Steve Nicol and Julien Laurens GO AT IT over Liverpool's throw-in coach | ESPN FC

[@syedmahd2700]

*Julien puts an arguable dabate* *Stevie repeating the argument in an mocking voice*

[@confusedone2235]

Syed Mahd if Stevie was in the uk he voted for Brexit

[@danielchong3918]

I think many pundits looking down over small thing like throw in.. and lucky klopp is smart.. he knows when it matters it is all come down to smaller detail like this... imagine alisson throw.. trent throw, robbo throw.. just by inches further could yield different outcome

[@eyekon4295]

@@confusedone2235 Can vote if outside the Uk tho

[@syedmahd2700]

@@danielchong3918 it's always the small details that matter

[@KyzaRipper]

Classic Stevie

[@razaaahmad03]

Sky Sports:HEATED DEBATE ESPN FC: GO AT IT

[@noor_maikari]

😂😂😂

[@avxrynaz844]

Razaa Ahmad 😂😂 LMAO

[@classonbread5757]

Sky sports: bunch of proffessionals ESPN FC: Good friends who really care about each other

[@yurties1725]

😃

[@sisamkhize9004]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@owenglover8268]

They have statistics for this exact thing. Since the coach came in Liverpool becme the second best team in Europe at retaining possession from throw ins. 78% where as the season before he came they had retained 48% of the time. There is a whole Tifo video on this exact issue.

[@bogar1330]

And the only better team than Liverpool is trained by Gronnemark, now he's training Ajax as well. The man clearly knows what he's doing.

[@Jaa22aake]

Think about it - the ball goes out for a throw in so many times per game (I have no idea the exact number), being able to utilise this and keep the ball is obviously going to help your team keep the ball and create chances. Stevie is just a dinosaur who hasn’t played football in 20 years and doesn’t understand how much sports science and tactics have progressed since then.

[@SiddharthVaz]

@@Jaa22aake but he has managed teams since he retired.

[@Jaa22aake]

Chile Gunner he managed a couple teams in the MLS, hardly the pinnacle of tactical coaching and sports science

[@SiddharthVaz]

@@Jaa22aake whether the league sucks or not, he managed there, which you dismissed.

[@raoulduke8720]

"my argument is: I mean come on" - Steve Nichol

[@randomuser677]

Words of wisdom

[@kcindref8767]

Stevie is wrong here and probably why he isnt in management. A throw in coach is too radical a concept for him, he should go watch Tifo footballs video on the topic

[@millerchassis6119]

lol watching tifo videos

[@kcindref8767]

@Emilio Lopez I dont understand it, all I know is how that area of coaching is affecting their stats. Liverpool have/had the second highest percentage of possession retention from throw ins in europe. The top team also had that same throw in coach working for them.

[@tgayondato]

absolutely right about Steve Nicol. He forgets that a player is different from a manager...He's view things as a player, not as someone managing a team....

[@yt.personal.identification]

@@tgayondato You know he was a manager for many years...right?

[@kcindref8767]

@Emilio Lopez maybe you should ask me if England should hire him so they may defend them. There's obviously more to it and do you think Klopp isnt in favour of this. He obviously sees something useful in it.

[@gonzaloarroyo4262]

Is Stevie looking for a reason to be angry? Liverpool have extended their unbeaten run, gonna win the league and he’s going off due to a throw in coach. Why does it matter? They are winning!

[@SH-lt4nl]

He is a dinosaur who hates anything different in football to when he played it.

[@gonzaloarroyo4262]

Shakir Hussain I couldn’t have agreed more

[@MoejiiOsmanTV]

Steve is too old school to understand the concept of a specialist coach, I gaurantee you soon every club will have a set piece coach like the NFL with specialist coaches

[@ENGLISHMURPHY]

liverpool are too perfect right now, he is playing devils advocate for entertainment

[@gonzaloarroyo4262]

Disconnected Roamer Thats a good point.

[@oliverlinehan8701]

clearly steve doesnt watch tifo football

[@jonnyvelocity]

Probably doesn't read The Athletic, either.

