Dubai: Finishing above city rivals Tottenham Hotspurs was the added incentive Arsenal needed in their late charge for Uefa Champions League qualification, according to Gunners’ right back Carl Jenkinson.
Since losing 2-1 away to Spurs in early March, Arsenal finished their last 10 games of the season unbeaten to finish fourth and confirm what will be their 16th consecutive participation in the Uefa Champions League next season.
Jenkinson, 21, a life-long fan of the club before joining as a player from Charlton Athletic for £1 million (Dh5.54 million) in June 2011, said getting revenge over Spurs was the driving factor behind the Gunners’ high finish.
Speaking on the sidelines of an Arsenal Soccer School’s clinic at The Sevens Stadium last week, the former Welling and Eastbourne loanee, who has made 35 appearances for Arsenal, said: “For me it was very important we finished above Spurs.
“From a fan’s perspective the rivalry is huge and to finish ahead of your rivals is massive for the fans and the players. It’s only natural that you want to finish above them.”
Jenkinson’s teammate, 23-year-old left back, Kieran Gibbs, who has scored three goals in 106 appearances at Arsenal since promotion from the youth ranks in 2007, agreed: “Over the last couple of seasons Tottenham have improved a lot. They were even title contenders at the start of the season.
“I don’t think it was Spurs we were trying to outdo as we were more focused on ourselves, but obviously it adds a bit of an extra nice feeling when you beat your local rivals over the course of the season to ensure Champions League qualification.”
During their stay in Dubai, Arsenal teammates Gibbs, Jenkinson and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain swapped their usual airline passenger seats and courageously stepped into the cockpit of an Emirates’ A380 for the landing of their lives.
“Today, we’ve got a challenge for you guys – and that’s to land an A380,” said Emirates’ Chief A380 Instructor, Warren Coles, as the players were greeted at an A380 simulator within Emirates Aviation College in Dubai.
After a short briefing on how to land the airline’s flagship aircraft, Oxlade-Chamberlain was gunning to be first in the Captain’s seat. Focusing on an array of controls, as well as the desert approach below, the 18-year-old took Captain Coles’ comments on board and eventually cruised into a remarkably smooth landing.
“I’ve got it under control boys!” said a relieved Oxlade-Chamberlain after touchdown. “We’re down in one piece.”
