Arsenal are in the driver’s seat to win the Premier League, but it appears Mikel Arteta has some more tricks up his sleeve at the Emirates Stadium.
Mikel Arteta is reportedly looking to add to his coaching staff at Arsenal.(Image: AFP or licensors)
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is looking to bolster his team’s Premier League title credentials by bringing in former Liverpool coach, Thomas Gronnemark, according to the latest reports.
The Gunners currently hold top spot in the standings, six points clear of Manchester City. However, the north Londoners are not content to rest on their laurels – and are actively seeking to fortify their squad ahead of the season’s second half.
One area they’ve been particularly lethal is, of course, from corner kicks. Set-piece coach Nicolas Jover has not only become a key part of Arteta’s coaching team, he’s also a regular presence in the technical area, whenever there is a corner or a set-piece being taken.
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There could soon be another specific coach standing next to Arteta in his pitch-side box. According to The Times, Arsenal have sought Gronnemark’s counsel on set pieces.
The 50-year-old ex-Danish footballer is globally recognised as a leading authority on throw-ins, holding the official record for the world’s longest throw. Gronnemark has previously shared his expertise with several clubs – including Brentford, Borussia Dortmund, Ajax, FC Midtjylland, Union Saint-Gilloise and JEF United in Japan.
In 2018, he was approached by then-Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, and his guidance played a part in Liverpool’s Premier League triumph under the German’s stewardship. Reflecting on his move to Anfield, he said: “I was totally in shock when Jurgen called me.
“I was visiting a chocolate shop with my family; I saw the +44 and thought it was an English guy trying to sell me pens. I listened to the voicemail and it was a message from Jurgen. I tried to call him back, but he didn’t pick up.
“My heart was just pounding… I took the call on my way home in the car, where I drove directly into a grass field when he called.
“He told me that he was sitting in a beach chair, reading the German newspaper Bild while on vacation in Tenerife, and he came across an article about me… he had never heard of a throw-in coach before.”
Arteta will be hoping that Gronnemark’s specialist knowledge can complement an area of strength he’s already cultivated at the Emirates.
The Gunners have established themselves as the Premier League’s set-piece specialists, netting 14 goals from dead-ball situations already this campaign – the highest tally across the division.
Jover has been instrumental in orchestrating this success. When discussing his philosophy around set-pieces, the Arsenal manager revealed it’s been the culmination of a decade’s dedication.
When questioned about when he recognised the significance of corners and free-kicks, Arteta responded: “Ten years ago. I wasn’t here, but 10 years ago, I said ‘It is a massive thing to do that’ and I started to have a vision, try to implement a method and try to be surrounded by the best people to deliver that.”
