Friday Fulham Stuff - 11/12/20...

[WhiteJC]

Nottingham Forest boss Chris Hughton on Anthony Knockaert transfer situation

The Fulham winger is on loan at the City Ground until January although the Reds have the option to buy


Anthony Knockaert of Nottingham Forest celebrates after scoring (Image: Getty Images)

Boss Chris Hughton says Nottingham Forest have yet to make a decision about Anthony Knockaert's future beyond January.

The winger's loan spell from Fulham runs out next month, although the Reds do have an option to buy and make his move a permanent one.

Knockaert found the net for Forest at Norwich City to end a run of five games without a goal, but it wasn't enough to earn a positive result as the hosts triumphed 2-1.

It was the first time the 29-year-old had scored in the Garibaldi, in his 11th appearance for the club, following his summer switch.

But Hughton says what will happen when the transfer window opens remains uncertain, as he continues to plan only minor tweaks to his squad.

"At this moment we haven't made any decisions about January," he told NottinghamshireLive.

"We know we have got a lot of players who came in in the summer.

"We will look if we can, to tweak a little bit.

"Obviously we looked to bring in Kamil Grosicki in the last window, which didn't happen.

"We will look to tweak things, but I certainly don't see anything wholesale happening."

The Reds added 14 new faces in the summer - although all but Knockaert arrived while Hughton's predecessor, Sabri Lamouchi, was still in charge.

That overhaul has not translated into results on the pitch however, as a miserable run sees Hughton's side in 21st place, one point above the relegation zone.

"I think predominantly it's going to be this group of players," he said, when asked if the January transfer window could help Forest in their bid to climb the table.

"It was before my time, but we brought in 14 players in the summer.

"Some haven't played yet. Some haven't been fit yet.

"It has been about getting that right XI on the pitch with the options I've got.

"We will work as hard as we can in January and maybe tweak something, but certainly there won't be anything wholesale happening - not with the numbers which came in during the summer."



https://www.nottinghampost.com/sport/football/transfer-news/nottingham-forest-boss-chris-hughton-4784040

[WhiteJC]

Agent 'appeared' to take player elsewhere after he 'refused to leave' club for Fulham in summer

Fulham's need to bolster their defence in the last transfer window saw them make bids for a handful of centre-backs.

Jean-Clair Todibo was identified as one of the targets and the Cottagers seemed to have 'more options' to sign the 20-year-old in the summer, according to Sport.

It's claimed Scott Parker's side even offered a proposal worth €18m to acquire Todibo's services.

However, he did not want to 'try the Premier League adventure' and 'refused to leave' the La Liga side for Fulham.

Therefore, super-agent Jorge Mendes 'appeared' to take the former Toulouse man to Benfica on deadline day. He joined the Portuguese side on a loan deal, which also included an option to buy for €20m.

Todibo hasn't played a minute for Benfica since joining them on a temporary deal in October, and their manager, Jorge Jesus has now been highly critical about the Barca owned player.

"He doesn't have the physical or the tactical conditions. He's not worked with the team. He's not one of the players I am thinking of," Jesus said about Todibo.

Reports in Portugal are now stating the player will be allowed to return to the Camp Nou in January.

Should his loan deal be terminated, Ronald Koeman's side will have to take a decision whether to retain him or send him out again in the winter market.

Given how things have developed for Todibo in the past few months, Fulham will probably be delighted they missed out on this one.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/agent-appeared-to-take-player-elsewhere-after-he-refused-to-leave-club-for-fulham-in-summer/

[WhiteJC]

Furious row over Hammersmith Bridge as government says it CAN reopen to pedestrians and cyclists in weeks - just months after it was closed for seven years for £141m repairs - BUT council says it 'won't risk lives'

    West London bridge normally carries 16,000 people a day and 22,000 vehicles
    The 422ft-span structure had been thought to be unlikely to reopen until 2027 
    But DfT report now urges council to 'redouble efforts' to let pedestrians across
    Council is stunned by timing of report just minutes before key meeting began
    Temporary fix on the way with TfL ferry crossing in place as soon as February

The row over the Hammersmith Bridge closure intensified today as the Government told a council to 'look again' at reopening it to pedestrians and cyclists within weeks.

