. But perhaps his performance level is down a few percentage points due to the fact he misses his pal.

Chelsea's head coach, Enzo Maresca, commented eloquently before a fixture, making a comparison to his personal experience of losing a fellow player, Antonio Puerta, while at Sevilla. "The way they are performing this season is remarkable," he said of Liverpool. "Especially after the tragedy. I lived exactly the same experience when I was a player two decades past."

"It is difficult for the squad, it's not easy for the organization, it's not easy for the manager when you arrive at the training complex and you see every day that spot empty. So you have to be very strong. And this is the explanation why for me they are doing not good, even better than good. Because they are attempting to handle a situation that is not easy."

As explained succinctly on a popular supporter's show, the memory triggers are ongoing. The players hear his chant in the first half, they see his empty locker in the changing room. Even during matches, a through ball 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 Human Emotion

Having reporting on football for twenty years, one comes to believe there is a inherent superficiality in most analysis. We simply do not know how an player is coping at any given time and how that impacts their performance. Jota's passing is one of the most stark examples. 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 highly likely that a few of the squad themselves do not truly grasp its influence from one day to the next.

The way the press covers this and how supporters analyze displays is clearly far from the most important thing. On a practical basis, bringing up Jota's passing is difficult to do in a short soundbite before moving on to tactical issues. Beyond this particular event and outside Liverpool, it would seem bizarre 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 struggles, or relationship difficulties.

An ex- professional player, Nedum Onuoha, lately spoke on radio about how his mother's death 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 come with it no longer felt the same any more." And that was half a career; for Liverpool and Jota, it has been just three months.

The Final Thought

So, whatever Liverpool accomplish this season—if it's something or if it's nothing—whether or not we omit reference to it whenever we discuss their fixtures, and even if it isn't the reason for their eventual outcome, we must remember that a few weeks ago they lost not merely a exceptional footballer, but, crucially, they said goodbye to a dear friend.