Arsenal are determined to elevate their already exceptional set-piece prowess after it was reported the Gunners have begun taking advice from Liverpool’s famed former throw-in coach, Thomas Grønnemark.
Rival fans mocked Jürgen Klopp for having a throw-in coach, which was a novel concept during the early years of Grønnemark’s time at Liverpool from 2018 to 2023. But the Dane’s impact was felt, instructing players how to best use throw-in situations, rather than teaching them throwing itself.
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Arsenal have reaped the benefits of a set-piece coach, with Nicolas Jover credited for the team’s outstanding record at scoring goals from corners—14 goals from corners is the leading mark in the Premier League so far this season. But now Mikel Arteta is trying to find even more advantages in the hope it delivers the club a first Premier League title in 22 years come May.
15 years on from Rory Delap and Stoke City, physicality is returning to the English game as it emerges from an era defined by keeping possession at all costs, and long throw-ins have taken on renewed importance. Grønnemark was a former long-throw world record holder from his own playing career, although his throw-in arsenal now covers a much wider base than that.
The Times first reported the presence of Grønnemark at Arsenal, employing the 50-year-old on a consultancy basis, rather than a full-time member of the coaching staff. But the Gunners hope he will help them “weaponise” throw-ins for vital marginal gains.
As well as Liverpool, Grønnemark’s former client list includes the likes of Borussia Dortmund and Ajax. He revealed towards the end of last year that Klopp extended an invitation to join Liverpool after reading a German article about him, having never heard of a throw-in coach before.
Speaking in 2024, Grønnemark summarised during an interview with BBC Radio Merseyside what his impact on Liverpool was and that throw-ins have been a “neglected” part of football.
“When I came, data showed that Liverpool were 18th in the Premier League for throw-ins under pressure,” he explained. “In my first season, we improved from 45.4% to 68.4% and went from 18th to number one.
“People might think it’s only throw-ins, but there’s approximately 40 to 60 throw-ins in a match and they use up 20 minutes. It’s a gigantic thing in football. People have been neglecting this for many years.”
Grønnemark has more recently worked with Brentford and his impact there is clear, as the Bees have scored nine Premier League goals from long throws since the start of last season. That leads the division, with four each from Manchester United and Bournemouth the next best.
Posting on X in December 2025, as @ThomasThrowin, Grønnemark further explained what he does.
“I work with throw-in tools,” he said “Throw-in basic training, throw-in small sided games, [teach] the players to scan, make the right types and length of run, reading the opponents defending pattern, use individual throw-in supers powers, throw-in sequences, unlimited space creation and much more.
“In theory and practice there are thousands of potential throw-ins and solutions in a match, so the players need to be throw-in intelligent to solve that. So, my throw-in coaching is not only about the throw and the first action—it can involve several actions after the throw.”