The cost of fixing the Victorian bridge in West London has already hit £141million and it was initially thought it would not reopen until 2027 - four years later than planned.

But the Department for Transport has now urged the council to 'redouble efforts towards reinstating pedestrian, cycle and river traffic as soon as safely possible'.

However the council hit back, saying it won't go against specialist advice that there is a 'serious risk to lives of the tens of thousands' of people crossing the structure.

A Government report today found earlier risk assessments were 'conservative' and there was now a much better understanding of the 422ft (129m) span bridge.

But it added that pedestals would have to be blasted to check for cracks, which is planned for next April, and more monitoring equipment would need to be fitted.

Therefore a temporary ferry across the River Thames to replace the bridge is still planned, after revelations yesterday that this could be running as soon as February.

The closure of the landmark, which normally carries 16,000 people a day and 22,000 vehicles, has provoked international ridicule and caused misery for local residents.

Today, Transport Minister Baroness Vere said the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham (LDHF) should 'seriously consider' the options to get it partially open.

But the council told MailOnline today: 'World-leading specialist engineers strongly advised the badly-corroded suspension structure faced catastrophic failure. If the bridge collapsed, as they advised it could, it would have been a national disaster.'


Houseboats are moored nearby the closed Hammersmith Bridge in West London last month


This is a part elevation of Hammersmith Bridge, opened in 1887 and built over the foundations of an earlier suspension bridge. It has a main span of 422ft (129m) and two equal side spans

   
The inside (left) and outside face (right) of a crack in the eastern pedestal were revealed in August after the ornamental casings were removed and it was stripped of paint by grit blasting

It added that the Government's Taskforce on the bridge met today at 11am, but its members were only sent the papers which included the new report at 10.23am.

In September, the DfT asked engineering consultants Aecom and fracture mechanics expert Professor Norman Fleck from the University of Cambridge to write a report about the bridge.

Professor Fleck said a 'small sum of money' would allow for 'immediate remedial action', adding: 'In the short term, it would be possible to reopen the bridge quickly and cheaply for pedestrian traffic provided measures are taken to stabilise the cast iron pedestals.'

The expert said this could ideally be carried out 'without delay, on a timeframe of weeks, and at modest cost'.

The DfT wanted both parties to review engineering studies of the bridge's condition which were previously done by consultants for the council.

They investigated computer modelling and risk assessments by the consultants and the bridge strengthening works proposed by Transport for London (TfL).

A DfT spokesman said: 'They concluded that earlier risk assessments were conservative and, as there is now a better understanding of how the bridge might be behaving, suggest assumptions on its closure should be revisited.

'The reports recommend LBHF and its consultants reconsider whether the bridge can be reopened, albeit with restrictions, in its current state to pedestrians, cyclists and river traffic.

'Further mitigation measures will be needed. These include blast-cleaning the paint from the two remaining pedestals so that any hidden fractures can be identified, as well as potentially installing further monitoring equipment.'

Both reports found that understanding of the bridge's condition had 'improved considerably' since March when the current risk assessment was prepared.


This graphic shows where 13 distinct cracks are located in the eastern pedestal of the bridge


An original drawing of the pedestal, saddle and roller assembly on Hammersmith Bridge. The pedestals are cast iron castings forming a hollow cellular box, as shown in the graphic above


An unusual feature is the height of the chains at the end of the side spans, which is because the bridge was built around the anchorage of an older bridge. This results in the need for a tall pedestal for the chains to turn down towards the anchorages, as shown in the graphic above

The DfT added: 'The government is therefore calling on LBHF to review Aecom and Fleck's work and consider their rationale for a full closure of the bridge, with a focus on exploring all avenues for a partial reopening.'

The Government has provided the funding for removing ornate cast-iron casings and blast cleaning two western pedestals via a funding deal agreed with TfL in October.

This work is expected to be carried out by April 2021, with the eastern pedestals having already been blast-cleaned.

