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Just a couple of weeks back, the Merseyside club seemed destined to claim back-to-back Premier League championships and potentially another Champions League trophy. The team's capacity to secure victories despite not peak displays seemed like the mark of true champions.

But, subsequently the tide turned. Liverpool continued with mediocre performances and started dropping points. Meanwhile, Arsenal, known for their stubborn defense and strength in depth, began closing the gap at the summit.

Understanding a Slump in Modern Football

Does a trio of straight losses represent a collapse? As with many sporting discussions, it depends entirely on your interpretation of the key word. Is Paul Scholes world class? How do you define "elite" even signify? Is the Birmingham club a big club? What defines "major"? Is the Old Trafford outfit returned to prominence? Alright, perhaps that is one we might answer.

At a team of this club's size and last season's brilliance, a minor setback appears a reasonable assessment. On a recent broadcast, former striker Neil Mellor was questioned how many losses in a row would trigger panic. His answer was six. Currently, they are midway to that point.

Identifying the On-Pitch Issues

There are clear tactical issues. Assimilating new signings like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who provide a different style to departed stalwarts Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, creates a challenge. Similarly, blending in a talented attacking midfielder like Florian Wirtz has reportedly unbalanced the engine room. Experts of the Bundesliga point out that Wirtz is a creative player who improves those around him, connecting play effortlessly rather than imposing himself upon the game.

Furthermore, a host of players who excelled last season—including Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are now below their best. Actually, the majority of the team are. And every one of them have one significant, fresh experience: the tragic death of their teammate and friend, Diogo Jota.

The Unseen Effect: Loss on the Pitch

We are now just more than three months since the devastating passing of their teammate. Although the outside world progresses rapidly, shifting focus to other matters, the club's squad continue training and playing each day in the absence of their mate.

It is not possible to know how every individual and staff member is coping from one day to the next. There is a significant amount of projection. Maybe Salah failed to defend in a recent match simply he was tired. Or perhaps his form is down a few percentage points because he is grieving for his friend.

The London club's head coach, Enzo Maresca, spoke eloquently before a fixture, drawing a parallel to his own experience of the loss of a teammate, Antonio Puerta, when at Sevilla. "The way they are performing this campaign is fantastic," he said of Liverpool. "Particularly after the tragedy. I lived a very similar experience when I was a player 20 years ago."

"It's not easy for the players, it's not easy for the organization, it's not easy for the coach when you come to the training ground 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 doing not well, but exceptionally well. Because they are attempting to deal with a situation that is not easy."

Just as summarized well on a popular fan podcast, the reminders are ongoing. The players are reminded by his chant in the first half, they see his empty peg in the dressing room. In the middle of games, a through ball might be played and the realization arises: 'Oh, Diogo would have reached that.' If Salah showed emotion in front of the Kop a few games ago, it indicates that all is not all right.

The Boundaries of Football Analysis and Human Emotion

After covering football for two decades, one realizes there is a fundamental lack of depth in most punditry. We genuinely cannot know how an player is feeling at any given time and how that affects their play. Jota's passing is one of the most stark illustrations. We are aware a terrible thing happened, and we understand the nature of grief. But further lies an immeasurable layer of effect on various individuals at the club. It is highly likely that a few of the players personally don't fully grasp its effect from one moment to the next.

The way the media reports on this and how supporters dissect displays is obviously far from the most important factor. On a practical basis, bringing up Jota's passing is difficult to do in a brief soundbite before transitioning to tactical concerns. Outside of this specific tragedy and outside Liverpool, it would seem strange to qualify every critique of a player with an admission that we know so little about their private circumstances—be it their parental relationships, personal struggles, or relationship difficulties.

A former professional player, Nedum Onuoha, recently spoke on a broadcast about how his mother's passing halfway through his career affected his passion 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 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

Therefore, regardless of what Liverpool achieve this season—if it's something or if it's nothing—whether or not we don't mention it every time we discuss their fixtures, even if it isn't the reason for their eventual result, we should not forget that a few weeks ago they suffered the loss of not just a exceptional footballer, but, more importantly, they lost a friend.