Curse of Kepa returns to haunt Chelsea in Carabao Cup final defeat February 27, 2022 Future Chelsea managers could be forgiven for keeping Kepa Arrizabalaga well away from Carabao Cup finals. In 2019, the Spanish stopper refused to be substituted and could not prevent the Blues losing to Manchester City on penalties. Today at Wembley he was sent on solely for the shootout after a 0-0 draw, only to let [...]
Premiership talking points: Saints revived, Irish draw and the race is on February 27, 2022 It’s starting to feel like the beginning of the run-in to this year’s Premiership rugby season. There are less than 10 rounds to go but there are so many storylines to follow. Here are our talking points from the weekend. Luck of the draw The league saw its fifth draw of the season at the [...]
Sport is guilty of shutting its eyes to Russia’s geopolitical ambitions February 27, 2022 Roman Abramovich’s near 20-year ownership of Premier League club Chelsea has been shrouded in mystery and therefore subject to constant scrutiny and speculation. Indeed, until the weekend, it remained unclear why he is there and what he is seeking to achieve. The oligarch has denied having direct links with Vladimir Putin but has been seen [...]
Chelsea facing calls to clarify Roman Abramovich role February 27, 2022 Chelsea are facing calls to publicly clarify Roman Abramovich’s role after he said he had handed the club’s “stewardship and care” to trustees of its charitable foundation. Ministers have been urged to seize billionaire Abramovich’s assets on the basis of his links to the Russian state in the wake of the country’s invasion of Ukraine. [...]
The Collaboration is another must-see production at the Young Vic February 26, 2022 There’s a buzz about the Young Vic these days, a sense that this is a theatre hitting its stride after a relatively slow start to Kwame Kwei-Armah’s stint as artistic director. Cush Jumbo’s excellent Hamlet was followed by the political razzledazzle of Best of Enemies, and now we have The Collaboration, which manages to top [...]
Surrealism Beyond Borders is a trove of 20th century masterpieces February 26, 2022 Dali’s lobster telephone. Magritte’s bowler-hatted men. Klee’s strange fish. When we think of surrealism, our minds tend to drift towards Europe. Zoom in further and you’ll probably end up in Paris, the spiritual home of surrealism in the way Florence is the home of the Renaissance, or Britain the home of the industrial revolution. This [...]
Take your workspace to the next level in Whitechapel February 25, 2022 As we tentatively return to something approaching ‘normal’ following the pandemic, many businesses find themselves in a tricky situation. Working from home full-time is gladly receding into the rear-view mirror but the old, static office model now seems a little antiquated. Modern workers require the flexibility of hybrid working, and office spaces need to be [...]
Dining Diary: Whitcomb’s at The Londoner February 25, 2022 Typically associated with gaudy tourist traps, Leicester Square is now home to the bone-achingly cool The Londoner, a hotel which is saved from being intimidatingly chic by the excellence of its warmly welcoming staff. Attention to detail is the name of the game here from the witty selection of art to the Italian Murano glass [...]
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is in short supply – here’s what to do February 25, 2022 The New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is a stalwart of the London wine list. Even the most wine-wary have probably tried a glass with its distinctive notes of gooseberry and passionfruit. A globally popular choice there is world-wide demand, which is why the current shortage is causing a stir. “The 2021 harvest, while of exceptional quality, [...]
Carabao Cup has enough fizz to make business sense despite what its critics say February 25, 2022 The Carabao Cup, which concludes on Sunday when Chelsea play Liverpool at Wembley, is perennially fending off calls for its demise and remains the butt of many a joke. Its future beyond 2024 remains uncertain, when an expanded Champions League is set to tighten the squeeze on English football’s secondary domestic cup competition. And it [...]