Baroness Vere said: 'Today's reports set out that there is potentially a route to Hammersmith Bridge being partially reopened and without major works, which is something I know people in the area will welcome.

'I'm therefore calling on Hammersmith and Fulham Council to seriously consider these reports so we can do right by people who have been impacted by this bridge's closure, and help people move around London easily again as soon as is safely possible.

'We remain committed to finding a funding solution for the bridge's full repair and reopening to vehicular traffic.'

The DfT added that given any reopening before the stabilisation works have been completed will be restricted, the temporary ferry service is still planned.

Yesterday, it emerged during a TfL board meeting that the funding to repair and reopen the crossing is still not in place.

But a temporary fix is now on the way with TfL saying yesterday it was 'working at pace' on a procurement process to get the ferry contract put in place.

The meeting was also told that 'urgent' funding is needed for stabilisation works to at least reopen it for walkers, cyclists and boats underneath.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan faces a battle for the cash, with his deputy saying yesterday that 'over the years have made a number of applications to Government for funding'.

Ministers are desperate for a solution to re-open the vital crossing amid fear its closure could hurt the Conservatives in next year's London mayoral elections.

Yesterday, TfL commissioner Andy Byford said: 'We have been working with Government, as part of the funding agreement we identified £4million as our contribution to Hammersmith Bridge repairs.

'And we are working at pace to ensure that a ferry is provisioned, is secured, and we've run a procurement process, we've issued the documents, such that we can get a successful bidder confirmed by February so that a temporary ferry link can be provided over the river on that critical crossing.'


Pedestrians look at signs confirming the closure of the Victorian bridge which has been shut


A warning sign on Hammersmith Bridge which has been closed to traffic since April last year

He added that they had brought in bus service improvements with the frequency of route 533 increased but admitted the problems were a 'highly contentious issue'.

Mr Byford continued: 'We're very alive to the problems over in that part of London and we want to get that bridge job underway and to get the ferry up and running.'

Last month the council revealed plans to build a double-decker crossing over the existing structure which would mean it could be re-opened in a year.

Hopes were raised last month after the bridge's owners, the Labour-run Hammersmith and Fulham Council, submitted proposals for a temporary crossing.

The double-decker structure would see the creation of two raised decks built above the road: an upper level for cars and a lower level for pedestrians and cyclists.

Council officials have told Transport Secretary Grant Shapps that they could have the temporary crossing up and running within a year of a contractor being approved.

They say the raised deck would not put pressure on the existing structure and would allow for pedestals, anchors and chains to removed and repaired elsewhere.

Heidi Alexander, Deputy Mayor of London for Transport, said today: 'I am involved in fortnightly meetings as part of the Government's taskforce with Baroness Vere.

'The bridge itself is owned by Hammersmith and Fulham Council. We over the years have made a number of applications to Government for funding.

'We've been very much part of trying to find solutions to all of this. The key issue is funding and that's what needs to be resolved in order to make rapid progress.

'Whilst we're doing some works at the moment on the pedestals and we're progressing rapidly the plans for the ferry, what we urgently need is the funding to be secured so we can actually do the stabilisation works, so at the very least we can get the bridge reopened for people who are walking, cycling and boats underneath it.'

Local residents have welcomed potential solutions, but the idea of a double-decker crossing has provoked scepticism among engineers who fear the Grade II-listed bridge could collapse at any moment.


This is a computer generated plan of a proposed temporary Hammersmith Bridge, alongside the original, which is not set to be back to normal until 2027 as it is repaired


Plans to reopen the bridge with a temporary 'double-decker' crossing were also unveiled last month. Council chiefs plan to install the two-layer structure above the current road level

The structure is so unstable that river traffic has been banned from passing underneath. The last time the Thames was closed was when the river iced up during the Great Freeze of 1814.

The bridge has been closed to traffic since April last year, when inspectors discovered dangerous 'micro-fractures' in the brittle cast iron pedestals.

In August, the bridge was closed off to pedestrians and cyclists after the heatwave was said to have triggered a rapid increase in the size of the fractures - putting the bridge at risk of sudden collapse.

