What: Dutch Eredivisie
Who: Ajax vs Feyenoord
When: Sunday 18th August, 2013, at 11:30 UK Time
Where: Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam, Netherlands

The Enemy Within

After three consecutive title wins, Ajax’s worst enemy in the Eredivisie could be themselves. Frank de Boer has an unchanged squad, packed with quality and only improved by the loaning of Bojan Krkic from Barcelona. However, Ajax will hope that the likes of Toby Alderweireld, Christian Eriksen, Siem de Jong and Ricardo van Rhijn, who have all been tipped for summer moves, can stay focused.

Ajax started the season in style by beating AZ Alkmaar 3-2 in the Dutch Super Cup. After a first half they dominated, but could not create any clear chances, Ajax fell two goals behind. They woke up though and bounced back with two goals in the last 20 minutes, before De Jong’s header secured the club’s eighth Super Cup.

After a comfortable Eredivisie opener against Roda (a 3-0 win), Ajax then lost 3-2 in Alkmaar, but had been leading 2-1 when Van Rhijn was shown a red card. The talented right-back is not the only regular performer that Ajax will miss against Feyenoord, as captain De Jong has been sidelined for six weeks due to a collapsed lung. Positive news for De Boer has come from the flanks, with Viktor Fischer improving his performances on the left, while on the right Krkic has enjoyed a good impact, in a role in which last season the Ajax coach deployed no less than six players.

Right Place, Wrong Time

When Ronald Koeman joined Feyenoord in the summer of 2011, the Rotterdam side were a declining club whose maximum aim was a spot in the Europa League. Koeman led Feyenoord to third place in 2012 and then to second in 2013. And that is the reason why the coach commented in July “this season will be the most difficult since I have been here”. To do better means bringing back the title, which Feyenoord have not won since 1999.

The club have worked to keep the team which raced for the title last term together. Technical director Martin van Geel has secured contract extensions for key players, including Jordy Clasie and Stefan de Vrij, and rising talents Tonny Vilhena and Jean-Paul Boetius. Feyenoord have also definitively bought striker Graziano Pelle, who had been in Rotterdam on loan from Parma.

This season Koeman has begun to work on new tactical options for his team. Feyenoord have become too dependent on Pelle, who scored 27 goals last term, and a ‘give the ball to the Italian and see what happens’ approach is not enough anymore. The side are still a work in process, as defeats against Zwolle (2-1) and Twente (a painful 4-1 at De Kuip) have shown. For the Rotterdammers, this is their worst Eredivisie start since the 1963/64 season. De Klassieker does not arrive at the right moment for Koeman’s men.

 


Recent form

Ajax:
Ajax 3-2 AZ Alkmaar (27/07; Dutch Super Cup)
Ajax 3-0 Roda Kerkrade (02/08; Eredivisie)
AZ Alkmaar 3-2 Ajax (11/08; Eredivisie) 

Feyenoord:
Feyenoord 3–1 Getafe (28/07; friendly)
Zwolle 2-1 Feyenoord (04/08; Eredivisie)
Feyenoord 1–4 Twente (11/08; Eredivisie) 

Players to watch

Ajax – Christian Eriksen: Despite being one of the hottest names on the transfer market, the Danish jewel is still at Ajax. Eriksen does not look disappointed though – at least on the pitch. The playmaker has had an outstanding start to the season, as two brilliant free-kick goals (both against AZ) and a superb performance against Roda (voted man of the match) have shown. Here against Feyenoord, Eriksen is looking for his fourth consecutive goal in a Klassieker game, as Sjaaw Swart, Wim Kieft and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar have done for Ajax before him. Keeping Eriksen at Ajax for another season would be a masterstroke.

Feyenoord – Jordy Clasie: The ‘little Xavi’ from Haarlem is expected to have his breakthrough season. Clasie ended last term with a disappointing experience at the European Under-21 Championship in Israel, where he lost his place in Holland’s starting eleven to future Chelsea man Marco van Ginkel. The playmaker’s first two Eredivisie games were far from being impressive, but he has the talent and personality to quickly put himself back on track. Facing a tactical mastermind in Eriksen could be the spark that makes one of the brightest products of Feyenoord’s academy shine again.

Match Prediction

Last January, Ajax beat Feyenoord at the Amsterdam ArenA 3-0. Most of the players in that game will be on the pitch here. While Ajax’s morale is still high despite a defeat in Alkmaar, Feyenoord’s has been affected by two consecutive losses. Moreover, Ajax are looking a more well-oiled machine than Feyenoord, with the Rotterdammers still searching for a strong tactical identity. Expect a repeat of January. Ajax 3-0 Feyenoord.

Betting on Ajax v Feyenoord? Don't before you've visited Inside Bet!