Liverpool currently boast the worst set piece record of any team in Europe.
The Reds might have had an upturn in results towards the back end of 2025, but they still have certain issues persisting.
The biggest is their set piece record as they have conceded 12 times already from them this season, while only managing to score from one in the Premier League.
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Liverpool's recent results vs Leeds
Liverpool’s recent results vs Leeds
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Teams have started to play more direct too which has added to their problems, with their set piece coach Aaron Briggs departing the club as a result of this abysmal record.
However, things could have been very different if Arne Slot had got his own way when he first joined, but instead, he was left scrambling for an alternative.
Arne Slot wanted to bring Etienne Reijnen with him from Feyenoord but a work permit stopped that
When managers first join, they often bring the backroom staff with them, and Slot was no different when he arrived from Feyenoord.
Sipke Hulshoff, John Heitinga and Ruben Peeters all came with him to Anfield, but he also wanted Etienne Reijnen to do the same, however this was not possible.
assistant trainer Etienne Reijnen of Feyenoord, assistant trainer John de Wolf of Feyenoord, coach Arne Slot of Feyenoord, assistant trainer Sipke Hulshof of Feyenoord, goalkeeper coach Jyri Nieminen of Feyenoord celebrating the victory with the TOTO KNVB trophy during the Dutch KNVB Beker match between Feyenoord v NEC Nijmegen at the Stadium Feijenoord
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Issues with a work permit meant he was not allowed to make the switch, meaning he stayed at Feyenoord where he is still the assistant coach today.
However, he played a key role in the Dutch side’s set pieces and still does to this day, with Slot full of praise for him just a year ago for this exact reason.
“The fact that the people I brought with me to Feyenoord are also praised is also special,” he said in an interview with Algemeen Dagblad.
“Etienne Reijnen is still at Feyenoord, and I recently read that Brian Priske [Feyenoord’s manager at the time] praised him. The set-pieces are a strength at Feyenoord, and Reijnen still takes care of them.”
Aaron Briggs was thrown under the bus a bit at Liverpool
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Although the responsibility does ultimately fall onto his shoulders, Briggs was not exactly meant to do the job in the first place.
After failing to find a suitable candidate, he moved across to this role after originally being a development coach, meaning he really did just ‘fill the void’.
With no previous experience, it clearly showed, although this is Liverpool’s fault rather than Briggs himself.
The Reds will likely not hire one until next season now as well, with the responsibility being spread out among all the coaches, so it will be interesting to see how things change, if they do at all.
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