FC Emmen v Roda JC

We have seven Eerste Divisie games this Friday and the first one is probably the most interesting game, between FC Emmen and Roda JC. Emmen just reached their main goal and won promotion to the top flight. There were several parties in Emmen last weekend and the pressure is clearly off. They still have a title to win, but in the second division that is far less important than promotion. And even for the title, they look solid, with a six point lead over number two FC Volendam and three matches to go.

In Roda JC, they’ll meet a team who are fighting for their last chance at direct promotion. The side from Limburg has already secured promotion/relegation play-offs, but with eight points behind number two FC Volendam, only a victory may keep them in the race to go straight up. FC Emmen and Roda JC top the form table for the last 10 and 20 matches and the expectations are that it will be a good match between two different styles. FC Emmen are by far the team that conceded the least goals, while Roda are by some distance the highest scoring team in 2022.

Emmen will be without right back Keziah Veendorp, who was sent off last game, but seem to otherwise have a full squad. It looks like Roda JC are at full strength as well and with Dylan Vente, they have a striker who finds the goal very easy this year. It is a clash of styles, but I suspect that FC Emmen may have lost a bit of focus after the promotion celebrations and I think Roda will pick up a result here.

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NAC Breda v FC Dordrecht

After Emmen and Roda JC, NAC Breda is one of the other teams who are topping the form table in 2022. It brought them to the edge of the play-offs, but they still need a few points to be certain. With a four-point lead over de Graafschap (the ninth place de Graafschap may or may not get play-offs, depending on who wins the fourth phase title) they can almost book a spot in the play-offs.

NAC are facing one of the weaker teams in the league and FC Dordrecht don’t have anything to play for anymore. That doesn’t mean they will throw this game, but with the holidays coming close for these players, it may affect their motivation on getting a result here, especially once they fall behind. NAC will be without winger Kaj de Rooij for this game but should have the rest of their usual starting XI available. Since fans are allowed back into the stadium two months ago, NAC haven’t lost a home game. In fact, they won most matches by more than a one-goal difference. A full stadium is also expected for this game and that’s why I expect NAC won’t struggle too much to go past Dordrecht and beat them very comfortably.

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TOP Oss v Almere City

TOP Oss and Almere City are both in reasonable form, especially Almere who still have a reasonable chance of making the play-offs. For that to happen, they have to make up two points on Roda JC in this fourth phase and stay ahead of FC Eindhoven and FC Den Bosch in that table. But what stands out for both sides is that they find the net a lot easier than earlier in the season. Almere scored in each of their last seven games and TOP in each of their last five games.

Where Almere has got everything to play for, TOP only has a minor chance on a play-off spot. However, a victory could keep them in the race. TOP Oss striker Kay Tejan doesn’t have the form from the start of 2022 but is still very important in the side and Dean Geuzen has now twice come to the rescue from the bench with an injury time winner.

At Almere City, Tijmen Wildeboer is back from an injury. The striker, who had his breakthrough earlier this year, missed the last six games due to an injury. He is not a sure starter, but could force something towards the end of the game. As neither of the teams have played very conservative recently and especially Almere still has everything to play for, I expect a game with goals.

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Excelsior v Jong AZ

Excelsior have probably been the best-attacking team in the league this season, but lately, it looks like they have run out of steam. After one point from the last three games they are pretty much out of contention for direct promotion and it seems they are dragging themselves to the end of the season. Manager Marinus Dijkhuizen previously complained that the depth in the attacking line is minimal and that seems to cost them continuously. They still have a small chance of making it, but very few people in Rotterdam believe in that. On the other side, they are already qualified for the promotion/relegation play-offs, so no need to look behind anymore.

Jong AZ are one of the most colourless teams in the Eerste Divisie. The academy team with former number ten Maarten Martens in charge is pretty well organised. They give away few chances, but barely create anything. After a run of four victories they lost the last three matches and their season seems to be sizzling out with nothing left to really play for.

It is a clash between two different styles and I suspect it will be Jong AZ’s organisation that prevails here, as Excelsior have mostly seemed lacklustre towards the end of the season. Excelsior are without defender Redouan el Yaakoubi, but I doubt that will hurt them too much because the squad has more depth in defence than in the attacking line. That’s why I’d go on unders, but a fairly high unders with -3.5 goals.

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