Jurgen Klopp Says Liverpool Fans and Players Lost Patience in Chelsea Draw

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has accused the club’s players and supporters of losing patience during the 1-1 draw with Chelsea in the Premier League on Wednesday.

The Reds fell behind in the first half to a stunning goal from Eden Hazard, but a late gaffe from Asmir Begovic handed the hosts an equaliser via Christian Benteke.

After some memorable nights at the iconic stadium in recent weeks, inspired by the fervent support in the stands, Klopp was critical of the club’s supporters in the aftermath of this one, per Luke Gardener of the Daily Star:

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I love this stadium and I love this atmosphere, but everybody lost patience tonight—the crowd too.

It’s quite difficult when you have the ball and the manager says you need to be patient and everybody shouts ‘run!’ That’s a little bit difficult.

We all don’t trust finally our quality. It’s not a problem for the last two games. We can learn this in the future and I’m pretty sure we will, because if you don’t think you need to score in each situation because you know you have the players on the pitch to create chances and score goals, you could celebrate other situations. That’s all.

"

Chris Brunskill/Getty Images

The game itself was a typical clash between two sides with little to challenge for at the end of the season. 

Chelsea have endured a torrid defence of their Premier League crown, and while Hazard was a bright spark, so many more players underwhelmed. Meanwhile, the Liverpool players clearly have one eye on the UEFA Europa League final, with some reserved performances on the domestic front as of late.

As the Press Association’s Carl Markham noted during the game, it did seem as though Klopp was the only one who was engaged in the match at times:

That’s no surprise, as the manager demands intensity in all aspects of play, regardless of the circumstances. They’re standards the Reds have been able to meet in Europe, with memorable wins over Borussia Dortmund and Villarreal on the way to the final, although not on a consistent basis in the Premier League.

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The supporters will still be getting accustomed to the changes in style, too. While the games mentioned were played before a backdrop of raw passion and backing, these drab matches at the end of a campaign don’t stir emotions quite so much and allows fans in the ground to be more analytical from their seats.

Even so, overall, it’s not been a season to savour for those who would make the pilgrimage to Anfield every week, as these numbers from STATS Football suggest:

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Liverpool won just 8 #BPL matches at Anfield this season. They've won fewer home PL matches just once (6 in 2011-12).

— STATS Football (@STATS_Football) May 11, 2016"

It’s evident Klopp is a manager who gets wrapped up in the emotion of a big night at this stadium and has fed off the passion of the fans on occasion. But he’s still getting used to the Anfield crowd, and they’re still getting used to him. Over time, this dynamic is surely one both parties will feel a little more comfortable with.

Of course, the signs are positive, and the Reds will head to Basel with momentum. With a pre-season conducted under his guidance and some new faces through the door in the summer, perhaps Klopp will not have to endure meaningless matches at the end of the Premier League term in 12 months' time.