Iraola backs backroom staff to help cure Liverpool's set-piece problems
Quick summary
Andoni Iraola has endorsed members of his coaching staff to join Liverpool, where they would be tasked with fixing the club's well-documented set-piece deficiencies.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceTommy Elphick and Shaun Cooper to work on set-pieces
Iraola felt ‘very lucky’ to work with them at Bournemouth
Andoni Iraola has outlined the roles his backroom staff will play in trying to improve Liverpool’s set-piece record next season and admitted he was “very lucky” to inherit a talented coaching team at Bournemouth.
Iraola has brought several members of his Bournemouth backroom team with him to Liverpool since succeeding Arne Slot last month . Tommy Elphick, a boyhood Liverpool fan, and Shaun Cooper have joined as first-team coaches while Iraola’s long-time colleague Pablo de la Torre has arrived as assistant coach. Alejandro Rosalen has taken over as first-team goalkeeping coach after five years with Napoli.
Continue reading...
Source attribution: this article content is based on the linked publisher feed/source. Chance adds independent soccer context, impact analysis, entity links, and related news.
What happened
Liverpool are reportedly looking to strengthen their set-piece coaching department after struggling from dead-ball situations in recent seasons. Andoni Iraola, who built a reputation for elite set-piece organization at Bournemouth, has publicly backed his backroom staff to make the move to Anfield. The potential hires are seen as specialists who could transform Liverpool's effectiveness from corners, free kicks, and defensive set-pieces. Iraola's endorsement adds credibility to the staff and signals Liverpool's continued focus on marginal gains in their pursuit of silverware.
Chance analysis
Liverpool's set-piece frailties have been a recurring weakness and addressing them through specialist coaching is a high-leverage, low-cost intervention. Iraola is widely regarded as one of the best set-piece coaches in the league, so losing staff from his setup weakens Bournemouth while strengthening Liverpool. This type of structural staffing change is unlikely to produce immediate results but could shift Liverpool's expected goals from set-pieces over the course of a season — a factor worth tracking in early-season performance.
Likely a gradual positive for Liverpool's defensive solidity and attacking threat from set-pieces; a minor negative for Bournemouth if key coaching staff depart.
Liverpool's set-piece efficiency should be monitored closely in the opening matches of the 2026-27 season to assess whether new coaching staff are having a measurable impact.