But the new report released today claimed this was unlikely to have been caused by the hot weather and that the crack may actually be 'quite shallow'.

The council's proposal of a double-decker crossing was drawn up by property tycoon Sir John Ritblat, the former boss of British Land, along with Foster + Partners and specialist bridge engineers COWI.

It is one of a number of solutions being considered by a Department for Transport taskforce.


The proposed double-decker crossing will not place a load on the current structure - allowing engineers to continue work on the bridge as planned


The double-decker structure will allow the existing road approaches to still be used, and is designed to add no load to the current bridge deck - which will be removed in stages for repair

Another proposal, revealed in the Mail last month, involves the construction of a temporary road crossing running alongside the bridge.

Reacting to the DfT report, Councillor Stephen Cowan from Hammersmith and Fulham Council said today: 'The suggestion that the bridge could be reopened to pedestrians, cyclists and river traffic, with little money spent on safety measures, has been the Government's consistent position in Taskforce meetings over past months.

'Our response has been to ask if they would take on the legal responsibility for such a decision, but they have consistently refused to do so.

'The bridge was closed because world-leading specialist engineers strongly advised the badly-corroded suspension structure faced catastrophic failure. If the bridge collapsed, as they advised it could, it would have been a national disaster.

'Our consistent advice to the government has been to listen to the specialist engineers on the Continued Case for Safe Operation (CCSO) board which constantly reviews such matters to protect public safety.

'The Government's Taskforce met today at 11am. However, its members were only sent the papers which included first sight of the Fleck and Aecom reports at 10.23am today and after media reports appeared.

'It's fair to say that a number of Taskforce members questioned the Government Taskforce's Chair, Baroness Vere, about the professionalism of sending papers so late while spinning the story to the media well beforehand.

'During the Taskforce meeting, government advisers confirmed the government had released the Fleck and Aecom reports before waiting to consider the imminent conclusions of engineers Mott McDonald who are undertaking the latest review.

'Nor did they put their own papers to the CCSO. This appears to be subject to political interference – something that has consistently hindered progress.

'We learnt that the Fleck Report had been concluded on November 6, 2020, and that the Aecom paper was started on September 30, completed on November 26 and issued on December 4. No explanation was given as to why these reports were not shared with the CCSO or the Taskforce prior to today.

'Hammersmith and Fulham will continue to look at all possible means of safely having the bridge re-opened but will never take any decision that is against the specialist engineers' advice that there is a serious risk to the lives of the tens of thousands of pedestrians, cyclists, motor vehicles drivers and river traffic that used or travelled under the bridge each week.'



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9038747/Will-Hammersmith-Bridge-reopen-pedestrians-cyclists-weeks.html

[WhiteJC]

Liverpool team news: Injury, suspension list vs. Fulham

Liverpool switch focus back to the Premier League on Sunday afternoon with a trip to Craven Cottage to take on Fulham.

The Reds were held 1-1 by FC Midtjylland in midweek - a result that mattered little in the grand scheme of things, with them having already secured top spot in their Champions League group.

Jurgen Klopp's men are now looking to pick up back-to-back wins in the top flight for the first time since October when they face Fulham, who have avoided defeat just three times this campaign.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up Liverpool's latest injury and suspension news ahead of the match in West London.

Alisson Becker
tatus: Out
Type of injury: Hamstring
Possible return date: December 16 (vs. Tottenham)

Alisson was ruled out for three weeks with the hamstring injury sustained last month and has so far missed three matches. Caoimhin Kelleher has impressed in the Brazilian's absence so Klopp is under far less pressure to rush his first-choice keeper back.

Virgil van Dijk
Status: Out
Type of injury: Knee
Possible return date: Unknown

Van Dijk sustained a long-term knee injury on October 17 and is unlikely to play again this season, despite making a welcome return to Liverpool's training complex earlier this week.

Joe Gomez
Status: Out
Type of injury: Knee
Possible return date: Unknown

Fellow centre-back Gomez is another who is facing a battle in regaining full fitness after damaging his knee while on international duty with England last month. Gomez has a better chance of playing this season, but that will not be for the foreseeable future.

