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Just a few weeks ago, the Merseyside club appeared set to claim back-to-back Premier League titles and possibly a further Champions League trophy. Their ability to win despite not peak displays seemed like the mark of true title-winners.

However, then the tide shifted. The Anfield side persisted with mediocre performances and started losing points. Meanwhile, the North London club, known for their resolute backline and squad depth, began closing the gap at the top.

Understanding a Slump in Today's Game

Does a trio of consecutive defeats constitute a collapse? Like most football debates, it hinges entirely on your interpretation of the key term. Was the United midfielder world class? What does "elite" even mean? Are Aston Villa a major club? What defines "major"? Is the Old Trafford outfit back? Alright, maybe that is a question we can answer.

For a club of this club's size and last season's brilliance, a mini crisis seems a fair assessment. During a broadcast, former forward Neil Mellor was asked how many defeats in a row would trigger alarm. His answer was six. At present, they are midway to that particular point.

Identifying the Tactical Problems

One can observe clear tactical issues. Assimilating recent signings like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who provide a distinct style to departed key players Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, creates a challenge. Likewise, incorporating a gifted attacking midfielder like Florian Wirtz has reportedly disrupted the engine room. Observers of the Bundesliga point out that Wirtz is a technical player who elevates those beside him, connecting play seamlessly rather than forcing himself on the game.

Additionally, a host of individuals who excelled last campaign—including Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are currently underperforming. In fact, most of the team are. And every one of them share one significant, fresh event: the passing of their colleague and companion, Diogo Jota.

The Invisible Impact: Loss on the Pitch

It has been just more than three short months since the tragic loss of their friend. While the outside world moves on quickly, shifting attention to other events, the club's players carry on training and playing day after day without their mate.

This is not possible to gauge how every player and staff member is coping on any given day. It requires a great deal of projection. Maybe Salah didn't track back in a recent match simply he lacked energy. Or perhaps his performance level is down a few percentage points due to the fact he is grieving for his pal.

The London club's head coach, Enzo Maresca, spoke insightfully before a fixture, drawing a comparison to his own experience of the loss of a teammate, Antonio Puerta, when at Sevilla. "How they are doing this season is fantastic," he said of Liverpool. "Particularly after the tragedy. I lived exactly the same experience when I was a player 20 years ago."

"It's not easy for the squad, it's not easy for the organization, it's not easy for the manager when you arrive at the training complex and you see daily that place vacant. So you have to be incredibly resilient. And this is the explanation why for me they are doing not well, even better than good. Because they are attempting to handle a situation that is not easy."

As explained succinctly on a well-known supporter's show, the memory triggers are constant. They hear his chant in the 20th minute, they see his empty peg in the changing room. Even during games, a through ball might be played and the thought arises: 'Oh, Jota would have been there.' When the Egyptian showed emotion in front of the Kop a matches ago, it signals that all is far from normal.

The Boundaries of Football Analysis and Personal Grief

Having covering football for two decades, one comes to believe there is a fundamental superficiality in the majority of analysis. We simply cannot know how an individual is feeling at any specific time and how that affects their play. Jota's death is one of the most stark illustrations. We know a terrible thing happened, and we understand the nature of grief. Beyond that lies an immeasurable layer of effect on different people at the club. It is very possible that a few of the squad personally do not fully grasp its influence from one day to the next.

The way the media covers this and how supporters analyze displays is clearly far from the primary factor. On a practical basis, mentioning Jota's passing is challenging to do in a short segment before moving on to on-field concerns. Outside of this specific event and beyond Liverpool, it would seem strange to qualify every criticism of a player with an admission that we are largely ignorant about their private circumstances—be it their family situation, personal struggles, or relationship problems.

An ex- professional player, Nedum Onuoha, lately talked on a broadcast about how his mother's passing halfway through his career affected his passion for the game. "I lost some joy in football as much," he said. "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 Concluding Thought

So, regardless of what Liverpool achieve in the coming months—if it's something or if it's nothing—even if we don't mention it whenever we analyze their fixtures, and even if it is not the sole cause for their final result, we must remember that a few weeks ago they suffered the loss of not merely a exceptional player, but, crucially, they said goodbye to a dear friend.