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Only a few weeks back, Liverpool seemed set to claim back-to-back Premier League titles and potentially a further Champions League trophy. The team's capacity to secure victories despite not peak displays seemed like the hallmark of true champions.

However, subsequently the tide shifted. Liverpool persisted with average performances and began dropping points. At the same time, Arsenal, known for their resolute defense and strength in depth, started narrowing the distance at the summit.

Understanding a Crisis in Today's Game

Does a trio of straight defeats represent a collapse? As with many football debates, it hinges entirely on your definition of the key term. Is Paul Scholes world class? What does "world class" even signify? Is the Birmingham club a big club? What defines "big"? Are Manchester United returned to prominence? Well, perhaps that is one we might answer.

For a club of Liverpool's size and previous campaign's brilliance, a mini setback seems a fair assessment. On a recent radio show, ex- striker Neil Mellor was questioned how many losses in a row would cause panic. His answer was six. Currently, they are midway to that point.

Identifying the On-Pitch Issues

There are obvious footballing issues. Integrating new signings like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who provide a different skill set to departed stalwarts Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, presents a difficulty. Likewise, incorporating a gifted attacking midfielder like Florian Wirtz has reportedly unbalanced the midfield. Observers of the Bundesliga point out that Wirtz is a technical player who elevates those beside him, connecting play seamlessly rather than imposing himself on the game.

Furthermore, a host of individuals who excelled last season—including Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are currently below their best. In fact, most of the team are. Yet they all have one significant, recent experience: the tragic death of their teammate and friend, Diogo Jota.

The Unseen Effect: Loss on the Field

It has been just over three months since the devastating loss of their friend. Although the outside world moves on rapidly, shifting attention to global events, the club's players carry on training and playing day after day in the absence of their mate.

It is not possible to know how each individual and staff member is dealing from one day to the next. It requires a great deal of projection. Maybe Salah didn't track back in a particular match simply he lacked energy. But maybe his form is down a few per cent due to the fact he is grieving for his friend.

The London club's head coach, Enzo Maresca, spoke insightfully before a fixture, drawing a comparison to his personal experience of losing a teammate, Antonio Puerta, while at Sevilla. "The way they are doing this campaign is remarkable," he said of Liverpool. "Particularly after Jota's tragedy. I lived a very similar thing when I was a player two decades past."

"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 ground and you find daily that spot empty. So you must be very strong. And this is the explanation 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 well on a popular fan podcast, the reminders are constant. The players are reminded by his song in the first half, they see his unused peg in the dressing room. Even during 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 signals that all is not all right.

The Boundaries of Punditry and Personal Grief

After reporting on football for twenty years, one comes to believe there is a inherent lack of depth in most analysis. We genuinely cannot know how an individual is feeling at any given moment and how that affects their play. Jota's passing is one of the most stark examples. We know a terrible thing occurred, and we comprehend the concept of sorrow. But further lies an immeasurable layer of impact on different individuals at the club. It is highly likely that a few of the players personally don't fully understand its influence from one moment to the next.

The way the press reports on this and how supporters dissect performances is clearly not the primary factor. On a functional basis, bringing up Jota's passing is challenging to accomplish in a short soundbite before moving on to tactical issues. Beyond this particular event and beyond Liverpool, it would seem strange to qualify every criticism of a player with an admission that we know so little about their private circumstances—be it their family relationships, health struggles, or relationship difficulties.

A former professional footballer, Nedum Onuoha, recently spoke on a broadcast about how his mother's passing halfway through his career affected his passion for the game. "I lost some joy in football as much," he said. "Some of the highs and the low points that accompany 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 months.

The Final Point

So, whatever Liverpool achieve in the coming months—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 outcome, we must remember that a few weeks ago they lost not merely a brilliant player, but, crucially, they lost a friend.