Eredivisie Predictions & Betting 21/22: Round 29

Every week in the 2021/22 season, Football-Oranje’s Michael Statham gives you his previews and predictions for each Dutch Eredivisie round.

• by Michael Statham
• Follow Michael on Twitter @EredivisieMike

Friday, 8th April

Go Ahead Eagles v Willem II

Go Ahead Eagles have only lost once in their last six Eredivisie games. Their recent run has seen them all but secure their Eredivisie safety for next season. All three promoted sides are comfortably in mid-table now.

Last time, Luuk Brouwers wasn’t available for the 1-0 win at Zwolle in the Overijssel derby. However, the midfielder, who has notched eight goals from central midfield this season, was not missed as the Eagles nicked a last-minute victory.

What effect has Kevin Hofland had since taking charge of Willem II? So far, he has overseen a 2-2 draw with AZ and a 2-0 defeat to Feyenoord. Interestingly, in both games, the Tilburgers defended very deeply, which in some ways worked. They will need to be more open as they aim for points in Deventer.

The style that both of these sides play suggest to me that it is unlikely to contain many goals. I think the home side will dictate lots of the play and the visitors will continue to struggle. 2-0

Saturday, 9th April

FC Utrecht v Fortuna Sittard

Sadly for Fortuna fans, lately their side have seemingly got worse – not better – in the vital relegation scrap. The Sittard side are right in it, sitting 17th (second from bottom and in the second automatic relegation berth). They have lost four of their last five, and in their last defeat (a 0-2 home loss to Heracles), they played out a passive first half before defensive errors cost them the game.

Utrecht are seventh. They are set to face their second game with Rick Kruys as interim head coach. Dick Advocaat is in place as an advisery role (away from media). Whilst there is little to play for for Utrecht in the run-up to the end-of-season play-offs, they will want to find some rhythm with the new coach.

Fortuna will have to silence the Utrecht forwards if they are to get a result. I pick that out because away from home they will have little of the ball and I don’t think their defenders are solid enough to keep out the pace and dynamism of Utrecht who remain a talented side despite their below-par season. That’s why I’m predicting a home win (albeit not a large one). 2-0

Ajax v Sparta Rotterdam

Usually this would be a very straight forward prediction to make, but some recent events have put a seed of doubt in my mind. Ultimately, yes, this will most likely be a roomy home victory.

Ajax prided themselves on an impeccable record of goals conceded for the first half of the season. They have, however, only kept one clean sheet in eight now. This coincided chiefly with Marc Overmars’s difficult departure from the club, and André Onana replacing the injured Remko Pasveer in the Ajax goal. Onana has certainly made some mistakes since his re-introduction into the side. Once so dependable and impressive, the year out of football has clearly impacted the Cameroonian. The poor form has cost Ajax their Champions League run and kept the title race alive when Ajax could have been out of sight by now.

My other apprehension was due to Sparta’s revival. They have kept games tighter which means scoring once is enough to get a draw or a win.

All that said, Sparta will rarely be able to step over the half-way line, such will be their dependency on defending. Therefore, Ajax may actually keep a clean sheet. 3-0

NEC Nijmegen v FC Twente

9th-placed NEC will be a tough test for European hopefuls FC Twente. A week ago, NEC won an entertaining, end-to-end game with fellow mid-table side Cambuur.

Speaking of ‘end-to-end’, how about Twente’s 3-3 draw with PSV? Possibly the match of the season, but Twente’s supporters will be ruing missed chances to score four or five when PSV were flailing defensively in the first half. More and more, the Tukkers have increasing attacking threat – I hope Ron Jans can keep the majority of this team together for the next campaign given how well they have been playing as a unit.

Normally, Jans’s men are solid: three clean sheets in a row before the PSV match. Twente have some goals in the side, and NEC seem to be playing more freely lately – not as regimented as they were the goals that following a 5-0 drubbing to Ajax at the very beginning of the season. In a game that is difficult to call, that’s why I’m going with over 2.5 goals. 2-2

Sunday, 10th April

Heerenveen v FC Groningen

Heerenveen remaining unbeaten in their last four matches – albeit against sides in the relegation scrap – means they have almost avoided a devastating relegation from the Eredivisie. The bottom half is so tightly packed that a win against local rivals Groningen could see them in contention for a European play-off place at the end of the season. I think that is very unlikely, but it has been good to see Heerenveen playing more like a team and they have a bit of promise looking ahead to next season under a new head coach.

