Who are Tommy Elphick and Shaun Cooper?

Tommy Elphick is a former Bournemouth captain turned coach known for aerial and organizational expertise; Shaun Cooper is a coach with a reputation for analytical, delivery-focused set-piece work.

What will their roles be at Liverpool?

They will design and rehearse corner, free-kick and delivery routines, coordinate kickers and runners, and work with analytics to tailor set-piece plans to specific opponents.

Will this change make a measurable difference?

Yes — by industrializing set-piece work and applying data-led practice, Liverpool should see an uptick in conversion rate and decisive moments in tight games.

Iraola’s Silent Edge: Elphick and Cooper Brought In to Weaponize Liverpool’s Set-Pieces

In a move that will alter rivals' training notebooks, Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola has named Tommy Elphick and Shaun Cooper as the club's specialist set-piece coaches. Both bring contrasting skill sets: Elphick, the former Bournemouth captain, offers aerial coaching and organizing routines in the box, while Cooper is known for methodical, analysis-led delivery work. The appointment is the clearest signal yet that Iraola intends to turn dead-ball situations into a systematic advantage.

Set-pieces are a low-variance area where marginal gains compound; elite teams now treat them as a separate department. Iraola’s appetite for specialists and micro-roles fits a modern template — training blocks, rehearsal of rehearsed movements, and tight coordination between kickers and runners. Expect increased use of video, bespoke charts and rehearsal choreography tailored to individual opponents.

Practically, the pair will work with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and the club’s forward line on delivery patterns, zonal marking tweaks, and near-post versus far-post targeting. Their presence also frees up the first-team coach to focus on transition play, while allowing the analytics team to test set-piece models in training with live feedback. For opposition coaches this is a warning: Liverpool will close down an old weakness by industrializing it.

The Guru predicts Liverpool's set-piece conversion rate will rise within the season; three to five decisive moments in tight games can be traced back to this hire. My recommendation: pair the coaches with an in-house kicking consultant and increase corner and free-kick minutes by 30 percent — marginal gains become match-winning when the margins are thin. This is a surgical, low-risk investment that could deliver title-defining returns.