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Just a few weeks ago, the Merseyside club appeared destined to claim back-to-back Premier League championships and potentially another Champions League trophy. The team's ability to secure victories despite not optimal displays felt like the hallmark of genuine title-winners.

But, then the momentum turned. Liverpool persisted with average performances and started dropping matches. Meanwhile, the North London club, known for their resolute defense and strength in depth, started closing the gap at the summit.

Defining a Crisis in Today's Game

Can three straight losses represent a crisis? As with most sporting discussions, it hinges entirely on your interpretation of the central word. Was the United midfielder world class? How do you define "elite" actually signify? Are Aston Villa a major team? What defines "major"? Is the Old Trafford outfit returned to prominence? Alright, perhaps that is one we might settle.

At a team of Liverpool's stature and last season's brilliance, a mini crisis appears a reasonable assessment. During a broadcast, former forward Neil Mellor was questioned how many defeats in a row would trigger alarm. His reply was six. Currently, they are halfway to that particular point.

Pinpointing the Tactical Issues

There are obvious tactical issues. Assimilating recent signings like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who offer a different skill set to departed key players Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, presents a challenge. Likewise, incorporating a talented attacking midfielder like Florian Wirtz has reportedly disrupted the engine room. Observers of the Bundesliga point out that Wirtz is a creative player who elevates those around him, connecting play effortlessly rather than imposing himself on the game.

Additionally, a host of players who excelled last campaign—including Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are currently underperforming. Actually, most of the squad is. And every one of them have one significant, fresh experience: the tragic death of their colleague and companion, Diogo Jota.

The Invisible Effect: Grief on the Field

We are now just more than three short months since the devastating passing of their teammate. Although the wider world moves on quickly, diverting focus to other matters, Liverpool's players continue going to work day after day in the absence of their mate.

This is not possible to gauge how every individual and staff member is dealing on any given day. It requires a great deal of projection. Perhaps Salah failed to defend in a particular match simply he lacked energy. Or perhaps his form is down a few percentage points because he is grieving for his pal.

Chelsea's head coach, Enzo Maresca, spoke eloquently before a fixture, making a parallel to his personal experience of losing a fellow player, Antonio Puerta, when at Sevilla. "The way they are doing this campaign is fantastic," he said of Liverpool. "Especially after Jota's tragedy. I went through exactly the same thing 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 find daily that place empty. So you must be incredibly resilient. And this is the explanation why for me they are doing not good, even better than good. Because they are attempting to deal with a situation that is not easy."

As summarized succinctly on a popular supporter's show, the memory triggers are constant. They hear his chant in the 20th minute, they see his empty peg in the dressing room. Even during matches, a pass might be made and the thought arises: 'Oh, Jota would have reached that.' When the Egyptian showed emotion in front of the Kop a few games ago, it indicates that all is far from normal.

The Limits of Punditry and Human Emotion

Having covering football for two decades, one realizes there is a inherent lack of depth in most analysis. We simply do not know how an individual is feeling at any specific time and how that affects their performance. Jota's death is one of the clearest illustrations. We know a terrible thing happened, and we comprehend the nature of sorrow. Beyond that lies an intangible layer of impact on different individuals at the organization. It is highly likely that a few of the players themselves do not truly grasp its effect from one day to the next.

How the media covers this and how fans analyze displays is clearly not the most important factor. On a practical basis, mentioning Jota's death is challenging to do in a short soundbite before moving on to on-field issues. Outside of this particular event and outside Liverpool, it would seem bizarre to preface every critique of a player with an admission that we are largely ignorant about their private circumstances—be it their parental relationships, health challenges, or marital difficulties.

A former professional player, the defender, lately spoke on radio about how his mother's passing midway through his playing days affected his passion for the game. "I lost some joy in football as much," he said. "The high points and the lows that come with it no longer felt the same any more." And that was half a career; for Liverpool and Jota, it has been only three short months.

The Concluding Point

Therefore, whatever Liverpool accomplish this season—if it's something or failure—whether or not we omit reference to it every time we analyze their fixtures, and even if it is not the sole reason for their eventual outcome, we should not forget that a few weeks ago they lost not just a exceptional player, but, crucially, they said goodbye to a dear friend.