Here is the second half of our feature on the Premiership managers, focussing on the bottom half of the table. You can read the first half here.

11. Wigan – Steve Bruce
Arguably the most inconsistent team in the Premiership – blessed with talent such as Zaki, Heskey, Palacios and Valencia, Wigan blow hot and cold like no other. In some sort of form having won their past two games (for the first time in Bruce’s reign) – if it wasn’t for that they would be in the relegation zone. None of the teams in the bottom half are remotely safe as its so, so tight – but Wigan are at least the best placed of them.
Overall: 7/10. Its the points rather than the position you have to look at. Bruce has made some good signings, but you wonder where the goals will come from if, as expected, Zaki leaves in January.

12. Middlesbrough – Gareth Southgate
Southgate has assembled a young, exciting Boro side who, if they can keep the nucleus of the team together, could be one to watch over the next few seasons. However, they also suffer hugely from inconsistency, not helped by the erratic performances of their strikers Alves, Mido and Tuncay. As always Steve Gibson will give Southgate time, and lots of it – and the portents are good. A young squad and prolific youth system bode well, as long as they can stay out of trouble this season.
Overall: 7.5/10. Southgate is still learning the managerial game but signs are promising.

13. West Ham – Gianfranco Zola
Zola’s promise to bring pretty football to the Boleyn Ground has not really been realised. Somewhat surprisingly he has instilled some defensive solidity, with their third consecutive clean sheet in the 0-0 draw with Liverpool. Mark Noble is quoted saying it will take two years for West Ham to learn to play in Zola’s image – but does he have that long? Needs to score some goals and get some wins to bring some security.
Overall: 6.5/10. Slightly disappointing, but has sorted the defence out which deserves credit. His first managerial job and will surely be given time by the board.

14. Stoke – Tony Pulis
Rory Delap has been the revelation of the season with his rocket launched throw-ins – and Tony Pulis makes no excuses for the physical style Stoke adopt. They have won their last 5 home games and are formidable at the Britannia; away from home it is a rather different story. Without Delap’s throws Stoke would be bottom, so that is a cause for concern.
Overall: 8/10. As a promoted side, they have done well. Though there are concerns if their home form slips or sides figure out Delap, which must happen at some point…

15. Man City – Mark Hughes.
Positionally, desperately disappointing, but Hughes will point out they are only one win away from the top 10, two wins from the top 6, and three wins from the Champions League places! However, compared to last season progress has most definitely been backward (they sat second). With the addition of Jo, Robinho, SWP, Kompany et al that must be hugely concerning for the owners. Yes, signings need time to bed in, but if you spend that much you want some instant results. Hughes needs to turn things around, and fast, if he is not to be out on his ear. January signings may help – but they will take time to adapt, as the close season ones have.
Overall 4/10. Spending £75m and being nine places below Hull is inexcusable. Hughes is in desperate need of results. But with them, everything could so soon look so different.

16. Tottenham – Harry Redknapp.
His honeymoon period appears now to be over after consecutive defeats, but his rip-roaring start will remain long in the memory. Spurs are undoubtedly in a far better position that when he took over – but are only out of the relegation zone on goal difference. Redknapp, and the fans, must remember that the first target is to avoid going down. A top 10 finish, with a good cup run, would be an excellent season considering the start they had.
Overall: 9/10. Despite recent defeats, an excellent start. If he can turn around the recent setbacks they will shoot up the table.

17. Newcastle – Joe Kinnear.
A wholly uninspiring appointment, but he has brought some sense of stability to St James. A couple of draws, a win or two – and he was given the job until the end of the season. The best moment of his tenure was his outburst at journalists – ‘Which one of you is Simon Bird?’ will live long in the memory. Newcastle probably won’t go down, probably won’t finish above 12th, and Kinnear probably won’t have a job next season.
Overall: 6.5/10. Meh.

18. Sunderland – Roy Keane.
Until the last six games Sunderland would have been higher in the table and the outlook would be totally different. But five defeats in six, and losing their last four at home including the shambolic 1-4 defeat to Bolton, have heaped the pressure on. You would not bet against Keane walking away if he didn’t feel he was the right man for the job (he has said as much) – and surely he would walk before he he was pushed. That is not yet a possibility (remember they were bottom of the Championship only a couple of years ago) but board and fans will want Keane to turn things round, and fast.
Overall: 5/10. But a good run of results will push it back up to a 7/8, where he was earlier in the season.

19. Blackburn – Paul Ince.
Second favourite in the sack race (behind Keane) Ince is reported to have asked for six games to turn things around for a struggling Blackburn side. It was always going to be difficult to continue the great work Mark Hughes did, but under him they were consistently top 10 and board and fans will want, at the very minimum, safety. 19th is not good enough, and unless Ince can engineer a change in fortunes, he will not be there at the end of the season.
Overall: 3/10. Has done nothing to suggest he is up to the job. But, with things so tight, again a few wins and the outlook will be very different.

