Ahead of another weekend of European football, Thomas Woods casts his eye over some of the biggest talking points.
Liverpool have blown their top-four chance
Two months ago, Liverpool were being talked about as the most realistic title challengers to runaway Premier League leaders Chelsea. Fast forward to the start of March, title talk has made way for hope of just making the top four, and subsequent qualification for next season’s Uefa Champions League.
It looks like they are the outsiders with Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Manchester United better set to fight it out. Liverpool are still fifth, a point ahead of United and only four points behind second-placed Spurs. But it is their propensity for a woeful defeat — the losses at Hull City and Leicester City for example — that is worrying.
Their upcoming fixture list does not give much hope given their current form. Liverpool host Arsenal on Saturday, and Burnley a week later before a trip to City and a home match against Everton. It’s a run from which they may not recover.
Last chance for Roma
The fight for Champions League places in Serie A looks set to be a cracker, but the title race could be over by the end of the weekend.
Second-placed Roma were fantastic when they won 3-1 at Inter Milan last week. They are a superb team, full of top-class players like Mohammed Salah, Radja Nainggolan and Daniele de Rossi, and yet they are still seven points behind the juggernaut that is Juventus.
Roma have scored more goals than Juve, but it is the champions’ ability to avoid draws that stands them apart. Juve have lost four games to Roma’s five, but have yet to draw this season.
So how can Roma close down the deficit? Part 1: beat third-placed Napoli in what should be another brilliant game to watch on Saturday. Part 2: hope Juve slip-up in upcoming games against AC Milan, Napoli and Atlanta who are all in the top seven. Part 3: beat Juve in the third-to-last game at the Stadio Olimpico.
Kante should be Player of the Year in England
In hindsight, N’Golo Kante should have been given the Player of the Year award last season, ahead of his Leicester City teammates Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy.
The attacking pair grabbed headlines, but Leicester’s 2016/17 season without Kante has demonstrated what an asset the French midfielder was. It was basically only because he did the job of two men in midfield that Mahrez in particular had so much attacking freedom.
Kante has been pivotal to Chelsea’s charge towards the title. Last Saturday’s game against Swansea City was a prime example of his energy — he was everywhere and helped drive a slightly below-par Chelsea to victory. It’s not fashionable to pick a defensive midfielder for the top award, especially when three strikers — Alexis Sanchez, Romelu Lukaku and Harry Kane — are tied on 17 goals with Diego Costa one goal back and Zlatan Ibrahimovic on 15, but Kante deserves it.
What was Bale thinking?
Gareth Bale’s actions on Wednesday night summed up the frustrated mood around Real Madrid over the past week.
The Welsh forward, who has only just returned from three months out injured, was sent off in Madrid’s surprise 3-3 home draw with Las Palmas. And he made sure he was sent off. Already on a yellow card, he lost the ball and lashed out at Jonathan Viera, had another kick at him and then tried to push him over. It was totally out of character for Bale, but then so has been Madrid’s sudden loss of form.
They lost at Valencia three games ago, they should have lost at Villarreal on Saturday but for a dodgy penalty decision that sparked a comeback win.
Madrid had a one-point lead over Barcelona with two games in hand — they are now second by a point with just one game in hand. They seem to be surrendering the title.
Hiddink the right man for Leicester
Premier League champions Leicester City seem to be keen on former England manager Roy Hodgson as their new manager, but appointing him would be a mistake.
They should be considering Guus Hiddink, the Dutch manager who has twice come in at short notice and saved Chelsea seasons. He replaced Luis Felipe Scolari in February 2009 and led Chelsea to the FA Cup, losing just once in his reign.
Last season he replaced Jose Mourinho and helped steer Chelsea to stability. The 70-year-old Dutchman is one of the world’s best managers and he is adept at coming into a club and getting results quickly. Whatever he costs, Leicester should pay it or risk relegation.
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TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
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BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5
Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
TV: World Cup Qualifier 2018 matches will be aired on on OSN Sports HD Cricket channel
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Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier
Results
UAE beat Saudi Arabia by 12 runs
Kuwait beat Iran by eight wickets
Oman beat Maldives by 10 wickets
Bahrain beat Qatar by six wickets
Semi-finals
UAE v Qatar
Bahrain v Kuwait
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