Football
Amid the common criticism trotted out against Arsene Wenger these days whenever Arsenal lose that he keeps selling their best players, it should not be forgotten that the Frenchman is actually very good at unearthing and nurturing talent.
Thierry Henry was transformed from mediocre winger to prolific striker while at Highbury, Cesc Fabregas learnt his skills in the Arsenal youth team before returning to boyhood club Barcelona, while Jack Wilshere has been at the club since he was nine (astonishingly, this was a whole five years after Wenger came).
All of these are an excuse to get down to the Emirates next week to see Arsenal Under 19s play CSKA Moscow in the quarter-finals of elite European youth competition, the NextGen Series.
In a year where no senior English side reached the corresponding stage in the Champions League, Monday night could be the perfect opportunity to see the potential that could be gracing such a stage in years to come.
Cricket
From the probable future to the very possible past. The elements are part of cricket’s unpredictable charm, as England found to their detriment last week when they were chasing victory against New Zealand. However, excuses can only go so far. Rain in this Test, chronic overconfidence bordering on disrespect in the last, and suddenly England are facing the very real danger of not winning a three match series against a team ranked second-bottom in the rankings.
By all but Bangladesh’s standards, such a result would be disappointing. For a team with the claim to be the best side in the world, it would be nothing short of calamitous.
The best sides find a way to win – and England may yet here – but in all honesty the imperious team that so convincingly whitewashed India 18 months ago has only been seen in glimpses since. Can they rise again in time for the Ashes?
Tennis
One sportsman is showing signs of rising again just at the right moment, and doing it in style. When you thought men’s tennis could afford spectators no more pleasure, the Indian Wells tennis tournament served as a sumptuous riposte to such naivety.
Rafael Nadal roared back to the top table of the game with a string of brilliant performances. His victory over Federer will have been satisfying even with the Swiss maestro’s obvious injury, but far more impressive was the performance in the final, coming back against Del Potro.
It is still far too early to be talking of Grand Slams, but Nadal’s comeback is already bigger than many worried it could be, and the rest of the year now looks even more exciting. That is also down to Del Potro, who performed immensely to knock out Djokovic and Murray, the two who, it was said just a few months ago, would dominate the game.
The big serving Argentine may not be as consistent as Ferrer or Berdych, but his explosive game means he should be feared more by the Big Four when he is on song.
