Arsene Wenger happy Arsenal have jumped ‘psychological hurdle’ after first win over Chelsea in five years
“I said before the game that we have some inconvenient facts. They were that we couldn’t beat Chelsea for years,” a beaming Arsene Wenger, who this week marked 20 years in charge of Arsenal, told reporters after his side's 3-0 victory.
LONDON // For five years, Chelsea were the nemesis of Arsenal and their manager Arsene Wenger, so Saturday's resounding 3-0 victory in the London derby represented a psychological boost for the Frenchman.
The last time Arsenal beat Chelsea in the league was in October 2011 and for three years they had not even scored a goal against their crosstown rivals, not counting a 1-0 win in the preseason Community Shield match in 2015.
“I said before the game that we have some inconvenient facts. They were that we couldn’t beat Chelsea for years,” a beaming Wenger, who this week marked 20 years in charge of Arsenal, told reporters.
“I think what was very important for me is that a psychological hurdle does not stand in your way,” he said. “We have not to make too much of it, but as well not ignore it.”
When a reporter’s telephone began to ring, he joked: “It’s Jose,” laughing off his bitter rivalry with Chelsea’s former manager Jose Mourinho.
Wenger’s side have looked physically intimidated by Chelsea in the past but they were in the driving seat from the start of Saturday’s encounter, capitalising on dreadful defending by the visitors to storm into a 2-0 lead within 15 minutes.
Last season, Chelsea striker Diego Costa was involved in the sending off of Arsenal defenders in both league meetings between the two sides.
This time, by contrast, it was Costa who was frustrated as his markers Laurent Koscielny and Shkordran Mustafi snuffed out every chance that came his way, building a platform for Arsenal to punish Chelsea for their defensive shortcomings.
By half time, the game was over as a contest after Mesut Ozil raced into Chelsea’s half and bamboozled Cahill and fellow centrehalf David Luiz with a one-two with Sanchez before scoring Arsenal’s third.
Wenger hailed his team’s first-half performance as “nearly perfect” and allowed himself to entertain the possibility of winning the title, despite Manchester City winning all six of their games so far to sit five points ahead of Arsenal.
“At the moment Manchester City look to be way in front but if we can maintain our performances ... and be consistent we might have a chance,” he said.
By contrast, Chelsea manager Antonio Conte was left in no doubt about the size of the challenge he faces to rebuild his team which last season finished a lowly 10th in the Premier League after firing Mourinho in midseason.
Conte vented his frustration at Chelsea’s defensive frailties which has seen them keep a clean sheet only once this season, despite the Italian’s reputation for building teams around the defence.
“I must find the right solution for this team because in every game we are conceding two goals, at minimum,” he said.
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
(All games 4-3pm kick UAE time) Bayern Munich v Augsburg, Borussia Dortmund v Bayer Leverkusen, Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin, Wolfsburg v Mainz , Eintracht Frankfurt v Freiburg, Union Berlin v RB Leipzig, Cologne v Schalke , Werder Bremen v Borussia Monchengladbach, Stuttgart v Arminia Bielefeld
Create and maintain a strong bond between yourself and your child, through sensitivity, responsiveness, touch, talk and play. “The bond you have with your kids is the blueprint for the relationships they will have later on in life,” says Dr Sarah Rasmi, a psychologist.
Set a good example. Practise what you preach, so if you want to raise kind children, they need to see you being kind and hear you explaining to them what kindness is. So, “narrate your behaviour”.
Praise the positive rather than focusing on the negative. Catch them when they’re being good and acknowledge it.
Show empathy towards your child’s needs as well as your own. Take care of yourself so that you can be calm, loving and respectful, rather than angry and frustrated.
Be open to communication, goal-setting and problem-solving, says Dr Thoraiya Kanafani. “It is important to recognise that there is a fine line between positive parenting and becoming parents who overanalyse their children and provide more emotional context than what is in the child’s emotional development to understand.”
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
Eyasses squad
Charlie Preston (captain) – goal shooter/ goalkeeper (Dubai College)
Arushi Holt (vice-captain) – wing defence / centre (Jumeriah English Speaking School)
Olivia Petricola (vice-captain) – centre / wing attack (Dubai English Speaking College)
Between the start of the 2020 IPL on September 20, and the end of the Pakistan Super League this coming Thursday, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has had an unprecedented amount of traffic.
Never before has a ground in this country – or perhaps anywhere in the world – had such a volume of major-match cricket.
And yet scoring has remained high, and Abu Dhabi has seen some classic encounters in every format of the game.
October 18, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad
The two playoff-chasing sides put on 163 apiece, before Kolkata went on to win the Super Over
January 8, ODI, UAE beat Ireland by six wickets
A century by CP Rizwan underpinned one of UAE’s greatest ever wins, as they chased 270 to win with an over to spare
February 6, T10, Northern Warriors beat Delhi Bulls by eight wickets
The final of the T10 was chiefly memorable for a ferocious over of fast bowling from Fidel Edwards to Nicholas Pooran
March 14, Test, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by six wickets
Eleven wickets for Rashid Khan, 1,305 runs scored in five days, and a last session finish
June 17, PSL, Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi by 15 runs
Usman Khawaja scored a hundred as Islamabad posted the highest score ever by a Pakistan team in T20 cricket
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
