Everything's the Worst: Where's My Mind Edition

Did you hear that people? Did you feel and absorb it? That is the sound of inevitability but it isn't the sound of any death. Our Merseyside neighbours may not have lost a game but check the table. Yes, we're still ahead of them. Just. Today is the day Brendan Rodgers' team joined Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester City, and Manchester United in losing a game. It wasn't nice and it certainly was not the most attractive of experiences. However, it had to happen. In a long season, performances such as these are...inevitable. ETW would rather not feel the energy of countless Liverpool fans grinding teeth in miserable unison so perhaps this will be a rarity in a promising season. Or not.

Liverpool managed to snare a draw against Swansea at the start of the week, a result that appeared more impressive when Michael Laudrup took his team to Valencia and returned with a 3-0 victory. So there's that even if Liverpool were aided by a 12th man who lost his mind and found it at various moments in the match. Suarez is back and Manchester United is coming up so there is much to look forward to.

• The Champions League threw up some interesting results that might give Liverpool fans some pause for thought. Let's start with the most blessed of all assigned to be special on this earth: Jose Mourinho. Chelsea's home defeat to Basle was quite a shocker and maybe one FSW isn't so bad after all Chelsea fans and English football. Of course, Mourinho is an excellent manager but it would be interesting to see who he'd really keep at the club if he had his way with no checks on his power. It is believed that crisis talks are being planned for a side that has lost two and drawn two of its last four games. Mourinho isn't used to making slow starts at a new club so it'll be interesting to see how his side reacts in the coming weeks. The impatience of Roman Abramovich always looms over any Chelsea manager and it wouldn't be hasty to presume that questions have been asked of Mourinho.
• In the group of death, Rafael Benítez Maudes is continuing to show that his tenure at Inter was an aberration with an impressive home victory over Jürgen Norbert Klopp's Borussia Dortmund. Napoli controlled possession and were aided by the sending off of BVB's goalkeeper, Roman Weidenfeller. Virtually at the stroke of half-time too. Dortmund's home game against Marseille has become extremely important because the French side lost 2-1 at home to Arsenal. Aaron Ramsey's recovery has been remarkable this season but it is not surprising. This is a player who looked every bit as talented as Jack Wilshere if not more so before his injury. It is good to see the player known as "Rambo" appears to be fully recovered and back on his original trajectory after that horrific injury.
• For any followers of African football or anyone who would like to have a broader idea of international football involving African sides, the excellent Jonathan Wilson has been writing about African football for the last couple of years. Every World Cup that comes round, the question is often asked about the progress of African football before general disappointment with perhaps one decent showing. It's an interesting piece and one worth reading.

More from The Liverpool Offside:

• Liverpool 0, Southampton 1: First Thoughts
• Matchday: Liverpool v. Southampton
• Pre-Southampton Overnight Open Thread
• Sterling Not Guilty of Assault Due to "Disappointing" Evidence
• Liverpool v. Southampton, 09.21.13