ASK CROUCHIE
Our man Peter answers your questions on drinks breaks and Spurs’ struggles
YOU PREDICTED SHEFFIELD UNITED WOULD BE RELEGATED. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THEM NOW? TYNESIDE BLADE VIA TWITTER
Are you sure I said that, Tyneside Blade? You must have me mistaken for some of the other
Sportsmail reporters. Listen, I’m delighted to have been proven wrong. It’s so hard making predictions and I made the call that Norwich were better prepared for the Premier League.
I would say, though, that I gave your team a positive write up in my pre- season portraits. I saw them plenty of times in the Championship and they always blew me away with how they played, with central defenders overlapping the full backs.
You know what? If Chris Wilder had come here from Spain or Germany and got these results, he would have been linked with Manchester United or Tottenham by now. I don’t understand why our own managers are not celebrated when they do jobs like Wilder has.
remember when everyone was raving about Pep Guardiola asking his full backs to step inside and play as central midfielders? Wilder’s ideas are just as innovative and it has been thrilling to watch them blossom. They have so many talented players — I hope they continue to thrive.
MY BELOVED SPURS SEEM TO BE IN FREEFALL AND NEED A NEW DEFENCE. WHO WOULD BE A GOOD FIT AND WHY? BARRY CHANDLER VIA EMAIL
I’M worried about Tottenham, Barry. I look at the body language of the players and it isn’t great. I see people struggling like Dele Alli, who had been so influential for Mauricio Pochettino, and Tanguy Ndombele, who arrived with such a big reputation, and it concerns me.
The first area I would look to improve is at full back. I believe they can improve on Serge Aurier at right back, for certain.
The challenge of finding a long-term partnership to replace Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld will not be easy but it’s imperative that they find answers.
When you look at Tottenham’s squad it really isn’t far away, and with the right additions I believe they can get back to challenging for a top-four spot.
It just hasn’t gone anywhere near how everyone expected it would with Jose Mourinho. The fizz is badly missing.
WHO CAN CHALLENGE LIVERPOOL FOR THE TITLE NEXT SEASON? MANVEER GILL VIA EMAIL
IT may sound obvious, Manveer, but the threat from Manchester City will be huge.
I saw John Stones said City’s dressing room still believe they have been the best team this season and I can understand why he’s said it — the way they attack is just beautiful to watch.
But Stones is wrong. Liverpool are deservedly 23 points clear and I think that gap gives you an idea of the magnitude of their achievement.
They will be the team to beat again next season, as they have got the world’s best goalkeeper, the world’s best defender and three sublime strikers.
The gap will close over the next 12 months. Chelsea will be exciting and I’m eager to see how
Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner bed in.
I’m watching Manchester United at the moment and, my God, how good does Mason Greenwood look?
rio Ferdinand had been telling us about Greenwood (right) for quite a while but to see him sparkle has been one of the highlights of the restart. There is plenty to get excited about next season — but Liverpool remain the team to beat.
IS THERE ANY NEED FOR DRINKS BREAKS — AND SHOULD COACHING IN THEM BE BANNED? DERRICK BICKLEY VIA EMAIL
I don’t believe there is a need for a drinks break, Derrick. I really don’t. I understand why there was an initial eagerness to have them, as it was quite hot when we restarted and the players’ preparation had been rushed, but we are not exactly playing in a tropical climate, are we?
If you are talking about the republic of Ireland playing Holland in Florida in the 1994 World Cup, of course you are going to have drinks but I don’t feel you need them now.
It’s the same with five substitutes — I don’t particularly like that rule change, either.
With regard to coaching, it’s never going to stop. Think about games that go to extra time — at half-time, you are supposed to spin straight around but there is always a team talk before the kick-off. Managers will take every chance they get to put their point across.
HOW MUCH ENCOURAGEMENT DO YOU THINK THERE IS FROM THE MEN’S GAME FOR GIRLS AND WOMEN TO PLAY FOOTBALL? ALICE GILLIVER VIA EMAIL
IT’S a very good question, Alice. Let me answer it like this — if my daughters spoke to me about wanting to play football, they would get nothing other than total support.
They always join in when we play in the back garden and if that is what they wish to do, I would help however I could.
It’s brilliant to see the women’s game developing. I interviewed Jill Scott for
Sportsmail last October and she gave me an insight into how things had changed for her over the years, in terms of the rewards and the exposure of women’s football.
There is always room for improvement but look at how the nation got behind Phil Neville’s team at the World Cup last summer and look at the ways crowds were increasing before sport shutdown.
If girls want to play football, I think increasingly they will be urged to follow their dream.
HAVE YOU EVER PLAYED IN A GAME WITH NO OFFSIDE RULE? ALAN GRIFFITHS VIA EMAIL
WeLL, Alan, if I had played in a game without offside, I wouldn’t have done much running. I would definitely have loitered around the penalty area and been a goal hanger. I know Dixie Dean scored 60 goals for everton in the 1920s when there was no offside rule and I’d have fancied a crack at that record!
Some rules in football now are nonsense, such as the changes to handball, but we need offside and I have never had an issue with it.
Hopefully we will see plenty of goals again this weekend. More of the same next week. Until then, stay safe.