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Only a few weeks back, the Merseyside club appeared destined to secure back-to-back Premier League championships and potentially a further Champions League trophy. Their ability to win despite not peak performances felt like the mark of true champions.

But, then the tide shifted. Liverpool continued with average showings and began dropping points. At the same time, the North London club, known for their resolute defense and strength in depth, began closing the gap at the summit.

Understanding a Crisis in Modern Football

Does three straight losses represent a collapse? Like many sporting discussions, it hinges entirely on your interpretation of the central word. Was the United midfielder world class? How do you define "world class" actually signify? Are Aston Villa a major club? What constitutes "major"? Is the Old Trafford outfit back? Alright, perhaps that's one we can answer.

At a team of this club's stature and last season's brilliance, a mini setback appears a reasonable assessment. On a recent broadcast, former striker Neil Mellor was asked how many defeats in a row would cause panic. His reply was six. At present, they are halfway to that threshold.

Identifying the On-Pitch Problems

There are obvious footballing problems. Assimilating recent additions like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who provide a distinct style to departed stalwarts Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, presents 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 around him, linking play seamlessly rather than forcing 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 currently underperforming. Actually, most of the squad are. And every one of them have one profound, recent event: the passing of their colleague and companion, Diogo Jota.

The Unseen Effect: Grief on the Pitch

It has been just over three months since the devastating loss of their teammate. Although the outside world progresses rapidly, diverting attention to other events, Liverpool's players continue training and playing each day without their friend.

This is not possible to gauge how each player and staff member is coping on any given day. There is a significant amount of speculation. Perhaps Salah didn't track back in a particular match because he lacked energy. Or maybe his performance level is down a few per cent due to the fact he is grieving for 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 teammate, Antonio Puerta, when at Sevilla. "How they are doing this season is fantastic," he said of Liverpool. "Especially after Jota's tragedy. I lived exactly the same experience 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 come to 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, even better than good. Because they are attempting to handle a situation that is not easy."

Just as summarized well on a well-known supporter's show, the memory triggers are ongoing. The players hear his song in the 20th minute, they notice his unused peg in the dressing room. Even during games, a pass might be made and the realization arises: 'Ah, Diogo 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 all right.

The Limits of Punditry and Personal Grief

Having covering football for two decades, one realizes there is a inherent lack of depth in most analysis. We genuinely do not know how an individual is feeling at any specific moment and how that impacts their play. Jota's passing is one of the most stark examples. We are aware a tragic thing occurred, and we understand the nature of sorrow. But further lies an immeasurable layer of impact on various people at the club. It is highly likely that a few of the squad themselves don't truly understand its effect from one day to the next.

The way the media covers this and how supporters analyze displays is clearly far from the most important factor. On a functional level, mentioning Jota's passing is difficult to do in a brief segment before transitioning to tactical concerns. Beyond this particular tragedy and outside Liverpool, it would seem strange to qualify every criticism of a footballer with an acknowledgment that we are largely ignorant about their personal lives—be it their parental situation, health challenges, or marital problems.

A former pro player, the defender, recently talked on a broadcast about how his mother's passing midway through his playing days affected his love for the game. "I didn't enjoy football as much," he stated. "The high points and the low points that accompany 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

Therefore, whatever Liverpool accomplish this season—be it success or failure—whether or not we omit reference to it every time we discuss their fixtures, and even if it is not the sole cause for their final result, we must remember that a short time ago they suffered the loss of not just a exceptional footballer, but, more importantly, they lost a friend.