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 Maarten Elst, who is a writer for BN Stem Amateurvoetbal.

  • by Michael Statham
  • Follow Michael on Twitter @EredivisieMike
  • Follow Maarten on Twitter @elstmaarten

Friday 1st February

De Graafschap v NAC Breda

Michael’s prediction: A huge match at the bottom of the table to start the weekend. Barring some unlikely good form, I can’t see either of these teams avoiding the bottom three come the end of the season, but if either are to pull off a shock in that, they will be relying upon home form. De Graafschap have won all their Eredivisie matches this season on home turf, and whenever they win, they win well. I sense a similarly intense and attacking performance here. 3-1 | Tip: Over 2.5 goals.

Maarten’s prediction: NAC Breda had a stinker last week against ADO Den Haag (1-1). The choice of head coach Mitchell van der Gaag to start Giovanni Korte nearly cost him his job. Henk de Jong’s De Graafschap are catching up with teams like Excelsior, FC Groningen and opponents NAC Breda and could overtake them with a win. 1-1

Saturday 2nd February

Vitesse v Heerenveen

Michael’s prediction: It’s only two league wins in six for a stuttering Vitesse, mostly against teams in the bottom half of the table. Heerenveen are a team they should beat given the visitors’ leaky defence, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Frisians pull off another good attacking display (like against Ajax) and start to put the pressure on Leonid Slutsky. 1-2 | Tip: Heerenveen double chance.

Maarten’s prediction: Vitesse aren’t easy to beat at The GelreDome this season. The team, coached by Leonid Slutskiy, only lost at home against Ajax. Heerenveen has a week defence with an average of 2.4 goals conceded per match. Only De Graafschap and Excelsior are doing worse. I reckon Vitesse will grab an easy victory. 3-1

Willem II v Groningen

Michael’s prediction: It’s been a great week for Willem II. Successive league wins and a KNVB Beker semi-final awaits. Who needs Fran Sol? I have a feeling that struggling Groningen will pick up a point in Tilburg as they have looked more solid in recent weeks. 1-1 | Tip: Both teams to score.

Maarten’s prediction: With two victories in a row, Willem II are getting closer to the play-offs for European football. The Tricolores have only picked up eight points in nine home games; only new Eredivisie side Emmen (seven) and Heerenveen (six) have picked up less points at home. Groningen frustrated league leaders PSV last weekend. I think it will be a close call between those teams with Groningen picking up a crucial win. 0-1

Ajax v VVV-Venlo

Michael’s prediction: Surely, after disappointing and humiliating results against Heerenveen and Feyenoord respectively, Ajax can only react with a blistering and professional win over VVV. With Ajax, it’s always a question of mentality; they are riddled with overconfidence and immaturity when things don’t go their way. 4-0 | Tip: Ajax -1.5 Asian handicap.

Maarten’s prediction: Well, that Klassieker didn’t go as planned for Ajax. Feyenoord destroyed them 6-2. I think that after that big loss and the draw against Heerenveen (4-4), Ajax are desperate to win at home against VVV-Venlo. The away team can only defend and pray for a miracle, as they have never picked up a point in the Johan Cruijff ArenA. 4-0

AZ v Emmen

Michael’s prediction: Emmen have been playing well recently and have the results to show for it. I think though that with AZ returning to some good form again, the visitors won’t stand much of a chance. It’s brilliant to see Calvin Stengs fit and firing again – he’ll lead AZ to victory. 3-1 | Tip: Over 2.5 goals.

Maarten’s prediction: I never expected that Emmen would impress in away games this season. Coach Dick Lukkien plays entertaining football and shows that his side has stamina. Only five other teams scored more goals in the last fifteen minutes of the game, astonishing! But I think that AZ will still win this home game. It will take some effort, but they will beat Emmem in the end. One to watch: Calvin Stengs, quality player of AZ. 2-1

Sunday 3rd February

Excelsior v Feyenoord

Michael’s prediction: After defeating Ajax so convincingly, I would fully expect Feyenoord to win this one comfortably too. Gio van Bronckhorst’s main issue as Feyenoord manager is getting his team up for these sorts of matches – the ones they should win well. It’s not a certain victory, not at all, but the quality should tell. 1-2 | Tip: Both teams to score.

Maarten’s prediction: The Rotterdam derby, always a tough match for Feyenoord. In 2017, Feyenoord nearly lost the title after a 3-0 loss. After the great victory last weekend against rivals Ajax, I think Feyenoord will also win two miles away against Excelsior. 0-2

PSV v Fortuna Sittard

Michael’s prediction: PSV have wobbled recently but they should still have enough to see out a bad few performances and win professionally against Fortuna Sittard, who are still a brave and plucky team to be reckoned with on their day, as exemplified by their win in De Kuip this season (0-2). I think Luuk de Jong will be key to the win. 2-0 | Tip: de Jong to score at any time.

Maarten’s prediction: PSV head coach Mark van Bommel meets his first team as a player at home. In Sittard, PSV really struggled and escaped with a last minute victory (1-2). After Lozano was subbed off last weekend, PSV didn’t dominate the game and nearly lost two crucial points. A point in Eindhoven will be the maximum result for Kevin Hofland’s Fortuna, who coached some of the current PSV players as youth coach back in 2017. 2-0

PEC Zwolle v Utrecht

Michael’s prediction: I have been so impressed with Jaap Stam’s start to life as PEC Zwolle manager. This match against Utrecht will be tricky for sure, but the away side are often ‘off-colour’ on the road. Dick Advocaat will be keen to put three defeats in a row behind his team, but I think Stam’s success is set to continue. 2-1 | Tip: Both score no draw.

Maarten’s prediction: FC Utrecht were shocked last weekend. PEC Zwolle on the other hand started 2019 very well with two deserved victories in two games. If coach Jaap Stam also wins his third match in a row, his team will be out of the relegation picture. I reckon it will be a draw or FC Utrecht will steal it once again like the past editions of this match. 1-1

ADO Den Haag v Heracles

Michael’s prediction: Both of these teams are on runs of poor results. ADO I’ve been particularly disappointed with when watching their games – they’re dull. Heracles have won only two games in eleven and are producing far less attacking guile than they were at the start of the campaign (as expected). I think both teams will just about be safe from relegation this season, but I wouldn’t be surprised if both were also sweating a little in a couple of months’ time… 1-1 | Tip: Both teams to score.

Maarten’s prediction: Two teams completely out of form with both picking up just two victories in the last ten games. The pacey strike force of ADO Den Haag could be dangerous for their opponents. Again a close call between two mid-table sides. ADO Den Haag might win if Abdenasser El Khayati shows once again his quality. 1-1

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])

Week 15: 5 results | 8/9 betting tips won (WON versus writer Alex Moretto)

Week 16: 5 results and 1 correct score | 5/9 betting tips won (WON versus Football-Oranje.com writer James Rowe [4 results])

Week 17: 5 results and 1 correct score | 5/9 betting tips won (WON versus ZiggoSport editor Joep Smeets [4 results and 1 correct score])

Week 18: 3 results | 6/9 betting tips won (LOST versus FC Utrecht e-Sporter Danny Hazebroek)

Week 19: 4 results and 1 correct score | 2/9 betting tips won (WON versus Football-Oranje.com writer Alex Royal [1 result])




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.