Heerenveen — Excelsior : Match Preview and Prediction for October 04,2025

Heerenveen’s Current Form and Attacking Woes

Heerenveen approaches this match from the 16th position, having accumulated a mere six points. While they have managed to secure four points in their last two league outings, this should not mask their underlying issues. Difficulties in creating scoring opportunities and converting chances persist, a fact openly acknowledged by club legend Foppe de Haan. He explicitly states that the team generates too few genuine chances and is excessively reliant on individual talents like Dylan Vente.

Defensive Focus and Tactical Approach

Coach Robin Veldman also appears concerned with defensive solidity. He intends to field the same lineup as in previous matches, maintaining the central defensive pairing of Joris van Overeem and Maas Willemsen. Veldman highlights Willemsen’s strong performances and van Overeem’s role in initiating attacks from deep. This tactical approach underscores a search for balance and reliability in the backline, rather than prioritizing an open, attacking style of play.

Squad Limitations and Defensive Prowess

The current squad situation further hinders Heerenveen’s attacking output. The team will be without the injured Nikolaj Hopland, key midfielder Levi Smans, and forward Amourricho van Axel Dongen. Smans’ absence is particularly detrimental to the creative potential in midfield, while van Axel Dongen’s unavailability limits offensive options. Statistics corroborate their defensive orientation: Heerenveen leads the league in blocked shots and ranks among the top teams for fewest shots on target conceded and fewest key passes allowed from opponents.

Excelsior’s Struggles and Offensive Deficiency

Excelsior, Heerenveen’s neighbor in the league standings, occupies 17th place with an identical six points. The primary issue for the Rotterdam-based team is their alarmingly weak offense. Over seven rounds, they have managed to score only six goals, one of the worst records across the entire , placing them 17th in the league for this metric.

Statistical Weaknesses and Direct Play

A deeper look at the statistics only reinforces this bleak picture. Excelsior ranks 17th in assists and dead last, 18th, in offsides. This directly indicates that their players rarely advance attacks into dangerous positions. Heerenveen coach Robin Veldman, analyzing his opponent, highlighted their tactic: “When building attacks, they quickly hit the ball forward.” Such a direct style of play, relying heavily on long passes, seldom leads to a flurry of goals.

Recent Low-Scoring Encounters

Excelsior’s recent results perfectly align with this trend. Five of their last six league matches have concluded with under 3.5 goals. Even in victories against Volendam (2:1) and Twente (1:0), they didn’t score heavily, and in clashes against PSV (1:2) and Sparta (0:1), their attack appeared very subdued. All these factors combine to paint a clear picture of a team unlikely to produce a goal fest.