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Just a couple of weeks ago, the Merseyside club seemed set to claim back-to-back Premier League titles and possibly another Champions League crown. Their capacity to secure victories without peak performances seemed like the mark of true champions.

But, then the momentum shifted. The Anfield side continued with average performances and started losing points. At the same time, the North London club, renowned for their stubborn backline and squad depth, started narrowing the distance at the top.

Understanding a Slump in Modern Football

Does three consecutive losses represent a collapse? As with many sporting discussions, it hinges completely on your definition of the key term. Is Paul Scholes world class? How do you define "elite" even signify? Is the Birmingham club a major team? What defines "major"? Is the Old Trafford outfit back? Alright, maybe that is a question we can settle.

At a team of this club's stature and last season's excellence, a mini setback appears a fair description. During a broadcast, ex- striker Neil Mellor was asked how many defeats in a row would cause alarm. His answer was six. Currently, they are halfway to that particular threshold.

Identifying the Tactical Issues

One can observe clear tactical problems. Assimilating recent signings like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who provide a different style to previous stalwarts Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, creates a challenge. Likewise, incorporating a gifted attacking midfielder like Florian Wirtz has reportedly disrupted the midfield. Observers of the Bundesliga note that Wirtz is a creative talent who improves those beside him, linking play effortlessly rather than imposing himself upon the game.

Furthermore, a host of players who excelled last campaign—including Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are currently underperforming. Actually, the majority of the team are. Yet every one of them share one profound, recent experience: the passing of their colleague and companion, Diogo Jota.

The Unseen Impact: Grief on the Field

We are now just more than three short months since the tragic passing of their friend. While the wider world moves on rapidly, shifting attention to other matters, the club's players carry on going to work day after day without their friend.

It is not possible to gauge how every player and staff member is coping on any given day. There is a great deal of speculation. Perhaps Salah didn't track back in a particular match simply he lacked energy. But maybe his form is down a small per cent because he misses his friend.

Chelsea's head coach, Enzo Maresca, commented insightfully before a fixture, drawing a comparison to his personal experience of the loss of a fellow player, Antonio Puerta, when at Sevilla. "The way they are performing this season is remarkable," he said of Liverpool. "Especially after Jota's loss. I went through a very similar thing when I was a player 20 years ago."

"It is difficult for the squad, it's not easy for the club, it's not easy for the manager when you arrive at the training ground and you see every day that spot empty. So you have to be incredibly resilient. And this is the explanation 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 explained succinctly on a popular fan podcast, the memory triggers are ongoing. They are reminded by his chant in the 20th minute, they see his unused peg in the dressing room. Even during games, a through ball might be made and the realization arises: 'Ah, Diogo would have reached that.' If Salah was seen crying in front of the Kop a matches ago, it indicates that everything is not all right.

The Limits of Football Analysis and Personal Grief

After covering football for two decades, one realizes there is a inherent lack of depth in the majority of analysis. We simply do not know how an individual is coping at any given moment and how that affects their performance. Jota's death is one of the most stark examples. We are aware a terrible thing happened, and we comprehend the concept of sorrow. Beyond that lies an intangible layer of effect on different people at the organization. It is highly likely that a few of the players personally do not fully grasp its influence from one moment to the next.

How the media reports on this and how supporters analyze performances is clearly not the most important thing. On a functional level, mentioning Jota's passing is challenging to do in a brief soundbite before transitioning to on-field issues. Outside of this particular tragedy and beyond Liverpool, it would seem strange to qualify each critique of a player with an admission that we are largely ignorant about their personal lives—be it their family relationships, personal struggles, or relationship problems.

An ex- professional player, Nedum Onuoha, lately spoke on radio about how his mother's death midway through his career affected his love for the game. "I lost some joy in football as much," he stated. "The highs and the low points that come with it didn't really feel the same any more." And that was many years into his profession; for Liverpool and Jota, it has been only three months.

The Final Point

So, whatever Liverpool accomplish this season—be it success or failure—even if we don't mention it every time we analyze their fixtures, and even if it is not the sole cause for their eventual outcome, we must remember that a short time ago they lost not just a brilliant player, but, crucially, they said goodbye to a dear friend.