Who Is Hot and Who Is Not in World Football After Weekend of Nov. 7-9
Another big weekend in world football has gone by, with key clashes at the top and bottom of domestic leagues providing valuable points all over the place—in some leagues, we're nearing the end of the campaign, making wins all the more important.
We've scouted every major top flight to bring you the key individuals—both good and bad—from the weekend.
Here are our hot or not considerations; feel free to leave your own below.
Hot: Thomas Muller
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Thomas Muller continues to be a key part of the Bayern Munich side and showed his immense class once more with a hat-trick at the weekend.
Bayern Munich made it 11 games unbeaten in the Bundesliga this season with a 4-0 win away from home against Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday, with Muller rolling in the first three goals, doubling his league tally for the campaign.
Xherdan Shaqiri scored the other as Bayern stayed top.
Not: Guilherme Siqueira
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Over to La Liga in Spain, where reigning champions Atletico Madrid suffered defeat against relegation-zone dwellers Real Sociedad.
It was a close game for much of the match and level at 1-1 when Guilherme Siqueira committed two needless fouls, sliding tackles that were clearly late, in a matter of just three minutes—resulting in two yellows and thus a red card.
Atleti went on to lose 2-1 and now sit fourth, four points off top spot.
Hot: Landon Donovan
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To MLS in the USA, where we're fast approaching the end of the season.
LA Galaxy battered Real Salt Lake 5-0 on Sunday night, with Landon Donovan netting a hat-trick in the second leg of their Conference semi-final.
They will now face either FC Dallas or Seattle Sounders as they aim to win MLS Cup.
Not: Arsene Wenger
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It hasn't been a great week for Arsene Wenger; in both the Champions League and Premier League, Arsenal have been leading in their last two games and failed to see out a victory in either.
Following a three-goal collapse against Anderlecht in midweek, Wenger's side led 1-0 at Swansea City this weekend before succumbing to a 2-1 loss.
Midfield problems and lack of solidity at the back continue to be a real issue for Wenger and his team, who have dropped to sixth in the table.
Hot: Oribe Peralta
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The top two in Mexico's Liga MX did battle at the weekend when Toluca hosted leaders America looking for a win to send themselves top.
Oribe Peralta scored early on but Toluca responded and took the lead through Pablo Velazquez, but with just two minutes left on the clock, it was veteran international striker Peralta who once more came up with the goods for his team.
The 30-year-old secured a 2-2 draw to keep his team two points clear at the top, taking his tally for the season to seven in the process.
Not: Federico Fazio
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Arsenal were bad in the Premier League, but their fans will doubtless take some bitter solace in the fact that rivals Tottenham were worse in their defeat at home to Stoke City.
The villain of the piece was centre-back Federico Fazio, who was simply dreadful.
Clearances, headed challenges, passes out of defence and marking: he failed spectacularly at each during the match, never getting to grips with the pace and tenacity of Mame Diouf and running scared as Bojan Krkic ran directly at him. Fazio was the worst performer in a poor overall defensive display from Spurs.
Hot: Arkadiusz Milik
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Over in the Eredivisie, Ajax won their third match in a row thanks to a comeback 4-2 win over Cambuur.
Polish forward Arkadiusz Milik, on loan from Bayer Leverkusen this season, inspired the victory with a bright and effective performance, scoring the equaliser and eventual winner—the third—with his only two shots of the game.
Milik has five for the league season; Ajax are second place.
Hot: Eduardo Vargas
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As usual, we finish up with an extra player in the "Hot" category, opting this time for Queens Park Rangers' Eduardo Vargas.
The wide forward was in irrepressible form against title holders Manchester City this weekend, helping his side secure a 2-2 draw at home with a skilful and hard-working display, during which he constantly dribbled at left-back Gael Clichy and teased City's midfield line with his runs infield.
Vargas' delivery from wide, whether in the air or along the ground, was intelligent and creative, feeding the front men consistently and giving City lots to worry about.
