The Eredivisie season restarts after the winter break on Friday night, so as a preview, we have decided to rundown the stars of the division so far this season.
Here’s Will Burns with the next five…
The attacking right-back, is also slowly making a name for himself in a AZ side that have failed to challenge at the top this season.
Starting every game this term, the Swedish international loves to bomb down the right wing, where he has notched three goals. One has to think how long AZ can keep the defender, his displays of dribbling and defeating an opposition full-back with ease, must have some clubs in the Europe’s top divisions scouting him.
In the Europa League, the Swede has started five games, where AZ are yet to taste defeat. He is vital to the Alkmaar side if they are to climb the league and qualify for European football again.
Twenty-year-old Klaassen was an observer for most of last season due to a persistent groin injury, this season, fit and raring to go; the attacking midfielder has been unleashed by manager Frank de Boer, with devastating consequences for the opposition.
Klaassen has made 10 appearances for the Amsterdammers this season, Ajax are undefeated in all ten, along with three Champions League games, where Ajax are undefeated in all three, including a great 2-1 win over La Liga giants Barcelona.
With seven goals in 10 appearances, including an impressive hat-trick against NAC Breda, it is no wonder that Arsenal have been linked with the player. After losing Christian Eriksen to Spurs in the summer, fans and media alike may have been thinking where De Boer would find a replacement – of course, Frank found the man for the job in De Toekomst academy.
Zwolle made a tremendous start to the season, even topping the Eredivisie for three weeks. Manager Ron Jans can be thankful in part to his 6ft 2inch central defender, Darryl Lachman. At over 6ft, Lachman is not strong in the departments you would presume. Strong on the ground, but in the air he fails to deceive.
For a centre-back, the 24-year-old loves to maraud forward, dribbling with confidence and dishing the ball out to the midfield to start attacks. Defensively, his concentration and decision making has helped Zwolle to concede only 18 times in the 16 games Lachman has started.
Even at 33 years old, Feyenoord are getting their money’s worth from Joris Mathijsen. The veteran central defender has appeared in 11 games this season averaging 4.8 clearances per match, a total of 58.
Leading from the back, with his help, Ronald Koeman’s men are on a four game winning streak before heading to Utrecht this Sunday afternoon.
When Jordy Clasie is protecting the Feyenoord defence, Lex Immers is attacking the opponent’s back four. With seven goals, and one assist in 17 starts for De Trots van Zuid, Immers is having his best season yet for the Rotterdam club.
The 27-year-old loves to draw a foul and has won 30 free-kicks this term already. Strong in the air, he can be seen nodding the ball to either winger from goal-kicks, for that winger to set-up the Italian goal machine that is Graziano Pelle.
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