Who Is Hot and Who Is Not in World Football After Weekend of Dec. 5-7
The weekend action in the world of football produced its usual batch of impressive performers, along with those who really need to look at their time on the pitch and accept it wasn't their best day.
Here we've scoured the top leagues in world football to round up who is Hot and who is Not, with all these names impacting on their respective fixtures in one way or another.
We usually stick to just the players in this list, but one manager sneaks his way in this time too.
Hot: Illarra, Real Madrid
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We'll start with a deep look over the Iberian nations, starting with Real Madrid's Asier Illarramendi.
Struggling for game time as a fourth-choice-at-best central midfielder with La Liga's leaders, Illarra came into the side against Celta Vigo as a result of injuries to Luka Modric and Sami Khedira, and Isco's suspension—and was largely excellent.
His passing, ability to win the ball and good energy were features of Real's play for the first 70 minutes or so until he tired somewhat. He certainly did his chances of future inclusion no harm at all.
Not: Sergio Busquets, Barcelona
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While Illarra impressed, another Spanish holding midfielder did not—Barcelona's Sergio Busquets, whose form has nosedived alarmingly over the past month or two after a good start to the season.
Busquets dawdled in possession and was robbed of the ball in the first half against Espanyol this weekend, leading to the away side taking the lead off his error. Though Barcelona recovered to win comfortably, Busquets himself didn't really pick up the pace of the game and was not anywhere near his best in recoveries and defending.
Much better is needed from the midfield controller.
Hot: Jackson Martinez, Porto
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Over in Portugal, Porto striker Jackson Martinez plundered two goals in a 3-0 away win over Academica.
The Colombian is now the Primeira Liga's top goalscorer with 10 to his name in 12 appearances, as he fired Porto into second, three points behind leaders Benfica ahead of the clash between the two next weekend.
Martinez now has four goals in his last three games, with Porto scoring 11 in that time.
Not: Enaut Zubikarai, Real Sociedad
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Back to Spain: Real Sociedad conceded their first goals and suffered their first loss of the David Moyes reign on Sunday, after they were thumped 4-0 by Villarreal.
Goalkeeper Enaut Zubikarai was a little unlucky to register an own goal for the first strike, but he really should have saved the free-kick from Bruno anyway; it was central and high, yet beat Zubikarai to strike the bar, hit the keeper's back and roll in.
He then fumbled a late Moi Gomez strike below his body and into the net for the fourth—and it could have been even worse as he failed to stop two Luciano Vietto shots which cracked back off the post. Might soon be time for Geronimo Rulli to get his turn.
Hot: Arkadiusz Milik, Ajax
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Ajax forward Arkadiusz Milik continued his hot streak with another brace at the weekend, notching the second and fourth goals in a 5-0 rout of Willem II.
The Polish 20-year-old has now managed eight goals in just nine league appearances this season, with seven in his last seven for club and country.
At this rate it would be a tremendous surprise if Ajax did not opt to take up their purchase option once Milik's season-long loan from Bayer Leverkusen expires.
Not: Roberto Mancini, Inter Milan
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Here's our one manager for the feature, Roberto Mancini of Inter Milan, who takes his place after guiding his new team to another home defeat at the weekend.
Inter led through Mauro Icardi at the break, but Udinese hit back to record a 2-1 victory and leave the Milan side dropping down to the bottom half of the table, 11th now and nine points off the Champions League spots, compared with ninth and five points when Mancini took over.
He has yet to win and has made rather a big deal of changing formations and personnel early on in his reign—so far it's not paying off.
Hot: Alexandre Lacazette, Lyon
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Olympique Lyonnais faced a second defeat in three games at the weekend as they went into the last 10 minutes of their game at Evian TG 2-1 down, but impressive forward Alexandre Lacazette once again proved their inspiration and saviour.
He hit a brace in the final 10, including holding his nerve on a last-minute penalty to seal the win and keep Lyon up in third.
Lacazette is now the top scorer in Ligue 1 with 13 goals to his name this term.
Hot: Bojan Krkic, Stoke City
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We finish up with an extra Hot name, Stoke City's Bojan Krkic who has been in excellent form of late and once more displayed his abilities in the weekend win over Arsenal.
The Spanish forward has been playing just off the front man, showing a terrific appreciation and use of space to pick up possession for his team and drive forward quickly, getting into shooting or through-pass positions as a result.
His goal against the Gunners was his second in the last five games and he continues to grow into his role in the league and the team. It could yet turn out to be a short-lived spell, but it's certainly the best form he has been in over the last three years.
