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Only a couple of weeks ago, Liverpool seemed set to secure back-to-back Premier League titles and potentially a further Champions League crown. Their ability to secure victories despite not peak performances felt like the hallmark of genuine title-winners.

But, subsequently the momentum shifted. Liverpool continued with mediocre performances and started dropping matches. Meanwhile, the North London club, renowned for their stubborn defense and squad depth, started closing the distance at the summit.

Defining a Slump in Today's Game

Does three straight losses constitute a collapse? As with many football debates, it hinges entirely on your definition of the central term. Was the United midfielder elite? How do you define "elite" actually signify? Is the Birmingham club a big club? What constitutes "major"? Is the Old Trafford outfit back? Well, maybe that is a question we can settle.

For a club of Liverpool's stature and last season's brilliance, a minor setback appears a fair description. During a broadcast, former striker Neil Mellor was asked how many defeats in a row would cause alarm. His answer was six. Currently, they are midway to that particular threshold.

Pinpointing the On-Pitch Problems

There are clear tactical problems. Assimilating new signings like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who offer a distinct skill set to previous key players Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, presents a challenge. Likewise, blending in a gifted playmaker like Florian Wirtz has reportedly unbalanced the midfield. Experts of the Bundesliga note that Wirtz is a technical talent who improves those beside him, connecting play seamlessly rather than forcing himself upon the game.

Furthermore, a number of individuals who excelled last season—including Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are now below their best. In fact, the majority of the squad is. And they all share one significant, recent event: the tragic death of their teammate and companion, Diogo Jota.

The Invisible Effect: Loss on the Field

We are now just more than three months since the devastating passing of their friend. While the outside world progresses quickly, diverting focus to global matters, the club's players continue going to work day after day in the absence of their friend.

This is impossible to know how each player and staff member is coping from one day to the next. There is a great deal of speculation. Perhaps Salah failed to defend in a recent match simply he lacked energy. Or perhaps his form is down a few per cent because he misses his pal.

The London club's head coach, Enzo Maresca, spoke insightfully before a recent, making a parallel to his own experience of the loss of a teammate, Antonio Puerta, when at Sevilla. "How they are performing this season is fantastic," he said of Liverpool. "Especially after the tragedy. I lived a very similar experience when I was a player two decades past."

"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 ground and you see every day that place vacant. So you must be very strong. And this is the explanation why for me they are doing not well, even better than good. Because they are trying to handle a problem that is not easy."

Just as summarized well on a popular supporter's show, the reminders are ongoing. The players are reminded by his chant in the 20th minute, they see his unused peg in the changing room. Even during matches, a pass might be made and the realization arises: 'Oh, Diogo would have been there.' If Salah showed emotion in front of the Kop a few games ago, it signals that all is far from normal.

The Limits of Punditry and Human Emotion

Having reporting on football for two decades, one comes to believe there is a inherent superficiality in most punditry. We genuinely cannot know how an individual is feeling at any given time and how that impacts their play. Jota's passing is one of the most stark illustrations. We are aware a tragic thing happened, and we comprehend the concept of sorrow. Beyond that lies an immeasurable layer of effect on different individuals at the organization. It is highly likely that a few of the squad themselves don't fully understand its effect from one moment to the next.

How the media reports on this and how fans dissect displays is clearly not the most important thing. On a practical basis, mentioning Jota's passing is challenging to do in a brief segment before moving on to on-field issues. Outside of this specific event and beyond Liverpool, it would seem bizarre to preface every criticism of a footballer with an acknowledgment that we know so little about their private circumstances—be it their parental relationships, personal challenges, or marital problems.

An ex- pro footballer, Nedum Onuoha, lately spoke on radio about how his mother's death halfway through his playing days impacted his passion for the game. "I lost some joy in football as much," he stated. "Some of 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 only three months.

The Concluding Thought

Therefore, whatever Liverpool accomplish this season—if it's something or if it's nothing—whether or not we don't mention it whenever we discuss their matches, even if it is not the sole reason for their eventual outcome, we must remember that a short time ago they lost not merely a exceptional footballer, but, crucially, they said goodbye to a dear friend.