Interesting discussion in the last few days. Some of the negativity is certainly warranted, and I'd admit I was fairly down on things myself walking out of the game. However, I do think that some of the most critical posters have not given enough consideration to the fact that this was the first league game, on a cold and windy January evening, against a sticky and much improved opponent, who always seems to raise their game against Armagh. We all wanted to start off the year with a bang, but the two points were the most important thing. And those two points were secured, just about.
I enjoy reading the contributions on tactical approaches, however I find myself at odds with most of what has been posted here. I can't reconcile what I see in front of me at games (those involving Armagh, and those not) with the the notion that Armagh's failures are due to not being attacking enough. To my eyes, every team of consequence, including Armagh, has taken the same relatively straightforward approach to playing Gaelic football:
1. Defensive system. Fundamentally, it's just bodies back blocking off space. Some variation seems to exist when teams get back as to whether they then mark man-to-man, or zonally, or, as is most common, a combination of both. But it's still bodies clogging up space within 50 yards of the defensive goal. Central areas are most heavily guarded, with the intention of funnelling attackers down narrow passages near the sideline, or forcing low percentages shots from distance. Defensive discipline and intelligence is important, recognising when and how to commit in numbers when the turnover is on - very similar to rugby union in this regard.
2. Kick-out system. Involves pretty much every player on the pitch. On your own kick-outs it requires good communication with your keeper and being sharp enough to quickly take advantage of space. Still a role for big ball winners in the middle when keepers are forced to go long by an opposition press. There is variation on defending a kick-out, and this seems to depend on the opposition and in-game circumstances - a dynamic risk/ reward calculation. Press more on opponents with weak ball winners, drop off more on opponents with strong ball winners. Press more when with momentum and in need of scores, drop off more when losing momentum and defending a lead.
3. Attacking system. All teams look to go hard and fast after securing a turnover or after beating the kick-out press - these are your only opportunities to attack an unstructured defence (other than winning a throw-in and launching it forward, as per Armagh V Donegal in Clones in 2022). Accurate kick passing, sticky handling, and good situational awareness are key. Don't beat the defensive set and you're in recycle city, because every opposition is driving to get 14/15 players back behind their own 45 as quickly as possible when out of possession. Patience is key when facing a well structured defence - recycle, overlap, probe, and shift the angle of attack until space is created. Don't fall into defensive traps and concede turnovers. Elusive strike runners with pace are useful, as they can penetrate defensive screens and force the defenders into making mistakes like fouling or vacating space. Long range shooters, usually operating on the loop around the 45 line, are also critical as they can bypass defensive structures. The threat of these shooters can also pull defensive systems further out the field, creating space closer to goal. Marks are another factor when going forward. Teams don't usually bother with low percentage punts into a crowded square, so most marks seem to be the result of clever dinked passes into pockets of space 20-30 yards from goal. As with counter attacking, the key here is accurate kick passing, sticky handling, and good situational awareness.
That's my treatise on the state of football in 2024. I don't claim to understand every facet of the game, and I'm open to suggestion that more nuance exists. But I feel the above is broadly accurate, and that Armagh's system isn't really Armagh's system - it's just the system that everyone works with.
So my long winded contention is that Armagh's problems aren't really down to the approach, or tactics, or style of football being played - rather it's the execution of this approach that's the issue. I'd also contend that there are no teams out there really playing a more attacking or aggressive brand of football - instead, some teams seem that way because they have upped the accuracy and discipline of their systems and/ or are faced with opponents that have dropped the accuracy and discipline or their own systems. So when a very early peaking Donegal hammered Cork at the weekend, I look to the fact that a seemingly well organised Donegal defence conceded just one point from a free all game, whereas a less well organised and indisciplined Cork defence conceded seven.
What does this mean for Armagh going forward? I don't believe there is any other way to successfully play the game in the current environment, so the tactical approach doesn't appreciably change. Defence and kick-outs were sound enough on Saturday. You'd expect attacking accuracy to improve with match fitness as the season progresses, so some of the turnovers we forced against Louth might actually translate into goals. You'd also expect personnel to change to include those who offer more in the current tactical environment - in particular, more elusive strike runners (Kelly, McQuillan, even Shields), more adept foot passers (Nugent, Cumiskey, Duffy), and more long range shooters (O'Neill*2, JOB, Rafferty). I don't think many of the middle 8 on Saturday offered enough in the way of line breaking or long range shooting, and that this resulted in much of the team's laboured play going forward. But there's a limit to what can improve, as the management have to work with the players that are there. I have believed for a good while that Armagh are not blessed with the attacking talent that most followers seem to believe, but that's probably a discussion for another day.
Feel free to rip the above apart. I would enjoy someone telling me why I'm wrong.
