LONDON // When Arsene Wenger praises an English player, it is worth paying attention.
The Arsenal manager has signed only seven Englishmen in his 14 years in charge of the Gunners.
So the Frenchman's assessment that Andy Carroll, Newcastle United's strapping striker, is ready to be thrust on to the international stage is noteworthy.
Carroll terrorised Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday in a display reminiscent of an old-fashioned centre-forward as he inspired Newcastle to a 1-0 win.
The role of the "big No 9" is a particularly strong tradition at Newcastle given Alan Shearer's contribution to the club, and that has endeared local lad Carroll to the club's supporters.
It was not just the towering headed goal that Carroll scored but his all-round contribution which caught the eye, leading the Newcastle line superbly with brute force in the air and subtlety on the deck.
Carroll, 21, was watched on Sunday by Fabio Capello, the England national team manger.
England play France in a friendly later this month and Wenger feels Carroll has the quality to move on to the international stage against his countrymen.
"If I was a national manager do I think Carroll is ready to play ? Yes I would pick him," Wenger said. "Of his type of forward he is outstanding. He was a real handful against us. He is hard to play against."
Despite Wenger's reputation of promoting attractive, passing football with the ball on the ground, he is not adverse to playing with a strong target man.
Indeed, in his early days as a manager at Monaco in the late 1980s, Wenger signed the then England international centre-forward Mark Hateley at the same time that he recruited the silky talents of Glenn Hoddle, the Tottenham Hotspur legend. Wenger believes Carroll is of similar stock to Hateley, who also played for AC Milan and Glasgow Rangers.
Carroll's style resembles that of Hateley. Tall, lean, left-footed, powerful in the air, but with good close control and a turn of pace. They even have the same hairstyle.
"Yes there are similarities between Carroll and Hateley although when I had Hateley at Monaco he was much older. Carroll is young and has great potential," said Wenger.
Such is the player's potential that he has already been linked with a move to Chelsea by the British press. Carroll has already been involved in off-the-field incidents requiring police involvement and court hearings. Sunday also brought more lurid tabloid allegations about his private life.
Even so it is likely to be only a matter of time before Capello - who is searching for a target man to replace the retired Emile Heskey and will probably be without Wayne Rooney for the France game - calls up Carroll to his senior squad.
sports@thenational.ae
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if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
The%20Kitchen
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'Gehraiyaan'
Director:Shakun Batra
Stars:Deepika Padukone, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Ananya Panday, Dhairya Karwa
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
Price: From Dh796,600
On sale: now
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Company%20profile
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Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Retail gloom
Online grocer Ocado revealed retail sales fell 5.7 per cen in its first quarter as customers switched back to pre-pandemic shopping patterns.
It was a tough comparison from a year earlier, when the UK was in lockdown, but on a two-year basis its retail division, a joint venture with Marks&Spencer, rose 31.7 per cent over the quarter.
The group added that a 15 per cent drop in customer basket size offset an 11.6. per cent rise in the number of customer transactions.
8 UAE companies helping families reduce their carbon footprint
Greenheart Organic Farms
This Dubai company was one of the country’s first organic farms, set up in 2012, and it now delivers a wide array of fruits and vegetables grown regionally or in the UAE, as well as other grocery items, to both Dubai and Abu Dhabi doorsteps.
www.greenheartuae.com
Modibodi
Founded in Australia, Modibodi is now in the UAE with waste-free, reusable underwear that eliminates the litter created by a woman’s monthly cycle, which adds up to approximately 136kgs of sanitary waste over a lifetime.
www.modibodi.ae
The Good Karma Co
From brushes made of plant fibres to eco-friendly storage solutions, this company has planet-friendly alternatives to almost everything we need, including tin foil and toothbrushes.
www.instagram.com/thegoodkarmaco
Re:told
One Dubai boutique, Re:told, is taking second-hand garments and selling them on at a fraction of the price, helping to cut back on the hundreds of thousands of tonnes of clothes thrown into landfills each year.
www.shopretold.com
Lush
Lush provides products such as shampoo and conditioner as package-free bars with reusable tins to store.
www.mena.lush.com
Bubble Bro
Offering filtered, still and sparkling water on tap, Bubble Bro is attempting to ensure we don’t produce plastic or glass waste. Founded in 2017 by Adel Abu-Aysha, the company is on track to exceeding its target of saving one million bottles by the end of the year.
www.bubble-bro.com
Coethical
This company offers refillable, eco-friendly home cleaning and hygiene products that are all biodegradable, free of chemicals and certifiably not tested on animals.
www.instagram.com/coethical
Eggs & Soldiers
This bricks-and-mortar shop and e-store, founded by a Dubai mum-of-four, is the place to go for all manner of family products – from reusable cloth diapers to organic skincare and sustainable toys.
www.eggsnsoldiers.com
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
Directed by: Shaka King
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons
Four stars
'Ashkal'
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
Company%20Profile
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The%20specs
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Company%20Profile
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SPECS
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The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
SHADOWS%20AND%20LIGHT%3A%20THE%20EXTRAORDINARY%20LIFE%20OF%20JAMES%20MCBEY
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