24/25 Match Week 23 Preview

Everybody has a cousin in Miami….(Song on YouTube)

In Today’s CleanSheet:

• Headlines 📌

• Current Situation📈📉

• Hot Topic 🔥🔥🔥- Big Ones

• Off Island 🏝️ - Europe League Results

• Best Bets 💰

Headlines 📌

• CS Match of the Week. Man City +105 v Chelsea +210 SAT 1130a - City looked like they were figuring things out until another lead lost in the Champions League in Paris. Chelsea have righted the ship, but it had farther to go, but to stay in 4th will require at least a draw at City.

• 6.4 Week. 6 Saturday, 4 Sunday.

• Coconut Telegraph. “But when the eagle flies on FRIDAY And the boys break out the rum And the joint begins to jumpin' And you'll hear those hot lines hum.” ~ Jimmy Buffett

• Worst Ever. After last week’s match Amorim said this is the worst EVER Man United team. Well, looks like they listened as Bruno Fernandes found a late goal for the win at Hoffenheim in the Champions League.

• Brest Lover. Brest (the FC in France) sent Mica Richards (the studio host of CBS’s coverage of the CL) - here’s the presentation.

• Saw this nugget, had to share.

What 2 Look 4 👀- Match Week 23

Key European Races 🗝️🗝️

• Bournemouth +105 v Forest +250 SAT 9a - Two “Season Cinderela’s” look to continue the fairy tale.

• Man City +105 v Chelsea +210 SAT 1130a - See Above.

Run From Relegation 👟👟👟👟👟

• Southampton +550 v Newcastle -230 SAT 9a - Chance for Newcastle to bounce after surprise home loss to the Cherries.

• Wolves +583 v Arsenal -235 SAT 9a - Should be all Gunners, but they seem to play down to their competition this year and Molineaux will be a tough place to get all three.

• Tottenham -220 v Leicester City +475 SUN 8a - This “should” be Spurs easiest path to three points on the season.

• Liverpool -1000 v Ipswich Town +2200 SAT 9a - Tractor Boys have surprised at times. A one goal match into the 2H would be a win but this could also be 5-0 at HT.

• BHA -155 v Everton +425 SAT 9a - Was Everton’s goal outburst last week because of Spurs or have they figured it out? Will be tough sledding at BHA.

Top 10 Aspirations 🔟🔟🔟

• Palace +100 v Brentford +250 SUN 8a - London Derby (South v West) - A win for either side will bring them close to a top 10 spot.

• Fulham +130 v Man United +200 TUE 130p - The worst ever United team heads to West London in hopes of showing they are not the worst ever United team.

• Aston Villa -170 v West Ham +450 SUN 1030a - Villa got a great point at Arsenal and West Ham has righted the ship.

Current Situation 📈📉

Hot Topic 🔥🔥🔥

USMNNT

Will stay away from the US Political scene - “Pardon” my decision - but let’s quick talk USMNT. You may have noticed they played a couple friendlies this week. True, it’s not an official International Break, but it was a time for the future of the USMNT to show their talents. The guys that played are not in European Leagues, they’re in MLS or younger teams and the young guys beat Venezuela 3-1 and Costa Rica 3-0. Very promising.

But the matches took a back seat to the story of the week. After Diego Luna took an elbow that broke his nose he got a fresh jersey and returned to the pitch. After the match Poch told it like he saw it…

Off Island 🏝️

Champions, Europa League Match 5 of 8 with EUFA Conference League on match 4 of 8.

(all matches on Paramount+ cst)

• Liverpool 2-1 Lille (France) - Solid win and Liverpool are in position to sit 1st in the playoff seeding.

• Man City 2-4 PSG (France) - Brutal. Tied 0-0 at HT, City took a 2-0 lead at 53’ and then gave up 4 goals. With one match to play, City sit in 25th place and out of advancing.

• Aston Villa 0-1 Monaco (France) - Tough road match and couldn’t find the net. Still a solid chance to finish top 8.

• Arsenal 3-0 Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia) - Solid win and solidly in the top 8.

Europa League kicks off Thursday.

• Spurs 3-2 Hoffenheim (Germany) - Jumped out to an early lead and hung on in Germany.

• Man United 2-1 Rangers (Scotland) - An own goal put United up but it looked like Rangers would get a point at 88’ until United’s Captain Bruno Fernandes scored at 90+2’ for the win.

EUFA Conference League played 6 matches to determine the knockout phase teams and the teams who went straight to the round of 16.

• Chelsea will wait for the knockout winners to be determined in February to see who they play in the round of 16.

Best Bets 💰

Match Week 23 - MBBGA

Forest to Win at Bournemouth +240. $20

Both sides on unbeaten streaks but it seems Forest is more undervalued as the weeks go by just waiting for them to falter. I’m on the Tree’s until they start losing and that’s a big plus number.

Chelsea Man City to Draw +300. $20

Chelsea Man City O3.5 -112. $22

Seems like there will be a lot of scoring in this one and like the big number on the draw.

Newcastle to Win at Southampton -240. $240

Eddie Howe bounce back against the bottom of the table.

Palace to Win v Brentford +104. $20

Quietly, Palace have put a nice run together and they will continue it at home.

LCFC Tottenham O4.5 goals +185. $20

This just feels like one side will score 4 goals and both sides will score.