In Today’s CleanSheet:

• Headlines 📌

• What 2 Look 4 👀 

• Hot Topic 🔥🔥🔥- Charlie Hustle

• Off Island 🏝️ - Africa & Asia Update

• Best Bets 💰

Headlines 📌

CS coming to you from S FLA, USA this week.

• Reminder - Half n’ Half. With two international competitions kicking off (AFCON & AFC Tournaments - read more about it here in Match Week 20 Recap) PL Match Week 21 is spread across two weekends -

  • Match Week 21.1 starting Friday, January 12

  • Match Week 21.2 beginning January 20.

• 21.2. 2 Saturday, 2 Sunday, 1 Monday.

• Pencil These In. With 5 matches, they are all to be penciled in - no overlaps.

• January Transfer Window.

  • Several rumors. Here’s the latest. (NBCSports)

• Financial Fair Play.

  • Everton. Yes, they are again being looked at for FFP, and they are not happy. The review includes the same window they were already penalized 10 points for. See their response. (X)

  • Man City. A date has been set for Man City and the 115 FFP charges to be reviewed. The date has not been made public.

  • Newcastle. Concerns over FFP are forcing Newcastle to consider selling during this transfer window as opposed to buying.

  • Forest & Chelsea. It’s Complicated. (X 2min)

• West Ham out of FA Cup. Bristol drew with West Ham to force a replay and then beat the Hammers 1-0 to knock them out of the FA Cup. Championship League over the PL League on this goal. (X)

What 2 Look 4 👀- Match Week 21.1

Needed That Break

The Return

A Fesh Start

Winning Streaks

It’s Tough to Win in This League

Hot Topic 🔥🔥🔥

Charlie Hustle

If you grew up in the 60’s, 70’s or 80’s - Pete Rose, nicknamed Charlie Hustle, was the poster boy for how to play the game. His game was Baseball, but it didn’t matter the sport - if a coach wanted to emphasize effort all they needed to do was compare your effort, or lack thereof, to Rose.

Here are two of his most famous moments (YouTube).

• Rose Rocks Fosse - In the All-Star Game! (50s)

• All Time Hit King - Also, Look at that slide! (Watch the first 20s of this video of his David Letterman appearance)

Sadly - what many people think of when they hear the name Pete Rose is Gambling and Liar.

In 1989 there were reports Rose had bet on Baseball. Rose denied the allegations and said he only wagered on football, basketball and the horses. An investigation ensued and the numbers were pretty amazing. Here is a report from Bleacher Report after the fact. But the bottom line:

• Rose bet up to $10,000 per day.

• Bet on 52 Red’s games while their manager.

• Denied he ever bet on baseball for 10+ years, then admitted he did but only for his team to win.

• Then the tax man got involved and Rose spent 5 months in prison for falsifying tax records.

Rose was Banned from Baseball. No managing, no recognition, nothing. This includes not being allowed in the Hall of Fame.

Why all this talk about Pete Rose you ask? Ivan Toney.

Ivan Toney returns for Brentford Saturday from his 9-month suspension for: Gambling.

• Toney had 232 breaches of the FA’s betting rules.

• This includes 13 bets on his team to lose.

• The breaches took place between 2017-2021, playing for 4 different clubs.

• The ruling said Toney was “a prolific gambler”.

• The FA wanted a longer ban, but the commission who reviewed the case said he admitted the betting. If he had denied it, they most likely would have gone with an 18-month suspension.

Moral of the story - don’t bet on your teams and don’t lie about it if you do.

Off Island 🏝️

What’s Happening with Asia and Africa Cups

Africa Cup of Nations

• Mo Salah is out at least 2 matches for Egypt with a “muscle injury”, Liverpool hopes that is all. Looks like a glute strain, aka ass pull.

• Great goal or bad goalkeeping in Cape Verde v Mozambique? You be the judge. (X)

• Goal of AFCON so far? (X)

• In Africa, Senegal are currently slight favorites to win the tournament, +330 and have looked the part currently sitting at 2W in 2 matches. Next is Morocco at +340. Cape Verde leads their group with 2W over Egypt who surprisingly has 2D and must win to advance.

Asia Cup

• HUGE upset. Iraq 2-1 Japan. The Reaction. (X) That was 11 in a row for Japan before this loss. 2 goals by Aymen Hussein in the 1H. (X)

• Japan are still odds-on favorites to win at +169. Korea at +310 is next.

• Good View of the Table and matches below.

Best Bets 💰

CleanSheet Picker Standings

CleanSheet Season Gains/Losses: Up $64.

Ivan Toney to score -102. $20.

Ivan Toney to score First goal of match +310. $20

Luton Town v West Ham to DRAW +240. $20

Liverpool to WIN at Bournemouth & Both teams to score +140. $20

Arsenal to score 3+ goals v Palace +125. $20

BHA v Wolves to DRAW +320. $20