Every week in the 2019/20 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 week, it’s Utrecht podcast: Red White Podcast.
- by Michael Statham
- Follow Michael on Twitter @EredivisieMike
- Follow Red White Podcast on Twitter @RedWhitePod
Friday, 24th January
FC Utrecht v ADO Den Haag
Michael’s prediction: Utrecht were the better team against PEC Zwolle last Friday, but came away with a 3-3 draw due to goalkeeping errors from Jeroen Zoet on his debut. The PSV loanee also wasn’t convincing in the cup win against FC Eindhoven in mid-week. ADO will take any hope of causing an upset in Utrecht given their precarious position, which Alan Pardew has already begun to alleviate after a work-hard victory to beat RKC. ADO will do lots of running on Friday night but can they keep the better-quality hosts quiet? 2-1 | Tip: ADO +1.5 Asian handicap.
Maurits’s prediction: Now with Willem Janssen out for the season and a few other key players out for weeks, I don’t see a Utrecht win against a renewed Den Haag side. Pardew will undoubtedly park the bus and we tend to struggle breaking down teams who do that to us. A point is all we’re going to get. 1-1
Saturday, 25th December
Heerenveen v AZ Alkmaar
Michael’s prediction: Heerenveen had been keeping an unlikely reputation of a strong defence this season, until they let in three soft goals as they lost at Feyenoord. AZ also aren’t on top form; two successive losses now see them six points behind Ajax. Against Willem II, AZ were slick in the first half but they didn’t keep the ball as well in the second and their centre-backs Vlaar and Wuytens were caught out against the pacey Willem II attack. Let’s see who responds better out of these two sides. I’m backing AZ to win an entertaining encounter. 2-3 | Tip: Over 2.5 goals.
Maurits’s prediction: I’ve been quite amazed how Johnny Jansen has turned it around this season. His team does look like a real team this year, contrary to the last couple of seasons where they conceded an enormous amount of goals. AZ have been on a bad run so I reckon Heerenveen will win this one. 2-1
RKC Waalwijk v VVV-Venlo
Michael’s prediction: RKC couldn’t make the most of the majority of possession against ADO, and now they face another relegation battle: VVV who sit only just above them. Losing to both ADO and VVV would seem fatal to RKC’s chances of survival. I think Venlo will be buoyed by their point with PSV and Lee Cattermole’s return from injury seems to have lifted the fans. RKC have previously raised their game at home for crucial wins but I think this is VVV’s time to shine. 1-2 | Tip: VVV draw no bet.
Maurits’s prediction: RKC lost one of their key players in Stijn Spierings this winter and they haven’t been the same since that. Venlo on the other hand played really well last week and were very unfortunate to concede late on against PSV. An easy win for Hans de Koning’s team. 0-2
Heracles v Feyenoord – Delayed airing on Premier Sports 2
Michael’s prediction: Heracles will be disappointed to have fallen so limply to defeat against Emmen at the weekend and to Vitesse in the Cup in mid-week. That’s why I think Feyenoord will win this one as they are on the up. 1-3 | Tip: Berghuis to score.
Maurits’s prediction: Dick Advocaat has brought life to a crumbling Feyenoord side. He’s turned them into a solid team again, who are hard to break down. Heracles are coming off two defeats against Emmen and Vitesse in the cup, hence why I think they will be an easy pray for Feyenoord. 1-3
Sparta Rotterdam v Fortuna Sittard
Michael’s prediction: Sparta will look to win this game to put further distance between themselves and the bottom three. Fortuna, despite their magnificent run of home wins, didn’t have the most convincing display against Vitesse last weekend, so I worry for them in the long run; they’re becoming over-reliant on their home form. I saw enough from Sparta last weekend in their battle with Ajax to suggest they will win this game well – they have good, physical forwards who will give the Fortuna back four a tough time. 2-0 | Tip: Sparta + 1.5 team goals.
Maurits’s prediction: Sparta made life very difficult for Ajax last week, and the champions were very lucky to get away with the victory. Fortuna on the other hand tend to struggle in away matches, and I don’t think this here will be any different. An easy three-pointer for Henk Fraser and Sparta. 3-0
Sunday, 26th January
Vitesse Arnhem v FC Emmen
Michael’s prediction: I can list some positives about Emmen’s team going into this fixture with Vitesse; however, I think the fact they are away from home says enough: one point and five goals all season away from Emmen. Vitesse will be too strong. 3-1 | Tip: Over 2.5 goals.
Maurits’s prediction: Since Edward Sturing took over in Arnhem, they have been very convincing. They’ve won in two relatively difficult away matches, and I don’t see them slipping up against FC Emmen either. Tim Matavz looks bang in form, I’ll predict he’ll score a hattrick on Sunday. 4-1
Willem II v PEC Zwolle
Michael’s prediction: Willem II won again this season against one of the strongest four teams in the Netherlands: AZ last Saturday. Once they got to grips with the game, their forwards put AZ’s back four under a lot of pressure; and their quality in front of goal made the difference. I think they’ll have plenty in reserve to break down a flakey PEC Zwolle. 2-0 | Tip: Willem II + 1.5 team goals.
