RTÉ GAA analyst Turlough O'Brien suggested the Kildare footballers are "naive and not in tune with the modern game" as he reviewed their drubbing at the hands of Armagh in Netwatch Cullen Park.
A third defeat in succession saw Glenn Ryan’s side score just 0-04 in each half with the game over as a contest at the break thanks to Armagh notching 2-08.
The second period was a formality and proved another demoralising 35 minutes for the beaten Lilywhites, with 14-points between the teams come the final whistle.
The Orchard County were impressive but there was no doubting how easy it was at times for the Ulster finalists.
O’Brien, with previous managerial experience in the province with Carlow, has sympathy for Ryan in a difficult period.
However he said Kildare are in dire need of a change in plans.
He told Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1: "I just don't think they are in tune with the modern game. It is killing them. They are so naive. They were 12 points down and still leaving three or four Armagh men unmarked and playing the ball across their own '65.
"Kildare were very, very disappointing. The second-half performance was the worst I've seen from Kildare in a long time.
"They were not being outfought but they were being out-thought. Armagh were much smarter, much more organised, know exactly what they are about.
"From dead balls and open play, Kildare were at sixes and sevens. They couldn’t handle it. Armagh were much more physical in the contact, turning them over quite a lot. Kildare were naive. Naivety is what is killing them.
"They are a little bit clueless on the pitch. Kildare huffed and puffed and took the ball into traffic. They tried to go around outside and were not penetrating at all. They are a very one-dimensional team. They have to change it up because it seems they only have a 'Plan A'."
Kildare chairman Mick Gorman publicly criticised results by team and management at a county board meeting last week, a rare occurrence in the sport and particularly at this stage of the year.
They are now facing the drop and the Tailteann Cup will beckon for the county if they slip to Division 3 and fail to reach the Leinster final.
However, O’Brien feels a change in management would be over the top and also echoed Ciaran Whelan's comments on the RTÉ GAA podcast that it was unhelpful for the team to be criticised by their own board.
Kildare face Meath next weekend in what is now a a must-win game, with fellow relegation rivals Fermanagh and Cork also clashing in what will be a vital round of fixtures in Division 2.
"It would be a bit drastic," O’Brien said in relation to a new face coming into the dugout. "Kildare are not relegated yet. There are four more games to go.
"They have got to suck it up and get it right. At the end of the day, Armagh are probably further down the road than Kildare are. The Ulster counties tend to start very well in the National Football League, maybe because of the McKenna Cup.
"I think the county board chairman would be better to be supporting the team management and see what they could do to help. There is obviously something missing in the set-up that other teams have because Kildare definitely have the players.
"There is no question they have lots of talent, size and physicality. It's a mad-passionate football county. I know all these players are so committed and so is the management team so it's very frustrating for them.
"Today it doesn't reflect that. The foundation of any team is good defence and you can't concede the type of score they did today. A lot of the Armagh scores were very easy. It was like men against boys."
