Liverpool coach told to 'look in the mirror' by club legend after latest mistake

Liverpool's record from set-pieces has been poor this season, and club legend John Aldridge is the latest to bemoan the problems in defense, and take aim at the club's coaches

Arne Slot and his coaching staff are coming under pressure amid Liverpool's poor record with set-pieces(Image: Getty Images)

Liverpool hero John Aldridge has delivered a scathing review of the Reds’ record on set-pieces this season, and told the coach in charge they “need to look in the mirror”.

Although Arne Slot’s side extended its recent unbeaten run to seven games with a win over Wolves at the weekend, there were yet more concerns raised with the manner in which Liverpool toiled to victory, despite going 2-0 ahead against the Premier League’s bottom club.

Wolves made the Reds sweat after Santiago Bueno took advantage of yet more slack defending from a corner to halve the deficit in the second half. The hosts managed to hold on for the win, although it wasn’t without its scares.

And Liverpool’s record from set-pieces this season is now a cause for embarrassment for Slot and his coaching staff, with no other side in Europe’s top five leagues (Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A and Ligue 1) having conceded more goals from set-plays than the Reds’ 12.

Writing in his column for the Liverpool Echo, Aldridge bemoaned the ongoing issues, and took aim at Liverpool’s set-piece specialists.

“Liverpool got the job done against Wolves on Saturday but it was another ugly win, wasn’t it? We were a bit disjointed, and not for the first time,” Aldridge said.

John Aldridge has bemoaned Liverpool's problems with set-pieces this season(Image: Getty Images)

“To go in at half-time with two goals, and quick-fire goals before the break too, that will have been a right downer for Wolves. We should have capitalised on it. I don’t know what was said at half-time but we came out like a completely different team. There was no leadership at all.

“The game was there for the taking. We could have won by three or four but instead we were a bag of nerves after they got one back.

“They get a corner and come on! Every corner is a nightmare. Whoever is on set-pieces, they need to look in the mirror.

“You need to organise and get in the players’ heads. It’s now every corner. Alisson saves it, does well, but all the players are on the wrong side and none of them are alert to the danger. Words fail you.”

Aaron Briggs, who joined Slot’s backroom staff upon his arrival at Anfield in 2024, was appointed as the Reds’ set-piece coach in September, having previously held the position of first-team individual development coach.

The appointment though doesn’t look to have worked so far, with Virgil van Dijk also bemoaning Liverpool’s record from set-pieces after Saturday’s game.

Virgil van Dijk also bemoaned Liverpool's record from set-pieces after the win over Wolves(Image: Carl Recine, Getty Images)

Aldridge continued: “We let them back in the game. We’re jittery. They should have equalised. Liverpool can be happy with the result but better teams would capitalise on us.

“At least it’s a win but next time, against better opposition, we might not have enough.

“I watched Leeds against Sunderland. Again it will be long throws, corners, set-pieces, long-balls. They’ve got a bit of pace upfront too.

“They’ll cause us problems, especially if we don’t address these ongoing issues that have been bugging us all season.”