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Just a few weeks ago, the Merseyside club appeared set to claim back-to-back Premier League championships and possibly a further Champions League trophy. The team's ability to win without optimal performances seemed like the hallmark of true title-winners.

But, then the tide shifted. Liverpool continued with average showings and started dropping matches. Meanwhile, Arsenal, known for their stubborn defense and squad depth, started closing the distance at the summit.

Defining a Slump in Modern Football

Does a trio of straight defeats constitute a crisis? As with many football debates, it hinges completely on your interpretation of the central term. Is Paul Scholes elite? What does "world class" even signify? Is the Birmingham club a major club? What defines "major"? Are Manchester United back? Alright, perhaps that is a question we can settle.

At a team of this club's size and previous campaign's excellence, a mini crisis appears a reasonable description. On a recent broadcast, former striker Neil Mellor was asked how many losses in a row would cause panic. His answer was six. At present, they are midway to that point.

Identifying the Tactical Issues

One can observe obvious footballing issues. Integrating new signings like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who provide a distinct skill set to previous key players Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, presents a difficulty. Likewise, blending in a gifted attacking midfielder like Florian Wirtz has reportedly unbalanced the midfield. Observers of the Bundesliga point out that Wirtz is a creative player who elevates those beside him, connecting play effortlessly rather than imposing himself on the game.

Additionally, a number of players who excelled last campaign—such as Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are currently underperforming. Actually, most of the team is. Yet every one of them have one profound, recent event: the tragic death of their teammate and companion, Diogo Jota.

The Invisible Impact: Loss on the Field

We are now just over three months since the tragic loss of their teammate. Although the wider world moves on quickly, diverting attention to other matters, Liverpool's players carry on training and playing day after day in the absence of their mate.

It is not possible to gauge how every individual and staff member is coping on any given day. There is a great deal of projection. Maybe Salah failed to defend in a particular match simply he lacked energy. Or perhaps his performance level is down a small percentage points because he is grieving for his pal.

Chelsea's head coach, Enzo Maresca, spoke eloquently before a fixture, making a comparison to his own experience of the loss of a fellow player, Antonio Puerta, when at Sevilla. "The way they are performing this campaign is remarkable," he said of Liverpool. "Especially after the tragedy. I lived exactly the same thing when I was a player two decades past."

"It's not easy for the squad, 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 spot empty. So you must be very strong. And this is the explanation 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 memory triggers are constant. The players are reminded by his chant in the 20th minute, they notice his empty locker in the changing room. In the middle of games, a pass might be made and the realization arises: 'Ah, Diogo would have reached that.' When the Egyptian showed emotion in front of the Kop a few games ago, it signals that all is far from all right.

The Boundaries of Football Analysis and Personal Grief

Having reporting on football for two decades, one realizes there is a fundamental lack of depth in most punditry. We genuinely cannot know how an individual is coping at any given moment and how that affects their performance. Jota's passing is one of the clearest examples. We know a tragic event happened, and we comprehend the nature of grief. But further lies an intangible level of impact on different individuals at the club. It is very possible that a few of the players themselves do not fully grasp its effect from one moment to the next.

The way the press covers this and how supporters dissect performances is clearly far from the primary thing. On a practical level, bringing up Jota's death is challenging to accomplish in a short segment before moving on to tactical issues. Beyond this particular event and outside Liverpool, it would seem strange to preface every critique of a footballer with an acknowledgment that we know so little about their private circumstances—be it their family relationships, personal struggles, or marital difficulties.

A former pro footballer, Nedum Onuoha, recently talked on radio about how his mother's passing halfway through his playing days impacted his passion for the game. "I didn't enjoy football as much," he stated. "Some of the high points and the low points that come with it didn't really feel the same after that." And that was half a career; for Liverpool and Jota, it has been just three months.

The Concluding Point

Therefore, regardless of what Liverpool accomplish this season—be it success or failure—even if we don't mention it every time we analyze their fixtures, even if it is not the sole cause for their final result, we must remember that a few weeks ago they lost not merely a exceptional player, but, crucially, they lost a dear friend.