FSG can be criticised for many of the decisions made at Liverpool this season, but they got one mid-season change absolutely bang-on.
Liverpool have been much improved since the turn of the new year.
Still nowhere near good enough — Liverpool have been embarrassing in the Premier League, but better than before Christmas.
Some players are coming into form again, like Ibrahima Konate and Alexis Mac Allister, but that might not be the biggest reason.
Change my mind: Liverpool would be CRAZY to let Konate leave 😣
He is back to his best!
Ibrahima Konate battles with Brian Brobbey during Liverpool's Premier League match against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light (Credit: Getty Images/Stu Forster).
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Stu Forster
The credit may need to go to a ruthless mid-season personnel change from FSG, that the numbers say made all the difference.
Liverpool’s unrecognisable record since FSG sacked set-piece coach
Right before the turn of the new year, Liverpool decided to let set-piece coach Aaron Briggs go.
At that point the Reds were among the worst in the league in that area and there were no suggestions of that changing.
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A replacement wasn’t brought in, sure, but there has nonetheless been a drastic change.
Aaron Briggs pictured ahead of Liverpool's Premier League match against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
From August to the end of 2025, Liverpool scored eight set-pieces while conceding 13. In 2026 without Briggs, they have already scored eight with just two conceded.
It feels harsh singling the coach out, but that is a statistical shift that can’t be ignored.
Liverpool’s plan for a set-piece coach is to spread the responsibility among the staff this season and look for a long-term candidate in the summer. Well, that plan is working out pretty well.
Liverpool building a team that should dominate set-pieces
A criticism of Liverpool’s recruitment has been a lack of size in comparison to their Premier League rivals.
During the Jurgen Klopp era, being big and dominant in the box wasn’t that important and Liverpool did their damage with speed and intricate play.
The game is always evolving, though, and the Reds must have that in mind with recent recruitment under Arne Slot.
Already, Konate and Van Dijk are two of the biggest threats in that area, and now two strikers in Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak offer a similar height edge.
Rank Liverpool’s summer signings from first to last! 🤔
Florian Wirtz – Bayer Leverkusen (£116m)
Hugo Ekitike – Eintracht Frankfurt (£79m)
Milos Kerkez – Bournemouth (£40m)
Jeremie Frimpong – Bayer Leverkusen (£29.5m)
Giovanni Leoni – Parma (£26m)
Alexander Isak – Newcastle United (£125m)
Giorgi Mamardashvili – Valencia (£29m)
Hugo Ekitike gestures towards the Liverpool crowd after scoring during the Premier League match against Newcastle at Anfield.
Credit: Stu Forster/ Getty Images
6’4″ Jeremy Jacquet and 6’5″ Giovanni Leoni further reinforce this theory that there is intent with regards to size.
The era of set-pieces might not be the most enjoyable, but they’re here to stay. Liverpool are setting themselves up to benefit.
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