Ben Stokes doesn't want 'weak men' in his dressing room. So which England players are facing the axe?

England captain Ben Stokes delivered a pointed and public message to his team after an embarrassing loss in the second Ashes Test - but where do they turn to next?

After walking out to the crease in an all-too familiar position with his side draped on the ropes at 6-134 at the start of play on day four, the tough skipper fought valiantly to keep the Aussies at bay, scoring 50 off 152 deliveries.

It was the type of innings that many former England players had been screaming out for and was the complete opposite of what the Bazball philosophy is all about.

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The 34-year-old batted patiently alongside Will Jacks, combining for a 96-run stand before the all-rounder was dismissed by a stunning Steve Smith catch.

Stokes would depart soon after, edging a Michael Neser delivery behind to Alex Carey, who was keeping up to the stumps and produced an all-time display with the gloves.

It didn't take long from there for the visitors to be bowled out, delivering the Aussies a low total of just 65 runs to claim victory and take a 2-0 series lead on home soil.

The dismissals of some of the England batters, combined with the wayward and wildly inconsistent performance with the ball, has led to mass frustration.

"There's a saying that was said a lot here in this dressing room - Australia isn't for weak men - but a dressing room that I'm captain of isn't a place for weak men either," Stokes told BBC's Jonathan Agnew after the match in Brisbane.

"We need to dig deep, I need to dig deep and I need to get this team in a place where we do go out there and we are seriously switched on and understand where we are.

"We are one team, but we are made up of 11 players. If I feel like it's something that is constantly happening, then I need to address it."

Agnew, who has long been the most prominent voice in English cricket after stepping from the field to the commentary box, believes that Stokes' comments could spark change for the remainder of the series - whether it be in mindset or personnel.

"It was different to last week in Perth, where he was just really angry and the looks he gave me at the end made your legs wobble a bit," he said on BBC's Test Match Special.

"Today, [he was] more considered and it was sort of a controlled reflection. I think he's got some players in his sights. He was talking about why, when there are key moments, do Australia win them all the time?

"He said 'there are no weak players in my team' … that was a big statement and his eyes were kind of burning.

"If you get a text message from Ben Stokes saying he would like to see you in 15 minutes - if I'm those players, I might take a deep breath before I walk in."

Stokes didn't flat out say that any of his teammates were underperforming, but given the fact Agnew has interviewed the England skipper on countless occasions over the years, he would have a better read on what is going on inside his mind than most observers.

There have already been suggestions England need to shake up their top-order, with the likes of Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope under pressure to retain their spots.

Duckett was dismissed for a golden duck in the first innings by Mitchell Starc, before being knocked over by Scott Boland for 15 in his second dig.

Pope had a solid first Test of the series, but was also sent packing by Starc without troubling the scorers in the first innings at the Gabba, before falling caught-and-bowled to Michael Neser for 26 off 32 balls the second time around.

Kerry O'Keeffe believes that the patient and technical approach displayed by Jacks during his partnership with Stokes is one that could work higher up, urging the England selectors to axe both Pope and Duckett for the third Test in Adelaide.

"I'd drop Ben Duckett. I think he's unfit, and bowlable too," O'Keeffe said on Fox Cricket.

"He looks unfit, he's dropped catches, he's missed deliveries. I think they have to look for an alternate opener. Duckett doesn't look right for this tour, to me.

"Jacks has the technique of an opener. I'd go Crawley and Jacks and tell Joe Root he has to go in at three and make hundreds.

"I think they should consider this fella Jacks. I think he could be wasted at eight."

While it remains to be seen if England shake things up in a bid to keep the Ashes alive, they are not exactly flush with options anyway.

Over the weekend, the England Lions were bowled out for 166 in a tour match against Australia A, with the little-known Tom Haines top-scoring with 31.

In the second innings of that match, Jacob Bethell - a possible option to replace Pope in the No.3 position - scored a timely 71 off 154 balls before falling to Fergus O'Neill.

Bethell would also give England a second spin option along with Jacks and at 22 years of age is a player the national side can build around long-term.

From a bowling perspective, there are a few more options that England can utilise in the series, with seamers Josh Tongue and Matthew Potts both in the wider squad and yet to get a taste, while spinner Shoaib Bashir appears to be an outside chance after being overlooked in favour of Jacks and performing horribly in the second XI fixture.

The fitness of Mark Wood could also be a discussion point, but he would be rated an extreme long shot to feature in Adelaide next week.

Brydon Carse was disappointing in the second Test compared to his first-up display on Aussie soil in the series opener, going for more than five runs an over in Brisbane.

With less than 10 days until the must-win third Test, there is no doubt going to be plenty of opinions and speculation flying around about the make-up of England's team.

But reading between the lines of Stokes' post-match reflection, the time has come for something to change and there will be a few nervous customers at training after the side's brief recharge and reset period in sunny Noosa.

England's potential third Test team

Zak Crawley, Will Jacks, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Jamie Smith, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue, Matthew Potts