The World Game Wrap-Up Posted on September 28, 2021September 30, 2021 | Posted by Jonathan Cook Gunners shoot down Spurs How North London has been transformed in just a few games. After starting their season with three defeats, Arsenal have now strung together three successive victories to change the mood at the Emirates Stadium. Their latest victory, a 3-1 win over North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, means far more to Gunners fans than the three points earned. And the fortunes of the two clubs could hardly be more contrasting. Defeat for Spurs was their third on the spin and erased the good work done at the start of the season when they won their first three games to climb to the top of the table. Their lacklustre performance allowed Arsenal to look like the Gunners of old. A team with breakneck pace, sweeping up the pitch and scoring fine goals – on this occasion through Emile Smith Rowe, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bukayo Saka. Stuttering, stumbling Tottenham’s performance could be summed up in the scoring of Arsenal’s third goal. England striker Harry Kane tripped on the ball and lost possession and Arsenal countered. Kane sprinted back to make a desperate challenge only for the ball to ricochet back to Saka, who accepted the invitation to score. Feel good about Jimenez story Whoever you support, you would have to have a cold heart not to feel delighted for Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Raul Jimenez after he scored his first goal of the season. The Mexican striker’s playing days appeared to be over back in November 2020 when he fractured his skull in an horrific collision with Arsenal’s David Luiz. Doctor’s told Jimenez he was lucky to be alive and there were doubts he would play again. But 11 months after his last Premier League goal, Jimenez was on target again with the only goal in a victory over Southampton on Saturday. Jimenez, wearing a protective cap as a precaution, jinked past two defenders and slotted home in the 61st minute to the delight of Wolves’ travelling fans. Aussie ref makes history in Premier League It might be great recognition of Australia’s standing in world football, but referee Jarred Gillett’s little piece of history is unlikely to be applauded by diehard Perth Glory fans. Gillett became the first overseas official to referee an English Premier League match when he took charge of Watford versus Newcastle at Vicarage Road on Saturday. This is rare territory and well deserved for Gillett’s dedication to the game. But while he now occupies a place in the history of England’s top tier competition, Perth Glory fans might continue to remember him for entirely different reasons. After all, Gillett was the referee who controversially awarded a stoppage-time penalty that was converted by Brisbane Roar’s Besart Berisha to sink Perth Glory’s grand final in 2012. What Gillett saw at the time did not appear in the TV replays as Berisha appeared unimpeded before taking a “fresh-air” swing at the ball and falling to the ground. There was no Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in those days and so Gillett made a snap call that these days would almost certainly require a second look at the TV monitor – at the very least. In his first Premier League fixture, Gillett awarded two goals, gave no penalties and handed out seven yellow cards in the 1-1 draw. If Benzema is big, Haaland is huge Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti described Karim Benzema as the best striker in the world recently, a hefty claim given the high standard of top marksmen banging in goals in various competitions. Benzema, at 33, is no spring chicken but eight goals in his first seven LaLiga games prompted Ancelotti to consider the Frenchman as a contender for the Ballon d’Or, football’s player of the year. But let’s not talk about Saturday’s 0-0 draw with mid-table Villarreal. Instead, consider the feats of Erling Haaland, the Borussia Dortmund striker who has scored 47 goals in 48 Bundesliga games for Dortmund. And he doesn’t just score goals in Germany. Haaland’s incredible knack has also included 21 goals in just 17 UEFA Champions League matches. For the record, he became the youngest player to reach 20 Champions League goals and did so in record time – just 14 games. If he