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AZ Alkmaar Preview
Verdict: 3rd
It's pretty hard to give a call on AZ the upcoming season;
they sold a shitload of players, including keyplayers like
Perez, Landzaat, Timmer, van Galen and Sektioui, and they
left their old but great stadium 'de Hout'. That's the first part
of the story.
The second part of the story is a little different: AZ moved
to a great new stadium (with artificial pitch!!) with twice as
much seats as the previous one, and they signed every
talented player in Holland they could get. With Cziommer,
Dembele, Luirink, Jenner, Mendes, Gudjohnsson, etcetera
it's 100% sure that AZ will end high on the table again. It's
up to Van Gaal to make a team out of these individuals and
newbies, but at least he has a quality squad available. And
only a few people believed in that when all those names left
Alkmaar.
Probable line-up: Didulica - Steinsson, Opdam, Mathijsen, de Cler- de Zeeuw, Cziommer, Gudjohnsson, Schaars - Dembele, Arveladze, (tons of other possibilities for AZ to start with)
Last season: 2nd Coach: L. Van Gaal Homeground: DSB-Stadion, Alkmaar Capacity: 16.000 Last season at home: 11-4-2 Last season away: 12-1-4 Derby opponents: Ajax (low) Players in: Martens (RKC Waalwijk) Ramzi (FC Utrecht) Dembele (Willem II) Agustien (Willem II) Gudjohnsson (Leicester) Hulst (amateurs) Cziommer (Schalke 04) Luirink (FC Groningen) Jenner (NAC Breda) Mendes da Silva (NAC) Didulica (Austria Wien) Sinouh (Omonia Nicosia) Players out: Buskermolen (retired) van Galen (retired) Perez (Ajax) Zoontjes (Telstar) Wisse (Haarlem) Elkhattabi (unknown) Huysegems (Feyenoord) Medunjanin (Sparta R) Agustien (Roda JC) Zwarthoed (Excelsior) Timmer (Feyenoord) Sektioui (FC Porto) Landzaat (Wigan Athletic) Pre-season results: W 23/06 0-7 Polderteam W 28/06 2-8 AFC'34 W 15/07 1-7 Dirkshorn W 18/07 1-7 ASWH D 22/07 2-2 Lierse SK L 28/07 2-1 FC Köln L 04/08 0-3 Arsenal - 12/08 x-x Bolton W.
