Every week in the 2018/19 season, Football-Oranje’s Michael Statham gives you his predictions and betting tips for each Dutch Eredivisie round. Michael competes against a different special guest each week. This time, it’s Alex Moretto, a huge Ajax fan who is a journalist for Perform Group.

  • by Michael Statham
  • Follow Michael on Twitter @EredivisieMike
  • Follow Alex on Twitter @alexjmoretto

Friday 7th December

Fortuna Sittard v AZ

Michael’s prediction: Fortuna have scored 31 goals in their last twelve competitive matches, despite the fact they have no ‘regular’ goalscorer. It’s truly a team effort for the newly-promoted side and they are refreshing to watch. I think they will mount more misery on AZ, who sit eighth heading into the winter break – a below-par return which I have discussed on numerous occasions on Eredivisie Predictions and on the Football-Oranje podcast. 2-1 | Tip: Over 2.5 goals.

Alex’s prediction: Fortuna are a fun team to watch and they have done well to make Sittard somewhat of a fortress. John van den Brom needs to shoulder a big part of the blame for AZ’s struggles. He’s getting it all wrong and his selection in defence is questionable at best. It feels like he’s living on borrowed time and defeat here could be the final straw. 2-1

PSV v Excelsior

Michael’s prediction: I think this will be a comfortable return to form for PSV, following a painful defeat to Feyenoord last weekend. The players were not at 100%. The Champions League fixtures causing tiredness is an easy excuse to make, so why doesn’t Mark van Bommel rotate his team? Playing largely the same eleven players each week can hardly be doing their fitness any wonders. 3-0 | Tip: PSV -1.5 Asian handicap.

Alex’s prediction: PSV have shown many signs of cracking this season but their abundance of talent up front always seems to bail them out. They will be punished a few more times this season, surely, but Friday night won’t be one of those times. Excelsior lack direction and organization at times, which mainly boils down to Adrie Poldervaart being out of his depth as an Eredivisie manager. The top teams will always exploit that. 4-1

Saturday 8th December

Willem II v Heerenveen

Michael’s prediction: I think this will be an entertaining game between two talented mid-table outfits. Neither are strong defensively, so expect goals. Fran Sol to score again after his double at AZ? Heerenveen should be confident after a decent 3-1 victory over Fortuna Sittard, which sways my decision. 1-2 | Tip: Over 2.5 goals.

Alex’s prediction: This strikes me as one of the more unpredictable games of the weekend, because you never know what you’re going to get from Heerenveen. They are talented throughout their side, but really lack consistency. I’ll go with a scoring draw, then. 2-2

PEC Zwolle v Ajax

Michael’s prediction: I have a feeling PEC Zwolle will make proceedings difficult for Ajax. Complacency is Ajax’s biggest enemy but PEC have been struggling heavily this season. A win at De Graafschap will have taken some of the pressure from John van ‘t Schip but can he mastermind a surprise against the Amsterdammers? 1-2 | Tip: Both teams to score.

Alex’s prediction: Ajax have a big test against Bayern in Amsterdam waiting for them next week as they can top their Champions League group, but even if they are caught looking ahead I think they should still have far too much for Zwolle. The hosts gave PSV trouble at this venue in August, with Luuk de Jong striking a 93rd-minute winner for the leaders, but Erik ten Hag has Ajax ticking along nicely and they will be even more determined after PSV’s defeat at De Kuip last weekend. 1-3

ADO Den Haag v De Graafschap

Michael’s prediction: ADO haven’t found much home joy this season; their only wins in the Hague over Fortuna and Groningen displayed little ease or free-flowing football. De Graafschap though already look like they may be about to be cut adrift at the wrong end of the Eredivisie, they concede far too many chances to the opposition. 3-1 | Tip: Over 2.5 goals.

Alex’s prediction: Two teams in terrible form, but Den Haag still don’t lose too often at home. De Graafschap have looked shockingly out of their depth at times this season and when I look at their team I struggle to see a way they manage to stay up. They’ve been dire. 2-0

Sunday 9th December

Utrecht v Heracles

Michael’s prediction: Heracles just aren’t as strong away from home. Utrecht will have their fair share of possession and chances in this game. I think Heracles will be dangerous on the counter-attack through the likes of Brandley Kuwas and Adrian Dalmau, but it won’t be enough against a strong defence. 2-1 | Tip: Over 2.5 goals.

