rubberman

Pfffft. http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-owner-dr-tony-12027537 890th? Dr Tony out.

I still think Gestede is fine off the bench to change things, but he's not a starter ahead of the others for me.

I'd like to see Jack in the middle behind McScore and Codger to see if he can replicate his U21 performance. 4-3-1-2

Name Home Team Away Team Guess Cardiff 0 1 Bristol Bristol Forest 0 1 Birmingham Birmingham Barnsley 1 1 Fulham Draw Blackburn 1 1 Ipswich Draw Brighton 1 0 Preston Brighton Derby 1 1 Leeds Draw Newcastle 2 1 Brentford Newcastle Norwich 3 0 Rotherham Norwich QPR 1 1 Reading Draw Wigan 1 1 Burton Draw Villa 2 1 Wolves Villa Huddersfield 1 1 Wednesday Draw rubberman

OT but I think this is likely to be the case. Teams playing the 'gegenpress'-style over a full season have all faded towards the end in the PL - it's likely to be even more accentuated with more games to play in the Championship. Fatigue and injury will start kicking in after Christmas for Huddersfield.

I was thinking the exact same thing this morning. Feels like the club was out on the pull, tried in on with a few who knocked us back and has ended up with the chubby one. Seems to be grateful to be with us - now let's hope she turns out to be a keeper.

Please God, not 3 at the back.

What system does Lambrini usually play? Sounds forrin - get him in.

I hope the due diligence has been thorough and there are no skeletons waiting to come out of the closet...

I'd do a LOL if Dr X surprises us with someone else now. I'm in the middle on Bruce. Nothing against him in particular but not very inspired either. I hope and expect that he'll be able to hit the ground running and it sounds as though no-one else wanted to take us on at this point. At least he's excited about it. Please get us winning again - that's all.

Oh well. C'mon Brucie - do your thing please.

Is the good Dr over here yet?

That's not really the most positive position!

I would be extremely happy and rather impressed if we manage to pull off Dyche. (phnar)

We seem to now be approaching all the Assistants: P Nev, Steve Agnew, Warren Joyce, Clarke...

Hmmm. Been mulling this over. Clarke - have been both sides of this situation. You put them in the process but know they'll never get the job. If he was good enough he would have had an impact by now. Won't be happening. Bruce - if it's him I hope he does well. Wouldn't be my choice but can see his plus points. If the miracle surge up into playoff places doesn't happen I just can't see him being given any time and I desperately want to hang on to a manager for a while this time. Still hope there is going to be a surprise here...

I read it as it was down to 3 (but not the reported ones) and now down to 2. I'd would have thought the 3 were Clarke, Bruce and Wagner, but who knows now. Kind of impressed it's being kept pretty quiet though. I feel it's being done seriously.

I'ma be all getting excited now. (though no doubt have to wait till middle of next week)

Given that the chances of promotion are pretty slim already - Automatic is so unlikely and getting into and through the playoffs also a massive task - I'd rather be left with a manager with potential to build us long term than a short term solution for another season. I can see a lot more time being given to Wagner, seen as a project, than Bruce, seen as 'guaranteed' promotion, if we finish somewhere around 8th.

Ray Wilkins is backing Bruce, so for that reason...

Assuming the process was started a couple of games ago when it became obvious things weren't going to improve, I'd expect those weeks to have been used to evaluate who possible replacements might be. Some discreet calls to agents and a list to be drawn up with Round, Wyness and Tony agreeing on the general direction. When the trigger was pulled those approaches would be more formal. I would want those approached to have looked at us and come up with a plan - short term, long term, recruitment, philosophy etc before being interviewed. Again assuming that for most it will have come out of the blue (Wagner etc), that's going to take a few days. Then have interviews - see who aligns best with the Club's direction, negotiate contracts, team they want to have with them, due diligence on dodgy pasts etc. I'd be amazed and frankly worried the process hasn't been thorough enough if it's done within a week or two.

huddersfield fans will be gutted if we poach Wagner. Will make the next meeting quite spicy.

Yeah - 60% win from here would give us 73 points if we lost all the other 14 games. That's still one hell of a turnround needed whatever the mix - we need a lot of wins. Soon. Then again - I expected us to be able to do that before the season kicked off.

Completely agree. And that's why Howe is almost certainly unobtainable. There was mention that Dyche might be possible and for me he's a more progressive option that Bruce, but lower risk than Wagner et al. If Bruce is the get us up and move on option, Dyche would be the get us up and consolidate upper-mid Prem option.