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Just a few weeks ago, the Merseyside club seemed destined to claim back-to-back Premier League championships and potentially a further Champions League trophy. Their capacity to win without optimal displays seemed like the mark of true title-winners.

But, then the tide turned. Liverpool continued with mediocre showings and began dropping points. At the same time, the North London club, known for their stubborn defense and squad depth, began closing the gap at the top.

Understanding a Slump in Modern Football

Does three straight losses represent a crisis? As with most sporting discussions, it hinges completely on your interpretation of the central word. Was the United midfielder world class? How do you define "world class" actually signify? Is the Birmingham club a big team? What constitutes "major"? Are Manchester United back? Alright, perhaps that's a question we can settle.

At a team of Liverpool's stature and previous campaign's excellence, a mini setback seems a fair assessment. During a broadcast, former striker Neil Mellor was asked how many defeats in a row would trigger alarm. His answer was six. At present, they are midway to that particular point.

Identifying the Tactical Issues

There are obvious tactical issues. Integrating recent additions like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who provide a distinct style to previous key players Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, presents a challenge. Likewise, incorporating a gifted playmaker like Florian Wirtz has reportedly unbalanced the engine room. Observers of the Bundesliga point out that Wirtz is a creative talent who improves those beside him, connecting play effortlessly rather than imposing himself on the game.

Additionally, a number of players who shone last campaign—including Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are currently underperforming. Actually, the majority of the team is. And every one of them have one significant, fresh experience: the tragic death of their colleague and friend, Diogo Jota.

The Unseen Impact: Loss on the Field

It has been just over three months since the tragic passing of their teammate. Although the wider world moves on rapidly, diverting focus to other events, the club's players carry on going to work each day in the absence of their mate.

This is not possible to gauge how every player and member of the backroom team is dealing on any given day. It requires a great deal of projection. Maybe Salah didn't track back in a particular match simply he lacked energy. But perhaps his form is down a small percentage points because he is grieving for his friend.

The London club's head coach, Enzo Maresca, commented eloquently before a fixture, drawing a comparison to his own situation of losing a teammate, Antonio Puerta, while at Sevilla. "How they are doing this campaign is remarkable," he said of Liverpool. "Particularly after the loss. I went through exactly the same experience when I was a player two decades past."

"It's not easy 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 see every day that place empty. So you must be incredibly resilient. And this is the explanation why for me they are doing not well, but exceptionally well. Because they are trying to deal with a problem that is not easy."

As summarized well on a well-known fan podcast, the memory triggers are ongoing. They are reminded by his chant in the first half, they notice his unused locker in the changing room. Even during games, a pass might be made and the thought arises: 'Ah, Jota would have reached that.' When the Egyptian showed emotion in front of the Kop a matches ago, it signals that all is not normal.

The Boundaries of Punditry and Personal Grief

After covering football for two decades, one realizes there is a inherent superficiality in the majority of punditry. We genuinely cannot know how an player is coping at any given moment and how that affects their performance. Jota's death is one of the most stark examples. We know a terrible event happened, and we comprehend the nature of grief. But further lies an intangible level of effect on various people at the club. It is very possible that a few of the players personally do not fully grasp its influence from one moment to the next.

The way the press covers this and how supporters dissect displays is obviously far from the most important factor. On a practical level, mentioning Jota's death is challenging to accomplish in a short soundbite before moving on to tactical issues. Beyond this particular tragedy and beyond Liverpool, it would seem bizarre to qualify every critique of a footballer with an acknowledgment that we know so little about their private circumstances—be it their parental situation, health challenges, or marital problems.

An ex- professional footballer, Nedum Onuoha, recently spoke on a broadcast about how his mother's passing midway through his playing days impacted his love for the game. "I didn't enjoy football as much," he stated. "Some of the high points and the low points that come with it no longer felt the same after that." And that was half a career; for Liverpool and Jota, it has been just three short months.

The Final Thought

So, whatever Liverpool achieve this season—be it success or if it's nothing—whether or not we omit reference to it every time we discuss their fixtures, even if it isn't the reason for their final result, we should not forget that a short time ago they suffered the loss of not merely a exceptional player, but, more importantly, they lost a friend.