[@fallencolossi]

probably doesnt even care about both

[@Montfortracing]

@@jonnyvelocity you gotta pay to read the Athletic, so I don't read it either lol

[@iceloves9436]

Agreed. This guys is the one who's nonsense. What an idiot.

[@ghostjacker]

Arguing over the throw in coach, even if there's really one? Stevie, eat a Pie and chill.

[@knoxpuffer]

Liverpool possession retention from throw ins has gone from the 3rd worst in the premier league to 2nd highest in Europe since employing Thomas Grønnemark , a specialist throw-in coach. The only team with higher stats is Midtjylland - Gronnemark’s other team.

[@stevenhaas9622]

Stevie is dead wrong on this. Before the throw in coach LFC retained possession 45.4% of the time off throw ins. only two teams in the prem were worse. Now they are retaining possession 68.4% of the time. only 1 team in all of europe does better and that team has the exact same throw in coach.

[@millerchassis6119]

Who is the other team.

[@johnsama4178]

@@millerchassis6119 Ajax

[@jonnyvelocity]

Did this article appear in The Athletic, too?

[@stevenhaas9622]

@@millerchassis6119 its the Danish side Midtjylland.

[@petert3535]

@@jonnyvelocity pretty sure it did, was on tifo a while ago.

[@lfc_elm]

Klopp has brought professional surfer to cop for managing stress and dealing with panic. Klopp has a diploma in sports science, he knows that even a small detail can make difference at times. Steve should know that this is no longer the 80s where they'd party a day before the game

[@andreotshudi]

sulavlfc 😂😂😂👌🏾

[@stinkyfreds]

Klopps' post game press conferences rival Joe Rogans' podcasts IMO. Scientist, Artist, tactician, comedian, etc, etc, check

[@Slayer0010]

That guy has never said anything right, such an idiot.

[@jonoharper4729]

Apparently he is a "set piece" coach, including throw ins, and all other set pieces. Definitely a valid and viable position to have in top level football.

[@TheMravn66]

Pretty sure he isn't a "set piece" coach, we had another guy for that in Midtjylland, but he does coach as if throw ins are as important and vital part of the game as set pieces.

[@syedmahd2700]

Stevie Nicole really grind my gears!

[@SH-lt4nl]

He needs to be let go. Only bring negative vibes. He can take Ale Moreno with him.

[@wizika]

At this point, they're keeping him at ESPN FC just for the laughs. Plonker.

[@MrSkiller703]

static proof that our throw ins lot better under new coach

[@MoejiiOsmanTV]

Steve is too old school to understand the concept of a specialist coach, I gaurantee you soon every club will have a set piece coach like the NFL with specialist coaches

[@NeilMalthus]

Life proves statistics are often misused / misinterpreted to lead people to all kinds of incorrect conclusions. :) Are the throw ins better or are Liverpool buying players who are better able to control a ball and not lose it on receiving it from the thrown in (to cite just one example of potential conflicts to your theory) compared to players from previous years? Maybe it's both but then again maybe it's more one factor than the other?

[@MrSkiller703]

@@NeilMalthus no fixtures show yeah after with same players we lost the ball 20% less we used be so bad at throw ins. i agree if u got rid of him now we would be the same without him now we know how to throw in. the same guy has helped other teams, that why we got him in first place.

[@NeilMalthus]

@@MrSkiller703 But you are aware *the same* footballers will still have good days some days in training and bad days in others? No two throw ins will ever be the same. Whether they're with your throw in coach running the session or even if your team doesn't have one. Statistics are great at suggesting trends but whether they ever truly 'prove' anything is debatable in the extreme. Use responsibly.

[@hah9985]

Saying that throwing coaches dont make a difference when i never saw trent try long throwings until he came, and guess what that was a long throw, and we scored

[@adrodog17]

From a throw in the average PL team keeps possession 49% of the time Liverpool keep possession from throw ins 68% of the time, the highest in the PL and 2nd highest in Europe Something to it

[@mikkelgeorgsen]

Yes only behind another team the same throw-in coach worked with. Must be hard for a dinosaur to realize his way of thinking/coaching is outdated.

[@taumus1]

They were among the lowest in Premier League before they hired him.

[@Octiga]

Shut up Stevie. It's scientific football vs pre-historic football of your days.