Maurits’s prediction: Adrie Koster’s side had awful luck yesterday during their cup match against Heerenveen, conceding a penalty which wasn’t one in a million years. I think and I hope they’ll struggle to win games from now on, and a revitalised PEC Zwolle side is in my view the team they don’t want to play now. 1-1
FC Groningen v Ajax – Delayed airing on Premier Sports 2
Michael’s prediction: How fortunate were Ajax against Sparta? For so long, it seemed a below-par, yet comfortable win in Amsterdam but Sparta should have taken at least a draw given the chances they created despite having very little possession all game. Ajax’s centre-backs were targeted, and Lisandro Martinez (oddly awarded man-of-the-match) lost many aerial duels. Groningen may choose to make the most of crosses into the box or set pieces to get a result here. I think the hosts will raise their game and claim a point. 1-1 | Tip: Groningen double chance.
Maurits’s prediction: Ajax are running away with the league and I really don’t see them screwing up in the north. Despite Hakim Ziyech’s injury I don’t see any problem for the champions this Sunday. 1-2
PSV v FC Twente – Delayed airing on Premier Sports 2
Michael’s prediction: Two sides who are lacking a cutting edge. Twente have failed to net in their previous three Eredivisie matches, but a lethal striker would love to play in their side with the pace and creative passing in their build-up play. Their pace may suit them on the counter-attack in Eindhoven. PSV are sorely missing a striker, and I don’t think they’ll have one for the rest of the season to play 90 minutes a match until Sam Lammers returns from injury. Either Twente sneak a point or PSV narrowly claim victory. 2-1| Tip: Both teams to score.
Maurits’s prediction: PSV have had bad luck with injuries this season. Their star player Donyell Malen is out for a long time, but despite that I don’t think Twente can and will cause them any trouble whatsoever. They’ll want to bounce back from the bad performance against VVV so a defensively weak team like Twente is exactly what they want. 4-0
How has Michael done so far?
Week 1: 2 results + 5/9 correct betting tips | Lost versus Derby County goalkeeper Kelle Roos [6 results]
Week 2: 5 results + 3/9 betting tips | Lost versus Football Manager head researcher Jeroen Thijssen [5 results & 1 correct score]
Week 3: 4 results & 1 correct score + 5/9 betting tips | Won versus ED journalist and PSV-watcher Rik Elfrink [4 results]
Week 4: **2 results & 1 correct score + 4/6 betting tips | Lost versus ED journalist Chris Ottens [**3 results] **reduced schedule of only 6 matches
Week 5: 4 results + 6/9 betting tips | Won versus commentator Phil Blacker [3 results & 1 correct score]
Week 6: 6 results & 1 correct score + 7/9 betting tips | Lost versus EiF founder & journalist Marc Gerschwind [8 results & 2 correct scores]
Week 7: 5 results & 1 correct score + 5/9 betting tips | Won versus commentator Jonathan Beck [4 results]
Week 8: 5 results + 5/9 betting tips | Lost versus commentator Paul Thomas Clay [6 results & 1 correct score]
Week 9: 6 results & 1 correct score + 4/9 betting tips | Won versus “Eredivisie Out of Context’s” Yorin Schrader [5 results]
Week 10: 2 results + 2/9 betting tips | Lost versus Eredivisie scout Xander Wilkinson [3 results]
Week 11: 5 results and 1 correct score + 6/9 betting tips | Lost versus VVV-Venlo midfielder Lee Cattermole [6 results and 2 correct scores]
Week 12: 5 results and 1 correct score + 5/9 betting tips | Won versus football graphic designer Joeri Gosens [4 results and 1 correct score]
Week 13: 6 results + 6/9 betting tips | Won versus betting tipster MegaFootyTips [5 results and 1 correct score]
Week 14: 3 results and 1 correct score + 5/9 (+ one void) betting tips | Lost versus betting tipster Crypto [5 results and 3 correct scores]
Week 15: 5 results and 1 correct score + 5/9 betting tips | Won versus author Abdul Al Sayed [5 results]
Week 16: 5 results + 4/9 betting tips | Won versus tactical analyst Thom Bleijerveld [4 results and 1 correct score]
Week 17: 4 results and 1 correct score + 4/8 & 1 void betting tips | Lost versus Groningen podcaster Maarten Siepel [5 results and 1 correct score]
Week 18: 6 results and 2 correct scores + 6/9 betting tips | Won versus journalist Maarten Elst [4 results]
Week 19: 5 results and 3 correct score + 4/9 betting tips | Won versus commentator Richard Connelly [5 results]
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Writer/interviewer/YouTuber for Football-Oranje. Massive Dutch football fan from the UK. Follow me @EredivisieMike & subscribe to Football-Oranje on YouTube.
