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Just a few weeks back, the Merseyside club appeared set to claim back-to-back Premier League championships and possibly a further Champions League crown. Their capacity to win without optimal displays felt like the hallmark of genuine champions.

But, subsequently the tide turned. Liverpool persisted with mediocre performances and began dropping matches. Meanwhile, the North London club, known for their resolute defense and squad depth, started closing the gap at the top.

Defining a Crisis in Modern Football

Does three consecutive defeats represent a collapse? As with most football debates, it hinges entirely on your interpretation of the key term. Was the United midfielder elite? What does "world class" even signify? Is the Birmingham club a big club? What constitutes "big"? Are Manchester United returned to prominence? Alright, maybe that's a question we can settle.

For a club of Liverpool's stature and last season's excellence, a minor setback seems a fair description. During a radio show, ex- forward Neil Mellor was asked how many losses in a row would cause alarm. His answer was six. Currently, they are halfway to that particular threshold.

Pinpointing the Tactical Problems

One can observe clear tactical problems. Integrating new additions like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who offer a distinct style to departed stalwarts Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, creates a challenge. Likewise, blending in a gifted attacking midfielder like Florian Wirtz has reportedly disrupted the engine room. Experts of the Bundesliga note that Wirtz is a creative player who improves those beside him, connecting play effortlessly rather than imposing 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 underperforming. In fact, the majority of the squad are. And every one of them share one significant, recent event: the tragic death of their colleague and friend, Diogo Jota.

The Invisible Effect: Loss on the Pitch

We are now just over three short months since the devastating passing of their teammate. While the outside world progresses quickly, shifting focus to other events, Liverpool's squad carry on training and playing each day in the absence of their friend.

It is impossible to gauge how every player and staff member is coping from one day to the next. There is a significant amount of projection. Perhaps Salah failed to defend in a particular match simply he was tired. But perhaps his performance level is down a small percentage points due to the fact he is grieving for his friend.

The London club's head coach, Enzo Maresca, spoke eloquently before a fixture, making a comparison to his personal experience of the loss of a fellow player, Antonio Puerta, while at Sevilla. "The way they are doing this season is remarkable," he said of Liverpool. "Especially after Jota's tragedy. I lived exactly the same thing when I was a player 20 years ago."

"It's not easy for the squad, it's not easy for the club, it's not easy for the coach when you come to the training complex and you see every day that spot empty. So you must be incredibly resilient. And this is the reason why for me they are doing not well, but exceptionally well. Because they are attempting to deal with a situation that is not easy."

Just as explained succinctly on a popular supporter's show, the memory triggers are constant. The players hear his song in the first half, they see his empty locker in the dressing room. In the middle of games, a pass might be made and the thought arises: 'Ah, 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 far from all right.

The Boundaries of Football Analysis and Human Emotion

After covering football for twenty years, one realizes there is a inherent superficiality in the majority of analysis. We genuinely cannot know how an player is coping at any specific time and how that impacts their performance. Jota's death is one of the most stark illustrations. We know a terrible event occurred, and we understand the concept of sorrow. Beyond that lies an immeasurable layer of effect on various individuals at the organization. It is very possible that some of the squad themselves do not truly grasp its influence from one day to the next.

How the press covers this and how fans dissect displays is obviously far from the most important thing. On a functional basis, mentioning Jota's passing is difficult to accomplish in a short soundbite before transitioning to tactical concerns. Outside of this particular event and beyond Liverpool, it would seem bizarre to preface every criticism of a footballer with an admission that we know so little about their private circumstances—be it their family relationships, health struggles, or marital difficulties.

An ex- pro footballer, Nedum Onuoha, lately talked on radio about how his mother's death midway through his career affected his passion for the game. "I lost some joy in football as much," he stated. "Some of the highs and the low points that come with it didn't really feel the same any more." And that was half a career; for Liverpool and Jota, it has been just three short months.

The Final Thought

So, 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, and even if it is not the sole reason for their final result, we must remember that a few weeks ago they lost not just a brilliant footballer, but, more importantly, they lost a friend.