Liverpool FC news: How effective can throw-in coach Thomas Gronnemark be?
Liverpool recently hired specialist throw-in coach Thomas Gronnemark to help increase their chances of winning silverware.
The Danish coach, who will work with the Reds’ first team on a part-time basis, has previously assisted the likes of Schalke, Hertha Berlin and FC Midtjylland with their technique, with the success of the Danish side in the Europa League in 2015 attributed to their set-pieces.
Gronnemark – the current world record holder for the longest throw-in at 51.33m – helped Midtjylland’s Andres Poulsen improve his throw-in distance from 24.25m to 37.9m and they went on to score 10 goals as a result of the set pieces last season.
How effective are throw-ins in the Premier League?
There has been just one goal scored this season as a result of a throw-in (Huddersfield's Jon Stankovic against Manchester City) - the same amount as the whole of 2017/18.
Meanwhile in 16/17, five goals were scored in the Premier League as a result of the set piece and it shows the potential for how many more chances can be created as a result of a long throw into the box.
In 2008/09, the tactic saw Tony Pulis' Stoke create 53 shots, scoring eight goals, thanks to Rory Delap's ability to launch the ball into the box and Gronnemark reckons he could help Liverpool score an extra 15 goals in a season.
Gronnemark recently told Training Ground Guru: “On average, there are 40 to 50 throw-ins per game. In fact when Liverpool played Brighton on Saturday, they had 54. That’s about 12 minutes per game taken up by throw-ins and situations arising from them.
“On average, they lose the ball more than half the time from under-pressure throw-ins, when their team-mates are closely marked.
“Have you noticed that the commentators never mention a bad throw-in during a game? I think it’s because there are so many and their expectations are very low. It becomes so they barely notice.
“[In the 2011 Champions League final] Eric Abidal had a throw-in from the left back position close to his own penalty area. His technique was bad and the ball didn’t go very far, meaning possession was lost. Seven seconds later, Wayne Rooney scored for Manchester United.”
Gronnemark also explained the logic of how the set pieces can ‘open up a lot of attacking opportunities’.
“Think about the throwing area,” he added.
“If you draw a half circle from the touchline to the area that [Midtjylland’s Poulsen] is able to reach, it’s gone from 923 to 2256 square metres, which is well over double. That creates so much more space between the players.”
If you thought Liverpool were already one of the Premier League’s most dangerous attacking forces, it will certainly be interesting to see how they can utilise Gronnemark to their advantage.
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