TIPS - AFC Ajax VS SBV Excelsior

[(AFC Ajax) Strength]:
1. In their last 6 official matches, AFC Ajax have 4 wins and 2 draws, maintaining an unbeaten record and absolute dominance in recent encounters.

[(AFC Ajax) Weakness]:
1. AFC Ajax coach Heitinga was dismissed due to poor results. The team are still searching for a new head coach, with Fred Grim currently serving as interim coach. His first match in charge ended in defeat, with overall performance showing no signs of improvement.
2. AFC Ajax forwards Steven Berghuis, midfielder Branco van den Boomen, and defender Owen Wijndal are unavailable for this match due to injuries. Wout Weghorst withdrew from this month's Dutch training camp with a minor injury and is questionable for this match.
3. AFC Ajax lost 1-2 away to Utrecht in the league before the international break, winning only 1 of their last 8 matches across all competitions, indicating continued poor form.
4. AFC Ajax's defense is full of holes, conceding 13 goals in their last 5 official matches, averaging nearly 3 goals conceded per game.
5. AFC Ajax's home performance has significantly declined, with only 1 win, 1 draw, and 3 losses in their last 5 official home matches, a win rate of just 20%.
6. AFC Ajax lack offensive firepower at home, scoring only 3 goals in their last 5 official home matches, with 3 matches ending goalless.

[(SBV Excelsior) Weakness]:
1. Excelsior Rotterdam's main forward Szymon Wlodarczyk missed a penalty in the last league match, missing a key opportunity to give the team the lead. He has now failed to score in 5 consecutive league matches, enduring a goal drought of over a month and a half.
2. Excelsior Rotterdam's main defender Ilias Bronkhorst was substituted due to injury after only 15 minutes in the last league match and may be unavailable for this match.
3. Excelsior Rotterdam lost 1-2 to Heracles in the league before the international break, failing to win in 4 consecutive official matches, including a 120-minute defeat to third-tier team Excelsior Maassluis in the KNVB Cup, indicating very poor overall form.
4. Excelsior Rotterdam suffer from a severe lack of offensive firepower, scoring only 11 goals in 12 league matches this season, averaging less than 1 goal per game, making them the lowest-scoring team in the Eredivisie.
5. Excelsior Rotterdam have very limited competitiveness away from home, with only 1 win, 1 draw, and 4 losses in 6 league away matches this season, a win rate of just 17%.
6. Excelsior Rotterdam's away defense is disastrous, conceding 16 goals in 6 league away matches this season, averaging nearly 3 goals conceded per game.

[Tips]:
AFC Ajax sacked coach Heitinga due to poor performance.

Interim coach Grim's first match in charge continued to show poor form, with the team winning only 1 of their last 8 matches across all competitions.

The team have significant defensive issues recently, and their home performance has noticeably declined.

Excelsior Rotterdam are also in poor form, failing to win in their last 4 matches across all competitions.

The team suffer from a severe lack of offensive firepower and poor away performance.

Historically, they have been completely dominated by AFC Ajax, so their away match is not worth overestimating.

Thus, we should go for AFC Ajax this time.

[Recommended]:
AFC Ajax (-1.5)