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Only a couple of weeks back, Liverpool seemed destined to claim back-to-back Premier League titles and possibly another Champions League crown. The team's capacity to secure victories without peak performances felt like the hallmark of genuine title-winners.

However, then the tide turned. Liverpool persisted with mediocre performances and began dropping matches. Meanwhile, Arsenal, renowned for their stubborn backline and strength in depth, began closing the distance at the summit.

Understanding a Crisis in Today's Game

Does three consecutive losses represent a collapse? Like many sporting discussions, it hinges entirely on your interpretation of the central word. Is Paul Scholes world class? What does "world class" actually signify? Are Aston Villa a major club? What constitutes "big"? Are Manchester United returned to prominence? Alright, perhaps that is a question we might answer.

For a club of this club's size and previous campaign's brilliance, a mini crisis seems a fair 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 halfway to that threshold.

Identifying the Tactical Issues

One can observe obvious footballing problems. Integrating new additions like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who provide a different skill set to previous stalwarts Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, creates a challenge. 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 improves those beside him, linking play seamlessly rather than forcing himself on the game.

Furthermore, a host of players who shone last campaign—such as Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are currently below their best. In fact, most of the squad are. Yet every one of them have one profound, recent experience: the tragic death of their teammate and friend, Diogo Jota.

The Invisible Impact: Grief on the Field

It has been just over three short months since the devastating loss of their teammate. Although the outside world moves on quickly, diverting focus to other events, the club's squad continue training and playing day after day without their friend.

This is impossible to gauge how each player and staff member is coping on any given day. It requires a significant amount of speculation. Maybe Salah failed to defend in a particular match simply he was tired. But maybe his performance level is down a few 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 comparison to his personal situation of the loss of a teammate, Antonio Puerta, while at Sevilla. "How they are doing this season 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 ground and you find every day that spot empty. So you must be very strong. And this is the explanation why for me they are doing not good, but exceptionally well. Because they are attempting to handle a problem that is not easy."

As explained succinctly on a popular supporter's show, the reminders are ongoing. They hear his chant in the 20th minute, they notice his unused peg in the dressing room. In the middle of games, a through ball might be made and the realization arises: 'Ah, Jota would have been there.' When the Egyptian showed emotion in front of the Kop a matches ago, it signals that all is not all right.

The Boundaries of Football Analysis 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 simply cannot know how an player is feeling at any specific moment and how that impacts their play. Jota's passing is one of the most stark illustrations. We know a tragic thing happened, and we comprehend the nature of grief. Beyond that lies an intangible layer of effect on different individuals at the organization. It is highly likely that a few of the squad personally don't truly grasp its influence from one moment to the next.

How the media covers this and how supporters dissect performances is obviously not the most important thing. On a functional level, bringing up Jota's death is difficult to do in a short soundbite before moving on to on-field issues. Beyond this particular event and outside Liverpool, it would seem strange to qualify every criticism of a footballer with an acknowledgment that we know so little about their private circumstances—be it their parental situation, personal struggles, or marital problems.

An ex- professional player, Nedum Onuoha, lately spoke on radio about how his mother's passing midway through his playing days impacted his love for the game. "I lost some joy in football as much," he said. "Some of the high points and the low points that come with it didn't really feel the same any more." And that was many years into his profession; for Liverpool and Jota, it has been just three short months.

The Concluding Point

Therefore, regardless of what Liverpool accomplish in the coming months—be it success or if it's nothing—whether or not we don't mention it every time we discuss their fixtures, even if it is not the sole reason for their final result, we should not forget that a few weeks ago they lost not just a exceptional footballer, but, more importantly, they lost a dear friend.