Cronky

As we could all have anticipated, we need Wilson back asap. Gayle couldn't get hold of the ball, Carroll and Joelinton lack mobility. Having said that, I was quite impressed by the new Chelsea. They looked strong in all areas.

If they were offered the chance of going somewhere on loan, they were stupid not to take it, at that stage of their careers. It's another chance to learn the game at first team level, gather experience, and prove to everyone that you're worth a place. Hanging around with a feeling of being hard done by feels like sulking. If you don't rate the manager, then you should be glad of the chance to get away. If you do rate him, then you should welcome the chance to impress him. Having said all that, I can't quite believe that both would have been allowed to leave on loan. We don't have that many options in midfield.

I'd pick Wilson over Ba and Remy. In terms of overall ability, there's not much to choose between them, but Wilson gives you 100% focus for 90 minutes.

From what I've seen, he looks best as the more defensive partner in a centre midfield pairing. Now and then, there are signs of a better player, but wherever he's picked the result will be the same unless he imposes himself on the game more. He's over-cautious and seems to worry too much about making a mistake. He also doesn't seem to communicate with his team mates. You really want your experienced players to show leadership, but I see no signs of that. Shame, because it's a bit of a waste.

Looks like a real Arsenal product. He often uses the ball without the need for a first touch, and that can make all the difference.

Family as agent = not a good idea. Presumably this will push the Longstaffs further down the queue. Hopefully he'll replace Shelvey or Hendrick.

From what I've seen, Choudhury would be our best DM. It's a yes from me.

A very exciting hairstyle. Otherwise unexceptional.

He's a good all-rounder, with no significant weakness. Streetwise and uses his brain too.

He is in all probability a very good coach, but that doesn't mean he'll be a good manager. That's a different role. He's has had 13 seasons as a coach and 1 as a manager, which ended with a sacking. Wasn't that due to their financial issues? They were in trouble, like a lot of lower division teams, but being in 23rd place probably didn't enhance his cause. The new guy kept them up and has taken them to mid-table. Managers can be unlucky, in being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and maybe that happened to him. But his whole career doesn't suggest a bloke who's in a hurry to get the No 1 job, and Number 2 may well suit him better.

He is in all probability a very good coach, but that doesn't mean he'll be a good manager. That's a different role. He's has had 13 seasons as a coach and 1 as a manager, which ended with a sacking.

Player of the season so far, no doubt, and improving all the time.

Unfair but very funny.

He is right as I’ve said we are largely a squad of championship players, the likes of Joelinton, Almiron, Murphy etc are not decent premier league players and I would argue we don’t have a single serviceable central midfield pairing at the club. Any new manager would have a huge job on their hands still and it would still be shit to watch. And I’m the biggest Bruce hater going. New owner is the only answer as the club is a shambles top to bottom. Yeah, I find it difficult to think of a midfield that isn't going to struggle. Our more skilful players - the Longstaffs and Shelvey - are slow and don't defend well. Hendrick and Hayden are poor in possession. Murphy tries hard, but his better role is probably wing back. Joelinton is too cumbersome for the Premiership. Almiron and ASM can make things happen, but we end up hoping for a flash of individualism rather than a good combination - which is perhaps our best bet. I had hopes that Fraser might do well, but injury and now suspension has kept him out of the picture. Weird how S. Longstaff and Almiron (along with Lascelles, Schär, Lejuene & Dubravka) looked like top 6 players under our previous manager. Not so much weird as complete fantasy.

He is right as I’ve said we are largely a squad of championship players, the likes of Joelinton, Almiron, Murphy etc are not decent premier league players and I would argue we don’t have a single serviceable central midfield pairing at the club. Any new manager would have a huge job on their hands still and it would still be shit to watch. And I’m the biggest Bruce hater going. New owner is the only answer as the club is a shambles top to bottom. Yeah, I find it difficult to think of a midfield that isn't going to struggle. Our more skilful players - the Longstaffs and Shelvey - are slow and don't defend well. Hendrick and Hayden are poor in possession. Murphy tries hard, but his better role is probably wing back. Joelinton is too cumbersome for the Premiership. Almiron and ASM can make things happen, but we end up hoping for a flash of individualism rather than a good combination - which is perhaps our best bet. I had hopes that Fraser might do well, but injury and now suspension has kept him out of the picture.

