Liverpool question looks even harder to answer as agitated Anfield frustrated once more

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SportFootballLiverpool FCThe ECHO's verdict from Anfield as Liverpool are held to a 1-1 draw with ChelseaIt's hard to know at this stage of a tired, underwhelming season just who is the most desperate for it to end.Is it the exhausted Liverpool players, punch-drunk after 18 defeats in 55 games? Those who are growing increasingly weary at such an ordinary brand of football.It may be the latter because Anfield has been an angry place lately.Having raged against the club's decision to raise ticket prices in line with inflation over the next three years by organising protests in the two most recent home games against Fulham and Crystal Palace - which led to the compromise that was welcomed by the LFC Supporters Board earlier this week - match-goers were left irritated by what was served up on the pitch as the Reds were held to a 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Saturday lunchtime.READ MORE: Ryan Gravenberch responds to Liverpool boos - 'I don't really think we deserved this'From the boos that greeted the substitution of Rio Ngumoha to, the audible frustrations of Giorgi Mamardashvili apparently releasing the ball too slowly and then too quickly, an agitated Anfield was a terse place all afternoon as Chelsea ended a dismal run that had seen them come into this on the back of six successive losses.After a relegation-haunted Tottenham Hotspur earned the only point of Igor Tudor's tenure - a period as shocking as it was short - back in March, Liverpool again played the obliging host for manager-less Chelsea, who were dispatched at home as recently as Monday by a Nottingham Forest that had a Europa League semi-final to play later that week.Need a result?

Arne Slot must find a way to restore this place’s fear factor next season, but that may take some time based on the noise that greeted the final whistle of this draw.Ryan Gravenberch's stunning goal, after just six minutes, gave false hope for many who were then expecting Liverpool to shrug off their season-long complex of sluggish opening periods. Because after the midfielder had curled beautifully past Filip Jorgensen, the Reds retreated.And rather than taking full advantage of a beleaguered Chelsea, the hosts offered them a way back into the game, despite many of the visiting players initially appearing content to keep more than one eye on next week's FA Cup final with Manchester City.Marc Cucurella forced the returning Mamardashvili into a smart save but the Londoners had parity when a lofted free-kick from Enzo Fernandez evaded everyone and found the corner via the far post.The ground became tense and the angst on the terraces at Liverpool’s unwillingness to deviate from their slow build-up play became tangible.

Only Ngumoha was lively in the final third with Cody Gakpo a total passenger in the first half in the No.9 role.Most of next season's goals are going to have to come from the centre forward role that will be taken on mainly by Alexander Isak, so Slot has to find a way to get his No.9s more involved generally this coming summer.Far too often, whoever is asked to play, they only skirt the edges of proceedings, barely active and left to feed off scraps and Gakpo was particularly anonymous here. Slot later confirmed the 17-year-old was suffering with cramp.Liverpool are at least inching ever closer to the promised land of Champions League qualification but the finish line is being stumbled towards by Slot’s players now.Paul GorstPaul Gorst is the Liverpool ECHO's Liverpool FC correspondent and brings readers the inside track on all matters Anfield day in, day out.