International breaks are dangerous times for struggling coaches, hiatuses in the domestic fixture list that offer chairmen chances to wield the axe before swiftly handing a new messiah the keys to the reclaimed company Mercedes.

The threat is heightened appreciably if household names are seeking gainful employment. It would be a surprise were Mark Hughes and Martin O'Neill not being discussed, discretely, within certain boardrooms.

With seven Premier League games played, this interlude will provide a chance to implement alterations while the season remains young, but at a juncture at which some fans are already demanding change. Managers must accept their engagement in a lethal game of chance. As Kevin Keegan said: "You always have a gun at your head; the only question is whether there's a bullet in the barrel."

Steve Kean, Blackburn Rovers

The case for dismissal Kean's relentless pursuit of positives has turned him into the David Brent of football management and it is hard to imagine him successfully motivating Blackburn's squad. After three wins in 21 Premier League games, the Ewood Park crowd has become so hostile that the increasingly poisonous atmosphere cannot enhance the chances of gaining favourable results. Kean's lack of previous managerial experience suggests he should never have been appointed in the first place.

The case for preservation Considering Kean is taking Blackburn on a mini-tour of India this week, his immediate dismissal could be tricky. Venky's, Blackburn's owner, retains faith in his coaching ability and may yet bring the best out of the Scot by appointing a director of football to hold his hand. Moreover, having been promised an extravagant array of signings in the Ronaldinho mould Kean has, instead, been required to scour the market for bargains while losing players of the calibre of Phil Jones.

Odds to be first manager to go 4-9

Steve Bruce, Sunderland

The case for dismissal Two home wins since New Year's Day do not augur well for a manager who has signed 30 players – some on loan and several of whom have left – in two years. Question marks hover over Bruce's tactical nous, his use of substitutes, his regular fallings-out with players, his habit of rushing people back from injury, his adaptability to 21st-century managerial methods and his arguably skewed views about the north-east and its pressures.

The case for preservation Bruce signed a lucrative contract extension in February, so sacking him would be expensive. He recruited 10 new players in the summer and they require time to gel. Sunderland's owner, Ellis Short, recently refused to allow him to buy Charles N'Zogbia, the left-winger who Bruce believed represented the team's missing link. After selling Darren Bent, Jordan Henderson and Kenwyne Jones, he has virtually broken even on transfers.

Odds to be first manager to go 7-2

Arsène Wenger, Arsenal

The case for dismissal Seven league games: two wins, one draw, four defeats. For Arsenal such statistics spell a crisis that threatens to conclude with their exclusion from the Champions League for the first time in 15 seasons. No one, not even Wenger, is indispensable and it appears that after six trophyless years compounded by a stubborn failure to adequately replace Cesc Fábregas and Samir Nasri, he has outstayed his welcome. Glaring problems with defensive coaching are exacerbated by an imbalance between youth and experience.

The case for preservation If everyone is entitled to a bad day at the office, the Frenchmen must surely be granted one iffy season – especially after his financial husbandry has proved so impressive. Also, who on earth could replace Wenger? Arsenal must be careful what they wish for.

Odds to be first manager to go 12-1

Owen Coyle, Bolton Wanderers

The case for dismissal Bottom of the Premier League, with its leakiest defence, Bolton have lost 11 of 12 league games, stretching back to Easter. Six straight home defeats have accelerated the club's worst start to a season in 109 years and some fans are even beginning to regard Gary Megson's reign with nostalgia while pointing out that last season's attacking success camouflaged a litany of defensive flaws.

The case for preservation Considering that, until this spring, Coyle's managerial career had spent much of the past decade on a firmly upward trajectory, Bolton's board should afford their popular former striker extra time. It is not Coyle's fault the club cannot afford adequate replacements for the strikers Johan Elmander and Daniel Sturridge. Or that a serious knee injury will sideline their outstanding midfielder, Stuart Holden, until March.

Odds to be first manager to go 16-1

Roberto Martínez, Wigan Athletic

The case for dismissal Five successive defeats in all competitions appear to offer confirmation that the articulate Martínez talks a much better game than his team tends to deliver. Frequently naive defensively, sometimes mentally fragile and anything but streetwise, Wigan seem to be sliding towards the Championship. Although the Spaniard is potentially a very good manager, he and Wigan seem wrong for each other.

The case for preservation The former Wigan midfielder's supreme loyalty in rebuffing an invitation to become Aston Villa's manager in the summer deserves to be rewarded in kind. Martínez lacks sufficient resources to replace last season's attacking catalyst, N'Zogbia, who is now at Villa, not to mention Tom Cleverley, now back with Manchester United. While his purist playing philosophy produces entertaining football, Dave Whelan, Wigan's owner, would surely struggle to find a replacement with comparable integrity and intelligence.

Odds to be first manager to go 33-1