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Only a few weeks ago, the Merseyside club seemed destined to claim back-to-back Premier League titles and potentially a further Champions League crown. Their ability to secure victories without optimal performances felt like the mark of true champions.

But, then the tide turned. Liverpool continued with average showings and began dropping points. At the same time, Arsenal, renowned for their resolute backline and strength in depth, started narrowing the gap at the summit.

Understanding a Slump in Modern Football

Does a trio of straight defeats represent a crisis? As with most sporting discussions, it hinges entirely on your definition of the key word. Was the United midfielder world class? What does "world class" even signify? Is the Birmingham club a major club? What defines "major"? Is the Old Trafford outfit back? Alright, perhaps that is one we might settle.

At a team of this club's stature and last season's excellence, a minor setback seems a reasonable description. During a radio show, ex- striker Neil Mellor was asked how many losses in a row would cause alarm. His answer was six. At present, they are midway to that particular point.

Pinpointing the Tactical Problems

One can observe obvious footballing problems. Integrating new additions like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who provide a distinct style to departed stalwarts Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, presents a difficulty. Similarly, incorporating a gifted attacking midfielder like Florian Wirtz has reportedly disrupted the engine room. Observers of the Bundesliga point out that Wirtz is a technical player who elevates those beside him, linking play effortlessly rather than forcing himself on the game.

Furthermore, a number of individuals who excelled last season—such as Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are now underperforming. In fact, most of the squad is. Yet they all share one profound, fresh event: the passing of their colleague and friend, Diogo Jota.

The Unseen Impact: Grief on the Field

We are now just more than three months since the devastating passing of their friend. While the wider world moves on rapidly, diverting attention to global events, Liverpool's squad carry on training and playing day after day in the absence of their mate.

This is not possible to know how each individual and staff member is dealing from one day to the next. It requires a great deal of projection. Maybe Salah didn't track back in a recent match simply he lacked energy. But perhaps his form is down a small per cent because he misses his pal.

The London club's head coach, Enzo Maresca, spoke insightfully before a recent, making a comparison to his personal situation of the loss of a teammate, Antonio Puerta, when at Sevilla. "How they are doing this campaign is remarkable," he said of Liverpool. "Particularly after the loss. I went through a very similar thing 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 coach when you arrive at the training ground and you find daily that place empty. So you have to be very strong. And this is the explanation why for me they are performing not good, but exceptionally well. Because they are trying to handle a problem that is not easy."

Just as explained succinctly on a popular supporter's show, the reminders are constant. They hear his song in the 20th minute, they notice his empty locker in the changing room. Even during games, a pass might be played and the thought arises: 'Ah, Diogo would have reached that.' When the Egyptian was seen crying in front of the Kop a matches ago, it indicates that all is far from normal.

The Boundaries of Punditry and Human Emotion

Having reporting on football for two decades, one comes to believe there is a inherent lack of depth in the majority of punditry. We genuinely cannot know how an individual is feeling at any specific moment and how that impacts their play. Jota's death is one of the clearest examples. We know a tragic thing happened, and we understand the concept of sorrow. Beyond that lies an intangible layer of impact on various individuals at the organization. It is very possible that some of the squad personally don't fully grasp its effect from one day to the next.

The way the press reports on this and how supporters analyze performances is obviously far from the primary thing. On a practical level, mentioning Jota's death is challenging to accomplish in a short segment before transitioning to tactical issues. Beyond this particular event and outside Liverpool, it would seem bizarre to preface every critique of a player with an admission that we are largely ignorant about their personal lives—be it their parental situation, health struggles, or relationship difficulties.

A former pro player, Nedum Onuoha, recently spoke on a broadcast about how his mother's passing midway through his playing days impacted his love for the game. "I lost some joy in football as much," he stated. "The high points and the low points that accompany it no longer felt the same after that." And that was many years into his profession; for Liverpool and Jota, it has been just three months.

The Final Thought

So, whatever Liverpool achieve this season—if it's something or if it's nothing—even if we don't mention it every time we analyze their matches, even if it isn't the cause for their final result, we should not forget that a short time ago they suffered the loss of not merely a brilliant player, but, more importantly, they said goodbye to a dear friend.