Groningen will also be going in a different direction next season, but they have been pretty good of late. Danny Buijs is going to leave the Northern side in a good place after a tricky start to the campaign. Given that the visitors have looked the better team lately, the ball is in their court to avoid defeat in this derby. The last four editions of this fixture in Friesland have ended 1-1; maybe we’ll get a fifth! 1-1

Vitesse Arnhem v Cambuur

At the end of 2021, Vitesse travelled to Leeuwarden and thrashed this Sunday’s opponents. I think Vitesse will edge a victory here and there should be a few goals to entertain the supporters in this low-stakes end-of-season affair.

Thomas Letsch said after his side’s 3-1 loss to AZ that he felt as though his team were unfortunate to lose and AZ only got the fine details right on their way to victory. With little to play for, I’m hoping Vitesse can let loose their rigid style of play, and Cambuur almost always give you a ‘both teams to score’. 2-1

PSV v RKC Waalwijk

PSV looked a good match for Leicester on Thursday in their Europa Conference League encounter. The second leg comes the following Thursday, where they will want all of their best players fit, so I am expecting a bit of rotation from Roger Schmidt. Defensive midfielder Ibrahim Sangaré stood out for his combative performance, but his side will require a different kind of performance on Sunday to break down a low block.

As I have mentioned several times this season, RKC have a pretty good away record in the Eredivisie. They never know when they are beaten. They might be able to get under PSV’s skin if their thoughts are focussed on Thursday, especially with Ajax nearly out of sight at this late stage of the season. 2-0

Heracles Almelo v Feyenoord

Feyenoord will also be thinking of their crucial second leg on Thursday as they chase a European semi-final. I think some players will be given a rest because of Feyenoord’s relatively small squad.

Meanwhile, Heracles were just pleased to pick up their first away win of the season last time out. They held on for a bit against Fortuna and struck their goals at the right time. Left-back Giacomo Quagliata, who netted one of the goals in the 0-2 win, mentioned afterwards that Heracles have been working really hard on the training pitch to make things right away from home.

I just think Feyenoord aren’t going to find Sunday particularly easy. Perhaps without their best eleven, and travelling to play on astro-turf, it is a difficult match without the confidence of having first-choice goalkeeper Justin Bijlow behind you. Reserve Ofir Marciano has not covered himself in glory since filling in for Bijlow. 2-1

PEC Zwolle v AZ Alkmaar

PEC Zwolle continue to drop points at a crucial stage of the season. Their oomph under Dick Schreuder has been lost. They have been losing games by narrow margins, which must be frustrating for supporters when conceding just once has been enough to inflict the last three defeats by one goal to nil.

Unfortunately for them, I think AZ will turn up and win here. Getting knocked out of Europe will have left a bitter taste on their season full of growth. A 3-1 win over Vitesse last time out though will have restored some confidence, and AZ do tend to create and score well on the road. 1-2

How has Michael done so far?

Week 1: 4/9 results | 5/9 betting tips

Week 2: 4/8 results | 6/8 betting tips

Week 3: 5/9 results | 6/9 betting tips

Week 4: 4/8 results | 5/8 betting tips

Week 5: 5/9 results | 7/9 betting tips

Week 6: 4/9 results and 1 correct score | 8/9 betting tips

Week 7: 5/9 results and 1 correct score | 7/9 betting tips

Week 8: 6/9 results and 1 correct score | 6/9 betting tips

Week 9: 2/9 results | 3/8* betting tips *-one void

Week 10: 4/9 results and 1 correct score | 6/9 betting tips

Week 11: 5/9 results | 4/9 betting tips

Week 12: 4/9 results | 4/9 betting tips

Week 13: 5/9 results and 2 correct scores | 5/9 betting tips

Week 14: 5/9 results | 5/9 betting tips

Week 15: 4/9 results | 6/9 betting tips

Week 16: 2/9 results and 1 correct score | 5/9 betting tips

Week 17: 5/9 results | 7/9 betting tips

Week 18: 6/9 results and 2 correct scores | 8/9 betting tips

Week 19: 3/9 results and 2 correct scores | 5/9 betting tips

Week 20: 3/9 results and 1 correct score | 2/9 betting tips

Week 21: 7/9 results and 2 correct scores | 6/9 betting tips (click Eredivisie on here to see my betting tips)

Week 22: 4/9 results | 4/9 betting tips (click Eredivisie on here to see my betting tips)

Week 23: 5/8* results and 2 correct scores | 5/8* betting tips *game postponed (click Eredivisie on here to see my betting tips)

Week 24: 5/9 results and 1 correct score | 6/9 betting tips (click Eredivisie on here to see my betting tips)

Week 25: 7/8* results and 1 correct score | 5/8* betting tips *game suspended (click Eredivisie on here to see my betting tips)

Week 26: 7/9 results and 2 correct scores | 8/9 betting tips

Week 27: 6/9 results and 1 correct score | 7/9 betting tips

Week 28: 4/9 results and 2 correct scores | 6/9 betting tips