The 2-2 draw against AZ is a wake-up call according to Luuk de Jong. The PSV striker believes that the outside world is too quick to say that the title battle has already been played. “It is not the case that we go through everything with two fingers up our noses. We can destroy teams, but then we have to be top and give everything.”
The gap in the Eredivisie with number two Ajax, which won 2-1 against RKC Waalwijk on Saturday evening, is four points. “Everyone is shouting that we will become champions, but we have to be careful that that doesn’t get into your head and that we become too lazy. What we showed against AZ was not consistent enough. As a team we were ready for this game. It was not due to fitness, but to how we were on the ball. That’s not how you want to start the new year.”
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The coming weeks will be busy for PSV. Excelsior will visit on Tuesday in the national cup tournament and in just over a week the very important Champions League match will take place in Belgrade against Red Star. “Details are punished, especially at the highest level. It depends on small things whether you win or not. We all have to ensure that we get back into a flow.”
“I understand their disappointment, everyone wants to play.”
The striker is not worried, especially because PSV has a wide selection. “We have so many qualities in our team, sometimes you have to disappoint people. It is up to the trainer to manage that, but I also talk to players. I understand their disappointment, everyone wants to play. But we play so many games that you have to seize the moments you get the chance.”
“No one played with the knife between their teeth.”
PSV coach Peter Bosz was shocked by the level of his team on Saturday evening. “We’ve failed in a lot of areas. We had very limited possession of the ball, especially in the first half. Everyone in our selection has great technique, but it was sloppy and I saw balls jumping off the foot. I didn’t see anyone playing with the knife between their teeth. When the ball was lost it was wide open. It was logical that the 0-1 came down, it could have happened earlier. In the second half we had a grip on AZ and it was constructively better, but all in all not enough to win the match.”
Remarkably, Bosz chose not to substitute anyone at half-time after a poor first half. Only halfway through the second half did he intervene by bringing in three new forces. “The boys don’t need a coach to know that it wasn’t good. I have often seen a player who plays poorly do great in the second half. That was the reason we left them for a while.”
“It wasn’t enough what I’m used to from them.”
Unlike De Jong, Bosz does not see this draw as a wake-up call. “It was not what I am used to from them, but I know what we are capable of. We score so many goals and always manage to create chances. We will be back at it again on Tuesday against Excelsior.”