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If Arne Slot hasn't realized it yet, he needs to quickly understand that the Anfield faithful demand energy and a certain intensity from their team. Too often at home this season, Liverpool has lacked that spark – something for the crowd to feed off – as well as the ability to finish off opponents once they take the lead.
When they took an early lead against Chelsea, a team that had lost their last six Premier League matches, Slot's side should have capitalized on that moment to dominate and secure a crucial victory. Instead, they allowed Callum MacFarlane's out-of-form team back into the game.
"The adjustments we made at halftime helped us become the more dominant team in the second half. We were close twice," Slot stated. "So it's not fair to say that I ever tell my players to drop back and not press. If it looked that way, that was never the intention."
Enzo Fernandez's equalizer for Chelsea means Liverpool has now dropped nine points from winning positions in home Premier League matches this season – the most at Anfield since the 2015/16 season, when Jürgen Klopp replaced Brendan Rodgers as manager.
"Our identity is intensity" was a phrase championed by Pep Lijnders when he was assistant coach at Liverpool under Klopp.
Slot's task was always to do things his own way and not try to emulate Klopp, but this season his team has almost no identity and very little intensity.
"I think Liverpool actually started quite well, scored a goal, and then Chelsea was the better team. They caused Liverpool big problems, especially Marc Cucurella with his runs in behind the defense," Wayne Rooney said on Match of the Day. "The crowd was obviously a bit tense, which is very rare to see from Liverpool fans. That comes from the fact that the season isn't going as they had hoped, especially after a lot of money was spent."
It wasn't the first time this season that loud boos were heard after the final whistle, despite Liverpool not having lost the match. Discontent online is one thing, but it's becoming increasingly clear that even the fans attending the stadium are starting to get frustrated.
"That probably has something to do with the fact that we're not winning," Slot told TNT Sports. "It's completely logical for people to be disappointed if Liverpool isn't winning."
Midfielder Ryan Gravenberch added: "Honestly, we need them behind us. Okay, we didn't win, but I don't think we really deserved that reaction. The fans need to be behind us for the full 90 minutes, because when they were behind us in the second half, we pressed really well. We need them. I hope they don't do it again in the next two games."
Asked later at the post-match press conference how he took the boos, Slot struggled to find the right words in English but said:
"I would like to show them something else, but at the moment we are not capable of that. We can be a dominant team and have more possession, but I want to give them many more reasons to be positive and happy. And I am 100% sure the team wants the same."
The boos in the 67th minute, when Slot took off Rio Ngumoa – who was Liverpool's biggest threat – were probably even louder than those after the final whistle. Slot later clarified that the 17-year-old had suffered from cramp.
"It's completely logical to have boos if you take off a player who is playing well and has provided an assist. People don't expect you to take off that particular player, and that wasn't my intention," Slot said. "He's a good player, but I don't think he's at a level yet to play at 50 or 60% and make a difference. I knew the moment his number went up, the reaction would be like that."
Federico Chiesa came off the bench in the 77th minute – earlier than often happened this season – but offered no more than the man he replaced, Cody Gakpo. The Italian has a song that will live on in the memories of Anfield fans, but he will almost certainly leave this summer. It will be a summer where more changes are needed. The necessity for them was also evident to sporting director Richard Hughes, who was also at Anfield.
Liverpool's management will know that a key part of any transition will be ensuring the team can start playing football that the fans enjoy.
"I am 100% convinced that next season we will be a different team if we can have the summer we want," Slot insisted. These were words spoken with the confidence of a man who believes he will continue to be Liverpool's manager in August.
Commentary by Adam Patel for bbc.com
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