Louth Team Named TALKING Points

Firstly, I like the team, I like the thinking behind it...that thinking behind it will be discussed throughout the day.

Talking Points
1.Mick in the middle

This for me is a very interesting talking point as the selection gives a slight indication of how management has approached this game.

Mick Fanning is an out and out defender for me, he doesn't even play in the middle for his club so for me his role in the middle will be as a stopper. I don't mean plugging a hole or stopping runner's coming through like an NFL player but sacrificing his own game to do a pure and simple man marking job on John Heslin. He's their most influencial player management have identified that Mick will literally be following their orders all over Cusack Park Saturday night.
Good selection point: best candidate for the job as if Heslin starts in the full forward line like he can sometimes Mick can easily slot in there.
Bad Selection point: The knock on effect on the other out and out midfielders in the squad.

2. NO Burns

In no way am I saying Ryan Burns is saviour of Louth football and we need him in the starting line up for louth to win, a fine young footballer and young man to boot his time WILL come, I don't doubt that for a minute.
Also I'm not going to throw any pressure on his shoulders by raging about his omission from the starting line up but I'd liked to have started him on Saturday night.

Good Selection point:Having a youngster in the squad is well and good for his development but for me and the best for Louth would have been to start him. Let him get into the game straightaway; get a taste of the pace from the get go.

Bad selection point: Championship is a squad game nowadays and impact from the bench has swung games in the modern era...look no further than all-Ireland champions Dublin and their use of Kevin McManamon. Derek Maguire starts ahead of Burns and for me Maguire would have been better than of those two coming off the bench. Maguire is a proven impact player, last few minutes we are looking to the bench to close out or win the game OR dare I say it, a silly black card! We can't expect a minor debutant to do it for us, not a fair situation for him and his development.

 3. Gary O'Hare comes in from the wilderness
What I mean by wilderness is, the last game in the league against Meath, O'Hare didn't start nor come on as a sub. 
In between league and championship in called the wilderness in my eyes as you are just training, prepping and playing challenge matches .(we played Antrim, London & Armagh)

Bad selection point:Pop and John O'Brien are our two tighest markers, I'd have had them in the full back line. 

Good Selection point: He must have performed really well in this wilderness time for AOR to bring him back into the starting fifteen. That also shows he's in good form which is positive considering he might have to be picking up the likes of Dessie Dolan, Alan Giles, Ray Connellan, Denis Glennon or Callum McCormack come Saturday night.
Also, with flyers and ultra mobile players like James Dolan and John Egan on the Westmeath half forward line JOBser's tightness would be better suited out there especially if O'Hare is playing well anyway.

4. Eight defensive players named?
Okay, modern football is not all about positions and simply a case of forwards and backs I know that but, there is always a but; when it is blantantly obvious that down on these lads current GAA CV they are known as defenders. So for that reason I can say there are 8, over half the team that is named to start defenders by trade.
The 6 named defenders along with Mick Fanning and Patrick Reilly.

Bad Selection point: We will have to work hard for scores because you could say, the only natural forwards named to start is Shane Lennon and Derek Maguire. Two!!
(Andy, Whitezer,Byrne are not out and out forwards)
Good Selection point: We will go into this game armed with defensive roles and marking tasks meaning we will be well prepped and organised and hopefully hard to break down. Clogging up a tight Cusack Park pitch could be the recipe for success as it could suit our counter attacking style of play.
5. Decie Byrne gets a welcome nod  
It is always touch and go with Decie in this current management regime.Dropped off the panel and didn't play last year, taken off in games he shouldn't have been in the league. So when the team was announced it was a welcome relief to see he's made the starting 15.

In my opinion he is one of the best 15 players in the county but what will he bring to the party on Saturday night?

Good Selection point: Although named at 15, he'll play on the wing. This is a well known secret so much so when typing out the team when it was named I put him at 12 and not 15!
He can kick points from this distance and he'll be mobile enough to help around the middle of the field. Where he will have to track the Impressive runs of James Sharry from deep hence easing PK and Fannings workload.

Bad Selection Point: As I've already mentioned his relationship with AOR means Decie is constantly on trial and in fear of being subbed!
However, after the week he's had I think that will count for very little.

Thanks for reading

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