Former Tipperary star Shane McGrath thinks Waterford looked disorganised and lack the firepower to trouble Limerick in their crucial Munster SHC clash at Walsh Park on Sunday.
The Déise come into the game desperate for a win after a narrow defeat to Clare and a thumping by Tipp that leaves their season hanging by a thread.
"If Waterford don't get a win here, it's game over for the year," McGrath told 2fm's Game On.
"Waterford look all over the place at the moment. The players looked kind of disillusioned and they didnt have much structure (against Tipperary).
"The players are looking out to the sideline and I don't think there is much going in.
"They are very good when they have an exta defender back and the best man at that is Tadhg de Burca but he doesn't really know where he's playing at the moment.
"They just have to throw off the shackles and try to turn over Limerick. (But) their average score this year is 20 points and the average score against them is 30. They need more quality up front and do they have at the moment? I don't think they do."
McGrath believes the 2017 All-Ireland finalists big names haven't delivered this season and thinks it's a big ask to expect 36-year-old Michael 'Brick' Walsh, who was tipped to make his first Championship appearance of the season but has been named on the bench, to turn the ship around.
"I think something's not right down there with them," said McGrath.
"You couldn't name three or four of them who have been hurling well. Conor Prunty at full-back has been going well but Jamie Barron, Austin Gleeson, Kevin Moran... we're just not seeing that normal spirit and heart.
"I think they played him (Walsh) in the wrong position in midfield at Croke Park in the League final.
"Were they hoping this guy was going to reel in the years, and try to chase around the Hurler of the Year Cian Lynch and Darragh O'Donovan, with Tom Morrissey back around there?
"If they are to play him, for me it has to be in near the goal, where he can create, win that ball and win frees."
McGrath expects Limerick to have learned the lessons from their shock defeat to Cork on their first day out.
"If there was a good time to lose a match, Limerick picked it," he said.
"They have had time to regroup and realise they were nowhere near the pitch of it at all.
"Gearóid Hegarty would be one of the guys who sets the pace and tone for workrate on that team but he was taken off after 56 minutes.
"Their subs bench, who normally come on and contribute eight or nine points, only got two points and they were frees from Shane Dowling.
"I think Limerick will have had a really good look at themselves over the last couple of weeks. Their reputation is on the line here as All-Ireland champions and they have to go down here and win."
