{"id":3866,"date":"2018-01-04T18:06:35","date_gmt":"2018-01-04T17:06:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ajaxdaily.com\/?p=3866"},"modified":"2018-03-20T15:24:45","modified_gmt":"2018-03-20T15:24:45","slug":"eredivisie-catch-up-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ajaxdaily.com\/2018\/eredivisie-catch-up-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Eredivisie Catch-Up #3"},"content":{"rendered":"

Since the last Eredivisie Catch-Up, Ajax remain five points off leaders PSV, but what has been going on around the Amsterdam side? Michael Statham takes a closer look at the Dutch top flight and the highs and lows of the current campaign so far.<\/p>\n

\n

Club Performance<\/h2>\n

Despite Ajax beating PSV 3-0 and the league leaders drawing 3-3 in Groningen, the Eindhoven side still sit in first place in the Eredivisie. How long will the five-point lead last? It\u2019s hard to say, but Phillip Cocu\u2019s men don\u2019t look like conceding their advantage so quickly, having won the twentieth game at home in a row thanks to a 2-1 victory over Vitesse.<\/p>\n

AZ are third and continue to have young players who are shining every week. Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Wout Weghorst and Guus Til have been outstanding this season but it was Fred Friday\u2019s brace that earnt AZ a 3-1 win over Heerenveen which keeps them in the hunt for a top three place.<\/p>\n

\"Alireza<\/a><\/p>\n

Read –\u00a0<\/strong>Eredivisie talents ready for Ajax<\/p>\n

Surprise package PEC Zwolle sit fourth at the winter break. Despite a 4-0 defeat to ADO Den Haag, John van \u2018t Schip\u2019s side can be proud of a fine first half to the season, which has seen them lose only three times and look forward to a quarter-final in the KNVB Beker (Dutch Cup).<\/p>\n

Feyenoord have endured a disappointing defence of their Eredivisie crown. The Rotterdammers are down in fifth and they\u2019re out of the Champions League too. However, is the revival on? Three wins and fifteen goals in a week has brought smiles back on faces along with key players returning from injury.<\/p>\n

Further down the table, conquerors of Ajax in the cup \u2013 Twente \u2013 sit sixteenth, but have begun to rise up the table since new boss Gertjan Verbeek took over from the sacked Ren\u00e9 Hake. Sparta have also fired their manager with Alex Pastoor being replaced by Dick Advocaat, who turned down Swansea in the Premier League to take over in Rotterdam. Another team in trouble are Roda JC, who are bottom after losing their last three matches.<\/p>\n

Standout Performers<\/h2>\n

Bartholomew Ogbeche <\/strong>\u2014\u00a0The Nigerian striker struck eight goals in only five games as he returned from long-term injury. Ogbeche has formed a partnership with Spanish forward Fran Sol which has terrorised Eredivisie defences in recent weeks. Willem II fans will hope that his incredible poaching abilities will help fire their team up the table in the new year.<\/p>\n

Alireza Jahanbakhsh<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014\u00a0<\/em>An Iranian winger whose form for AZ will see him hotting up for the World Cup in the summer. Five goals in his last seven matches has seen attention come from all over Europe as they chase for his signature. Jahanbakhsh is likely to see out the season in Alkmaar though and continue to help AZ charge for a top three place.<\/p>\n

Mustafa Saymak<\/strong> \u2014\u00a0<\/em>Another midfielder who\u2019s been amongst the goals. Saymak has stood out thanks to his performances in defensive midfield for PEC Zwolle. His form, coupled with fellow midfielders Younes Namli and Ryan Thomas, has made for an incredible season for Zwolle. They\u2019re all very technically gifted and Saymak has been at the hub of everything good for his side recently.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Since the last Eredivisie Catch-Up, Ajax remain five points off leaders PSV, but what has been going on around the Amsterdam side? Michael Statham takes a closer look at the Dutch top flight and the highs and lows of the current campaign so far. Club Performance Despite Ajax beating PSV 3-0 and the league leaders […] More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":105,"featured_media":3870,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[59],"tags":[83,153,495,60,133,493,496,272,208,494],"yoast_head":"\nEredivisie Catch-Up #3: Ajax struggling to catch up despite Topper win<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Football Oranje's Michael Statham takes us through another roundup of Eredivisie action across the Netherlands. 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