Eredivisie preview: Ajax needs to boost morale after a disastrous defeat in the Champions League, Twente is unbeaten in the past 5 games
At 19:15 pm on October 26th, Beijing time, the 10th round of the Eredivisie will stage a focus match. Twente will face the traditional giant Ajax at the home team's Dhrolsch-Feist Stadium. This is a key battle related to the trend of the league rankings. Twente, who is in good competitive form, hopes to continue their unbeaten momentum by taking advantage of the home team's field advantage, while Ajax, who has just experienced a disastrous defeat, is in urgent need of a victory to boost morale.
Twente has been in excellent competitive form recently, with an unbeaten record of 3 wins and 2 draws in the past 5 games. The team's performance on the offensive end is particularly impressive, scoring consecutive goals in the past 5 games, and averaging as many as 3 goals per game. Twente currently ranks 8th in the Eredivisie standings with 14 points. The team's offensive output at the home court is stable, with the home team averaging 1.75 goals per game in the past 10 games. Despite the sharp attack, Twente's defense is not impeccable. They have failed to keep a clean sheet in the past 13 games and conceded goals in every game. In addition, the team's ability to adjust in adversity needs to be tested. Once the league matches are moved this season, the probability of eventual loss is as high as 100%.
As a league giant, Ajax has encountered a small trough recently, suffering a losing streak in the past two games. In the last Champions League game, the away team suffered a 1-5 defeat, which was a big blow to the team's morale. Ajax is currently ranked fifth in the league with one game in hand, with 16 points, and is still at the forefront of the standings. The team's performance in away games in league matches this season has been a disaster. The away team's win rate in league matches is 0% (0 wins and 4 draws in 4 away games), making it the "master of draws". Similar to Twente, Ajax's defense also has serious problems, conceding consecutive goals in the past 9 games, and conceding an average of 2.33 goals per game. The number of goals conceded by the away team accounted for 66% of the total number of goals conceded, and the quality of the away team's field defense dropped significantly.
Twente is expected to rely on its fiery offensive competitive state to adopt a proactive offensive strategy at the home team's stadium and use smooth collaboration to attack Ajax's currently unstable defense. Although Ajax has a poor away record, as a traditional strong team, they will still try to control the rhythm of the game. How to improve the visiting team's field defense and increase their offensive efficiency are the main issues they face in this game.
Both teams are facing some injuries. For Twente, Koyolo (knee injury) and Bruns (injury) are expected to miss the game. Ajax's injury list is even longer. Boguis (groin injury), Van den Bomen (back injury) and Dolberg (abdominal strain) will all be exempt from the game due to injuries.
Twente, with its home team's advantage on the court and its hot offensive game, undoubtedly hopes to score all three points. Although Ajax has been in a sluggish competitive state recently and has a poor away record, the strength and foundation of its lineup cannot be underestimated. After suffering a losing streak, the team's willingness to rebound will be very strong.