[@awaahsimon5259]

History that we admire

[@abdullahh1864]

Vikandi Help yes But he cant mock today’s football

[@spacemunky53]

Umpteen medals to prove he is a liverpool legend! How to put your shin pads on coach?!

[@JW-be8wf]

Steve Nicol was clearly triggered.

[@dragonriders6238]

@@One.Zero.One101 telling people they are socially handicapped doesn't make you look cool you know? It just looks like you want to sound cool while writing comments in your mom's basement.

[@10000liverpool]

a failure coach (Stevie Nicole) criticizing successful coaches

[@millerchassis6119]

Has he managed any clubs before

[@10000liverpool]

@@millerchassis6119 I'm pretty sure he was with NE revolution in MLS other than that idk

[@yt.personal.identification]

Longest serving manager in the league at the time, when he was manager - you don't achieve that if you are terrible. There are bigger fails in this comment section than in Stevie's coaching career. I disagree with him on the throw in coach, but that doesn't mean that all the bs people can make up is actually true.

[@osdahi]

got to go with Juls on this one, the goal against the Spurs also seemed like a set play from the throw-in

[@ramshacklealex7772]

With every big club having such specialized and scientific training staffs to squeeze every bit of production they can out of their players' natural talent, I think it's really smart to get someone in to maximize production in an overlooked part of the game. Yes, throw-ins are a relatively minor part of the game. Yes, the title of throw-in coach sounds silly. But when your wage bill for the year is already 9 figures, to pay someone £80 or 100k is peanuts for the improvement it has made to their throw-ins. Liverpool's just ahead of the curve as usual.

[@superstarDJ537]

Exactly, the game has moved on massively even since Ferguson retired and even he had rotating and different coaching staff. I mean 97 points doesn't win the league nowadays, you have to be almost perfect like Pep's Bayern and Barcelona teams to triumph!

[@distinguishedgentleman6904]

@Emilio Lopez As much as you don't want it to be true coaches can make six figure salaries, and yes even the throw in coach can earn that much especially in a big club like Liverpool. By the way is he supposed to feed the starving people too? Lol

[@williamlowry3150]

Steve is right, the guy taking the throw in has to have someone free to throw it to . I can see on field coaches, coaching players how to maybe find space , but a throw in coach , cant see it .. it's probably a make a job for someone he knows , who is out of a job.

[@petert3535]

@Emilio Lopez That's why he is the best manager, because he's not full of himself thinking he knows it all and is best at everything! Maybe there's a lesson to take away?

[@TheAmericanDeagle]

@Emilio Lopez if any guy can figure it out, why aren't you a throw in coach in a top team? and while you're at it, please feed the poor with your wages, since you seem to be so concerned.

[@kolotoure586]

I see many teams losing possesion cause of bad throw in. If a throw-in coach can make players to throw a) more accurate and b) longer distances, then that small detail can have an impact in a match. Klopp knows this and wants to rule out any small preventable factor than can lead to losing a match. At the end luck is ofcourse still an important factor , but never understimate a good preperation

[@steago8769]

The guys is not angry, he's just happy his team is in a winning position... After 30 years i would be happy too 😀 😀 finally going win ⚽..

[@danbrad6662]

Is been going on for sometime now....and I'm 100% with Stevie on this. Look and count: from 10 throw ins, Liverpool will win possession only ones! That's scary! To throw the ball on somebody head and expect that he will control it is madness. Is this part of the coaching routine?

[@maan1511]

The statistics speak for themselves. Avg possession after a throw-in under pressure in PL is 48%. Liverpool has 68% - earlier they only had 45%. They are 2nd in Europe only beaten by danish champions FCM. And guess what? Both teams have/had the same throw-in coach.

[@advenco344]

When Stevie said "throw in coach" in that mocking voice I actually died lmao

[@haiphan9181]

The boys having a field day on Stevie’s being mad 😭

[@ciaranmcsavvy7565]

The stats don't lie Stevie. The throw in coach has made a quantifiable difference. Our possession off throw ins has massively improved and all the lads have added metres to the distance of their throws.

