Dutch EreDivision
2008-03-30 - AZ Alkmaar vs Vitesse Arnhem
A Sports Betting Pick by Erik
Netherlands, Eredivisie
Sunday, 30th March 2008 - KO 13:30
AZ Alkmaar
AZ is currently on the twelfth place in the ranking and the team has been working on a very disappointing season failing to collect a win in their last twelve matches. With nine points separating them from a place in the top nine of the ranking with four more games to play, a defeat against Vitesse on Sunday will leave the team chanceless for a place in the play-offs for a European ticket next season.
Last weekend AZ drew 0-0 at home to De Graafschap in a very poor game with Jaliens (def) missing in front op an open goal two minutes from time, which was one of the main highlights in the game with AZ failing to create any good chances.
Despite not being able to win a game in their last twelve matches the team has been playing very decent but the main problem of AZ remains failing to translate their created chances into goals with their two main strikers Ari (att) and Pelle (att) scoring only eleven times together this season.
When we compare this to last season with Koevermans (att) and Arveladze (att) as the two main strikers for AZ, both players managed to find the net 34 times with Koevermans (att) scoring 22 times.
AZ will still be without the longterm injured Luirink (def), Schaars (mid), Martens (att) and Didulica (gk) while Poulsen (mid) will return in the selection being recovered from the flu.
Vitesse Arnhem
Vitesse is currently sitting in the tenth place in the ranking and the team dropped two points in their race for a place in the top nine of the ranking last Friday drawing 3-3 at home to NAC Breda.
Vitesse got 0-2 down within twelve minutes and being 1-3 down at halftime the team managed to fight themselves back into the game in the second half thanks to two goals from Kolk (att).
With two points separating them from the ninth place Vitesse will travel to AZ on Sunday and team manager De Mos will have the disposal of a fully fit selection apart from Rabockzi (gk) and Hui (att) with both players not being regular starting eleven choices.
Previous meetings
15/04/2007 AZ - Vitesse 1-0
04/02/2006 AZ - Vitesse 1-1
19/03/2005 AZ - Vitesse 3-0
03/04/2004 AZ - Vitesse 2-1
06/10/2002 AZ - Vitesse 1-3
02/02/2002 AZ - Vitesse 0-0
22/10/2000 AZ - Vitesse 0-2
07/05/2000 AZ - Vitesse 0-1
The Verdict
AZ failed to collect a win for twelve times in a row now and the team will have to be getting in the winning mood very soon in order not to drop into the danger zone with only six points separating them from the sixteenth place.
With Vitesse visitingon Sunday the main thing that tempted me into a bet was the high price on offer for AZ with $1.90+ being matched at the exchanges for the home win.
Now, I do realize that AZ is not in the best of form but looking at Vitesse last Friday also the visitors are not in the best of shape conceding two goals against NAC Breda in a very childish way and failing to translate their field dominance in the second half into more goals.
With AZ slowly getting some grip on the situation I do believe the turning point has to come sooner or later with AZ playing a very good game on the road to FC Utrecht (2-2) two weeks ago and when the team manages to open the score against Vitesse I think AZ will be able to book their first win in a long time despite not having the best home record over the past eight seasons.
BEST BETTING TIP :
My bet: AZ to win $1.91 (Betfair)5/10 units staked on this one