Xherdan Shaqiri
Status: Out
Type of injury: Muscle
Possible return date: Unknown

Shaqiri struggled to get into Liverpool's team prior to suffering an injury on international duty last month, which will sideline the attacking midfielder for an unspecified amount of time.

James Milner
Status: Out
Type of injury: Hamstring
Possible return date: Unknown

Versatile midfielder Milner injured his hamstring against Brighton & Hove Albion at the end of last month. Klopp has not put a timeframe on the Englishman's return to fitness, but he will definitely play no part in this game.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Status: Major doubt
Type of injury: Knee
Possible return date: December 13 (vs. Fulham)

Liverpool could soon have Oxlade-Chamberlain back in their squad for the first time this season as the midfielder has returned to training. Oxlade-Chamberlain was not risked against Midtjylland in midweek and it may be a case of him being slowly worked back to full fitness.

Thiago Alcantara
Status: Out
Type of injury: Knee
Possible return date: Unknown

Thiago has not been seen since suffering what was thought to be a minor injury in October's Merseyside derby. Klopp revealed last week that the midfielder is in a race against time to be fit again this side of Christmas.

Konstantinos Tsimikas
tatus: Major doubt
Type of injury: Knee
Possible return date: December 13 (vs. Fulham)

Tsimikas was handed a rare started in midweek but left the field early with a knee injury. The full-back, who has provided some respite for Andrew Robertson at times, will be assessed ahead of the Fulham game.

LIVERPOOL'S SUSPENSION LIST

Liverpool have no players suspended for this match.



https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/liverpool/injury-news/injuries-and-suspensions/liverpool-injury-suspension-list-vs-fulham_425890.html

[WhiteJC]

"It's a nice reward" – Fulham player 'proud' of Parker trust in him, summer move was 'win-win' for everyone

Desperately needing some defensive reinforcements after a terrible start to their Premier League campaign, Fulham spread their transfer wings and brought in, among others, Joachim Andersen from Lyon on loan.

The Dane, who had enjoyed a rather mixed bag of a first season in France, jumped at the opportunity when it became clear Rudi Garcia wouldn't be using him regularly, and, despite picking up an early injury after arriving, has established himself as a leader in Scott Parker's team.

So much so, in fact, that the former midfielder handed him the captain's armband for the games against Leicester and, most recently, Manchester City.

Sitting down with Lyon local newspaper Le Progrès on Thursday, the Fulham loanee was asked about his newfound responsibility in London.

He said: "It's something else! To be captain of the team after just four games, it's incredible. I'm very proud. Once again, it shows the trust the manager has in me. It shows I'm working well and that I can be a leader for this team: I'm playing well, I'm focused in training.

"It's a nice reward, to feel that people around me trust me is very important to me, and I especially felt that here. It's key to development. I'm 24. I need to learn a lot still, and the only way to learn is to play every game".

That consistency on the pitch is what he lacked at Lyon, and while he 'respects' Garcia's decision to choose others instead of him, his desire to play every game was too important, hence why he asked to leave.

As for why he chose Fulham, he said: "This loan, it's a win-win. I wanted game time to develop, but also for Lyon, because if I didn't play, my value was going to diminish. At the beginning, Lyon didn't want to let me go, but I pushed and they accepted".

Things are going well at Fulham for Andersen, with 'everyone being very nice', and the centre-back seems reborn at Craven Cottage.

While the London club don't have an option to buy him, it could be something they consider down the line if they manage to avoid the drop back down to the Championship, but they'll also have to convince him.

Andersen ended by saying: "I've got a contract (with Lyon) until 2024. I'm not the type to just give up. I want to show that I can still be an important player with Lyon, but for that, I need to have that trust.

"For now, I'm focusing on playing well and improving myself, and we'll see how things go next summer".



http://sportwitness.co.uk/nice-reward-fulham-player-proud-parker-trust-summer-move-win-win-everyone/

[WhiteJC]

Parker can help stop Mohamed Salah by playing Joe Bryan on Sunday

Fulham return to Premier League action on Sunday as they face reigning champions, Liverpool, at Craven Cottage, as they hope to bounce back from the 2-0 defeat against Manchester City last weekend.

