Liverpool’s Set-Piece Coach Aaron Briggs Departs from the Club

Overview

Liverpool Football Club’s set-piece specialist, Aaron Briggs, has parted ways with the team following ongoing difficulties in managing dead-ball scenarios this season.

Details of Departure

This decision comes in light of the club conceding its twelfth goal from set-pieces during the recent 2-1 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Post-match, Liverpool’s captain, Virgil van Dijk, emphasized the need for improvement in this area, stating, “We’ve allowed too many goals from set plays and lack adequate scoring from them as well.”

Van Dijk’s Analysis

Van Dijk highlighted the need for mental fortitude, saying, “If it’s a mental barrier, it’s concerning. Personally, I don’t feel it’s in my head.” He noted that much of the trouble stems from failures in managing the second phase of set-piece situations, calling it “the killer.”

Liverpool’s Set-Piece Performance Record

The club’s ability to capitalize on set-pieces has noticeably diminished over recent seasons. In the 2021-2022 season, Liverpool netted 18 goals via corners and indirect free-kicks, averaging 0.47 per game. This tally fell to 17 in 2022-2023 and even further to 15 in 2023-2024, with a drastic decline to just nine goals in the last season.

Briggs assumed the set-piece coaching role in September, having initially been brought onto Arne Slot’s staff at the beginning of the 2024-2025 season. Following his departure, Liverpool’s coaching team will collectively assume responsibility for preparing players for these critical situations.

Importance of Set-Pieces in the Premier League

Given the increasing significance of set-pieces for teams throughout the Premier League this season, the joint decision for Briggs’s departure highlights Liverpool’s urgent need to address this pressing concern.

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