Intriguing for psychologists, infuriating for supporters, incapable of finishing anywhere other than third or fourth, this was an insight into Arsenal.
A team who can invariably win under some kinds of pressure, but not others, offered another indication of their peculiar mind-set.
Victories can be rarities when the title is at stake. When their top-four status is imperilled, however, they become formidable opponents.
So there was a certain predictability to this. It is scarcely surprising when Everton lose at home anyway but the assured way Arsenal eased to victory suggested talk their season had gone into meltdown was overblown.
“The character of my players was questioned,” said manager Arsene Wenger. “It was a mental test. We had our backs to the wall and responded well. We knew if we didn’t win here we were out of it.”
He was referring to the title race. “I am not masochistic enough to consider us out,” said Wenger.
Their realistic aspirations are retaining their top-four status. It is insufficient for many in their support.
A deep-rooted dissatisfaction was reflected in the way that fans called for owner Stan Kroenke to go but this was not a day to support claims Wenger should leave the Emirates Stadium. Danny Welbeck and Alex Iwobi scored in a very Wengerish win.
Read more: Arsenal hysterics finally feel justified, as Arsene Wenger's almost-success finally feels unacceptable
Also see: Danny Welbeck and Alex Iwobi fire Arsenal back into title frame – in pictures
A more ruthless side than Arsenal would have added further goals but they still had the excellence in possession to exert control.
“We have a game based on movement, mobility, technical level and attacking football,” said Wenger. It yielded two goals. The only alarm came early on. Seamus Coleman hit the post in the second minute as, courtesy of a ricochet at the other end, did Danny Welbeck.
Thereafter, Arsenal played with a confidence that belied their recent wretched run. Yet, while they had recorded a solitary win – and against second-tier opposition at that – in their previous eight games, they seemed galvanised by defeat to Barcelona, or at least the encouraging nature of it.
Two of those to trouble the European champions scored against the Everton underachievers.
A sprightly Alexis Sanchez bisected his hosts’ defence with a pass. A lively Welbeck ran on to it, darted around Joel Robles and finished.
The lead was doubled by a combination of youngsters. Hector Bellerin released Alex Iwobi. He accelerated away from Ramiro Funes Mori and picked his spot past Robles to cap a breakthrough week.
Five days ago, he had started neither a Champions League nor a Premier League game. Now he has begun both, made a favourable impression and opened his Arsenal account.
“He is an intelligent boy who loves football,” said Wenger. Iwobi has been on Arsenal’s books since he was eight. Now 19, he is taking the opportunity he has unexpectedly been afforded.
Wenger is rarely happier than discussing a prodigy who has performed. Iwobi flourished as Everton floundered.
“It looked like a fearful performance,” said manager Roberto Martinez.
Arsenal profited by attacking the left half of his defence, where both Funes Mori and Leighton Baines were caught out of position. They were denied a penalty when Sanchez was tripped by Muhamed Besic and bundled over by Funes Mori. It mattered not.
Goodison Park was so subdued the Arsenal fans, citing the lack of atmosphere at their own ground, chorused: “Is this the Emirates?”
Martinez argued the performance was a “one-off”. The result was not. Eight home league defeats, and the concession of 28 goals, have taken their toll on the Goodison faithful.
A week after an up-tempo evisceration of Chelsea came a downbeat defeat.
“We had doubt and we were pedestrian,” said an unusually critical Martinez. “I haven’t seen us play that badly this season.”
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VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
The Lost Letters of William Woolf
Helen Cullen, Graydon House
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
RESULTS
Women:
55kg brown-black belt: Amal Amjahid (BEL) bt Amanda Monteiro (BRA) via choke
62kg brown-black belt: Bianca Basilio (BRA) bt Ffion Davies (GBR) via referee’s decision (0-0, 2-2 adv)
70kg brown-black belt: Ana Carolina Vieira (BRA) bt Jessica Swanson (USA), 9-0
90kg brown-black belt: Angelica Galvao (USA) bt Marta Szarecka (POL) 8-2
Men:
62kg black belt: Joao Miyao (BRA) bt Wan Ki-chae (KOR), 7-2
69kg black belt: Paulo Miyao (BRA) bt Gianni Grippo (USA), 2-2 (1-0 adv)
77kg black belt: Espen Mathiesen (NOR) bt Jake Mackenzie (CAN)
85kg black belt: Isaque Braz (BRA) bt Faisal Al Ketbi (UAE), 2-0
94kg black belt: Felipe Pena (BRA) bt Adam Wardzinski (POL), 4-0
110kg black belt final: Erberth Santos (BRA) bt Lucio Rodrigues (GBR) via rear naked choke
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
How to improve Arabic reading in early years
One 45-minute class per week in Standard Arabic is not sufficient
The goal should be for grade 1 and 2 students to become fluent readers
Subjects like technology, social studies, science can be taught in later grades
Grade 1 curricula should include oral instruction in Standard Arabic
First graders must regularly practice individual letters and combinations
Time should be slotted in class to read longer passages in early grades
Improve the appearance of textbooks
Revision of curriculum should be undertaken as per research findings
Conjugations of most common verb forms should be taught
Systematic learning of Standard Arabic grammar
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
General%20Classification
%3Cp%3E1.%20Elisa%20Longo%20Borghini%20(ITA)%20Trek-Segafredo%3Cbr%3E2.%20Gaia%20Realini%20(ITA)%20Trek-Segafredo%207%20secs%3Cbr%3E3.%20Silvia%20Persico%20(ITA)%20UAE%20Team%20ADQ%201%20min%2018%20secs%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The%20Color%20Purple
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBlitz%20Bazawule%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFantasia%20Barrino%2C%20Taraji%20P%20Henson%2C%20Danielle%20Brooks%2C%20Colman%20Domingo%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
SPECS
Nissan 370z Nismo
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Power: 363hp
Torque: 560Nm
Price: Dh184,500
The specs: 2018 Opel Mokka X
Price, as tested: Dh84,000
Engine: 1.4L, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: Six-speed auto
Power: 142hp at 4,900rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 1,850rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L / 100km
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, Group C
Liverpool v Red Star Belgrade
Anfield, Liverpool
Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