It just feels like our squad isn't good enough to play anything but a defensive game. Ultimately, the new approach didn't work. We still can't keep hold of the ball, and we don't put pressure on the opposition when they have it. I don't like having a go at Joelinton, because his attitude is always good, but he loses the ball so often when he shouldn't, often in promising situations.

Yep, it's a worry.

A more positive approach but same problems. We can't keep hold of the ball and we can't close the opposition down. Might sneak something, probably won't.

Strange midfield selection. Caution to the winds. I fear the worst.

I'd like to hear people answer the question that I put - in practical terms, who do you want for the job, that would realistically take it in the current situation? The only suggestions I've come across on the last few pages are the current coach of a youth team in San Diego, and 'any kunt'. Which perhaps amounts to the same thing. Too many to mention, actually. I think Eddie Howe could be interested. I’d take Pearson as a firefighter to keep us up. David Wagner was mentioned on here, I don’t particularly rate him, but would take him temporarily. Warren Barton. Sanchez Flores. And then there are higher rated managers, not impossible that some of them could be interested, especially with a potential takeover looming. Of those, Eddie Howe is the most interesting, but I don't see him as a firefighter. He's very attached to his home area and I doubt he'd come. He quit Burnley for personal reasons. Plus something seems to have happened in his last few months at Bournemouth that may have scarred him - they shouldn't have been relegated with the squad they had. Pearson has had serious health issues, and I don't know that he'd offer anything exceptional. Sanchez Flores and Wagner have both failed at their last managerial ventures. Apart from being an ex-player who might well want the job, Warren Barton's qualifications for the task are wholly inadequate. Presumably though there would be no huge compensation issues with prising him away from the Del Mar Carmel Valley Sharks youth team. The Brentford manager has been touted on here, but he inherited a very good set up at Brentford which has allowed them to punch above their weight for several seasons. The pressure of managing our club is entirely different, as with Eddie Howe and Bournemouth. Brentford are chasing promotion so there's also doubt about whether he'd come. Ultimately, the 'anyone will do' idea would only work if you believe that we've got a good squad who are under-achieving to a huge degree. I can't see that's the case.

I'd like to hear people answer the question that I put - in practical terms, who do you want for the job, that would realistically take it in the current situation? The only suggestions I've come across on the last few pages are the current coach of a youth team in San Diego, and 'any kunt'. Which perhaps amounts to the same thing.

Sheffield was a low point. Bruce has admitted that he made a cock-up with the team selection (I assume by playing Hayden and Hendrick together) and then when we went down to 10 men, it was too late to change things. I differ from most on here in my assessment of Bruce, but ultimately there remains the question, who is available for the job, would they take it in all the current circumstances (particularly considering the possible takeover) and would they do a better job with the squad that we have.

The strangest thing about Hendrick is he has been okay when picked as the single defensive midfielder / anchor man, but he completely fades from the picture in every other role. It's like when he's given the responsibility of being the anchor man, he rises to it, but otherwise he seems to leave things to his team mates. He doesn't seem to impose himself on the game, unless he is actually put in the position of having to. That's my best guess anyway. He's no world-beater, but we've seen in glimpses that he can actually do a fair bit better than he did on Tuesday. A lot is in his head.

There's so much wrong where do you start. We are so hesitant at putting in challenges that we're allowing them to just pass the ball around us. Ironically, Fraser was sent off as a result of indecision about putting in a tackle, and then completely mistiming it. Hendrick and Hayden are neither attacking nor defending. It's an awful combination. I wouldn't blame the front three for the poor performance. They're just not getting the ball in anything like decent situations. Looks like a rearguard action for the whole of the second half. I can't see us holding out. I am so not watching this.

Hayden and Hendrick together in the centre doesn't work. They're playing team mates into trouble. There's no one creating anything from that area.