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AZ Alkmaar - Ajax
Fixture: Johan Cruijff Shield (Dutch Super Cup)
Pick: Ajax -1.5 @ +105 / 2.05
The Dutch season kicks off with the Johan Cruijff Shield (Super Cup) between the current league champions Ajax vs Dutch Cup winners AZ Alkmaar. It has been relatively quiet so far for Ajax on the transfer market, all regulars from last season are still playing for the team from Amsterdam. Bojan Krkic is on-loan from Barca and defender Mike van der Hoorn came in as a replacement (or backup) for Alderweireld in case he gets transferred to a Premier League team. De Boer said he will keep Alderweireld as his first choice for now, so he will probably start against AZ. So there hasn't been too many changes for Ajax and they will probably field most of last season's starters. Ajax conceded the least goals from all Dutch Eredivisie teams in 2012/13. Ajax had a good pre-season and played a total of 6 friendly matches which were all won, the team scored a total of 19 goals and conceded 4. Preseason results doesn't always have to mean anything, but a team as Ajax that is able to keep their key players (until now anyway) and just cruises their way through these friendlies are on a high morale going into this Super Cup match. AZ on the other hand lost 2 of their most important players of the previous seasons in Maher and Altidore. Maher is one of the most talented midfielders of the Eredivisie and moved to title contender PSV, while Altidore was the number one striker for the team and got sold to Sunderland. They scored a combined 30 of AZ's 56 league goals last season and both found the net in a 2-1 win over PSV in the Dutch Cup final. AZ played their semi-final cup match against Ajax and won it quite easily (3-0, two Altidore goals), but Ajax played with a B-team as their main focus was on winning the league (in which these two teams met a few weeks later, AZ got defeated by Ajax on home turf). AZ has played a total of 8 friendlies in preparation for the new season and won 7 of them. 5 matches were played against amateur teams though. The first friendly against a professional team (newly promoted Eredivisie side Go Ahead Eagles) ended in a 3-0 loss. AZ finished 2012/13 as the number 10 of the league, but were struggling almost all campaign long - being ranked around the bottom of the table mostly. They were still fighting relegation near the end of the season, but scrapped their points together to eventually finish at a respectable place. AZ is the "home"-side in this fixture, but the Johan Cruijff Shield is always held in the Amsterdam Arena (the stadium of Ajax). Without AZ's most attacking threats from last season, I just don't see the replacements and newcomers make an immediate impact against a solid Ajax side that is able to start with a team that has won them the league last season. As the odds tell, Ajax is the clear favorite and have most of their regulars fit and ready to play. Boerrigter (winger) is the only one out of the squad (ankle injury), but Bojan started as the right winger during the last friendlies anyway and is expected to be a starter in the new season. Moisander (central defender) is doubtful and gets a late fitness test. Ajax were runner-up in the last 3 JC Shield editions (2010/11/12) and won the shield a total of 7 times. AZ has previously just made one Super Cup appearance and won it back in 2009. The Johan Cruijff Shield has been played a total of 17 times, 12 went over the total (2.5 goals) and none went into extra time. GL.
Fixture: Johan Cruijff Shield (Dutch Super Cup)
Pick: Ajax -1.5 @ +105 / 2.05
The Dutch season kicks off with the Johan Cruijff Shield (Super Cup) between the current league champions Ajax vs Dutch Cup winners AZ Alkmaar. It has been relatively quiet so far for Ajax on the transfer market, all regulars from last season are still playing for the team from Amsterdam. Bojan Krkic is on-loan from Barca and defender Mike van der Hoorn came in as a replacement (or backup) for Alderweireld in case he gets transferred to a Premier League team. De Boer said he will keep Alderweireld as his first choice for now, so he will probably start against AZ. So there hasn't been too many changes for Ajax and they will probably field most of last season's starters. Ajax conceded the least goals from all Dutch Eredivisie teams in 2012/13. Ajax had a good pre-season and played a total of 6 friendly matches which were all won, the team scored a total of 19 goals and conceded 4. Preseason results doesn't always have to mean anything, but a team as Ajax that is able to keep their key players (until now anyway) and just cruises their way through these friendlies are on a high morale going into this Super Cup match. AZ on the other hand lost 2 of their most important players of the previous seasons in Maher and Altidore. Maher is one of the most talented midfielders of the Eredivisie and moved to title contender PSV, while Altidore was the number one striker for the team and got sold to Sunderland. They scored a combined 30 of AZ's 56 league goals last season and both found the net in a 2-1 win over PSV in the Dutch Cup final. AZ played their semi-final cup match against Ajax and won it quite easily (3-0, two Altidore goals), but Ajax played with a B-team as their main focus was on winning the league (in which these two teams met a few weeks later, AZ got defeated by Ajax on home turf). AZ has played a total of 8 friendlies in preparation for the new season and won 7 of them. 5 matches were played against amateur teams though. The first friendly against a professional team (newly promoted Eredivisie side Go Ahead Eagles) ended in a 3-0 loss. AZ finished 2012/13 as the number 10 of the league, but were struggling almost all campaign long - being ranked around the bottom of the table mostly. They were still fighting relegation near the end of the season, but scrapped their points together to eventually finish at a respectable place. AZ is the "home"-side in this fixture, but the Johan Cruijff Shield is always held in the Amsterdam Arena (the stadium of Ajax). Without AZ's most attacking threats from last season, I just don't see the replacements and newcomers make an immediate impact against a solid Ajax side that is able to start with a team that has won them the league last season. As the odds tell, Ajax is the clear favorite and have most of their regulars fit and ready to play. Boerrigter (winger) is the only one out of the squad (ankle injury), but Bojan started as the right winger during the last friendlies anyway and is expected to be a starter in the new season. Moisander (central defender) is doubtful and gets a late fitness test. Ajax were runner-up in the last 3 JC Shield editions (2010/11/12) and won the shield a total of 7 times. AZ has previously just made one Super Cup appearance and won it back in 2009. The Johan Cruijff Shield has been played a total of 17 times, 12 went over the total (2.5 goals) and none went into extra time. GL.
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