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Just a couple of weeks back, the Merseyside club seemed destined to claim back-to-back Premier League titles and potentially another Champions League crown. The team's capacity to secure victories without peak performances seemed like the mark of genuine title-winners.

However, subsequently the tide shifted. The Anfield side continued with mediocre performances and began dropping matches. At the same time, the North London club, known for their resolute backline and squad depth, started narrowing the gap at the summit.

Defining a Slump in Modern Football

Can three straight losses constitute a collapse? As with many sporting discussions, it depends entirely on your definition of the key word. Was the United midfielder elite? How do you define "world class" actually mean? Are Aston Villa a big club? What constitutes "big"? Are Manchester United back? Well, maybe that is one we can answer.

At a team of Liverpool's size and last season's brilliance, a mini setback appears a reasonable description. During a broadcast, former striker Neil Mellor was questioned how many defeats in a row would cause panic. His answer was six. Currently, they are midway to that particular point.

Pinpointing the Tactical Problems

There are obvious footballing problems. Assimilating new additions like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who offer a distinct skill set to departed stalwarts Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, creates a difficulty. Likewise, incorporating a gifted attacking midfielder like Florian Wirtz has reportedly disrupted the midfield. Observers of the Bundesliga note that Wirtz is a creative player who improves those beside him, connecting play seamlessly rather than forcing himself upon the game.

Furthermore, a number of individuals who excelled last campaign—including Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are now below their best. In fact, most of the team is. And they all share one significant, recent event: the passing of their teammate and friend, Diogo Jota.

The Unseen Impact: Grief on the Pitch

It has been just more than three short months since the tragic loss of their friend. While the outside world progresses quickly, diverting attention to other matters, Liverpool's squad continue going to work day after day without their friend.

It is impossible to gauge how every individual and staff member is coping on any given day. It requires a great deal of projection. Maybe Salah failed to defend in a recent match simply he lacked energy. Or perhaps his form is down a few percentage points due to the fact he misses his friend.

The London club's head coach, Enzo Maresca, spoke insightfully before a recent, making a parallel to his personal experience of losing a teammate, Antonio Puerta, while at Sevilla. "The way they are doing this campaign is fantastic," he said of Liverpool. "Particularly after the loss. I lived 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 coach when you come to the training complex and you see every day that spot empty. So you have to be incredibly resilient. And this is the reason why for me they are performing not good, even better than good. Because they are attempting to handle a situation that is not easy."

As summarized succinctly on a popular supporter's show, the reminders are ongoing. They are reminded by his song in the 20th minute, they notice his unused peg in the changing room. Even during matches, a pass might be played and the thought arises: 'Oh, 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 Punditry and Human Emotion

Having covering football for two decades, one comes to believe there is a inherent lack of depth in most analysis. We genuinely do not know how an individual is coping at any given time and how that affects their performance. Jota's death is one of the clearest illustrations. We know a terrible event happened, and we comprehend the concept of grief. Beyond that lies an intangible layer of impact on various people at the organization. It is very possible that a few of the players personally don't truly grasp its influence from one day to the next.

The way the press covers this and how supporters dissect displays is obviously far from the most important thing. On a practical basis, mentioning Jota's death is difficult to accomplish in a brief soundbite before moving on to tactical concerns. Beyond this particular tragedy and beyond Liverpool, it would seem strange to qualify every criticism of a footballer with an acknowledgment that we are largely ignorant about their private circumstances—be it their parental relationships, health challenges, or relationship difficulties.

A former pro footballer, 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 any more." And that was half a career; for Liverpool and Jota, it has been only three short months.

The Final Point

So, regardless of what Liverpool achieve this season—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 isn't the reason for their final result, we must remember that a short time ago they suffered the loss of not merely a brilliant player, but, crucially, they said goodbye to a friend.