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Just a few weeks ago, Liverpool appeared set to secure back-to-back Premier League titles and potentially a further Champions League crown. Their capacity to win without peak displays seemed like the hallmark of genuine champions.

But, subsequently the tide shifted. The Anfield side continued with average performances and started dropping points. At the same time, Arsenal, known for their resolute backline and strength in depth, started closing the distance at the summit.

Understanding a Slump in Today's Game

Does a trio of consecutive defeats constitute a crisis? As with many sporting discussions, it depends entirely on your definition of the key term. Was the United midfielder elite? What does "world class" even signify? Is the Birmingham club a major club? What defines "major"? Are Manchester United back? Alright, maybe that's a question we can answer.

For a club of Liverpool's size and previous campaign's excellence, a minor setback seems a fair assessment. On a recent broadcast, former striker Neil Mellor was questioned how many defeats in a row would trigger alarm. His reply was six. Currently, they are halfway to that particular threshold.

Identifying the Tactical Issues

One can observe clear tactical problems. Integrating recent additions like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who offer a different skill set to departed key players Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, presents a difficulty. Likewise, incorporating a talented playmaker like Florian Wirtz has reportedly unbalanced the midfield. Observers of the Bundesliga point out that Wirtz is a technical player who improves those beside him, linking play effortlessly rather than forcing himself on the game.

Additionally, a number of individuals who excelled last season—including Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are currently below their best. Actually, most of the squad are. And every one of them share one significant, fresh experience: the passing of their teammate and companion, Diogo Jota.

The Unseen Impact: Loss on the Pitch

It has been just more than three short months since the devastating passing of their teammate. While the wider world moves on quickly, shifting focus to global events, Liverpool's squad carry on going to work each day without their mate.

This is impossible to know how every individual and staff member is coping from one day to the next. There is a great deal of projection. Perhaps Salah failed to defend in a particular match simply he was tired. But perhaps his form is down a small per cent due to the fact he misses his pal.

Chelsea's head coach, Enzo Maresca, spoke insightfully before a fixture, making a comparison to his own situation of the loss of a teammate, Antonio Puerta, while at Sevilla. "How they are performing this campaign is remarkable," he said of Liverpool. "Particularly after the loss. I went through a very similar thing when I was a player two decades past."

"It's not easy for the squad, it's not easy for the club, it's not easy for the coach when you arrive at the training complex and you see daily that place vacant. So you must be incredibly resilient. And this is the explanation why for me they are doing not good, even better than good. Because they are trying to deal with a problem that is not easy."

Just as summarized well on a popular fan podcast, the reminders are ongoing. They hear his song in the first half, they notice his empty peg in the dressing room. In the middle of games, a pass might be played and the realization arises: 'Oh, Diogo would have been there.' If Salah showed emotion in front of the Kop a few games ago, it indicates that everything is not all right.

The Boundaries of Football Analysis and Personal Grief

After reporting on football for two decades, one comes to believe there is a inherent superficiality in the majority of punditry. We simply cannot know how an player is coping at any given moment and how that affects their play. Jota's death is one of the most stark illustrations. We are aware a terrible thing occurred, and we understand the nature of sorrow. Beyond that lies an intangible layer of effect on various people at the club. It is very possible that some of the players personally do not fully grasp its influence from one day to the next.

The way the press covers this and how supporters analyze performances is obviously not the primary thing. On a functional basis, bringing up Jota's passing is challenging to accomplish in a brief soundbite before moving on to tactical issues. Beyond this specific event and outside Liverpool, it would seem bizarre to preface each criticism of a footballer with an acknowledgment that we are largely ignorant about their personal lives—be it their parental situation, personal challenges, or relationship difficulties.

An ex- pro footballer, the defender, lately spoke on radio about how his mother's passing halfway through his career 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 half a career; for Liverpool and Jota, it has been just three months.

The Final Point

Therefore, regardless of what Liverpool achieve this season—if it's something or failure—whether or not we don't mention it whenever we discuss their fixtures, and even if it isn't the cause for their final result, we must remember that a short time ago they lost not merely a exceptional player, but, more importantly, they said goodbye to a dear friend.