As Warren Gatland said in the immediate aftermath of last Saturday's brutal defeat at Murrayfield, Wales are in a hole.
The New Zealander faces the unenviable task of rebuilding an unbalanced squad following the wreckage of the Wayne Pivac era.
With the Rugby World Cup a mere seven months away, does he write off the Six Nations and opt for an even more radical selection than the one he made for the Scotland Test or does he bring back some of the tried and trusted players?
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Former Wales centre Jamie Roberts, speaking on BBC's Scrum V on Sunday night, called for Gatland to put his faith in youth while James Hook is adamant they have to go through some pain before coming out the other end.
WalesOnline assess the different sides Gatland could select ahead of England's visit to Cardiff.
Back-three
The easy option would be to stick with Liam Williams or even recall Leigh Halfpenny.
Cardiff full-back Williams has come in for some criticism thus far having been sent to the sin bin in two consecutive games, but he remains a potent attacking threat when given the platform.
The other radical option would be to select Louis Rees-Zammit at full-back, with the Gloucester wing expected to be available having missed the opening two Six Nations fixtures with an ankle injury.
Both Williams and Halfpenny have dominated the Wales number 15 jersey for a decade but somewhat concerningly nobody has really broken through.
The Scarlets' Tom Rogers and Bristol's Ioan Lloyd could be long-term options but neither are currently in the squad. With regards the wings, at 27 Josh Adams is in his prime, and while Rio Dyer remains a work in progress the positives by far outweigh the negatives.
Given England's physicality, Gatland may well opt for the size of Alex Cuthbert out wide.
Most likely back-three: 15. Liam Williams 14. Josh Adams 11. Alex Cuthbert
Radical selection: 15. Louis Rees-Zammit, 14. Josh Adams, 11. Rio Dyer
Centres
Gatland ruthlessly wielded the axe with his selection for the Scotland Test with forwards Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric thrown to one side.
The New Zealander stuck with his back-division but considering they created very little in Edinburgh the time for major surgery has probably arrived.
Joe Hawkins is a real talent, and while he was unusually quiet in Murrayfield, he is the long-term answer for Wales because he has the perfect balance of physicality and footballing ability.
The Ospreys' uncapped centre Keiran Williams is also an option. But George North's performance have come under serious scrutiny of late. There are many who believe North should be moved back to the wing, with the 30-year-old not firing in the midfield.
The alternatives are the more experienced Nick Tompkins, albeit he is more suited to the number 12 jersey, or uncapped giant Cardiff midfielder Mason Grady.
Hawkins and Grady has the potential to develop into a top international class centre partnership, but just to put into context how much of a risk it would be these two were both in the same Wales Under-20s side just eight months ago.
Most likely selection: 12. Joe Hawkins 13. George North
Radical selection: 12. Joe Hawkins 13. Mason Grady
Half-backs
Wales' forwards won plenty of territory and possession against Scotland but unfortunately they did next to nothing with it, and the half-backs have to take a huge amount of responsibility for that.
Dan Biggar has been a huge asset for Wales again but he has been below par against both Ireland and Scotland, respectively.
Wales probably need to change the dynamic at half-back but the problem is there aren't many credible alternatives.
If Gareth Anscombe was fit you could bet you bottom dollar on him starting. The Scarlets' Sam Costelow could be the long-term answer but he isn't even in the squad, while Gatland has never really fully trusted Rhys Patchell to run a game in the past.
The form playmaker in regional rugby has been Owen Williams who played a critical role in firing the Ospreys into the last 16 of the Champions Cup.
At 30 years of age he is no spring chicken but he might just be able to get more out of this backline. Tomos Williams is a tremendous athlete but he has yet to fulfil the promise he showed when he originally broke into the squad and lacks the nous and game management of someone like Ireland's Jamison Gibson-Park.
Rhys Webb is in good form while Kieran Hardy is also in the squad. The Scarlets' Dane Blacker has been excellent this season and is somebody who could add something different to this Wales team, but he's another who didn't make the cut.
Likely selection: 9. Tomos Williams 10. Dan Biggar
Radical selection: 9. Kieran Hardy 10. Owen Williams
Front-row
Tight-head prop is a big issue for Wales with a worrying lack of depth in this position.
Tomas Francis is a strong scrummager but has struggled around the park. To his credit, Dillon Lewis has improved significantly.
He has always been an asset around the park with his carrying, jackling and general work-rate but in the past his scrummaging wasn't as strong as it needed to be.
But this is an area he has worked hard on and the improvements are obvious. Leon Brown is the third tighthead in the squad, but has not reached his true potential due to injury.
Ken Owens is another who is coming under pressure from the Welsh public after a few lineouts went wayward but in actual fact he has been one of Wales' better performers while Gatland is unlikely to drop his captain.
It's a shame Dewi Lake got ruled out of the Six Nations with a knee injury because he has the potential to develop into one of the best hookers in the world.
Bradley Roberts has been excellent for the Dragons with his explosive carrying but there are many who question whether he is too small to make an impact at this level.
Despite the outcry after over the omission of destructive scrummaging loosehead Nicky Smith this is actually a position of strength for Wales.
Likely selection: 1. Wyn Jones 2. Ken Owens 3. Dillon Lewis
Radical selection: 1. Rhys Carre 2. Bradley Roberts 3. Leon Brown
Second-row
Gatland is clearly trying to tighten up Wales' pack after they got taken to the cleaners by Ireland in round one of the Six Nations.
Despite the humbling defeat in Scotland the pack were improved, with 20-year-old Dafydd Jenkins especially showing up well at lock.
You'd expect Gatland to stick with the Exeter Chiefs man but he could look to the future and throw in Ospreys' Rhys Davies who made his Test debut as a late replacement last Saturday.
Gatland is a big fan of Adam Beard's size and his leadership, while he is also a top-class lineout forward but ideally he needs to carry a lot more than he does.
Davies is another player who impressed for the Ospreys when they outmuscled both Montpellier and Leicester Tigers recently and is an extremely physical player who has a nasty edge about him which may come in handy when facing a juggernaut England pack.
Throwing uncapped Cardiff lock Owen Williams in at the deep end is probably a step too far at this stage while he could go back to 37-year-old Alun Wyn Jones.
Likely selection: 4. Adam Beard 5. Alun Wyn Jones
Radical selection: 4. Rhys Davies 5. Dafydd Jenkins
Back-row
There were but three positives to come out of a chastening afternoon in the Scottish capital. Those were Dafydd Jenkins, Tommy Reffell and Christ Tshiunza.
Exeter man Tshiunza gives Wales a different dimension in the lineouts while he also made some big metres from his carrying into contact. Make no bones about it he is the future and needs to stay in the side, although Gatland is also a big fan of Aaron Wainwright.
Having made the bold decision to drop Justin Tipuric, Gatland went for Leicester Tigers openside Reffell who was Wales' best player in Scotland.
You probably need a bigger No 8 than Jac Morgan against a pack like England, so Taulupe Faletau will probably come back into the side.
Likely selection: 6. Christ Tshiunza 7. Justin Tipuric 8. Taulupe Faletau
Radical selection: 6. Christ Tshiunza 7. Tommy Reffell 8. Taulupe Faletau
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