RALPH Hasenhuttl has defended the decision for Mohammed Salisu to continue taking Saints’ throw-ins, insisting: “I don’t see that there is no threat, but now they are more prepared it is difficult.”

The 22-year-old Ghanaian defender has been topping Premier League charts in the defensive stats, currently level with Everton’s Michael Keane for most interceptions made this season (40).

On WhoScored, Salisu is the only Saints player with a rating above 7.00 – he’s considered to be the St Mary’s outfit’s top performer by most.

And initially criticised as not quite good enough on the ball, his crisp forward passing with the left boot has also been the architect of a number of progressive moves that have led to Saints goals.

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However, travelling the length of the pitch to ‘launch’ one of his now trademark medium throws has become a bone of contention for the supporters.

Daily Echo: Mohammed Salisu in action at Norwich City (Pic: PA)Mohammed Salisu in action at Norwich City (Pic: PA)

Not only do they slow down proceedings and take a crucial defender out of position but Saints are yet to score a goal during an attacking action which was started by a Salisu long throw.

But quizzed on the tactic by the Daily Echo, Hasenhuttl refuted the idea that they haven’t yet been up to standard.

He responded: “I don’t see that there is no threat because automatically the opponent has to move back and automatically you are in situations where you are in the box, where you can get goals.

“We had two moments in the first game where we did it for a first time, but now they are a little bit more prepared for it is more difficult.”

He continued: “But it is still an opportunity to put them on the backfoot and to enter their box and this is what a lot of teams try.”

Hasenhuttl has first-team assistant coach Dave Watson under his wing taking lead on the set-piece teaching during training sessions.

Although Watson has been at St Mary’s for over half a decade and was assistant to Roy Hodgson with England at the 2014 World Cup, he cut his teeth in coaching goalkeepers before switching roles at Saints in July 2019.

The football purist/traditionalist would probably snigger at the idea, but it’s well documented of Liverpool’s success with set-pieces and they even employ one whole man just to coach throw-ins.

Daily Echo: Saints coach Dave Watson (Pic: PA)Saints coach Dave Watson (Pic: PA)

Thomas Gronnemark was able to convince Jurgen Klopp that throw-ins were a useful enough weapon to employ him full-time in August 2018. And they’ve done alright.

A 2021 study by Joseph Stone at Sheffield Hallam University found that, in the 2018-19 Premier League season, the team with the best in all of first contact success rate, possession retention, mean time in possession and then shot creation from throw-ins won the title.

Teams who finished second and third also placed between two and three for almost every throw-in based stat. The trend followed for the remainder of the league with some more sporadic placings.

Asked if the selection of Salisu was not only for the arm but to allow Hasenhuttl’s side a breather while he saunters up the pitch, the boss admitted: “Both, yes. And yes, we are working on this in training.

“We have no throw-in coach,” Hasenhuttl quipped. “But we have Dave who is our set-pieces coach and he is also involved in these organisations.”