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Just a few weeks back, the Merseyside club seemed destined to secure back-to-back Premier League titles and possibly a further Champions League trophy. The team's ability to win without optimal displays seemed like the mark of true champions.

However, then the momentum shifted. The Anfield side continued with mediocre showings and started losing matches. At the same time, the North London club, known for their resolute defense and strength in depth, started closing the gap at the top.

Understanding a Crisis in Modern Football

Can a trio of straight losses constitute a crisis? As with many football debates, it hinges completely on your definition of the key term. Is Paul Scholes world class? What does "elite" even signify? Is the Birmingham club a big club? What defines "big"? Are Manchester United back? Well, maybe that is a question we can settle.

At a team of Liverpool's size and last season's excellence, a minor setback appears a reasonable assessment. During a radio show, former forward Neil Mellor was questioned how many losses in a row would trigger alarm. His answer was six. At present, they are midway to that threshold.

Pinpointing the Tactical Issues

One can observe clear tactical issues. Integrating new additions like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who provide a different style to previous stalwarts Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, presents a difficulty. Similarly, incorporating a talented playmaker like Florian Wirtz has reportedly disrupted the engine room. Observers of the Bundesliga point out that Wirtz is a technical talent who improves those around him, connecting play effortlessly rather than imposing himself upon the game.

Additionally, a number of individuals 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 team are. Yet every one of them have one profound, recent experience: the tragic death of their colleague and companion, Diogo Jota.

The Invisible Effect: Loss on the Field

It has been just over three months since the tragic passing of their teammate. While the outside world progresses quickly, diverting attention to other matters, the club's squad continue training and playing each day in the absence of their friend.

It is impossible to know how every player and staff member is dealing from one day to the next. It requires a great deal of speculation. Maybe Salah didn't track back in a particular match simply he lacked energy. Or perhaps his form is down a small per cent due to the fact he is grieving for his friend.

The London club's head coach, Enzo Maresca, commented insightfully before a recent, drawing a parallel to his own situation of losing a fellow player, Antonio Puerta, when at Sevilla. "How they are doing this season is fantastic," he said of Liverpool. "Especially after the tragedy. I went through exactly the same thing when I was a player two decades past."

"It is difficult for the players, it's not easy for the organization, it's not easy for the manager when you arrive at the training complex and you find every day that place vacant. So you have to be incredibly resilient. And this is the reason why for me they are doing not good, but exceptionally well. Because they are trying to handle a situation that is not easy."

Just as explained well on a well-known supporter's show, the memory triggers are ongoing. They are reminded by his chant in the first half, they see his empty locker in the changing room. Even during games, a through ball might be played and the thought arises: 'Ah, Jota would have been there.' If Salah was seen crying in front of the Kop a few games ago, it signals that all is far from normal.

The Boundaries of Football Analysis and Human Emotion

Having reporting on football for two decades, one comes to believe there is a inherent lack of depth in the majority of analysis. We simply do not know how an player is feeling at any specific moment and how that affects their play. Jota's death is one of the most stark illustrations. We know a tragic event happened, and we comprehend the concept of grief. But further lies an intangible layer of effect on various individuals at the club. It is highly likely that a few of the squad personally don't truly understand its effect from one moment to the next.

The way the press covers this and how supporters analyze displays is obviously not the primary factor. On a functional basis, mentioning Jota's passing is challenging to accomplish in a brief segment before moving on to tactical issues. Beyond this specific event and beyond Liverpool, it would seem bizarre to qualify every criticism of a footballer with an admission that we know so little about their personal lives—be it their parental situation, health struggles, or relationship difficulties.

A former professional player, the defender, recently spoke on radio about how his mother's death halfway through his playing days impacted his passion for the game. "I lost some joy in football as much," he said. "Some of the highs and the lows that accompany it no longer felt the same after that." And that was many years into his profession; for Liverpool and Jota, it has been only three short months.

The Final Point

Therefore, whatever Liverpool accomplish in the coming months—if it's something or failure—even if we omit reference to it whenever we discuss their fixtures, even if it isn't the reason for their eventual result, we must remember that a few weeks ago they lost not merely a brilliant footballer, but, more importantly, they said goodbye to a friend.