20. West Brom – Tony Mowbray.
Admirably steadfastly sticking to his principles of pretty football – unfortunately its only proved to be pretty ineffective. Stone bottom and favourites for relegation, West Brom desperately need their backwards and sideways passing to produce results. The most disappointing aspect will be the defeats to Stoke and Hull – West Brom finished comfortably above them last season, and if they cannot beat those sides, what chance do they have?
Overall: 4/10. You cannot rate someone too highly who is bottom of the league. Deserves respect for his footballing mantra but that will cut short shrift if results don’t improve.

15 games in, how have the Premiership managers fared so far this season? We take a look…

1. Chelsea – ‘Big Phil’ Scolari

Up until a couple of weeks ago, there would have been no complaints. But after home defeats to both Liverpool and Arsenal in the last few games, along with stuttering progress (not yet secured) in the Champions League, serious questions are now being asked. Deco has gone off the boil, Lampard has not scored in five, and striking options are limited. Fortress Stamford Bridge has been impregnated – twice – are the wheels coming off? Taking stock, Chelsea are still top of the Premiership and on course for the CL knock-out stages – but all is not well at the Bridge. Chelsea, and Scolari, will hope this is a blip rather than a taste of what’s to come.
Overall – 8/10. Pushed up by a strong start, but the rating is falling fast…

2. Liverpool – Rafa Benitez

For the first season in living memory Liverpool are challenging for the title at Christmas, for which Rafa must take huge credit. They have beaten Man Utd and Chelsea, and won games they would not have in the last few seasons. Champions League progress is assured. However, all of this has been done without playing well! That could be seen as a good thing; but they’ll have to improve to actually win anything.
Overall: 9/10. But need to play better to get glory.

3. Alex Ferguson – Man Utd

The usual stuttering start from the Champions, but now only five points off the summit with a game in hand (although Liverpool go eight clear with a win tonight). They have looked assured in the Champions League, qualifying easily, and Christmas is traditionally their best period. However, there are concerns over Ronaldo, who despite scoring lots of goals has not looked his irrepressible self, and also over the effect Berbatov has had on Utd’s playing style. Nevertheless, they will be there or thereabouts come the end of the season, that is for sure. Whether Tevez will be there is another matter.
Overall 8/10. Will be disappointed to be slightly off the pace, but now clicking into gear like the well oiled machine they are.

4. Arsenal – Arsene Wenger

Should have a job for life for the remarkable job he has done over the last few seasons, yet the the short sighted and short memoried imbeciles have been calling for his head. Yesterday’s result did them a power of good – now only 7 points off Chelsea, whereas defeat would have put them 12 points back. Look unlikely Champions, and very much living up to the tag – ‘A team for the future but never today’.
Overall 7.5/10 - Defeats to Hull, Stoke, and Fulham are immensely disappointing, but beating Utd and Chelsea only reinforce the romanticism Arsene has instilled. Would be lower but for yesterday’s result.

5. Aston Villa – Martin O’Neill

The Irishman has done a fantastic job at Villa over the past couple of seasons, transforming them from mid-table also-rans to genuine top four contenders. Have struggled a little in the past few games for goals in the absence of John Carew, but 5th is a great achievement nonetheless. Slight question marks over his purchases – with the exception of Ashley Young, there is little genuine class – Shorey, Knight, Harewood, Routledge and Luke Young hardly screams a push for the Champions League.
Overall: 9/10. Superb so far – can he push to the next level?

6. Hull – Phil Brown

Surpassed all expectations with a phenomenal start. Have stuttered a little recently, but sitting in 6th with 23 points at this stage of the season would have been beyond their wildest dreams. Looking safe from relegation, but Brown will want to hit the 40 point barrier; despite being top six they are only eight points off the drop zone!
Overall: 10/10. Surpassed all expectations.

7. Everton – David Moyes

Now considered an established top 6 club, with all the money flying around elsewhere Moyes will be worried about Everton’s continuing ability to compete in the upper echelons of the table. Fellaini was his only major acquisition and now desperately in need of firepower with the loss of Yakubu and Saha.
Overall: 8/10. Disappointing start says it all, as they still sit 7th. A measure of the expections Moyes has created with his excellent work.

8. Portsmouth – Tony Adams

Seems to have Pompey back on track after an uncertain start to his reign. Rumours of a fire-sale in January won’t do anyone any good, nor will reports Harry Redknapp is set to raid his old club. Still early to judge – but some encouraging signs.
Overall: n/a. To early to judge Adams, his reign is only 5 games old. Drawing with AC Milan and a couple of other good results inspire confidence though.

9. Bolton – Gary Megson

Arguably the form side of the Premiership. Matt Taylor has found his Portsmouth form, Elmander is back scoring, and other acquisitions such as Gary Cahill and Fabrice Muamba look shrewd. Megson is yet to win over the Bolton faithful – but a comfortable top half finish will do wonders.
Overall: 7.5/10. Dodgy start, great improvement of late. Yet to convince the fans but there’s no better way to do that than winning games.

10. Fulham – Roy Hodgson

Hodgson has turned Fulham into a lean outfit, short on numbers but high on organisation and discipline. Andy Johnson is scoring, and the defence is not conceding. No longer a soft touch on the road, either, Fulham are an entirely different proposition under the erstwhile England manager elect. A fantastic transformation.
Overall 9/10; A miracle escape last season, and kicked on admirably this – but where does he take them from here?

Part 2 to come…