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Only a few weeks back, the Merseyside club appeared destined to claim back-to-back Premier League titles and possibly another Champions League crown. Their capacity to win despite not optimal performances seemed like the mark of genuine title-winners.

However, then the momentum turned. Liverpool persisted with average showings and started losing points. At the same time, the North London club, known for their stubborn backline and strength in depth, began closing the distance at the summit.

Understanding a Slump in Today's Game

Does a trio of consecutive losses represent a crisis? Like most sporting discussions, it hinges entirely on your definition of the key word. Was the United midfielder world class? How do you define "world class" even mean? Are Aston Villa a major club? What defines "big"? Are Manchester United back? Alright, perhaps that's a question we can answer.

At a team of Liverpool's size and last season's excellence, a mini setback appears a reasonable assessment. During a radio show, former forward Neil Mellor was questioned how many losses in a row would cause alarm. His answer was six. At present, they are midway to that particular point.

Identifying the On-Pitch Problems

One can observe obvious footballing issues. Assimilating new signings like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who provide a different skill set to departed stalwarts Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, creates a challenge. Similarly, incorporating a gifted playmaker like Florian Wirtz has reportedly disrupted the midfield. Experts of the Bundesliga note that Wirtz is a technical player who improves those around him, linking play seamlessly rather than forcing himself on the game.

Additionally, a host of players who excelled last season—such as Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are now below their best. In fact, most of the team is. Yet every one of them have one significant, fresh experience: the passing of their teammate and friend, Diogo Jota.

The Invisible Effect: Grief on the Field

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

It is impossible to know how every player and staff member is dealing on any given day. There is a great deal of speculation. Perhaps Salah didn't track back in a recent match because he lacked energy. Or maybe his form is down a small percentage points because he misses his friend.

Chelsea's head coach, Enzo Maresca, commented insightfully before a recent, drawing a parallel to his personal situation of the loss of a teammate, Antonio Puerta, while at Sevilla. "How they are performing this campaign is fantastic," he said of Liverpool. "Especially after Jota's tragedy. I went through a very similar thing when I was a player 20 years ago."

"It is difficult for the squad, it's not easy for the organization, it's not easy for the manager when you arrive at the training complex and you find every day that spot empty. So you must be very strong. And this is the reason why for me they are doing not well, but exceptionally well. Because they are attempting to handle a situation that is not easy."

As summarized well on a well-known supporter's show, the memory triggers are constant. They hear his song in the first half, they notice his unused peg in the changing room. Even during games, a pass might be made and the thought arises: 'Ah, Jota would have been there.' When the Egyptian showed emotion in front of the Kop a few games ago, it signals that all is not normal.

The Boundaries of Punditry and Human Emotion

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 player is feeling at any specific moment and how that impacts their play. Jota's passing is one of the most stark examples. We know a terrible thing happened, and we understand the nature of grief. But further lies an immeasurable level of impact on various people at the club. It is very possible that some of the squad themselves don't truly grasp its effect from one moment to the next.

The way the media covers this and how fans dissect performances is obviously far from the most important thing. On a functional level, mentioning Jota's passing is difficult to accomplish in a brief segment before transitioning to on-field concerns. Beyond this particular event and beyond Liverpool, it would seem bizarre to preface each criticism of a footballer with an admission that we are largely ignorant about their personal lives—be it their family relationships, health struggles, or marital difficulties.

A former pro player, the defender, lately spoke on radio about how his mother's passing midway through his playing days affected his passion for the game. "I didn't enjoy football as much," he stated. "Some of the highs and the lows that accompany it no longer felt the same after that." And that was half a career; for Liverpool and Jota, it has been only three short months.

The Final Thought

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 whenever we discuss their fixtures, and even if it isn't the cause for their eventual result, we must remember that a short time ago they lost not merely a exceptional footballer, but, more importantly, they lost a friend.