rubberman

Welcome Remi. I just want to consistent gameplan, players in their natural positions and sensible subs used. I'm pretty sure points and confidence will come and from that the errors will start to disappear. Without wanting to jinx tonight, we are the only team at the bottom that hasn't been getting smashed - I feel we're not far away from getting it together and getting a result.

Sneaking a win tonight would be sooooo sweet.

If the supply staff didn't want to come Garde coming would be dead by now. Its obviously still live. There are negotiations to be finished and villa are in a weak position but I'm still positive it'll happen.

rubberman Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool Palace 2-1 ManUtd ManCity 3-0 Norwich Newcastle 0-1 Stoke Swansea 0-2 Arsenal Watford 0-2 WestHam WestBrom 0-2 Leicester Everton 3-0 Sunderland Southampton 2-0 Bournemouth Spurs 2-1 Villahttp://pastebin.com/1x3NUvb8

Today, please.

I feel (not very confident) that k-mac will pick something like that side. Okore in for Richards if he's out. 60 good minutes. Kane, 1-0. If , though, we can play this side for a few weeks, (probably losing), by the time we get to the easier run they might be building some understanding. We might even snatch a point on the way.

Ok - that multiquote turned into just a series of lines for me to scroll through on my phone.

Ha. Only 4/11 for my team pick. This is trying out our championship team, yes?

Jaz? Nice!

You can easily see Bournemouth, Palace and even Boro getting through tonight. Even if not, with Stoke, Wednesday, Everton and Hull in the pot there's going to be a couple of easier* draws to get to the semis at least. * For some teams, not so much for us.

Looks like Saints will be 'rotating' players and Mane is out. So...Villa leading 1-0, equaliser in the last 10 mins, go out in extra time. Bunn Hutton Richards Clark Amavi Sanchez Gana Adama Ayew Gil Kozak

Laudrup wouldn't be great - I think he got found out at Swansea. Initially did well on the back of Rodgers' foundations, but never pushed on. Re Premier league experience - one think that makes me really keen on Garde is that he has experience of the league from playing here for 3 years and although it was a while back, the speed and physicality won't be a surprise to him. He's also been commentating on the league for Canal+ during his sabbatical from managing so I'm sure has seen more games than most of us.

That Jocelyn fella? No to AVB as well. A more experienced version of Sherwood.

Maybe we're trying the two managers route. Double the fun.

That works for me.

What happens if the new man comes in and plays the same players that Sherwood had, with the same results? What next? It could be possible that the new signings are not good enough and will contribute to our downfall via poor performance. I think it would be wrong of everyone to assume that these players are all going to suddenly become excellent and shoot us up the league. They may yet turn out to be duds although, I hope they aren't. Well, I can safely say he won't. Tim's back four (or three) was never established - part of the reason I think Guzan's had such a shit season. I think only Richards has played every game? And Lescott way too many. Midfield - even worse. I mean - Clark FFS. But if the new man comes in, we play sensible formations, players in their best positions, use sensible subs and tactics appropriate to the opposition and state of the game - if, after that, we continue to lose then, yes I'll accept they're duds and we'll go down. I really don't expect us to be excellent and shoot up the league, but I do think we're better than rock bottom and there is faint hope that we can get out of this. Sherwood 'managed' this squad woefully.

Exactly my position on Moyes.

While we're waiting... One of the really interesting things over the first couple of weeks of the new manager will be to see who he fancies. I got the feeling Tim was shutting out the players he supposedly 'didn't buy' and sticking overly long with his choices in order to prove his point (much as Moaninho does). From that Mail article a while back, Sherwood's picks were Richards, Lescott, Gestede and Gana - all have played the majority of games. The new manager knows this is it for the squad for the next few months so will only pick on form (and formation) without any baggage. There are no injuries so we should hopefully see a bit more from those who've only been bit part players so far. I don't think we'll see Lescott for a while, Gestede as a plan B (when we actually play to his strengths), etc. Ilori seems £1m flushed down the bog so far - how can he not be fit after 12 weeks? Anyway - I'm again excited about the possibilities.

I'd take winning by the odd goal for now TBH.

Bournemouth look in the crap currently. Lost 3 of their best players for the season and now back to back 5-1 defeats. It's a massive task, but certainly not impossible for us to get ahead of 3 clubs. Yet. We need to still be in touch by mid december.

Lyon can't do bugger all about it. Staff aren't bound by a transfer window - they can talk to who they want and resign whenever they want. From what I've seen there are a few people Garde wants from a few different clubs. It will take some time to sort out and the clubs they're leaving aren't likely to rush things but I can't see that holding it up long if they want to come.

I saw that Jocelyn fella turn up on the odds a couple of hours ago. Had to Google him (i have a least heard of garde). He turns up at no 30 in the top 50 football managers on the telegraph (i think ) site. Seems very leftfield but must be some chat out there.

Yep - wouldn't mind him. Esp for when we go down.

Unfortunately, given the mess we are in, draws are no good to us now. A point a game until the end of the season will still see us down. We somehow have to start winning & IMO, need 9 or probably 10 wins between now and the end of the season. Not sure we'll get them with this strike force. Exactly. We've lost too many points already. Need to gamble on winning games now. So no 'safe pair of hands manager' for me. Plus spending in Jan. From mid December through to end of Feb, there is a run of games where we could (and should) win 8 - and will need to. It's unlikely but still possible.

Firstly - I'd have been happy with a premiership survival manager, grinding us out enough draws to get to 17th this season. But Allardyce, Pulis and it seems Moyes are unavailable, After that it's a pretty dire choice of those have have premiership experience. That said, given our awful position, it's going to take something pretty special to survive and I'd rather take the gamble play some enjoyable football and see where it gets us. Imagine watching the rest of the season with none of the 'flair' players risked only to go down anyway. I'm sure that any incoming manager will have watched our games so far and seen that but for individual mistakes (that could easily attributed to unfamiliar team set up and lack of consistent selection) and bonkers substitutions we could easily be in a safer position. The league is crap this year - every other team has got unexpected results - and were I a manager I would be confident that I would have got us more points so far in the games we've played. It's going to be very tough, but I really don't think we're far from getting it together with a decent tactician at the helm, in very much the position Leicester were last year. Points were not a reflection of their talent as a team and I don't think ours are. Bring in Garde, play with consistency and direction and I think we might yet be safe. And even if not lets at least enjoy the ride.