Going into their Saudi Pro League match against Al Hilal on Monday, Steven Gerrard’s Al Ettifaq were flying high off the back of two wins including a famous 2-1 victory over Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr in their season opener.
The side that had last won the league title in 1987 were close to the top of the table, after securing seven points from three games just like their unbeaten opponents.
Then came the bad news for the former Rangers boss. Al Ettifaq had to make do without their star striker Moussa Dembele and reliable centre-back Marcel Tisserand, who both failed to recover from injuries sustained in the previous match. Things went from bad to worse for the side from Dammam inside ten minutes of their game against Al Hilal as creative winger Vitinho had to be carried off with a hamstring injury.
The Portuguese winger had been a vital cog in Al Ettifaq’s attacking machine under Gerrard in the opening games. It was his smartly executed free-kick under the wall that secured a point in the derby against Al Khaleej a few days earlier, and he was involved in both goals in the 2-0 win over Al Hazem, setting up Robin Quaison’s opener before scoring the second himself with a drilled effort from the edge of the area.
The impact of Vitinho’s absence was instantly felt as Al Ettifaq struggled to create chances and failed to score for 90 minutes for the first time this season and fell to their first defeat with Al Hilal striking twice through Malcom and Salem Al Dawsari.
Since his arrival in Dammam, Gerrard has imposed a strict physical regime on the squad, with footage of his players collapsing on the pitch during pre-season training going viral online. And while his team did look physically superior to their opponents in the early weeks of the league, the injury crisis and the defeat that followed will raise some questions over how Gerrard’s ways could be negatively impacting on his team – but seven points from four matches remains a promising start for the Liverpool legend in Saudi Arabia.
On the opposite coast, a key player’s injury was not enough to stop Al Ittihad from continuing their perfect start to the season. The travelling supporters in Makkah watched with concern as club captain Karim Benzema hobbled off eight minutes before half-time due to a hamstring injury. The reigning Ballon d’Or holder had opened his account with his new club in the 4-0 win over Al Riyadh three days earlier, but now faces a spell on the sidelines.
Benzema’s premature exit presented an opportunity for Jota; the Portuguese winger who had arrived from Celtic to much fanfare as one of the most exciting players in the Scottish Premiership but found himself on the fringes of the first team as coach Nuno Espirito Santo continued to employ a narrow formation with no natural wingers.
As a result, the 24-year-old found himself at the heart of much speculation about his future just weeks after arriving in Jeddah, with a loan move to another SPL side or a return to Glasgow at a discounted price being touted.
Instead, Benzema’s injury means an opportunity for the winger who replaced the number nine, prompting a change in formation at half-time from his boss. Midway through the second half, Jota showed his qualities as he ran behind the defence on the left side, latching on the end of an Igor Coronado pass and dribbling his way into the box before beating Al Wehda goalkeeper at his near post.
An all-round excellent display from the Portuguese saw Al Ittihad march to a 3-0 win, leaving them clear at the top of the table with four wins from four, 12 goals scored, and none conceded. But most importantly for Jota, it showed that he still has a future in Jeddah and if his compatriot Nuno figures out a way to utilise his talents, he could unlock the potential of one of the most talented players in the league.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
The biog
Name: Fareed Lafta
Age: 40
From: Baghdad, Iraq
Mission: Promote world peace
Favourite poet: Al Mutanabbi
Role models: His parents
How to keep control of your emotions
If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.
Greed
Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.
Tip: Ignore the short-term hype, noise and froth and invest for the long-term plan, based on sound fundamentals.
Fear
The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.
Tip: Start with a plan, and stick to it. For added security, consider placing stops to reduce any losses and limits to lock in profits.
Hope
While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.
Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.
Frustration
Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.
Tip: Accept in advance that asset price movements are completely unpredictable and you will suffer losses at some point. These can be managed, say, by attaching stops and limits to your trades.
Boredom
Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.
Tip: Open an online demo account and get your thrills without risking real money.
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
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START-UPS%20IN%20BATCH%204%20OF%20SANABIL%20500'S%20ACCELERATOR%20PROGRAMME
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
The Bio
Name: Lynn Davison
Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi
Children: She has one son, Casey, 28
Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite Author: CJ Sansom
Favourite holiday destination: Bali
Favourite food: A Sunday roast
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Zidane's managerial achievements
La Liga: 2016/17
Spanish Super Cup: 2017
Uefa Champions League: 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18
Uefa Super Cup: 2016, 2017
Fifa Club World Cup: 2016, 2017
It’ll be summer in the city as car show tries to move with the times
If 2008 was the year that rocked Detroit, 2019 will be when Motor City gives its annual car extravaganza a revamp that aims to move with the times.
A major change is that this week's North American International Auto Show will be the last to be held in January, after which the event will switch to June.
The new date, organisers said, will allow exhibitors to move vehicles and activities outside the Cobo Center's halls and into other city venues, unencumbered by cold January weather, exemplified this week by snow and ice.
In a market in which trends can easily be outpaced beyond one event, the need to do so was probably exacerbated by the decision of Germany's big three carmakers – BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi – to skip the auto show this year.
The show has long allowed car enthusiasts to sit behind the wheel of the latest models at the start of the calendar year but a more fluid car market in an online world has made sales less seasonal.
Similarly, everyday technology seems to be catching up on those whose job it is to get behind microphones and try and tempt the visiting public into making a purchase.
Although sparkly announcers clasp iPads and outline the technical gadgetry hidden beneath bonnets, people's obsession with their own smartphones often appeared to offer a more tempting distraction.
“It's maddening,” said one such worker at Nissan's stand.
The absence of some pizzazz, as well as top marques, was also noted by patrons.
“It looks like there are a few less cars this year,” one annual attendee said of this year's exhibitors.
“I can't help but think it's easier to stay at home than to brave the snow and come here.”
Afghanistan squad
Gulbadin Naib (captain), Mohammad Shahzad (wicketkeeper), Noor Ali Zadran, Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Asghar Afghan, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Najibullah Zadran, Samiullah Shinwari, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Dawlat Zadran, Aftab Alam, Hamid Hassan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
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STAY%2C%20DAUGHTER
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UAE%20ILT20
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Arsenal's pre-season fixtures
Thursday Beat Sydney 2-0 in Sydney
Saturday v Western Sydney Wanderers in Sydney
Wednesday v Bayern Munich in Shanghai
July 22 v Chelsea in Beijing
July 29 v Benfica in London
July 30 v Sevilla in London
The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry
Price: base / as tested: Dh91,000 / Dh114,000
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
