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Only a few weeks ago, Liverpool seemed destined to claim back-to-back Premier League titles and possibly a further Champions League trophy. Their capacity to win despite not peak displays felt like the hallmark of true title-winners.

But, then the momentum turned. Liverpool persisted with average performances and began losing matches. Meanwhile, the North London club, known for their stubborn backline and squad depth, began narrowing the gap at the summit.

Understanding a Crisis in Today's Game

Does three consecutive defeats constitute a crisis? As with many football debates, it hinges completely on your interpretation of the key term. Is Paul Scholes elite? What does "elite" actually mean? Is the Birmingham club a big team? What constitutes "big"? Is the Old Trafford outfit returned to prominence? Alright, maybe that's a question we might settle.

At a team of this club's stature and last season's brilliance, a minor crisis seems a fair assessment. During a broadcast, former striker Neil Mellor was questioned how many losses in a row would trigger panic. His answer was six. At present, they are midway to that particular threshold.

Pinpointing the On-Pitch Issues

There are obvious tactical problems. Assimilating recent additions like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who provide a distinct skill set to departed stalwarts Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, presents a challenge. Likewise, blending in a talented attacking midfielder like Florian Wirtz has reportedly disrupted the engine room. Experts of the Bundesliga point out that Wirtz is a technical player who elevates those beside him, connecting play seamlessly rather than forcing himself on the game.

Furthermore, a number of individuals who shone last season—including Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are currently below their best. Actually, most of the squad are. And every one of them have one significant, recent experience: the passing of their colleague and friend, Diogo Jota.

The Unseen Effect: Loss on the Pitch

We are now just more than three short months since the devastating passing of their friend. While the wider world moves on rapidly, diverting attention to global events, Liverpool's players continue training and playing day after day without their friend.

It is impossible to gauge how every individual and staff member is dealing from one day to the next. There is a significant amount of projection. Perhaps Salah failed to defend in a recent match because he lacked energy. But perhaps his performance level is down a small 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, making a parallel to his own experience of losing a teammate, Antonio Puerta, when at Sevilla. "The way they are doing this campaign is remarkable," he said of Liverpool. "Especially after the loss. I went through 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 complex and you find every day that place empty. So you have to be very strong. And this is the explanation why for me they are doing not well, even better than good. Because they are trying to deal with a situation that is not easy."

As explained well on a well-known supporter's show, the reminders are constant. The players are reminded by his song in the 20th minute, they see his unused peg in the dressing room. In the middle of games, a pass might be played and the realization arises: 'Oh, Diogo would have been there.' If Salah showed emotion in front of the Kop a matches ago, it signals that all is not all right.

The Limits of Football Analysis and Human Emotion

Having covering football for two decades, one comes to believe there is a fundamental lack of depth in the majority of analysis. We simply cannot know how an individual is feeling at any specific time and how that affects their play. Jota's death is one of the clearest illustrations. We know a terrible event occurred, and we understand the nature of sorrow. Beyond that lies an immeasurable level of impact on different people at the club. It is very possible that a few of the squad themselves do not fully grasp its influence from one day to the next.

The way the media covers this and how supporters dissect displays is obviously far from the primary factor. On a functional level, mentioning Jota's passing is challenging to do in a brief segment before transitioning to on-field issues. Outside of this particular tragedy and beyond Liverpool, it would seem bizarre to qualify each critique of a player with an admission that we know so little about their private circumstances—be it their family relationships, health challenges, or relationship difficulties.

A former pro footballer, Nedum Onuoha, recently spoke on radio about how his mother's passing halfway through his career impacted his passion for the game. "I didn't enjoy football as much," he said. "Some of the highs and the low points that come with it no longer felt 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 Thought

So, whatever Liverpool achieve this season—be it success or if it's nothing—even if we don't mention it whenever we analyze their matches, even if it is not the sole reason for their eventual result, we must remember that a few weeks ago they lost not just a exceptional player, but, more importantly, they lost a friend.