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Just a few weeks back, the Merseyside club appeared destined to claim back-to-back Premier League championships and potentially a further Champions League crown. The team's ability to win despite not peak performances seemed like the hallmark of true title-winners.

But, subsequently the tide shifted. The Anfield side persisted with mediocre performances and started losing matches. Meanwhile, Arsenal, renowned for their stubborn backline and squad depth, began narrowing the gap at the top.

Understanding a Crisis in Modern Football

Does three straight losses represent a collapse? As with most sporting discussions, it hinges entirely on your interpretation of the key word. Was the United midfielder world class? How do you define "world class" even mean? Is the Birmingham club a big team? What constitutes "major"? Is the Old Trafford outfit back? Well, perhaps that's a question we can settle.

At a team of this club's stature and last season's brilliance, a minor setback seems a fair assessment. On a recent broadcast, ex- forward Neil Mellor was asked how many defeats in a row would cause panic. His answer was six. Currently, they are midway to that threshold.

Identifying the Tactical Problems

One can observe obvious tactical problems. Assimilating recent signings like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who offer a distinct skill set to departed key players Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, presents a challenge. Likewise, incorporating a gifted attacking midfielder like Florian Wirtz has reportedly disrupted the engine room. Observers of the Bundesliga note that Wirtz is a creative player who improves those around him, linking play effortlessly rather than imposing himself on the game.

Additionally, a number of individuals who excelled last campaign—such as Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are now below their best. Actually, the majority of the team are. And every one of them have one profound, recent event: the tragic death of their colleague and friend, Diogo Jota.

The Invisible Effect: Grief on the Pitch

We are now just over three months since the devastating passing of their teammate. Although the outside world moves on quickly, shifting attention to other matters, Liverpool's squad continue training and playing day after day without their friend.

It is impossible to know how each player and staff member is dealing from one day to the next. It requires a great deal of speculation. Maybe Salah failed to defend in a particular match simply he lacked energy. But perhaps his form is down a small percentage points due to the fact he misses his pal.

Chelsea's head coach, Enzo Maresca, commented insightfully before a recent, making a parallel to his personal experience of the loss of a fellow player, Antonio Puerta, when at Sevilla. "The way they are performing this campaign is remarkable," he said of Liverpool. "Particularly after the loss. I lived a very similar experience when I was a player 20 years ago."

"It is difficult for the players, it's not easy for the club, it's not easy for the manager when you arrive at the training complex and you see daily that place empty. So you have to be very strong. And this is the reason why for me they are doing not good, but exceptionally well. Because they are trying to deal with a situation that is not easy."

Just as explained succinctly on a well-known fan podcast, the reminders are ongoing. The players hear his chant in the first half, 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, Diogo would have reached that.' When the Egyptian showed emotion in front of the Kop a few games ago, it signals that everything is far from all right.

The Limits of Football Analysis and Human Emotion

Having reporting on football for twenty years, one comes to believe there is a inherent lack of depth in the majority of analysis. We genuinely do not know how an individual is feeling at any specific time and how that affects their play. Jota's passing is one of the clearest examples. We are aware a tragic event happened, and we understand the concept of sorrow. Beyond that lies an immeasurable level of impact on various individuals at the organization. It is highly likely that a few of the players themselves don't truly understand its effect from one moment to the next.

The way the media reports on this and how supporters dissect displays is clearly far from the most important factor. On a practical level, bringing up Jota's death is challenging to do in a brief soundbite before transitioning to on-field issues. Outside of this specific tragedy and beyond Liverpool, it would seem strange to preface every critique of a footballer with an acknowledgment that we are largely ignorant about their private circumstances—be it their parental situation, personal struggles, or relationship problems.

A former pro footballer, the defender, lately talked on a broadcast about how his mother's passing halfway through his career impacted his love for the game. "I didn't enjoy football as much," he said. "Some of the high points and the low points that come with it no longer felt the same any more." And that was half a career; for Liverpool and Jota, it has been just three months.

The Final Point

Therefore, whatever Liverpool accomplish this season—be it success or failure—whether or not we don't mention it whenever we analyze their fixtures, and even if it is not the sole reason for their final result, we must remember that a few weeks ago they suffered the loss of not just a brilliant footballer, but, more importantly, they said goodbye to a friend.