[@dariandavid9437]

"What qualifications do you need to be a throw in coach?"😂😂😂😂 funniest but realest question I've heard

[@demariolafayette6387]

Stevie is right you can work on things in train but what you do in a match is down to what you see in the match

[@TheHellogoo]

*Throw ins happen more often than corners, and with the right training they can be just as lethal.*

[@visor617]

When rival fans says Steve is always against their teams.. Hold your horses boys.. this guy played for LFC and did well. He still has a go at the team which has won 22/23 and 1 draw. The man is a born pessimist.

[@gargola1887]

I dont know why this nicol person still has a job..julien and gab are by far the most knowledgeable in this whole channel

[@thenomadgent]

Somehow I don't think the throw in coach is solely responsible for throw ins. I think he's involved in corner kicks as well. But you can tell here just how old school Steve is. He actually believes everything is by chance. Klopp has everything running like clockwork. That's what makes players like Trent and Robbo just fit in. There is a clear cut system and detailed plan that the players go by and that includes throw ins and corner kicks.

[@raoulduke8720]

"my argument is: I mean come on" - Steve Nichol we would only find out later that he had severe brain damage from his playing days

[@jeffreyraz]

Maybe Steve forgot that Liverpool scored from a throw in against spurs, and now they did against wolves. When games are closed a throw in can be an extra weapon like set pieces.

[@torres4u6]

The way Steve says 'through in coach' is everything. 1:18

[@adebolaidowu718]

Steve Nicol shouldn't even be an analyst. He's just so biased that Liverpool don't do anything wrong in his eyes

[@torres4u6]

I came a year later just to hear Steve Nicole say "throw in coach"

[@samiulislam9478]

Jules needs to be at a better place like BBC. ESPN is toxic for a man of his intelligence

[@_tides2129]

Why did Steve get so upset?

[@craiguys2848]

socc3r4life 9 cause he knows most people have figured out he’s a fraud.

[@Niftyandfam]

He just gets so annoyed!!

[@tmakalpha1]

Old man shouts at cloud, specialist coaches, and data analytics. Steve sometimes gets it right. This isn't one of those times.

[@Gunjack1440]

My team used long throw ins like set pieces and specifically corners. I could throw the ball in standing without a run up from sideline to sideline and where I wanted in the box accurately unless the wind was bad. It’s a menacing strategy especially when you have a few decent players that are great with headers

[@eythor1313]

It's fair to make an assumption like this when Gronnemark was first hired last season. Especially for a former player like Stevie Who played during a different time of fotball. However, now the numbers are clear. The training and expertise provided from Gronnemark has substantially improved the teams ability to keep possession from the throw-ins. That's all you need to know. Possession leads to more goals scored and less conceded. Fotball has gotten tighter and the margins between success and failure have never been smaller. Klopp of course knows this. Pundits are only entertainment figures, which job is to criticise, sensantionalise and give us a laughter now and then. Stevie is obviously doing his job as well....

[@thornlings]

"Most of the time it's down to a player making a decision" uh yeah? And you can COACH better decision making into a player?????

[@willross6554]

Steve nichol...the only reason I watch espn

[@aidanvitticore3475]

The throw-in coach deserves plenty of credit for what he’s done in helping the team retain possession aside from these designed attacking throw-ins

[@ryanhines8080]

“It just annoys me!” 😂😂😂

[@UraStr]

BTW that's the difference...every detail that's the difference Also it's not only set situations...watch Liverpool games, before the coach came in and after...there's difference in regular throw ins and liverpool rarely lose the ball like that and many times take an advantageous position out of nothing....

[@_sayan_roy_]

The main reason they hired the guy initially is the distance of the throw. Since it involves hand postures and hand strength which footballers are not experts in, unlike the case of corners and goal kicks, they require specialist trainings.

[@DeesonJame]

Thomas Grønnemark held the world record for longest throw. That is enough qualification for me.

[@brysonfrank6476]

I believe there was a video on how that coach was hired, and their success rate of throw ins went up by double digits.

