The Athletic FC Podcast Why the Premier League has gone back to basics
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Oct 7, 2025 Join Mark Carey, a tactical analyst known for his data-driven insights, football journalist Oli Kay, and Thomas Grønnemark, a pioneer in throw-in coaching who once worked with Liverpool. They dive into the Premier League's nostalgic return to basics, chatting about the rise of long throws and set pieces this season. Thomas shares his journey to becoming a throw-in specialist and discusses strategies behind quick and long throws. The group debates if traditional styles and increased set-piece focus diminish the game’s flow and entertainment.
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Train Both Attack And Defence On Throw-Ins
- Hire specialists or coaches to teach throw-in retention and pressing strategies to convert throw-ins into chances.
- Focus on both attacking and defensive throw-in training to reduce turnovers under pressure.
How A Throw-In Coach Began At Liverpool
- Thomas Gronnemark first started coaching throw-ins after a bobsledder indoor match sparked the idea in 2004.
- Jurgen Klopp phoned him in 2018 and he signed to coach Liverpool, winning multiple trophies over five seasons.
Throw-Ins Are Undervalued Game Minutes
- Gronnemark found that teams lose the ball over 50% of throw-ins under pressure and built coaching methods from scratch.
- He argues throw-ins occupy around 20 minutes per match and deserve mainstream coaching attention.