‎Mikel Arteta’s Hidden Edge? Arsenal Appoint Former Klopp Throw-In Specialist to Boost Title Push

‎Arsenal have moved to further enhance their coaching setup by appointing former Liverpool throw-in coach Thomas Gronnemark, as Mikel Arteta looks to strengthen the club’s pursuit of a long-awaited Premier League crown. Already renowned for their effectiveness from set-pieces, the Gunners have now added another specialist to their backroom team.

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‎Arsenal have added former Liverpool throw-in coach Thomas Gronnemark to Mikel Arteta’s staff as the Gunners seek marginal gains in their Premier League title challenge.

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‎According to the Standard, Gronnemark has joined Arsenal with the clear objective of helping the club end a Premier League title drought that dates back to 2004. Arteta’s side are among the most dangerous teams in England from dead-ball situations, having scored 12 goals from set-pieces so far. They currently sit six points ahead of Manchester City at the summit, underlining Arteta’s determination to exploit even the smallest competitive advantages. Gronnemark is widely regarded as one of the leading experts in the game when it comes to throw-ins.

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‎The Danish coach brings an impressive résumé. Gronnemark spent five years working under Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool after joining the club in 2018, the same season the Reds lifted the Champions League. Before moving into coaching, he was an athlete in Denmark and once held the world record for the longest throw-in. Despite that achievement, his primary sport was bobsleigh, which he competed in for four years at international level. His spell at Liverpool marked his first role in English football, where he earned a reputation for helping teams maintain possession and launch attacks more effectively from throw-in situations.

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‎Arteta has previously spoken about his belief in the importance of set-pieces, explaining that he recognised their value many years ago. He has described developing a vision, implementing a clear methodology, and surrounding himself with top-level specialists as key elements in maximising a team’s success.

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‎Gronnemark has also outlined why Klopp decided to bring him to Anfield. Speaking in 2024, he recalled that Klopp contacted him after acknowledging Liverpool’s struggles with throw-ins despite a strong season overall. Klopp had read about Gronnemark in the German newspaper Bild, which prompted the call.

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‎Upon arriving at Liverpool, data revealed that the club ranked 18th in the Premier League for throw-ins under pressure. In his first season, that figure improved dramatically from 45.4 per cent to 68.4 per cent, with Liverpool rising from 18th to first in the league for that metric. Gronnemark stressed that throw-ins are often underestimated, noting that there can be between 40 and 60 in a single match, accounting for around 20 minutes of play. He argued that their impact on football has been overlooked for many years.

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‎He also shared a personal anecdote about receiving Klopp’s unexpected call. Gronnemark explained that he was visiting a chocolate shop with his family when he noticed a call from a UK number, initially assuming it was a sales pitch. After listening to the voicemail and realising it was Klopp, he attempted to call back without success. Later, while driving home, he answered Klopp’s call and was so surprised that he ended up driving into a grass field. Klopp told him he had been relaxing in a beach chair in Tenerife, reading Bild, when he came across an article about Gronnemark, admitting he had never heard of a throw-in coach before.

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‎Arsenal’s attention will now turn back to the pitch. The Gunners face Portsmouth in the third round of the FA Cup before meeting Chelsea in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final. A Premier League trip to Nottingham Forest at the City Ground follows shortly after.