Alex’s prediction: This fascinating watch is shaping up as the match of the weekend, as fifth place hosts fourth. There’s a case to be made for Utrecht as the division’s strongest team outside of Ajax and PSV, but the lack of a consistent goal threat in attack is what will prevent them from cracking the top three this season. Heracles certainly have the firepower in attack to break down a stingy Utrecht defence, but I think it’s just too tall an order for them at the Galgenwaard. 2-0

Emmen v Feyenoord

Michael’s prediction: A great win for Feyenoord last weekend (plus a 4-1 win over VVV on Thursday) will feed their confidence that a run for the Eredivisie tite is not out of the question. Striker Nicolai Jorgensen looked very strong against PSV. I think we will start to see a return his best form now that he’s fit and scoring again. 0-2 | Tip: Feyenoord -1.5 Asian handicap.

Alex’s prediction: Feyenoord have some issues with their squad, but I think more than anything they struggle with motivation. Emmen have been awful against the top teams this season losing 5-0 to Ajax and 6-0 to PSV, but they’re in the midst of an impressive run of form and I think Feyenoord will be slow out of the gates. 1-1

VVV-Venlo v Groningen

Michael’s prediction: Back to back 4-1 defeats will have dented VVV’s spirits. A bad time then to play in form Groningen, fresh from three wins in four. VVV have a mighty home record but I feel that Groningen can damage that. 1-2 | Tip: Groningen double chance.

Alex’s prediction: Mimoun Mahi has really found his form for Groningen with three goals and four assists in his last four matches, while Ritsu Doan has chipped in with three goals as well. I think when all is said and done this season they will be a fair bit off the bottom three, but so will VVV. The only home defeat for Maurice Steijn’s side this season came in August, 1-0 against Ajax, and I definitely don’t see Groningen making it two on Sunday. I expect a very tight encounter though where both teams will be content with a point. 1-1

NAC Breda v Vitesse

Michael’s prediction: I was surprised that Vitesse couldn’t put Emmen to the sword last weekend. It looked a case though of missed chances; let’s not forget they would have won the match had Bryan Linssen not slipped on his penalty miss. They will comfortably beat NAC who have the league’s worst defence and second worst attack. 1-3 | Tip: Over 2.5 goals.

Alex’s prediction: There’s not much good to say about NAC at the moment and Vitesse know they can put themselves in an excellent position with three very winnable fixtures for them between now and the break. 1-2

How has Michael done so far?

Week 1: 4 results and 1 correct score | 6/9 betting tips won (WON versus author Ferdi Delies [2 results])

Week 2: 5 results | 2/9 betting tips won (LOST versus writer Alex Dieker [6 results])

Week 3: 3 results and 1 correct score | 4/9 betting tips won (DRAW versus author Abdul Al Sayed [4 results])

Week 4: 2 results | 5/9 betting tips won (LOST versus IMG UK’s Eredivisie Highlights Show expert Jonathan Beck [5 results and 2 correct scores])

Week 5: 4 results | 5/9 betting tips won (WON versus Notts County winger Enzio Boldewijn [3 results])

Week 6: 6 results and 2 correct scores | 7/9 betting tips won (WON versus Football-Oranje writer Charlie Pritchard [5 results and 1 correct score])

Week 7: 6 results and 2 correct scores | 7/9 betting tips won (WON versus Willem II graphic designer FootyGraphic [3 results])

Week 8: 6 results | 6/9 betting tips won (LOST versus commentator Paul Thomas Clay [7 results and 2 correct scores])

Week 9: 8 results and 4 correct scores | 7/9 betting tips won (WON versus Football Manager researcher Jeroen Thijssen [7 results and 1 correct score])

Week 10: 6 results and 3 correct scores | 5/9 betting tips won (WON versus PSV-watcher and Eindhovens Dagblad journalist Rik Elfrink [4 results and 1 correct score])

Week 11: 5 results* and 1 correct score | 4/8* betting tips won (WON versus secretary of England’s eighth division Matt Jones [4* results]) *=Feyenoord v VVV cancelled

Week 12: 6 results | 4/9 betting tips won (WON versus Sky Sports journalist Joshua Hayward [4 results])

Week 13: 5 results and 1 correct score | 6/9 betting tips won (LOST versus Northampton Town’s Dutch striker Kevin van Veen [6 results and 1 correct score])

Week 14: 4 results | 7/9 betting tips won (DRAW versus Football-Oranje.com editor Michael Bell [4 results])




Michael Statham (800 Posts)

Writer/interviewer/YouTuber for Football-Oranje. Massive Dutch football fan from the UK. Follow me @EredivisieMike & subscribe to Football-Oranje on YouTube.