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Only a couple of weeks back, Liverpool appeared destined to secure back-to-back Premier League championships and potentially a further Champions League crown. Their ability to secure victories without peak performances felt like the mark of true champions.

But, subsequently the tide turned. Liverpool persisted with mediocre showings and started losing matches. At the same time, the North London club, known for their stubborn backline and strength in depth, began closing the gap at the top.

Defining a Slump in Modern Football

Does a trio of consecutive losses represent a collapse? As with many sporting discussions, it hinges entirely on your definition of the central term. Is Paul Scholes world class? How do you define "elite" actually signify? Are Aston Villa a big team? What defines "major"? Are Manchester United back? Well, maybe that's one we can settle.

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

Identifying the On-Pitch Issues

One can observe obvious footballing issues. Integrating new signings like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who provide a different skill set to previous key players Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, creates a challenge. Likewise, incorporating a talented playmaker like Florian Wirtz has reportedly unbalanced the midfield. Experts of the Bundesliga point out that Wirtz is a technical player who elevates those around him, linking play effortlessly rather than imposing himself on the game.

Furthermore, a number of players who shone last season—such as Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are now underperforming. Actually, most of the squad are. Yet they all share one profound, fresh event: the passing of their teammate and companion, Diogo Jota.

The Invisible Impact: Loss on the Pitch

We are now just more than three short months since the tragic loss of their teammate. While the outside world moves on quickly, diverting focus to global events, Liverpool's squad continue training and playing each day in the absence of their friend.

It is not possible to know how each player and staff member is dealing from one day to the next. There is a great deal of speculation. Perhaps Salah didn't track back in a particular match because he lacked energy. But maybe his performance level is down a small per cent because he is grieving for his friend.

Chelsea's head coach, Enzo Maresca, commented insightfully before a fixture, drawing a parallel to his personal experience of losing a fellow player, Antonio Puerta, while at Sevilla. "How they are doing this campaign is remarkable," he said of Liverpool. "Particularly after the loss. I went through a very similar experience 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 coach when you come to the training complex and you find daily that spot empty. So you have to be very strong. And this is the reason why for me they are performing not good, but exceptionally well. Because they are attempting to deal with a problem that is not easy."

Just as summarized succinctly on a well-known supporter's show, the memory triggers are ongoing. They are reminded by his chant in the 20th minute, they see his empty peg in the changing room. Even during matches, a pass might be played and the realization arises: 'Ah, Diogo would have been there.' If Salah was seen crying in front of the Kop a matches ago, it indicates that all is far from normal.

The Limits of Punditry and Personal Grief

After covering football for twenty years, one realizes there is a inherent superficiality in most punditry. We simply cannot know how an individual is feeling at any given time and how that impacts their performance. Jota's passing is one of the clearest illustrations. We know a terrible thing happened, and we understand the concept of sorrow. Beyond that lies an intangible level of effect on various people at the organization. It is highly likely that a few of the players themselves don't fully understand its effect from one day to the next.

How the media reports on this and how supporters analyze displays is obviously far from the most important factor. On a functional basis, bringing up Jota's death is difficult to do in a short segment before moving on to on-field concerns. Beyond this specific event and beyond Liverpool, it would seem strange to preface each criticism of a player with an acknowledgment that we are largely ignorant about their private circumstances—be it their family relationships, health struggles, or marital difficulties.

An ex- professional footballer, Nedum Onuoha, lately talked on a broadcast about how his mother's death halfway through his career affected his passion for the game. "I lost some joy in football as much," he stated. "The highs and the lows that accompany it didn't really feel the same any more." And that was half a career; for Liverpool and Jota, it has been just three months.

The Concluding Point

So, regardless of what Liverpool achieve this season—if it's something or failure—even if we don't mention it every time we discuss their matches, even if it isn't the cause for their final outcome, we must remember that a short time ago they lost not just a exceptional player, but, more importantly, they said goodbye to a friend.