With Liverpool dismissing Aaron Briggs from his role as set-piece coach, the Reds’ statistics make clear why they felt the decision necessary.
While he did assume responsibility for set-pieces often last season, it was only actually in September that Briggs was officially appointed as Liverpool’s first team set-piece coach.
However, the club have deemed Liverpool’s record at dead-ball situations so poor that they have already parted ways with the 38-year-old, who was initially brought in as first-team individual development coach in 2024.
Responsibility for set-pieces will now shift to a collective as Arne Slot and the rest of his coaching staff assume the role.
Liverpool’s shocking defensive record from set-pieces
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Friday, August 15, 2025: Liverpool's first team individual development coach Aaron Briggs during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and AFC Bournemouth at Anfield. Liverpool won 4-2. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
The statistic that immediately stands out when asking why Briggs was dismissed is the fact that no team in Europe’s top five leagues have conceded more non-penalty set-pieces.
Only Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth have let in as many as Liverpool’s 12.
In terms of an average, Liverpool are conceding at a rate of 8.2 goals per 100 set-pieces, with only Forest averaging more.
Liverpool have faced 85 corners so far this season, equating to a goal from approximately every 12 corners. West Ham have faced 114 and are conceding on average once in every 11 set-plays.
It wasn’t just the fact the Reds were giving away too many goals that led to Briggs’ departure, it was also the manner of the set-plays conceded.
FRANKFURT, GERMANY - Wednesday, October 22, 2025: Liverpool's Ibrahima Konaté celebrates with set-piece coach Aaron Briggs (R) after scoring the third goal during the UEFA Champions League match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Liverpool FC at the Waldstadion. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Liverpool actually have just the third-lowest xG tally (2.46) from shots conceded after a corner in the league, thanks to their ability to win the first ball in the air.
This hasn’t been the problem. Instead, the second phase of play has been the cause of Liverpool’s issues, suggesting this is a tactical problem rather than a matter of personnel.
Liverpool haven’t conceded more than 12 goals from non-penalty set-pieces in the Premier League since the 2015/16 season (15), and we’re still one game away from the halfway point of this campaign.
They have conceded three times from throw-ins, the joint-most in the Premier League along with Newcastle, and twice from free-kicks.
Slot has become increasingly frustrated with the situation and said, before the Reds conceded another at Wolves: “I know the importance of it, it gets more and more, and that’s why we are so annoyed by our current record.
“It’s a big frustration we are where we are this season because when we were halfway through last season, we had not conceded one set-piece [goal].
“It’s impossible to be top-four, top-five with our set-piece balance, let alone winning the league.”
Liverpool’s record attacking set-pieces
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, December 13, 2025: Liverpool's captain Virgil van Dijk during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Brighton & Hove Albion FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
If Liverpool had still been making corners count at the other end, then Briggs’ job may have been saved.
However, no team have scored fewer non-penalty set-pieces in the league this season than Liverpool’s three. This leaves them with a set-play balance of -9, which has accounted for a significant number of points dropped.
Liverpool are averaging 2.4 goals scored per 100 set-pieces this season. Only Brentford in the Premier League have a worse average.
The Reds have scored just one goal from a corner in the league; again, only Brentford have fewer with zero.
Only 10.3 percent of Liverpool’s non-penalty goals this season in the league have been from set-pieces, comfortably the lowest percentage of any team.
That is in contrast to the general trend of the league, which is seeing more and more goals scored from dead-ball situations.