Eredivisie Tips: Ajax and Feyenoord to flunk week one

Frank de Boer's Ajax have often struggled against Vitesse

Michael Lintorn is laying odds-on favourites in the first two televised matches of the Eredivisie season...

The Eredivisie is in the spotlight, both because (alongside Ligue 1) it has jumpstarted the other major European leagues and due to a new Sky Sports TV deal. To mark the start of 2014/15, Betting.Betfair studies both the summer activity and the best ways to bet on the first weekend's televised games...

The Big Picture

Ajax are naturally Eredivisie favourites following four straight triumphs, the surprise being that they are available to back at 2.0811/10. Unless Daley Blind follows, Siem de Jong (Newcastle) is the sole high-profile exit, with decisive coach Frank de Boer staying despite reported interest from Tottenham.

Though they ranked a distant fourth last season after their usual promising start, PSV are judged Ajax's main threat at 4.216/5. Assuming Memphis Depay remains, it has been a hearteningly calm summer in Eindhoven, with the squad's spine retained and enhanced by Luuk de Jong, who many fancy to be the division's top goalscorer.

2013/14 runners-up Feyenoord are 8.415/2 fourth favourites owing to a dispiriting few months (more on that later), splitting Twente - who are third in the running at 7.26/1 regardless of key man Dusan Tadic joining Southampton - and fellow European hopefuls AZ Alkmaar 16.5n/a and Vitesse 18.5n/a.

The Opening Weekend

ADO Den Haag v Feyenoord
Sunday, 11:30
Live on Sky Sports 4

Match Odds: ADO Den Haag 4.1n/a, Feyenoord 1.9520/21, The Draw 3.953/1

ADO Den Haag's 2014 to date
Achieved successive top-half Eredivisie finishes for the first time since 1973, despite keeping three clean sheets all campaign, thanks to a superb finish (six wins and five draws in the closing 12 fixtures. Several stars have left, but they have recruited well in Thomas Kristensen and Xander Houtkoop.

Feyenoord's 2014 to date
The delirium of another second place on a shoestring and being the best-represented side in the Netherlands' World Cup bronze medallists has been crushed by the departures of coach Ronald Koeman, Stefan de Vrij, Bruno Martins Indi, Daryl Janmaat and Graziano Pelle and a 2-5 Champions League qualifying loss to Besiktas. Decent additions like Fred Rutten (coach), Khalid Boulahrouz and Luke Wilkshire aren't sufficient to lift the gloom, particularly as prolific Italian striker Pelle has yet to be replaced.

The Best Bet
ADO Den Haag had a solid home record against Feyenoord even during the Rottenham giants' recent peak, beating them in each of the last two seasons, so look a huge price to capitalise on their current dejection. The 4.1n/a win price appeals, yet this columnist is happy enough with the 1.9620/21 visitors' lay.

Recommended Bet: Lay Feyenoord to win @ 1.9720/21

Ajax v Vitesse
Sunday, 13:30
Live on Sky Sports 4

Match Odds: Ajax 1.584/7, Vitesse 6.25/1, The Draw 4.47/2

Ajax's 2014 to date
After an unthinkable seven-year drought, Ajax have now won four titles in a row since rookie boss de Boer's 2010 appointment. They never dominate, their biggest margin of success being seven points, and often give themselves a lot of catching up to do, but always deliver. However, pre-season optimism was wounded by last week's Johan Cruyff Shield (Super Cup) defeat to bogey club Zwolle.

Vitesse's 2014 to date
Annus horribilis. They began it joint-top alongside Ajax, contemplating a first championship. Four victories in 16 later, they were sixth, compounding their humiliation with a 1-5 aggregate thrashing from Heerenveen in the Europa League play-off. They retain a strong squad though, enhanced by Chelsea loanees Wallace and Bertrand Traore, so a podium place is viable if morale is recovered.

The Best Bet
Ajax failed to conquer Vitesse in four Eredivisie attempts over the past two years, even during the latter's post-Christmas collapse last term, losing their two Amsterdam ArenA clashes to nil. They aren't great starters either, being denied three points in three of their previous six openers.

Recommended Bet: Lay Ajax to win @ 1.594/7