[@coopaloopmex]

Dude, that throw-in dummy run got the ball straight to where Wolves didn't think the ball was going. It was brilliant. I saw it and immediately thought what a great throw-in tactic

[@jcdahmer5948]

We all love Stevie , don't we?😂

[@bigdogtabooya5426]

@shezoplay :/ you do

[@johngonzalez6690]

The way Stevie said Allergander-Arnold at 1:35 😂

[@serialdigit]

Great bunch at ESPN FC...Keep up the great work gentelmen.

[@samluke8121]

I remember reading a newspaper column from the 1940s that labelled a player as being a "throw in expert". Being an expert does not make a player a specialist,but it is a handy attribute to have. Teams should take advantage of long throw ins when near the corner.

[@thomasmckinney8299]

They would want to change their offside coach. You cant play a hi line against a team with quick players. They looked like they where going to lose that game. It looked so easy to break Liverpool offside trap. Good job we won in the end.

[@marv8509]

I love Stevie's passion for LFC oooh reminds me of my passion and love for LFC!! We gonna Win The League Stevie

[@benbim540]

Steve Nicol on the field an absolute legend of the field not so much.

[@desertman1962]

I believe that Liverpool retain the ball from throw ins more than any other PL team.

[@Adz90]

desertman1962 any team in the world in fact, other than one team.

[@ArunKrishnan0709]

Stevie is usually a reasonable pundit but he’s sometimes out-of-date; good example of this here

[@gd5066]

I love it when Steve, Shaka, and Ale are on the show together. Best combo.

[@Death_kxng]

Salah selfish to minamino..think he is afraid he would take his spot..lol

[@adelekeadedamola6234]

Lol😂 where did u come up with this stupid thinking

[@petelevy6308]

He is selfish 😠😡

[@adelekeadedamola6234]

@@petelevy6308 he is and also isn't. Yes sometimes he can be sellfish but it's the same with other forwards but people exaggerate on how selfish he is.

[@adelekeadedamola6234]

@extremedude1234 as I said sometimes he can be sellfish but he didn't even see mane that time and that was like 3 or 2 months ago.

[@coopaloopmex]

All of what Steve Nicol said is exactly why no one wants him as a manager anymore.

[@DM-pm2yd]

Just the fact that Klopp is saying something as simple as throw ins need to be perfect says a lot. And this is reason enough to pay for this type of coach. It’s changing the mentality of the players and the club. Too bad boomers won’t get the concept

[@subhandin3435]

Stevie dismissing anything he cannot understand, a true mark of a dummie

[@danenull254]

Individuals clearly affect the play, but there is no doubt that the throw-in (and as a result, the throw-in coach's work) at affected the buildup to that goal (especially ball retention from throw-ins)

[@gleam6370]

Stevie looks like he’s dropping an Oxford lecture in the thumbnail

[@vintageperez8000]

Sometimes I don’t think Stevie is a Liverpool fan 😂😂

[@barry5787]

Jules is correct. Klopp pays attention to detail. Salah's double drag back and Hendo's pass to Firmino, world class.

[@zisolo4283]

2 goals happened after a throw-in in recent weeks. This goal against wolves and the goal against spurs

[@kqh123]

I feel like Stevie was pointing right at me in that thumbnail

[@ayoubtalib4782]

If it's part of the game that one can improve, then dedicating a coach for it should never be questioned. Matter of fact, I'd hire a Jujitsu coach to coach my players on how to dive correctly in case of dangerous / reckless tackles.

[@mfanal5916]

Steve Nicol: Only watches Liverpool Julien: Watches several clubs across different leagues I think Julien is more qualified to talk about these things. The only reason Steve is on the panel is because he used to a “professional” football player

[@grantwilliams6418]

I agree with Stevie everything is on the field at that part players make a decision

[@lfcspectre4335]

That's your argument Stevie, Klopp is a very smart man getting throwing coach that's sports science now unlike your playing days Stevie.

[@pauldoyle1864]

Class, the grumpy old man act is brilliant

[@divyaekambaram4660]

I must say throw in coach huge success for Liverpool Trent, Robertson,gomez clearly benefitted we can see the difference from early days to now and also Trent is a midfielder and gomez is a centre back they had to learn throw ins

[@ajbillygun7673]

Why does Stevie still think we are in the 80s. Can someone tell him he’s like 60!

