The harsh atmosphere during Liverpool’s draw with Chelsea said plenty about where things are at Anfield right now.
The game itself gave Liverpool fans very little to cling to. Gravenberch’s goal was a rare bright spark, but Chelsea grew into control and Liverpool looked blunt. The boos started because supporters felt the team were playing backwards, wasting moments and refusing to force the issue.
It comes after a season that has fallen well below Liverpool’s standards, especially after what they produced last year. Patience around the club has been wearing thin for a while, but things reached a boiling point on Saturday and Joe Cole has admitted he’s never heard Anfield quite like it.
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Some good amongst the bad
Joe Cole says Anfield atmosphere has never been like it was during Liverpool vs Chelsea
Liverpool have had low moments in recent memory. The final stages under Brendan Rodgers were difficult, the Roy Hodgson spell was miserable, and the club have lived through ownership unrest and underwhelming seasons in the past.
Even then, Liverpool fans have usually backed the club through thick and thin. The ground does not often turn openly hostile towards its own players and manager.
It feels like that patience is starting to run out.
Ibrahima Konate was booed by Liverpool supporters in the first half for refusing to play forward when there appeared to be space in front of him. Arne Slot was then booed for taking off Rio Ngumoha, and at full-time, the same sound came again as Liverpool dropped more points.
Cole told TNT Sports: “I’ve never heard Anfield this restless, even when they have been in the doldrums, but they were really restless when Chelsea were in control of the game.”
Has Slot completely lost the fans after Anfield booed his decision to take Ngumoha off?
What was your reaction to the substitution?
Liverpool fans are demanding more. We have been talking about mounting pressure on Slot for some time, but FSG’s stance has remained firm. The feeling has always been that the club hierarchy still believe in the manager and the wider plan.
Now, though, he is in danger of losing the fans.
That would be the greatest test of FSG’s stance yet, because once Anfield turns, it becomes very difficult to ignore.
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