The modern game emphasises full-backs as never before. They are chosen as much for an ability to initiate attacks as their quality in halting them, yet they have become the primary target for tactics to undo nine-man defensive blocks.
A match that eventually met Sir Alex Ferguson's demand that "we keep on the coat tails" of Manchester City, while leaving Arsenal an unheard of midseason 18 points astern of a club they used to fight for the Premier League title, stressed that tactical point.
This was won and lost on the flanks.
When Arsenal were obliterated at Old Trafford at the beginning of this season Armand Traore and Carl Jenkinson lined up at left and right-back.
The former has since been sold to Queens Park Rangers; the latter has been relieved of his vertiginous promotion from League One football by a leg fracture.
Bacary Sagna, the club's only proven full-back remains sidelined with Kieran Gibbs, an individual few Champions League managers would trust as their sole specialist left-back, so two fine central defenders were asked to compensate here. Thomas Vermaelen and Johan Djourou were found wanting.
Manchester United's opener began with a wild clearance from Vermaelen, the stand-in on the left side.
Still the Premier League's most accomplished exponent of that position, Patrice Evra sprinted in to claim the 60-yard punt ahead of his opponent and shuttled it on to Nani.
A second quick pass put Ryan Giggs in behind Djourou - who had spent most of the half chasing air - and the midfielder's cross found Antonio Valencia at the back post.
A malpositioned Vermaelen watched that centre fly over him; the header past Wojciech Szczesny.
Multiple chances spurned ahead of it, United's decider came from the same wing.
Paul Scholes allowed Valencia, by then a makeshift right-back for the visitors, to round Andrey Arshavin, exchange passes with Park Ji-sung, and tee up Danny Welbeck.
Throughout the match, the understanding and effectiveness of United's wide players underlined Arsenal's shortcomings.
Djourou was replaced at half-time with Nico Yennaris, an 18 year old making his Premier League debut.
"It's been their problem for a few weeks," said Ferguson. "Without Sagna and Gibbs, who are natural full-backs, it's difficult for them."
United's big issue is a midfield almost incapable of 90 minutes sustained control.
On the back foot for most of the first 45 minutes, Arsenal began creating in the second half until a Laurent Koscielny-initiated counter allowed Robin van Persie to bring the fixture back to 1-1. It was not enough.
Two minutes later, Arsene Wenger exchanged the athletically adventurous Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for the now unpopular Arshavin.
Ashburton Grove responded with a cacophony of catcalls and a loud rebuke to their manager that "You don't know what you're doing".
If Wenger's long-term aim was to protect an 18 year old already exposed to the hyperbole that envelopes young English talents ("He was sick on Sunday and he started to stretched his calf," the manager explained), it is the short-term that is imperilling Arsenal.
Full-backs are absent as they fall back away from the next Champions League.
sports@thenational.ae
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
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"
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
The Florida Project
Director: Sean Baker
Starring: Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince, Willem Dafoe
Four stars
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
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
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
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More coverage from the Future Forum
PRO BASH
Thursday’s fixtures
6pm: Hyderabad Nawabs v Pakhtoon Warriors
10pm: Lahore Sikandars v Pakhtoon Blasters
Teams
Chennai Knights, Lahore Sikandars, Pakhtoon Blasters, Abu Dhabi Stars, Abu Dhabi Dragons, Pakhtoon Warriors and Hyderabad Nawabs.
Squad rules
All teams consist of 15-player squads that include those contracted in the diamond (3), platinum (2) and gold (2) categories, plus eight free to sign team members.
Tournament rules
The matches are of 25 over-a-side with an 8-over power play in which only two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle. Teams play in a single round robin league followed by the semi-finals and final. The league toppers will feature in the semi-final eliminator.
Generational responses to the pandemic
Devesh Mamtani from Century Financial believes the cash-hoarding tendency of each generation is influenced by what stage of the employment cycle they are in. He offers the following insights:
Baby boomers (those born before 1964): Owing to market uncertainty and the need to survive amid competition, many in this generation are looking for options to hoard more cash and increase their overall savings/investments towards risk-free assets.
Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980): Gen X is currently in its prime working years. With their personal and family finances taking a hit, Generation X is looking at multiple options, including taking out short-term loan facilities with competitive interest rates instead of dipping into their savings account.
Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996): This market situation is giving them a valuable lesson about investing early. Many millennials who had previously not saved or invested are looking to start doing so now.
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
The specs: 2017 Lotus Evora Sport 410
Price, base / as tested Dh395,000 / Dh420,000
Engine 3.5L V6
Transmission Six-speed manual
Power 410hp @ 7,000rpm
Torque 420Nm @ 3,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined 9.7L / 100km
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
