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Only a few weeks ago, Liverpool appeared destined to secure back-to-back Premier League championships and possibly another Champions League crown. Their ability to secure victories despite not peak displays seemed like the mark of true title-winners.

But, then the momentum turned. Liverpool persisted with average performances and started dropping matches. At the same time, Arsenal, renowned for their stubborn defense and squad depth, started closing the gap at the top.

Understanding a Slump in Modern Football

Does a trio of consecutive defeats constitute a crisis? Like most sporting discussions, it depends entirely on your interpretation of the key word. Is Paul Scholes world class? How do you define "elite" actually signify? Is the Birmingham club a major club? What defines "big"? Is the Old Trafford outfit returned to prominence? Well, perhaps that's a question we might answer.

For a club of Liverpool's stature and last season's brilliance, a mini setback appears a fair assessment. On a recent broadcast, ex- forward Neil Mellor was questioned how many defeats in a row would trigger panic. His reply was six. Currently, they are midway to that threshold.

Identifying the Tactical Issues

There are obvious footballing problems. Integrating new additions like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who offer a distinct skill set to previous 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 note that Wirtz is a technical player who elevates those around him, connecting play seamlessly rather than imposing himself on the game.

Furthermore, a host of players who shone last campaign—such as Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are now below their best. In fact, most of the team are. And every one of them have one profound, fresh experience: the tragic death of their colleague and friend, Diogo Jota.

The Invisible Effect: Grief on the Pitch

It has been just more than three short months since the devastating loss of their friend. Although the wider world progresses rapidly, diverting focus to global events, the club's players continue training and playing each day without their mate.

It is not possible to gauge how every individual and staff member is dealing on any given day. There is a significant amount of projection. Maybe Salah failed to defend in a recent match simply he was tired. But perhaps his performance level is down a small per cent because he is grieving for his friend.

Chelsea's head coach, Enzo Maresca, spoke insightfully before a fixture, drawing a comparison to his personal situation of the loss of a fellow player, Antonio Puerta, while at Sevilla. "The way they are doing this campaign is remarkable," he said of Liverpool. "Especially after the tragedy. I went through exactly the same thing when I was a player two decades past."

"It's not easy for the players, it's not easy for the club, 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 performing not well, even better than good. Because they are trying to handle a problem that is not easy."

Just as explained well on a well-known supporter's show, the reminders are constant. They hear his song in the first half, they notice his unused peg in the dressing room. In the middle of games, a through ball might be played and the thought arises: 'Oh, Jota would have been there.' If Salah showed emotion in front of the Kop a few games ago, it signals that everything is not normal.

The Boundaries of Football Analysis and Personal Grief

After covering football for two decades, one comes to believe there is a fundamental superficiality in most punditry. We genuinely do not know how an individual is feeling at any given time and how that impacts their play. Jota's passing is one of the clearest illustrations. We know a terrible thing occurred, and we understand the nature of grief. But further lies an intangible level of effect on different people at the organization. It is highly likely that a few of the squad personally don't fully understand its effect from one moment to the next.

How the media covers this and how supporters dissect displays is clearly not the most important factor. On a functional basis, mentioning Jota's passing is difficult to do in a short segment before transitioning to tactical concerns. Beyond this specific event and beyond Liverpool, it would seem strange to qualify every criticism of a footballer with an admission that we are largely ignorant about their private circumstances—be it their parental situation, health challenges, or marital problems.

A former professional player, the defender, recently spoke on a broadcast about how his mother's passing midway through his career affected his love for the game. "I lost some joy in football as much," he said. "Some of the high points and the low points that accompany it no longer felt the same any more." And that was half a career; for Liverpool and Jota, it has been just three short months.

The Final Thought

So, regardless of what Liverpool achieve in the coming months—be it success or if it's nothing—even if we omit reference to it whenever we analyze their matches, 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 said goodbye to a friend.