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Only a couple of weeks ago, Liverpool appeared set to secure back-to-back Premier League championships and potentially a further Champions League crown. The team's ability to secure victories despite not optimal displays seemed like the hallmark of true title-winners.

However, then the momentum shifted. Liverpool persisted with mediocre performances and started dropping matches. Meanwhile, the North London club, renowned for their stubborn backline and squad depth, began closing the gap at the summit.

Understanding a Crisis in Today's Game

Does a trio of consecutive defeats represent a crisis? Like most sporting discussions, it hinges entirely on your interpretation of the central term. Was the United midfielder elite? What does "world class" actually mean? Is the Birmingham club a major club? What defines "major"? Is the Old Trafford outfit back? Alright, perhaps that's a question we might settle.

For a club of Liverpool's stature and last season's brilliance, a mini setback appears a reasonable description. On a recent broadcast, ex- forward Neil Mellor was questioned how many losses in a row would trigger panic. His answer was six. Currently, they are halfway to that point.

Pinpointing the Tactical Problems

There are obvious tactical issues. Assimilating new additions like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who provide a different skill set to previous stalwarts Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, creates a challenge. Similarly, incorporating a talented attacking midfielder like Florian Wirtz has reportedly unbalanced the engine room. Observers of the Bundesliga point out that Wirtz is a creative player who improves those beside him, connecting play effortlessly rather than forcing himself upon the game.

Furthermore, a number of individuals who shone last season—including Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are currently underperforming. In fact, most of the squad is. Yet every one of them share one profound, recent event: the passing of their colleague and friend, Diogo Jota.

The Invisible Effect: Loss on the Field

We are now just over three short months since the tragic passing of their teammate. While the outside world progresses quickly, diverting attention to global matters, Liverpool's players continue going to work day after day without their friend.

It is impossible to gauge how each individual and member of the backroom team is coping from one day to the next. It requires a great deal of projection. Perhaps Salah didn't track back in a recent match because he lacked energy. Or perhaps his performance level is down a small per cent because he is grieving for his friend.

Chelsea's head coach, Enzo Maresca, commented eloquently before a fixture, making a comparison to his personal situation of the loss of a teammate, Antonio Puerta, while at Sevilla. "How they are doing this campaign is fantastic," he said of Liverpool. "Particularly after Jota's loss. I went through exactly the same thing when I was a player two decades past."

"It is difficult for the squad, it's not easy for the organization, it's not easy for the manager when you arrive at the training ground and you see daily that place empty. So you must be very strong. And this is the reason why for me they are performing not good, but exceptionally well. Because they are attempting to handle a problem that is not easy."

Just as summarized succinctly on a popular fan podcast, the reminders are constant. They hear his chant in the first half, they notice his empty peg in the changing room. In the middle of games, a through ball might be made and the thought arises: 'Ah, Jota would have reached that.' If Salah was seen crying in front of the Kop a matches ago, it indicates that everything is far from normal.

The Limits of Punditry and Personal Grief

Having covering football for twenty years, one realizes there is a fundamental superficiality in the majority of punditry. We genuinely do not know how an player is feeling at any specific moment and how that affects their performance. Jota's death is one of the clearest illustrations. We are aware a tragic event happened, and we comprehend the nature of grief. Beyond that lies an intangible layer of impact on different people at the club. It is highly likely that some of the squad personally do not truly understand its influence from one moment to the next.

The way the media reports on this and how fans analyze displays is clearly not the primary factor. On a practical level, mentioning Jota's passing is difficult to accomplish in a brief soundbite before moving on to tactical issues. Beyond this specific event and outside Liverpool, it would seem bizarre to qualify every criticism of a player with an acknowledgment that we are largely ignorant about their private circumstances—be it their family situation, personal struggles, or relationship difficulties.

An ex- pro player, Nedum Onuoha, lately talked on radio about how his mother's death midway through his playing days impacted his passion for the game. "I didn't enjoy football as much," he stated. "The high points and the lows 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 months.

The Concluding Thought

So, regardless of what Liverpool accomplish this season—be it success or failure—even if we don't mention it whenever we discuss their fixtures, and even if it is not the sole cause for their eventual outcome, we must remember that a few weeks ago they lost not merely a exceptional player, but, crucially, they lost a friend.