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Only a few weeks back, Liverpool appeared destined to secure back-to-back Premier League titles and potentially another Champions League trophy. The team's capacity to secure victories despite not peak displays seemed like the hallmark of true champions.

However, then the tide shifted. Liverpool continued with average showings and started dropping matches. At the same time, Arsenal, known for their stubborn defense and strength in depth, started narrowing the gap at the top.

Understanding a Slump in Today's Game

Does a trio of consecutive losses represent a collapse? As with many sporting discussions, it depends completely on your interpretation of the central word. Is Paul Scholes elite? What does "world class" even signify? Is the Birmingham club a big club? What constitutes "big"? Is the Old Trafford outfit returned to prominence? Alright, maybe that is a question we might answer.

At a team of this club's stature and last season's brilliance, a minor crisis seems a reasonable assessment. During a broadcast, former striker Neil Mellor was asked how many defeats in a row would trigger alarm. His reply was six. Currently, they are halfway to that particular point.

Identifying the Tactical Problems

There are obvious tactical problems. Integrating new additions like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who offer a distinct style to previous stalwarts Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, creates a challenge. Similarly, incorporating a talented playmaker like Florian Wirtz has reportedly disrupted the midfield. Experts of the Bundesliga note that Wirtz is a creative player who improves those around him, connecting play seamlessly rather than imposing himself upon the game.

Furthermore, a host of individuals who shone last campaign—such as Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are currently underperforming. In fact, the majority of the squad are. Yet they all share one profound, recent event: the tragic death of their teammate and companion, Diogo Jota.

The Unseen Effect: Loss on the Field

We are now just over three short months since the tragic loss of their friend. Although the wider world progresses rapidly, diverting focus to other matters, Liverpool's squad carry on going to work each day in the absence of their friend.

It is impossible to gauge how every individual and member of the backroom team is dealing on any given day. It requires a great deal of projection. Maybe Salah failed to defend in a recent match because he lacked energy. But maybe his form is down a few percentage points because he misses his pal.

The London club's head coach, Enzo Maresca, commented insightfully before a fixture, making a comparison to his personal situation of the loss of a teammate, Antonio Puerta, while at Sevilla. "How they are doing this campaign is fantastic," he said of Liverpool. "Especially after Jota's tragedy. I went through exactly the same thing when I was a player two decades past."

"It is difficult for the players, it's not easy for the club, it's not easy for the manager when you come to the training complex and you see every day that spot empty. So you must be incredibly resilient. And this is the explanation why for me they are performing not well, even better than good. Because they are attempting to deal with a situation that is not easy."

Just as summarized succinctly on a well-known fan podcast, the reminders are ongoing. The players hear his chant in the first half, they notice his empty locker in the changing room. Even during matches, a through ball might be played and the thought arises: 'Ah, Diogo would have been there.' If Salah was seen crying in front of the Kop a matches ago, it signals that all is not all right.

The Limits of Punditry and Personal Grief

After reporting on football for two decades, one realizes there is a inherent lack of depth in most punditry. We simply do not know how an player is coping at any given time and how that affects their performance. Jota's passing is one of the most stark illustrations. We are aware a terrible event happened, and we comprehend the nature of grief. But further lies an intangible layer of effect on various people at the organization. It is very possible that a few of the squad themselves don't truly grasp its influence from one moment to the next.

How the press covers this and how supporters analyze displays is clearly not the most important factor. On a practical level, mentioning Jota's death is difficult to do in a short segment before transitioning to tactical concerns. Outside of this specific tragedy and beyond Liverpool, it would seem bizarre to qualify every critique of a footballer with an acknowledgment that we know so little about their personal lives—be it their parental situation, personal challenges, or relationship problems.

A former professional footballer, the defender, recently spoke on radio about how his mother's death midway through his playing days impacted his love for the game. "I lost some joy in football as much," he said. "The high points and the lows that accompany it didn't really feel the same after that." And that was many years into his profession; for Liverpool and Jota, it has been only three short months.

The Final Point

So, regardless of what Liverpool achieve in the coming months—if it's something or if it's nothing—whether or not we don't mention it every time we discuss their matches, and even if it isn't the reason for their eventual outcome, we should not forget that a short time ago they suffered the loss of not just a brilliant footballer, but, crucially, they lost a friend.