Shane Stapleton has identified a couple of key areas for Tipperary hurlers to improve: their long-ball game and their full-back positions.
The two-time All-Ireland club hurling winner with Cuala joined Ger and Eoin in studio to discuss Tipp' loss to Kilkenny yesterday Allianz National Hurling League final.
"Tipp have a huge problem at full-back, and I think [Michael Breen] is the answer. I have been saying this for two years. A couple of years ago, for the under-21s, he was a full-back and he was sensational. Tipp have probably produced two brilliant full-backs from underage in ten years. Number one is Pádraic Maher and number two is Michael Breen.
"If you look at Galway and Kilkenny, what have they done at full-back? They have put arguably their best defender there. James Barry has had some great games for Tipp, but it's just not going for him at the moment."
As for how these problems manifested themselves yesterday against Kilkenny, Shane explained his view succinctly:
"James Barry was dragged around the place, so at times Tipp were left with a two man full-back line of Alan Flynn and Michael Cahill, who are two relatively small guys. Alan Flynn had a great game and Michael Cahill did OK - but James Barry's confidence is all over the place. He's been a great servant and had some great games, but the confidence just isn't there and he has been targeted by other teams. You saw Wally Walsh caught a ball over him and steamed in for a goal.
"It's been an issue for the last while. Why I feel sorry for James Barry is that the team aren't protecting him or the back line at all. In hurling, very simply, you want all of your space to be in the forward line and nothing but traffic surrounding your back line.
"Tipperary - to use soccer parlance - have too high a line [...] Kilkenny are moving it up through the lines and they are trying to burst out and hit space with the ball or hit it high on top of the right player. Whereas Tipperary have a young guy in Willie Connors - one of the good performers yesterday - but it was his second game for Tipp and they are hitting high ball hanging on top of him. It doesn't suit him. He played quite well, but if you're Willie Connors, you want low ball and grass in front of you to turn your man and go right at him."
But more than that, Shane has identified the style of play to be as much of an issue for Tipp's men.
"Tipperary are just constantly lumping the ball to the forward line. If you have a good ball, why would you turn it into 50/50 possession? Tipp are just doing that time after time. In the second half, they did so badly that they only managed four shots from play. They were so bad that they only managed one wide.
"Tipp are missing Seamus Callanan, Dan McCormack, Bonner Maher and Noel McGrath. Four starting forwards. But if you're going to hit the same rubbish ball up the field, you are going to have the same end product that you had last year against Galway."
You can watch OTB AM every weekday from 7:45am live at the top of the page from 7:45, or on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
