Frank Lampard’s quest for balance has taken him to one of Russia’s southern outposts. Chelsea arrive in Krasnodar with a reputation as adventurers compromised by successive stalemates.
If cavalier attacking may have come at too great a cost, the shift towards solidity may have gone too far.
"I am least worried about the front end of the pitch with the players we have there," said Lampard after Sunday's 0-0 draw with Manchester United. Cautious tactics made it harder to accommodate them all.
That 3-4-3 formation left him with Christian Pulisic, Timo Werner and Kai Havertz, with Mason Mount joining Tammy Abraham and Hakim Ziyech on the bench.
Each came on and the last presents the most intriguing issue. If Pulisic, Werner and Havertz represent the A-list, where does that leave Ziyech?
The Moroccan appears a contradiction. He is the first summer signing, a man whose deal was announced in February but whose full debut may not arrive until November. After a knee injury and three cameos, a maiden start may beckon. "Hakim Ziyech is coming close to starting a game with his fitness," Lampard said.
He felt an example of forward planning when his move was announced, his £36 million ($46.9m) price seeming a bargain when it was announced, but before the impact of Covid-19 reduced prices.
Yet rewind to February and few thought Chelsea could get Werner or Havertz. The striker seemed bound for Liverpool. The attacking midfielder might be headed for Bayern Munich or Real Madrid. Roman Abramovich allowed Chelsea to spend when others could not and Chelsea instead poached the two Germans.
Yet had they the foresight to know they would become available, would they have signed Ziyech? The first recruit can feel the afterthought now. He has stated his preference is to play as a No 10, but that is Havertz’s favourite role, too. There is likelier to be a vacancy on the right.
It would be fitting if the chance comes in the Champions League. It is the competition that brought Ziyech to a wider audience and, indeed, provided his outstanding display to date at Stamford Bridge. So far, it defines him, and yet denied him the crowning glory.
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Chelsea 0 Sevilla 0: player ratings
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Rewind 17 months and he set up Donny van de Beek's semi-final goal against Tottenham. Ajax took a 1-0 lead back to Amsterdam and, when Ziyech put them 2-0 ahead on the night, they were 3-0 up on aggregate. Enter Lucas Moura, whose hat-trick was completed in the 96th minute. "Crazy," Ziyech recalled last week.
Which may have served as a description of his only start at Stamford Bridge. His in-swinging deliveries from the right led to two Ajax goals – one diverted into his own net by Kepa Arrizabalaga – but his side had two centre-backs sent off in the same passage of play and drew 4-4. It was little wonder he attracted Lampard's attention.
Since then, shinier and newer, younger and costlier players have caught Chelsea’s eye. Werner got 34 goals for Leipzig last season and Havertz 18 for Bayer Leverkusen, whereas the Dutch campaign was curtailed. Ziyech’s 21-goal, 16-assist year in 2018-19 thus feels like more distant history.
He faces competition from Mount, Lampard’s protégé, and each will suffer from the system, unless he reverts to 4-2-3-1, sacrificing a defender for a further attacker.
But only Angel di Maria, Kylian Mbappe and Robert Lewandowski registered more assists in last season’s Champions League than Ziyech and, whereas they played in the final, he did not feature after the group stages.
As Chelsea look to recapture their attacking edge, it could be an opportunity to see what a man whose European exploits propelled him to Stamford Bridge can do.
AIDA%20RETURNS
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HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
I Care A Lot
Directed by: J Blakeson
Starring: Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage
3/5 stars
Asia Cup 2018 final
Who: India v Bangladesh
When: Friday, 3.30pm, Dubai International Stadium
Watch: Live on OSN Cricket HD
Zakat definitions
Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.
Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.
Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.
Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.
How to volunteer
The UAE volunteers campaign can be reached at www.volunteers.ae , or by calling 800-VOLAE (80086523), or emailing info@volunteers.ae.
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
McLaren GT specs
Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed
Power: 620bhp
Torque: 630Nm
Price: Dh875,000
On sale: now
Tips on buying property during a pandemic
Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.
While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.
While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.
Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.
Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.
Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong.
Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 1 (Fernandes pen 2') Tottenham Hotspur 6 (Ndombele 4', Son 7' & 37' Kane (30' & pen 79, Aurier 51')
Man of the match Son Heung-min (Tottenham)
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Ibrahim's play list
Completed an electrical diploma at the Adnoc Technical Institute
Works as a public relations officer with Adnoc
Apart from the piano, he plays the accordion, oud and guitar
His favourite composer is Johann Sebastian Bach
Also enjoys listening to Mozart
Likes all genres of music including Arabic music and jazz
Enjoys rock groups Scorpions and Metallica
Other musicians he likes are Syrian-American pianist Malek Jandali and Lebanese oud player Rabih Abou Khalil
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
THE BIO:
Favourite holiday destination: Thailand. I go every year and I’m obsessed with the fitness camps there.
Favourite book: Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. It’s an amazing story about barefoot running.
Favourite film: A League of their Own. I used to love watching it in my granny’s house when I was seven.
Personal motto: Believe it and you can achieve it.
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
About Takalam
Date started: early 2020
Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech and wellness
Number of staff: 4
Funding to date: Bootstrapped