Scott Parker can give his side a much better chance of picking up a result against the Reds if he can limit Mohamed Salah's influence on the game, which he could do by doubling up on the Egyptian winger.

Therefore, he must consider starting Joe Bryan, who can play as both a left-back and a left-winger, to help out first-choice left-back Antonee Robinson, who is undoubtedly in for a tough game against the 29-year-old Liverpool ace.

Salah has enjoyed a superb start to the 2020/21 Premier League campaign, having contributed nine goals and two assists in 10 top-flight appearances, averaging an incredible 7.64 rating (per WhoScored).

Klopp was full of praise for the former Chelsea man after he reached 20 goals in the 2019/20 campaign, saying:

"Incredibly important goal, a super performance – a really, really good game of Mo.

"He is an outstanding striker, a world-class striker. It's really nice, I'm really happy for him that he reached that mark."

Therefore, it would definitely be fair to mark him out as Liverpool's danger man on Sunday, although they are, of course, not exactly short of attacking talent in their side, with the likes of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota also likely to cause problems at Craven Cottage.

However, playing Bryan, who earns £30k per week at Fulham, as a left-midfielder could be one way in which the Cottagers can shackle Salah for the game on Sunday if he and Robinson were able to mark him out of the game.

The former Bristol City man has featured just seven times in all competitions this season, so it would perhaps be a surprise to see him get the start, but he is definitely more defensively aware than the likes of Ivan Cavaleiro or Ademola Lookman, so it may be a change Parker has to make if he wants to stop Salah controlling the game.



https://www.footballfancast.com/fulham-fc-news/scott-parker-fulham-liverpool-joe-bryan-mohamed-salah

[WhiteJC]

Anthony Knockaert makes Nottingham Forest promise

The on-loan Fulham ace scored his first goal for the Reds in their 2-1 midweek defeat to Norwich City in the Championship

Anthony Knockaert has promised "the best is yet to come" at Nottingham Forest.

The on-loan Fulham ace scored his first goal for the Reds in their 2-1 midweek defeat to Norwich City in the Championship.

He made an instant impact as a sub against the Canaries, but it was not enough to rescue a point for Chris Hughton's side at Carrow Road.

The defeat leaves Forest languishing in 21st place in the table, just one point above the relegation zone, after 17 matches.

But Knockaert was still pleased to get off the mark - and has vowed the players will stick together to turn their fortunes around.

"Happy to score my first goal for the club," he wrote on social media.

"We will stick together as a team trust me and the best is yet to come."



https://www.nottinghampost.com/sport/football/football-news/anthony-knockaert-makes-nottingham-forest-4786915

[WhiteJC]

Fulham have proven to be the big winners after deadline day transfer tussle – Our View

Cast your mind back to transfer deadline day.

The final day of the transfer window was an incredibly hectic one for Fulham, and there was a lot of  pressure on the Whites to get things right.

Tony Khan had remarkably taken to Twitter to promise new signings, including a new centre-half, and if he didn't deliver, there would have been a mutiny amongst the fanbase.

As we all now know, he did deliver, and to be fair to him, his signings look like they're quite good with Tosin Adarabioyo and Joachim Andersen looking solid since arriving on deadline day.

However, Fulham very nearly ended up with a different centre-back pairing.

Indeed, Jean-Clair Todibo and Timo Baumgartl were reportedly very close to joining Fulham in the final days of the transfer window, but those deals fell through and the Whites had to come up with another plan, and that involved bringing in Adarabioyo and Andersen.

Andersen has gone from strength to strength since joining Fulham, even captaining the team in the last two matches, while Adarabioyo looks like an absolute bargain at just £2 million.

Meanwhile, Todibo is being slammed for being unfit and tactically inept by Benfica manager Jorge Jesus after joining the club, while Baumgartl is barely getting a look-in at PSV this season, playing just 180 minutes in the Eredivisie this term.

