The true art of management is in knowing when its time to get out, in any given situation, and for football managers it requires a skill set all of its own.
ETH may now be approaching that point, as he is increasingly unable to manage upward because of the uncertainty above him and has lesser influence managing downwards, as his injury list seems to grow by the day, as do the malcontents in his squad. It would seem he is left with few players who will run their socks off, but that is it and a few youngsters, who once the initial 'no fear' element in their experience disappears and they realise they still have a lot to learn, they are left as boys being asked to do a mans job!
'Wadding' around in the PL mid-table for the rest of the season, may not get him sacked immediately, but should the second half of the season go badly and (heaven forbid) a relegation battle threatens, then things become ominous, with shades of 1974 arising and Erik must then know its time to stop digging and get out of the hole.