Every day, the media report extensively on the ups and downs of PSV. The analyses towards the upcoming game or the best interviews that have been published can be read on PSV.nl.
Rodríguez praised by media
The starting debut of Ricardo Rodríguez at PSV was successfully assessed by various media. For example, the Eindhoven Dagblad called him a great gentleman. Rik Elfrink speaks of a similar situation as six years ago. 'Thanks in part to the arrival of Bryan Ruiz, things went crescendo again with the troubled formation of that time.' With all the experience Rodríguez brings with him to the Philips Stadium, he doesn't have to prove himself. 'Rodríguez naturally enforces authority in the group and young players. He can lift the team to a higher level.'
FOX Sports also analyzed the left back's performance. "He coaches his teammates so simple things he does right away. PSV have to get used to the fact that there is now a boy with a good cross again. Sam Lammers can also benefit from that in the long run. He stood there as if he had been playing there for years," Arnold Bruggink said in Goedemorgen Eredivisie.
PSV Finds a ‘Balancing Act’ in Thomas
The most notable change to the lineup was the deployment of Ryan Thomas in a position new to him. As a forward, Thomas scored the decisive 2-0 goal. “Ryan covers a lot of ground, both with and without the ball,” Ernest Faber said after the match about the New Zealander. Thomas was substituted with just under a quarter of an hour remaining. By then, the midfielder’s distance covered stood at over eleven kilometers—roughly the distance the average football player covers in ninety minutes. “He’s a player you can send onto the field with a specific task, and he might be the missing piece we needed to stay competitive as a team,” says Faber.
Relief After First Win of the Calendar Year
De Volkskrant speaks of relief following the victory in the “Battle of Brabant.” “The play wasn’t great, but the Eindhoven team showed fighting spirit. Given the slump of recent weeks, it was heartening to see that PSV can operate as a unified team.” It was clear that a victory was needed. “It was nice once again to hear the names Denzel Dumfries, Ernest Faber, Ryan Thomas, and Toon Gerbrants. And to be a fan of the club they serve, PSV.”
Top Scorer Dumfries
Denzel Dumfries found the back of the net again against Willem II. The right back has scored in every league match this calendar year and brought his season total to seven goals this weekend. This ties Hector Moreno’s total at the end of the 2016–2017 season. He was the last PSV defender to find the back of the net that often. Chris Ottens of the ED listed them all and spoke with Dumfries after the match: “A long time ago, I was a striker—they just go in easily. But I’m especially happy with the win; we really needed this one.”
AD Selects Four PSV Players for Team of the Week
PSV is represented by four players in the Team of the Week. With the round of matches cut in half, the team is thus the top contributor. Daniël Schwaab, Nick Viergever, Ricardo Rodríguez, and Ryan Thomas have secured a spot on this team. Schwaab received a 7, Viergever and Rodríguez each received a 7.5, and Thomas earned the highest rating. With an 8, he forms the attack in the Team of the Week alongside Cyriel Dessers of Heracles Almelo.
PSV Voetjebal: 'You're getting better than daddy'
The ED also attended PSV Voetjebal, a module in which children aged two to five are introduced to the sport through a PSV experience. "We spend 10 weeks, every Sunday, working with them for three quarters of an hour. We do practice forms based on promotion based on three pillars: motor skills, cognition and social emotional development," said coordinator PSV Football School Julien Retmia. According to Daniëlle van Gemert, trainer of PSV Football, the enthusiasm radiates from the children. "It is fun to see them play sports together with the parents and learn so much while playing. You get a lot of appreciation in return." It's also a fun initiative for the parents. "It's super fun to play sports together. You're already starting to get better than Dad. Maybe we shouldn't go on too long," jokes one of the parents in front of his little son.
