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I genuinely don't think Armstrong is any better than what we have. Personally I think Idah deserves a proper run in the team in place of Sargent. Although he doesn't score, he does usually create some space for others when he comes on.

You've already pointed out that we can't afford a proven PL striker so not sure what you've got to be curious about...... He has though scored several in the Championship, which is more than can be said for any other striker currently on our books.

Daryl Dike on his way in January? Loan with a view to permanent.

I doubt much will change. Rashica will start instead of Tzolis if fit, maybe PLM if he's not. Maybe Idah for Sargent. Williams is much the better defender so I would still start him. Gilmour Our problem against Newcastle was that we were completely confused by the red card. We had a midfield full of multi-touch footballers who were there to counter Newcastle and play on the break for Pukki. Mclean and Rupp in particular seldom use one touch, and when they do it usually goes astray. The bigger surprise for me was that Aarons and Gilmour fell into this lassitude as well on the night, when we needed them in particular to find another gear. We actually have a decent chance of getting something against Spurs. It's a ground we have had some success on in the past, and it will suit the way Smith is setting us up that they must attack us.

Newcastle's probably.

Apart from the penalty shout, I think he's tried to be quite impartial but imagine how hard that must be - picture yourself commentating on this and trying not to favour Norwich. It's stupid having Shearer on this game, though. By the way, it should have been a penalty ;his hand clearly stopped the ball going on target and was away from his body.

Agreed. We look like a team set up to play on the break and suddenly we have possession. We have no idea what to do once we get to their box. Smith needs to work some magic at half time.

Is that the last time we won there?

Ferdinand made mistakes - in fact he was odds-on for at least one howler every game (check out some of his England appearances, for instance). Van Dijk makes mistakes. In both cases their positional awareness generally got them out of trouble but the bigger issue is how quickly they and their teammates recover from errors.

Far too much positivity on here. Yes, we've made some progress in the last couple of games but nothing like enough to believe that we can go to Newcastle in these circumstances and win. I will be astonished and delighted if we come away with anything. Given we have not scored a goal in 8 of our 13 games and in 5 of our 6 games away, forecasting us to score 3 is somewhat optimistic. When you add in that we have kept 1 clean sheet away from home, we are very unlikely to be able to stop them scoring. I'm afraid I can't see anything but a defeat. Hopefully not too heavy. I think we have a much better chance of getting something at Spurs.

Win the next two and anything can happen. Momentum and confidence are amazing things.

He's up there with Gilmore and Tzolis for me in the "good player, wrong team" category. His game doesn't suit the way we play. When he's had his chances like against Liverpool in the Carabao he didn't take them.

I think Hourihane's best days are firmly behind him, but if that's where Smith sees the gap then fine - he won't cost a lot. If Villa are still down the bottom with us, as I suspect they might be, I can't see them doing anything to help us.

I'd be pretty surprised if there are more than one or two changes from the team that beat Brentford - he may try to fit Gilmore in instead of Maclean. Don't think the back 5 or the front 3 will change. I'd also expect to see Cantwell on the bench if he's fit and to come on for Dowell whatever the score is.

It's quite clear that almost the entire football world thinks our players are not good enough to survive in the PL. Presumably Dean Smith is one of the few who disagrees with that majority, and we are all about to find out who is right. If ever we needed a win and a performance, Saturday's game is it.

But even Zimmermann on one leg is quicker than Kabak.

This team, but with Andrew O instead of Kabak.

No.

I am probably adding two and two to get five, but Webber and Purslow know each other quite well after the Emi transfer talks and went on record about how well that went. Is it remotely possible that Webber was tipped the wink about Smith's potential availability - given that he is a known admirer after talking to him years ago about the Huddersfield role before appointing Wagner. You know, it just might be that he was the number one choice after all. The timing of the Farke dismissal was predicated by he and his coaches going to Germany on Sunday for a break.

It will come down to the game against Southampton. If we are still all over the place and lose horribly, I can see the crowd taking against Smith pretty much straightaway because he isn't Daniel Farke. Conversely, play well, even win the game and he will be the best thing since sliced bread. Fickle bunch, we football fans.

No one on here has a clue how good a coach either Farke or Smith are. Not a clue. All we can look at is results. I remain convinced that this appointment is about keeping us in the Premier League and, to be blunt, if it is to be Smith, he has more chance of doing that than Farke, KK or Favre. I'm not convinced yet that it will be Smith, but I'm not going to be unhappy if it is. I think he'll have a point to prove and his record to date suggests that we will have a chance. I don't think Farke ever showed any real understanding of how to set up a team in this league. I'm not sure the players are good enough but after 11 games, we have hardly seen half of them so it's quite hard to know.

Strange then that Villa did it in 5 days.....

All this talk of the Championship being a consideration. Webber wants a coach who can keep us up. No one has given up. The pundits have us relegated, but seem to think that Newcastle will comfortably escape under Eddie Howe because they can spend some money in January. But we know how long is takes to bed in new players and it isn't going to be that easy for them either. I genuinely think we can still survive with the players we already have and any new coach must surely believe that too or it's pointless appointing them. We don't want a coach for the Championship.

Would much rather have Smith than Lampard as a coach, but I can see what Lampard would bring. I think Smith would be the more credible appointment from a football need, but the extra bounce and attention the players would get from having Lampard here might just make the difference in the next few games and suddenly the world is a different place. My gut tells me that Webber won't go with Lampard for some reason. But then my gut was wrong about Emi going to Villa......

The critical thing here that we still don't do is small foul the opposition as soon as they turnover the ball, preferably in their half. This buys time for players to get into position and reset. Everyone else does it. Everyone. We still don't.