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Just a couple of weeks ago, the Merseyside club appeared destined to secure back-to-back Premier League championships and potentially a further Champions League trophy. Their capacity to win despite not peak performances seemed like the mark of true champions.

But, then the tide shifted. The Anfield side continued with mediocre showings and started losing matches. At the same time, the North London club, renowned for their stubborn backline and squad depth, began closing the gap at the summit.

Understanding a Slump in Modern Football

Does a trio of consecutive defeats represent a collapse? Like many sporting discussions, it hinges completely on your interpretation of the central term. Is Paul Scholes world class? How do you define "elite" even mean? Are Aston Villa a big team? What defines "major"? Are Manchester United back? Alright, maybe that's a question we might settle.

For a club of Liverpool's stature and last season's excellence, a mini crisis seems a reasonable assessment. On a recent broadcast, former striker Neil Mellor was asked how many losses in a row would cause panic. His reply was six. At present, they are midway to that point.

Pinpointing the Tactical Issues

There are obvious tactical problems. Integrating new additions like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who provide a distinct skill set to previous stalwarts Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, presents a challenge. Similarly, blending in 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 elevates those beside him, linking play seamlessly rather than forcing himself on 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. Actually, most of the squad is. And every one of them have one profound, recent event: the tragic death of their colleague and friend, Diogo Jota.

The Invisible Impact: Loss on the Pitch

We are now just over three short months since the tragic passing of their teammate. While the outside world moves on rapidly, shifting focus to global matters, Liverpool's squad carry on training and playing each day in the absence of their friend.

This is not possible to gauge how every individual and member of the backroom team is coping on any given day. It requires a great deal of projection. Maybe Salah failed to defend in a particular match simply he lacked energy. But perhaps his performance level is down a few percentage points due to the fact he misses his friend.

The London club's head coach, Enzo Maresca, commented insightfully before a recent, drawing a comparison to his own experience of losing a teammate, Antonio Puerta, when at Sevilla. "The way they are doing this campaign is fantastic," he said of Liverpool. "Especially after Jota's loss. I went through a very similar experience when I was a player 20 years ago."

"It's not easy for the squad, it's not easy for the club, it's not easy for the manager when you come to the training complex and you see daily that spot empty. So you have to be incredibly resilient. And this is the reason why for me they are doing not good, but exceptionally well. Because they are attempting to handle a problem that is not easy."

As explained well on a popular supporter's show, the reminders are ongoing. The players hear his song in the 20th minute, they see his unused locker in the changing room. In the middle of matches, a pass might be made and the realization arises: 'Oh, Diogo would have been there.' If Salah was seen crying in front of the Kop a few games ago, it signals that all is not all right.

The Boundaries of Football Analysis and Personal Grief

Having reporting on football for twenty years, one realizes there is a fundamental lack of depth in the majority of punditry. We simply cannot know how an individual is feeling at any specific time and how that impacts their play. Jota's passing is one of the clearest examples. We are aware a terrible thing occurred, and we comprehend the concept of sorrow. Beyond that lies an intangible layer of effect on different people at the club. It is highly likely that a few of the players personally don't fully grasp its influence from one day to the next.

How the press covers this and how supporters dissect performances is obviously not the primary factor. On a practical level, bringing up Jota's death is challenging to accomplish in a short soundbite before moving on to tactical concerns. Outside of this specific tragedy and beyond Liverpool, it would seem bizarre to preface every criticism of a footballer with an admission that we are largely ignorant about their personal lives—be it their family situation, personal challenges, or marital problems.

An ex- pro player, the defender, recently spoke on radio about how his mother's passing midway through his career impacted his passion for the game. "I didn't enjoy football as much," he said. "The highs and the low points that accompany it didn't really feel the same after that." And that was half a career; for Liverpool and Jota, it has been just three short months.

The Final Thought

Therefore, whatever Liverpool achieve in the coming months—if it's something or failure—even if we omit reference to it every time we discuss their fixtures, 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 just a brilliant player, but, more importantly, they lost a dear friend.