Hot Seat Watch for World Football Players, Coaches After Weekend of Sept 13-15

Domestic obligations returned to the fore this weekend, following the brief hiatus—a chance for some to catch their breath, perhaps—caused by the international fixtures.

For some teams the break clearly did them some good, allowing them to evaluate their start and make some tweaks to their approach but, for other managers and players, the return to action only focused the spotlight on their current performances and problems.

Following are just some of the players and coaches who find themselves on the proverbial hot seat following the resumption of domestic activities.

West Brom have just two points from their opening four Premier League games, a worrying return considering Saturday's opponents Everton (a 2-0 defeat) are the hardest team they have so far faced.

When Alan Irvine was appointed as the club's new head coach in the summer, many worried it was a case of a very capable lieutenant being promoted beyond his capabilities. The Scot has made it clear his belief he has the abilities required to manage at this level but, with the likes of Tony Pulis currently unemployed, he will surely want to get that vital first win on the board in the next few weeks.

The 5-1 Champions League victory over Basel on Tuesday will have lifted spirits around the Santiago Bernabeu, but successive La Liga defeats mean there remains an atmosphere of disappointment and recriminations percolating around Real Madrid at the moment.

Carlo Ancelotti cannot be blamed for the summer turmoil that has seen his side's tactical balance effectively erased—and it should be stressed he is not on the verge of being sacked just yet—but he will be blamed if the integration of the likes of Toni Kroos and James Rodriguez continues to go poorly.

Club president Florentino Perez might have created the problems with his insistence on signing Galacticos, but it is Ancelotti who will pay the price if it all does not work out. The Italian must hope domestic results right themselves in the very near future.

Danny Welbeck's Arsenal career will not be defined by his performances in his first handful of games for the Gunners, but it is not unfair to suggest that the England man could do with a goal sooner rather than later to settle the nerves (and quieten the discussion surrounding him).

After hitting the post from a glorious opening against Manchester City on his debut, Welbeck was again unable to find the net in the Champions League meeting with Borussia Dortmund—as his counterpart Ciro Immobile showed the value of a clinical striker.

Time is on Welbeck's side but a goal would smooth his path considerably.

The Newcastle United fans have long wanted him out, now it seems they might soon get their wish. Speculation surrounding Alan Pardew's future as the club's manager heightened significantly in the wake of Saturday's 4-0 defeat at Southampton—the second successive four-goal loss the club has experienced in visits to St Mary's.

After a stuttering start to the campaign, the fans have finally grown tired of Pardew's cold manner and the uninspiring nature of his team's performances. The Englishman has long seemed to have the unwavering backing of club owner Mike Ashley (the two perhaps united by the mutual hatred supporters have for them) but it seems that bond could be on the verge of breaking if results do not improve very quickly.

The £12 million Slovenian summer signing finally made his debut in goal for Atletico Madrid on Tuesday...and promptly conceded three goals as the Spaniards dropped to an unexpected defeat against Greek side Olympiakos.

Much has been made of Diego Simeone's decision to start the season with Miguel Angel Moya as his No. 1 goalkeeper, amid rumours and innuendo about Oblak and the decision to sign him. Again, Oblak has plenty of time to settle in and assert himself as Los Colchoneros' new No. 1, but he has not exactly made the brightest of starts.

Rio Ferdinand is making the headlines at the moment—but for the contents of his forthcoming (second) autobiography, rather than for his performances on the pitch.

After opting against retirement, and the lucrative media offers that would surely have ensued, in the summer, Ferdinand signed to help QPR on their return to the Premier League. But so far the veteran England international has been another under-performing part of a side that has looked woeful in its two matches against elite opponents (Tottenham and Manchester United), raising questions about their long-term prospects.

His words might be keeping him firmly in the public eye, but questions about his performances will soon arise if Ferdinand and QPR do not find some form soon enough.

Mesut Ozil's mediocre form at Arsenal has continued over the club's last two matches; the weekend draw with Manchester City and midweek Champions League defeat to Borussia Dortmund. Suddenly the questions about the playmaker are coming thick and fast.

While it is undoubtedly true that the German is being played outside his preferred position, that does not mean Gunners fans are not justified in their belief that the £42.5 million player should have produced more in his first year at the club.

Ozil seems short of confidence and encouragement at the moment, and Arsenal will struggle to unlock their full potential while that remains the case. Whether it means dropping him or shifting the formation to better accommodate him, Ozil's situation is likely to be a story that runs and runs over the next few weeks.

Having said that...

Samuel L. Jackson and I after the #AFCvMCFC match on saturday ... pic.twitter.com/rYxjvntM9E

— Mesut Özil (@MesutOzil1088) September 15, 2014

Monaco's meeting with Lyon at the weekend gave one manager the chance to get a much-needed win to relieve some pressure. Unfortunately for Leonardo Jardim, it was Lyon and their manager Hubert Fournier who came away with the three points they so desperately needed.

The result leaves Monaco 19th in the fledgling Ligue 1 standings, a source of early concern as the Portuguese looks to establish himself after leaving Sporting Lisbon for the principality.

The midweek victory over Bayer Leverkusen will have helped Jardim, but he still has a lot of work to do to prove he was the right man to take over from Claudio Ranieri in the summer.

The weekend's 4-1 defeat to Borussia Monchengladbach means Schalke currently sit 17th in the 18-team Bundesliga, with just one point from their opening three games.

While it is too soon for anyone involved at the club to panic, the manner of the defeat has nevertheless increased the pressure on head coach Jens Keller—although they will have the chance to get back on the right track at home to the similarly beleaguered Eintracht Frankfurt in front of their home fans this weekend.

Oblak is not the only Madrid-based goalkeeper facing scrutiny and questions about his situation. Real Madrid veteran Iker Casillas is also a man under a considerable amount of pressure.

After his high-profile error nearly cost Real dearly in last season's Champions League final (which was followed by a similarly inauspicious World Cup campaign), Casillas' place appeared to be under real threat when the club signed Keylor Navas in the summer.

So far Casillas has retained his place, but another dodgy display in the derby defeat to Atletico Madrid at the weekend re-awakened the debate about his status.

"The crowd have the final say and if they think they should whistle you have to accept it and respect their opinions," Casillas told reporters (via Goal.com) after being booed during and after the game. "The way to respond is to train and play football."

That is undoubtedly a diplomatic answer, but it will be interesting to see if Carlo Ancelotti feels the time has almost come for Navas to get his chance to start.