[@AustinPlaine]

Liverpool have been shown to have a ball retention on throw-ins of 68 percent, compared to 48 percent for the rest of the Premier League according to the Daily Mirror. I'd take Klopp's decision over Nicol's opinion every chance.

[@TR4zest]

The throw in coach hold the world record for the longest throw in. He has increased the range of throwing - in Robbo's case, from 19m to 29m. That gives him much greater choices of where to throw the ball. I can't imagine why Steve Nicol is so riled up with this. Lots of small improvements make big improvements when taken together.

[@mr.anfieldfootball]

I love you guys love the banter this shows the best

[@samallardyce2522]

his name his thomas gronnemark. that small detail in klopp management

[@adambaray9143]

If you’ve seen the piece about said throw in coach you know it’s just the throw in technique. To say it’s more than that is really naive. They work on movement on throw ins and corners and set pieces like any other team but a lot of the time movement is on the fly

[@billyoung6939]

Is it me or is Steve turning into Mike Meyer's Dad in "So I Married an Axe Murderer"?

[@farazyk8934]

jules almost lost it :-)

[@patrickiii1693]

Somehow I think that´s the exact difference between how United and Liverpool are run. Liverpool is professional everywhere, while United is rambling about the past with Martial smoking with the fitness coach at halftime, Shaw being in charge of in season nutrition, Rashford´s back being evaluated by a dentist, Ed Woodward scouting teams via YT videos and transfermarket stats (starting in mid January), while Matt Judge watches Wolf on Wallstreet to improve his negotiating skills.

[@scottpeterson9269]

The level of data analysis is what separates the managerial tactics & strategies of the current period from the time when Stevie played & managed. It makes sense that he doesn't believe in it because he never actively applied the information -- it was simply too labor intensive to calculate. Nowadays, software can calculate the data so fast & so extensively, that successful tactics can be identified & practiced in training. Then, rates of return can be measured in games. But, to Stevie's point at 4:08, he may not ever see the data because why would Liverpool share it publicly?

[@y1521t21b5]

Grønnemark's work is certainly paying off. Keep winning, you Mighty Redmen! YNWA

[@lionelmessi9835]

Steve Nicol is one heck of a salty liverpool fan. Or probably he might be Liverpool's Public Relation Coach 😂😂

[@taylorhayes6875]

Um doesn't the throw in coach have the world record for the longest throw in? That seems like a legit certification 🤔

[@jcollishaw]

Just look at Mourinho comments from when we played Tottenham. He said they spent time practicing defending throw ins and was disappointed they conceded one. Reality is our throw in coach has made a difference. Get with the times

[@1986tomdavies]

British mentality vs Rest of Europe lol! THROW IN COACH!?!?! LOAD OF NONSENSE MATE!

[@TheHellogoo]

Only team in Europe which retains more throw-ins than Liverpool is FC Midtjylland, the other team that he coaches. We might not understand why or how, but the results speak for themselves.

[@aidtom3503]

Anything that makes us better it's worth sticking with Steve is a Liverpool legend but football has changed, there is not a lot sometimes that separates a win and only a draw as we learned last season.

[@KyzaRipper]

If Klopp wants a throw in coach then he's used in their game plans. With teams starting to use throw ins as dangerous set pieces it does not hurt to have one to organize defenses and set up plays of your own.

[@billyhoyle2780]

And that’s why Steve Nicol hasn’t, and never will be a manager of a decent team in a decent league

[@azizanputra]

The fact that most time wasted are on throw in when the ball is not in play. You can find it in the web. To have a throw-in coach is proving Liverpool are ahead of it's time right now.

[@MichaelDavis-zf6nt]

Maybe you could compare it to NFL special teams coach. They say the Patriots are usually at the forefront of special teams and you can see in some games their special teams can win a game outright or change the flow of the game entirely and turn it to a win just from the mental 180 that can happen on one play. You can also see many examples of how a teams special teams play can cost them a game. So it sounds funny but having a throw-in coach could be not only helpful but quite important to a teams success. Especially the level of success that Liverpool are currently at. The top teams in the world must be GREAT at ever faucet of the game and that is obviously what they are striving for with having a throw-in coach.