PSV narrowly defeated Almere City on Saturday evening. It became 2-0. In a very bad match, the Eindhoven team hardly had any chances. Ultimately, two goals from Luuk de Jong helped PSV past the club from Flevoland.
For the first time this season, Hirving Lozano, Noa Lang, Johan Bakayoko and Luuk de Jong were all together in the starting line-up. On paper, there are four star players who should help PSV win the national title this season. But while the setup seemed very attractive on paper, this was not noticeable in practice.
With four cannons of players in the starting line-up, PSV was barely able to create anything against low-flying Almere City. The home games of the Eindhoven team have been entertaining all season long, but that was not the case on Saturday evening.
Ill at ease
Just like against Feyenoord, the midfield puzzle was not correct due to the absence of Joey Veerman and Ismael Saibari. Noa Lang stood a line back, but he played very awkwardly. Chances were few and far between in the first half. Yet PSV managed to open the score just before half time. Luuk de Jong received a cross from Sergino Dest behind the Almere keeper.
The game wasn’t much better after halftime. Still, PSV took a 2-0 lead. De Jong was allowed to score from eleven meters and scored his second goal of the evening.
Winter blues
PSV’s game remained very difficult. It cannot be seen separately from last week’s results. The club drew against FC Utrecht and lost to Feyenoord in the cup. Without attaching too much value to a week, the people of Eindhoven will have to guard against a winter blues.
The away match against Ajax awaits next week. The Amsterdam team is on the rise again and will undoubtedly make it difficult for the Eindhoven team in the Arena.
‘It’s part of it’
Trainer Peter Bosz called the game of the Eindhoven team ‘sloppy’. “But these kinds of matches are part of it. You cannot play 34 matches great. So then it is important to get the three points, which we did tonight.”
The focus therefore quickly turned to next week’s match against Ajax. Right back Jordan Teze was clear about that. “We should win there, so we will show that next week.”