AZ Alkmaar vs. PSV Eindhoven: Wernbloom and Mertens to shine – Dutch Eredivisie preview
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/PSV-c40281 Eindhoven at AFAS Stadion. It will be an intriguing battle between two of the strongest Dutch outfits looking to start the new campaign by securing all three points.
AZ Alkmaar
The outfit from Alkmaar performed consistently last season, finishing fourth in the league table. AZ will start the new season without their top scorer from last season, Kolbeinn Sigthorsson, who moved to Ajax Amsterdam in the ongoing transfer window. However,
arrivals of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Jozy-Altidore-c19634 have certainly filled the gap in the attacking third.
Gertjan Verbeek, AZ manager, has set his sights on competing for the title in the 2011/12 campaign after failing to win silverware in his debut season at AFAS Stadion. The Dutch trainer would be hoping that his men stage an impressive show in front of their
home crowd and secure all points against PSV on Sunday. However, the tactician knows that it will not be an easy task getting the better of the Eindhoven giants, who always tend to play offensively.
PSV Eindhoven
The Boeren had an exceptional 2010/11 campaign, but they faltered in the closing stages of the season. The Eindhoven giants finished third in the league table, much to their dismay, and lost out on the UEFA Champions League berth.
Failure to win any silverware led to the fans calling for the Boeren manager’s scalp. However, the club management decided to give http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Fred-c14136 Rutten another chance at glory.
Just like AZ, the Boeren have also lost their top scorer from the 2010/11 season, Balazs Dzsudzsak. The Hungarian International made a lucrative move to join http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Kevin-Strootman-c20775 and Georginio
Wijnaldum to their ranks. Needless to say, arrival of the trio has certainly enhanced the look of the PSV squad for the 2011/12 campaign.
Rutten would be looking to start the new season on a positive note by securing all three points in this away encounter.
Head-to-Head statistics
AZ have not managed to emerge victorious in their last five matches against PSV. PSV won three encounters convincingly while two matches ended in stalemates.
Players to watch
Pontus Wernbloom – AZ Alkmaar
The 25-year-old performed impressively in the midfiled last season and will be looking to deliver yet again for AZ in the 2011/12 campaign. The central midfielder scored four goals and provided plenty of assists in 29 appearances last term. His playmaking
skills will always stay a menace for the opposition and the Eindhoven giants are no different.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Dries-Mertens-c11679 – PSV Eindhoven
The 24-year-old is regarded as one of the best wingers playing in http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/FC-Utrecht-c39237 last season, scoring an impressive 10 goals and providing 13 assists in 31 appearances.
He will certainly play a vital role should the Boeren secure all three points in the upcoming encounter.
Prediction
AZ have not won any of the last five encounters against PSV and little is expected to change. Backed by a strong transfer window, the Boeren will emerge victorious by a 2-1 score line.
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