TNT Sports has revealed the unusual restriction Brentford placed on defender Michael Kayode during their clash with Liverpool on Saturday night.
The Bees hosted the Premier League champions at the Gtech Community Stadium and got off to a perfect start when Kayode’s long throw caused panic in the Liverpool box, leading to Dango Ouattara’s opener after a flick-on from Kristoffer Ajer.
It marked yet another goal Liverpool conceded from a set-piece, with the Italian full-back quickly earning a reputation as one of the Premier League’s top long throw-in specialists. Under new boss Keith Andrews, formerly the club’s set-piece coach, Kayode’s throws have become a key attacking weapon.
However, after the throw that led to the opener, Kayode attempted two short throw-ins to Jordan Henderson, both of which failed. During commentary, TNT Sports’ Darren Fletcher revealed—via a reporter near Brentford’s bench—that Kayode was immediately told to stop taking short throws and to launch the ball into the box every chance he got.
Co-commentator Ally McCoist even joked that Kayode might be “fined” if he took another short throw.
Brentford later doubled their advantage when Kevin Schade broke through to score from a superb Mikkel Damsgaard assist. Liverpool pulled one back through Milos Kerkez just before half-time—sparking outrage among Brentford fans and players, as the goal came in the 49th minute despite only three minutes of added time being shown.
Many suggested the extra time resulted from Kayode repeatedly drying the ball with a towel before his throws, delaying play.
Kayode’s Throw-in Mastery
Kayode’s remarkable throw-in ability first gained attention while he was playing for Gozzano in Italy’s fourth division and has since become a defining part of his game. He’s responsible for some of the longest throws in the Premier League this season, as teams increasingly turn set-pieces into scoring opportunities.
“I first tried it when I was 16,” Kayode told The Times. “I never trained for it—it just came naturally. I used it a lot in Serie D, again when I joined Fiorentina’s youth team, and now at Brentford.”
He added that his technique is simple: “I just look for my teammate and throw it.” Kayode also revealed he practices for five to ten minutes after every training session to keep refining his unique skill.
Leave a Reply