When you inherit a team who finished the campaign with a goal difference of negative 20, it doesn't take a genius to identify what areas of the squad need improving.
A club that struggles to keep clean sheets, Manuel Pellergini's arrival at West Ham United this summer has heralded an overhaul of a squad that thus far has seven new additions, including three defenders and a goalkeeper.
The statistics are damning. Since their return to the Premier League in 2012, West Ham have only finished with a positive goal difference once, in 2016. The past six seasons in the top tier have seen them finish with an overall goals tally of minus 45.
Goalkeeper Joe Hart was gladly returned to Manchester City following a miserable season in East London that has badly damaged the former England No 1's fragile reputation following some high-profile blunders. Club stalwart James Collins, 34, and Patrice Evra, the 35-year-old January arrival, have been released with both players' form notably in decline last season as West Ham staged a late rally under David Moyes to finish 13th in the table.
In are Lukasz Fabianski, the experienced Poland international, to cover for Hart's departure. Fabianski, 33, arrives from relegated Swansea City with one of the highest save percentages in the Premier League over the past two seasons and should have realistic aims of starting ahead of the inconsistent Adrian.
Ryan Fredericks, 25, joins to challenge another ageing set of thirtysomething legs - Pablo Zabaleta - for the right-back berth having left Fulham following the club's Championship play-off final win in May.
The arrivals of Issa Diop, 21, and 26-year-old Fabian Balbuena offer younger energetic legs to a defensive line that struggles against pace, although Frenchman Diop, the €25 million (Dh106.7m) purchase from Toulouse and Balbuena, the Paraguayan from Corinthians, are untested in England's top tier.
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Richard Jolly: Signing of Riyad Mahrez fits the Manchester City blueprint
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While Pellegrini has looked to address the main areas of concern, it is further forward where the Chilean has been really bold in the transfer market.
Jack Wilshere was picked up after being discarded by Arsenal. The England midfielder has a history of long periods out injured, but did make 38 appearances in all competitions last season. Wilshere, 26, has the quality short passing game so lacking in West Ham's engine room last season.
Felipe Anderson made all the right noises to ingratiate himself among the West Ham faithful upon sealing a €38 million (Dh162m) transfer from Lazio last week. Referencing the names of clubs legends Bobby Moore, Carlos Tevez and Paolo Di Canio, the one-cap Brazil international said he wanted to follow in their footsteps and become a hero to the fans, a near guarantee of early-season fidelity among the natives.
On his day the club's record signing possesses the type of threat that Pellegrini says will bring a "new dimension" to West Ham's attack, lessening the reliance on Manuel Lanzini and one that should create more chances for the impressive Marko Arnautovic up front. Those days were far too infrequent last season. Anderson was limited to just nine Serie A starts with Lazio following an injury-hit campaign and a public falling out with manager Simeone Inzaghi.
The other exciting addition has been that of Andriy Yarmolenko. After nearly 100 goals for Dynamo Kiev, the Ukraine flyer endured a disappointing season at Borussia Dortmund last term, although Tottenham Hotspur fans will remember one superb curling effort in a Uefa Champions League group match.
That goal illustrated what Yarmolenko does best - draw defenders out of position on the right hand side, move on to his favoured left foot, play one-twos with teammates around the edge of the box and look to test the goalkeeper with a fearsome shot. The 28-year-old Ukrainian possesses the speed and technical skill to become a potent weapon on the right side of West Ham's attack.
Whether Pellegrini looks to play the majority of his summer signings in Saturday's pre-season match against second-tier Preston North End remains to be seen. But should the bulk make up the starting XI for the Premier League opener against Liverpool on August 12, West Ham can look forward to the 2018/19 campaign with renewed optimism.
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
TOURNAMENT INFO
2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Regional Qualifier
The top three teams progress to the Asia Qualifier
Thursday results
UAE beat Kuwait by 86 runs
Qatar beat Bahrain by five wickets
Saudi Arabia beat Maldives by 35 runs
Friday fixtures
10am, third-place playoff – Saudi Arabia v Kuwait
3pm, final – UAE v Qatar
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
Three ways to limit your social media use
Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.
1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.
2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.
3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.
Racecard
6pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 Group 1 (PA) $55,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
6.35pm: Oud Metha Stakes Rated Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,200m
7.10pm: Jumeirah Classic Listed (TB) $150,000 (Turf) 1,600m
7.45pm: Firebreak Stakes Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,600m
8.20pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 Group 2 (TB) $350,000 (D) 1,900m
8.55pm: Al Bastakiya Trial Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,900m
9.30pm: Balanchine Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,800m
Ultra processed foods
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
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
SUZUME
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more from Janine di Giovanni
The five pillars of Islam
Brief scoreline:
Manchester United 0
Manchester City 2
Bernardo Silva 54', Sane 66'
The biog
Name: Salem Alkarbi
Age: 32
Favourite Al Wasl player: Alexandre Oliveira
First started supporting Al Wasl: 7
Biggest rival: Al Nasr