isn’t already the best striker in the world, he’s on his way, which is why several clubs are rumoured to be preparing big-money bids for his services. Of more immediate concern to Dortmund is his availability for their Champions League clash against Sporting Lisbon on Wednesday (3am WA time). A muscle injury kept Haaland out of Dortmund’s 1-0 defeat to Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday. Benzema is a fine player with a history of success, but with so much of his career ahead of him, Haaland looks set for even greater club-level achievements. New Sheriff in town You might not have heard much about Moldova champions Sheriff, whose only previous European adventures were in the UEFA Europa League. But in beating Red Star Belgrade and Dinamo Zagreb in the final stages of qualification they reached the UEFA Champions League group stage for the first time. This was history-making for the club and also for the Moldovan football league. Any sense that they might just make up the numbers in Europe’s top international club competition were dispelled when they beat Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk 2-0 in their opening group game recently. If you love an underdog, this is a team to take an interest in. Remarkably, albeit after just one game, Sheriff, whose entire squad is valued at around AUD$20 million, are top of their Champions League group. No-one will be getting carried away with this early success. After all, up next is a trip to the Bernabeu where they take on Real Madrid on Wednesday (3am WA time) before travelling to the San Siro to take on Inter Milan on October 20. For the sake of comparison, Real Madrid’s squad is valued around AUD$1.3 billion and Inter comes in at AUD$920 million. About Jonathan Cook Jonathan has spent more than 25 years playing, watching, analysing and writing about football. A former winner of the Western Australian Media Awards Sports Prize, he has reported at two FIFA World Cups and three Olympic Games, where he also sat ringside to provide coverage of his second sporting passion – boxing.
Harry Buchanan’s Saturday Greyhound Best Bets May 4, 2024 CANNINGTON Race 3 No. 2 Sunset Frazier Leads them up again here and this time the map says he gets away from his stronger rivals…. Read More
Scott Embry’s Sunday Northam Preview May 3, 2024 RACE 1 DEEP DISCRETION looks to have found a very suitable race in which to break through. Last start finished 1.2L off Diego Dynamite in… Read More
Weekend Tipsters May 3, 2024 Caulfield Saturday Warren Huntly Quaddie 5 3 2 9 – 2 1 5 9 14 – 1 4 6 7 8 – 2 7 6… Read More
Warren Huntly’s Saturday Caulfield Preview May 3, 2024 Race 1 SIGNOR BILL relished the step up to 1400m to break his maiden last time and there’s depth to his previous form. BRIGHELLA gives… Read More
Harry Buchanan’s Friday Greyhound Best Bets May 3, 2024 MANDURAH Race 1 No. 6 Hurry Henry and No. 7 Burner Flash This fav hard to beat off the red but she can dwell at… Read More
Chris Nelson’s Saturday Eagle Farm Preview May 2, 2024 RACE 1 Big day at Eagle Farm as we kick off another Winter Racing Carnival. I’m leaning to the backmarker OSTERMEIER in this opening race… Read More
Chris Nelson’s Saturday Hawkesbury Preview May 2, 2024 RACE 1 Racing heads to Hawkesbury on Saturday for their stand-alone Cup Day. The meeting gets under way with a 2yo affair where I’m keen… Read More
Digby Beacham’s AFL Preview: Round 8 May 2, 2024 THURSDAY Adelaide v Port Adelaide, Adelaide Oval, 5.30pm Not a great deal separated these teams in betting earlier in the week. Once it was announced… Read More
Trent Cooper’s Gloucester Park Preview May 2, 2024 Race 1 DUTY BOUND (2) has finished 2nd at his last two starts but looks the leader and gets a great chance to go one… Read More
Harry Buchanan’s Thursday Greyhound Best Bets May 2, 2024 MANDURAH Race 3 No. 4 Mind Reader Copped a few checks last time yet his effort was still good when he finished off well out… Read More
Scott Embry’s Saturday Ascot Preview May 2, 2024 RACE 1 LEXINGTON CITY looks the only speed in the quartet of runners. Expect he will bounce straight on the lead and from there Chris… Read More
The Scout: EPL Week 36 May 2, 2024 Luton Town v Everton Time is running out for Rob Edwards to save Luton Town’s season and, on current form, it’s not easy to make… Read More