All I want for Christmas is a few points

Only a cracking Jordan Henderson finish prevented Wolves from finishing the weekend bottom of the table. As we head into the Christmas period, it is looking possible that both Wolves and West Ham will be cut off from the rest of the League. On the plus side, both teams have managers who are well experienced at being at the foot of the table.

The Christmas period could well define our season (and yes, we are currently in the Christmas period). Our next three games: Birmingham (h), West Brom (a), Wigan (h). A minimum of 6 points has to be taken from these three games, including a victory against Wigan on Boxing Day. Two wins from three games when we've only managed three all season? Wishful thinking maybe, but what else am I going to put on my list to Santa?

There has been much talk of Mick McCarthy doing a Father Christmas and getting the sack, but there appears to be a dearth of options out there. Martin O'Neill? Would he want to join a relegation scrap when just a few years ago he was being tipped for the Manchester United, and even the England jobs? Maybe a gamble on a lower league manager; it worked for Everton nine years ago, but has it been done successfully in recent years? Has Roberto Martinez taken Wigan forward? Brian Laws took Burnley down last season, although chances are they'd have been relegated whoever the manager was.

And how about this for a thought? If McCarthy leaves, we will almost certainly be left with Terry 'the clipboard' Connor as caretaker boss. Now, I know virtually nothing about Connor, being too young to remember him playing, but the fact I know nothing despite the fact he's been at the club for god knows how long says a lot about his profile. Many fans do not agree with him being assistant manager, never mind him taking charge for a match. Do we really want to be managed by Connor in the Albion match? Then again, some fans may prefer the Ginger Whinger Gary Megson to McCarthy at the moment.

Then again, maybe this is the time to get rid. Give a new manager time to buy players in January. There must be some money available; surely whatever we managed to recoup for Jelle Van Damme will be in our transfer match box (it's like a war chest, but smaller). Hull left it far too late to get of Phil Brown last season, although they didn't help their cause by bringing in Iain Dowie. Surely anyone's better than Iain Dowie? Both of Hull's managers last season are more noted for their physical appearance than their managerial prowess, probably not a good thing.

Maybe the correct action would be for Wolves and Merlin Mick to part company. Maybe he'll have a Christmas epiphany, realising that Stephen Ward is in fact the best centre-back in the world and we'll go unbeaten for the rest of the season, Ward picking up PFA Player of the Year. I would like to see Mick get some help. A long time ago, in those horrible days of Championship football when we actually used to win the odd game, on these pages I wrote that I would like to see McCarthy bring in a specialist defensive coach and I still believe this. While our injuries haven't helped us, it was individual mistakes that cost us on Saturday and it isn't through bad luck that we're the only team in the league without a clean sheet.

We are reaching the crux of our season, and three defeats would see us rock bottom with McCarthy almost certainly back on the managerial merry-go-round. Maybe Connor will be the next Mourinho, maybe not. At this stage it’s all guess work. All I know is I'm asking Santa to bring us some points this Christmas, and maybe, just maybe a clean sheet.