There's a lot to be said about Fulham's defence, and while Adarabioyo and Anderson aren't the new Brede Hangeland and Aaron Hughes, they're a far cry from what could have been if Scott Parker had been forced to persevere with Michael Hector and Tim Ream.

Most importantly, they've proven to be better signings that Todibo and Baumgartl would have been.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2020/12/10/fulham-have-proven-to-be-the-big-winners-after-deadline-day-transfer-tussle-our-view/

[WhiteJC]

Premier League predictions: Lawro v Lonely The Brave drummer Mo Edgeley

Manchester United were knocked out of the Champions League this week but can they respond by beating neighbours Manchester City on Saturday?

"At the moment with United, the pattern seems to be first half bad and second half good," said BBC football expert Mark Lawrenson.

"They have got themselves out of jail a few times in the past few weeks but they couldn't manage it against RB Leipzig on Wednesday - and I don't see them recovering if they go a couple of goals down to City either."

Lawro is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches this season, against a variety of guests.

This weekend, he is up against Lonely The Brave drummer Gavin 'Mo' Edgeley.

Edgeley is an Everton fan, mostly because of their legendary keeper Neville Southall.

He explained: "Half my family are from Halifax, so I probably should have supported them, to be honest. The other half are from the Suffolk coast, and there wasn't a lot of football happening there.

"But when I was a kid, I actually got obsessed with Southall - to the point where he made me want to be a goalkeeper, so I played there for my local teams.

"There was a time in the 1980s when he was the best goalkeeper in the world. I used to sit there as kid with my Everton goalkeeper shirt on, watching him on TV.

"I wrote to him and he replied. I got it laminated and I've still got it somewhere, with a photo of him and his autograph."

Southall was one of the heroes when Everton won the 1995 FA Cup, and the wait for more silverware is now 25 years and counting.

"It goes on and on," Edgeley added. "Just give us something, anything! I'm pinning my hopes on the Carabao Cup this season because we have been rattling through that [they play Manchester United in the quarter-finals later this month].

"It is tough because it seems like there are so many more competitive teams at the moment. We have improved, but so have a lot of other sides. It's no excuse, though - you are either good enough to win things, or you're not."

In the Premier League, Everton made a strong start to the season, winning their first four games. But that has tailed off in recent weeks.

The Toffees have won only one of their past seven matches and Edgeley said: "I am not really sure what has happened. It was going really well, but not any more.

"I know we've been without a few key players at different times, but I think we missed Richarlison in particular when he was suspended for three games. We lost all of them.

"Richarlison hasn't scored many goals this season - Dominic Calvert-Lewin has got most of the glory there and is in double figures already - but his work-rate is amazing and, in my opinion, a lot of what the team does going forward revolves around him."

LAWRO'S PREDICTION
Fulham v Liverpool (16:30 GMT)

Fulham might feel like they can get at Liverpool, especially if Caoimhin Kelleher is still filling in for Alisson in goal, and the Cottagers have got the option of recalling Aleksandar Mitrovic if they want to be more direct and try to test the 22-year-old Irishman with some balls into the box.

Kelleher has done really well so far and looks the part, but he is going to make a mistake at some point - I certainly don't wish it on him, but all young keepers do - and we don't know how he will react.

What we do know, though, is how good Liverpool's frontline is. They always come up trumps and I don't think Fulham will keep them out.

Lawro's prediction: 0-2

Mo's prediction: I'm an Everton fan so you know where I'm going with this one. I am going to try to believe it myself. 3-0



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55238031

[filham]

Can't believe it is taking so long to get something sorted about Hammersmith Bridge.
We got a task force all of the way to the Falklands in three weeks, surely we can sling a temporary bridge across the Thames at Hammersmith in a similar time.

[Twig]

Can't believe it is taking so long to get something sorted about Hammersmith Bridge.
We got a task force all of the way to the Falklands in three weeks, surely we can sling a temporary bridge across the Thames at Hammersmith in a similar time.

I agree about the need for an urgent temporary solution but I'm also disgusted that the planning (let alone actual work) hasn't started to repair and refurbish the existing bridge. It is a beautiful historic monument and you can bet that if it were in Westminster then restoration would already be under way!