Frank Lampard conceded the rebuilding job at Chelsea is a "work in progress" after seeing his side unceremoniously dumped out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich.
Already leading 3-0 from the first leg at Stamford Bridge in February, before the coronavirus pandemic halted the competition, Bayern rounded the last-16 tie off with a thumping 4-1 win at the Allianz Arena, with Robert Lewandowski twice on target and having a hand in the other two goals.
Chelsea's record scorer Lampard enjoyed a trophy-laden spell with them as a player, winning the Premier League and Champions League among other crowns, but suggested that they needed to recruit the right names to reach that level again.
"In the last 20 years we had players, teams with prime [Eden] Hazard, [Diego] Costa, [Petr] Cech, [John] Terry and [Didier] Drogba," Lampard told BT Sport.
"Competing for the Premier League year on year, getting to finals and semi-finals regularly. We know that's not the case now ... It's not a slight work in progress. It's a work in progress. It's not the norm for Chelsea."
The manner of the defeat put something of a dampener on Lampard's first season in charge coming a week after losing the FA Cup final to Arsenal, though the Englishman did guide the Blues to a fourth-place finish to ensure Champions League football next term.
Lampard said he would look to further bolster his squad in the close season, having already spent big money to recruit Hakim Ziyech from Ajax and Timo Werner from RB Leipzig.
The West London club have been linked with moves for a host of players, including Bayer Leverkusen attacker Kai Havertz, Leicester City left-back Ben Chilwell, Real Madrid's Sergio Reguilon, Brighton defender Lewis Dunk, and Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha.
"We'll look at that, because that's our job," Lampard added. "From having a transfer ban [last year] you feel we've missed where other clubs spent and improved ... recruitment is a huge part of this game.
"Nights like this in a footballing sense, show me a lot, tell me a lot."
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Top investing tips for UAE residents in 2021
Build an emergency fund: Make sure you have enough cash to cover six months of expenses as a buffer against unexpected problems before you begin investing, advises Steve Cronin, the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.
Think long-term: When you invest, you need to have a long-term mindset, so don’t worry about momentary ups and downs in the stock market.
Invest worldwide: Diversify your investments globally, ideally by way of a global stock index fund.
Is your money tied up: Avoid anything where you cannot get your money back in full within a month at any time without any penalty.
Skip past the promises: “If an investment product is offering more than 10 per cent return per year, it is either extremely risky or a scam,” Mr Cronin says.
Choose plans with low fees: Make sure that any funds you buy do not charge more than 1 per cent in fees, Mr Cronin says. “If you invest by yourself, you can easily stay below this figure.” Managed funds and commissionable investments often come with higher fees.
Be sceptical about recommendations: If someone suggests an investment to you, ask if they stand to gain, advises Mr Cronin. “If they are receiving commission, they are unlikely to recommend an investment that’s best for you.”
Get financially independent: Mr Cronin advises UAE residents to pursue financial independence. Start with a Google search and improve your knowledge via expat investing websites or Facebook groups such as SimplyFI.
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
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Name: Timothy Husband
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Weekends and holidays: Talking about animals or visiting his farm in Australia
Tomorrow 2021
Common%20symptoms%20of%20MS
OPTA'S PREDICTED TABLE
1. Liverpool 101 points
2. Manchester City 80
3. Leicester 67
4. Chelsea 63
5. Manchester United 61
6. Tottenham 58
7. Wolves 56
8. Arsenal 56
9. Sheffield United 55
10. Everton 50
11. Burnley 49
12. Crystal Palace 49
13. Newcastle 46
14. Southampton 44
15. West Ham 39
16. Brighton 37
17. Watford 36
18. Bournemouth 36
19. Aston Villa 32
20. Norwich City 29
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How to report a beggar
Abu Dhabi – Call 999 or 8002626 (Aman Service)
Dubai – Call 800243
Sharjah – Call 065632222
Ras Al Khaimah - Call 072053372
Ajman – Call 067401616
Umm Al Quwain – Call 999
Fujairah - Call 092051100 or 092224411
Name: Brendalle Belaza
From: Crossing Rubber, Philippines
Arrived in the UAE: 2007
Favourite place in Abu Dhabi: NYUAD campus
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UAE's role in anti-extremism recognised
General John Allen, President of the Brookings Institution research group, commended the role the UAE has played in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism.
He told a Globsec debate of the UAE’s "hugely outsized" role in the fight against Isis.
"It’s trite these days to say that any country punches above its weight, but in every possible way the Emirates did, both militarily, and very importantly, the UAE was extraordinarily helpful on getting to the issue of violent extremism," he said.
He also noted the impact that Hedayah, among others in the UAE, has played in addressing violent extremism.
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Uefa Champions League final:
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Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
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3 out of 5 stars
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Key facilities
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