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Football

26th Aug 2018

Liverpool have hired a specialist throw-in coach

The devil is in the detail

Darragh Murphy

Jurgen Klopp is leaving no stone unturned as he attempts to orchestrate Liverpool’s first ever Premier League triumph.

Liverpool are being backed by many to go the whole way this season after some significant spending from the Reds in recent months.

The defensive problems were addressed in January with the arrival of Virgil van Dijk, the goalkeeping issue was remedied by the acquisition of Alisson and Liverpool’s midfield was boosted by the signings of Naby Keita and Fabinho.

Recruitment isn’t the only area where Klopp has aimed to improve, however, as the German has also focused on more specific training methods for the campaign ahead.

Klopp has hired Danish throw-in specialist Thomas Gronnemark on a part-time contract in order to improve the threat posed by the Reds from those situations.

Gronnemark, who holds the world record for the longest throw-in at 51.33 metres, has previously worked with Denmark’s FC Midtjylland to great acclaim and is now passing on his knowledge to Liverpool’s full-backs.

“Midtjylland have showed that the long throw-in can be a weapon, if you can do it with the correct technique, precision and tactical awareness,” Gronnemark told the Liverpool Echo.

“It’s very important that it’s a flat throw-in, because if it’s too high it’s easy to defend.

“If you can make a long throw-in precise and flat, together with some tactical aspects, then it’s much easier to score.”