Thomas Frank Tactics At Brentford 2024/2025: Set-Piece Coach Keith Andrews’ Long Throw-Ins – Analysis

Welcome to part five of Total Football Analysis’s throw-in series.

In the previous four parts, we have presented all the variables necessary to understand the unique nature of throw-ins and the factors that influence throw-in strategies for different teams and coaches.

We have also conducted a two-part interview with the expert throw-in coach, Thomas Grønnemark, asking him to discuss those variables and his opinion about many tactics in detail.

After that, we decided to track some teams throw-ins in a specific third of the pitch against different opponents, identifying the variations they used against various opponents and considering the strengths and weaknesses we found, as in any comprehensive and coherent analysis.

In the previous analysis, we discussed Liverpool’s attacking tactics for throw-ins in the final third of the 2024/25 Premier League season, with their new coach, Arne Slot, and their new set-piece coach, Aaron Briggs.

Brentfords throw-ins in the final third will be todays case study, but todays team has a different purpose than Liverpools.

Thomas Franks side always wants to send crosses, so they rely heavily on long throw-ins.

In this tactical analysis, we will discuss Brentfords tactics in long throw-ins and the short variables related to them under the new set-piece coach, Keith Andrews.

Throw-In Set Up

First of all, we need to know that Mathias Jensen is the main thrower (from right to left), while his substitutes are Kevin Schade, Ethan Pinnock, and Christian Nørgaard, in that order.

To set the scene, they put their five best headers in the box: the two centre-backs (usually Nathan Collins and Ethan Pinnock), the left winger (Kevin Schade), the striker (Yoane Wissa) and Christian Nørgaard (the 8 or 6).

Bryan Mbeumo (the right winger) always runs towards the thrower to drag the full-back (or the wing-back) near them.

Then, he becomes a rebound defender on the edge of the box, noting that he does this in case the throw-in is on the right or left side.

One of the remaining three will join Mbeumo to receive the second ball, while the other two will stay at the back for counterattacks.

In the photo below, Crystal Palace defend with a 5(green)-4(blue)-1(orange) formation while Mbuemo runs towards the thrower to drag the left wing-back to evacuate the area behind him.

At the same time, the sixer (Vitaly Janelt) stands as a short option on the left of the thrower and then runs to be a rebound defender when the thrower moves to play it long.

This also drags the winger and the midfielder towards them in the beginning, which evacuates the box more.

The three targeted players run in a curved path from the middle, coming from the first defenders blind side.

This gives them an advantage, as they can exploit the fact that there is no offside in throw-ins.

Running before jumping also provides them with a dynamic disadvantage over the first two stationary defenders and allows them to measure the ball in the air within their path.

As shown below, Mbeumo becomes a rebound player after dragging the left wing-back while Janelt joins them.

In orange, Christian Nørgaard and Yoane Wissa frame the goal to receive the headed pass (the flick), increasing their opportunity to get the ball even if the plan isnt optimal.

Having players around the frame of the goal, parti