Friday afternoon Peter Bosz looked ahead to the first away game of the season FC Twente - PSV. The coach is looking forward to an exciting game to be played in Enschede, as FC Twente is in his eyes one of the most difficult away games of the season. He is happy that almost the entire squad is fit, unfortunately except for one.
Has Ricardo Pepi been able to train fully this week?
"No, we still have to be careful with him. That's why he's not here against FC Twente. There are no alarm bells: this is part of his recovery process. Ricardo fortunately has no pain or restrictions, only some fluid in the knee. That has to be completely gone before he can take the next step. This is normal, but it requires some patience from both us and Ricardo."
Is the rest of the selection fit?
"Yes, everyone is fit except Pepi. In addition, we now have Dennis Man at our disposal. He has made a good impression in his first week. He can definitely help us, but is not yet able to play ninety minutes. His training intensity is still a bit lower than the rest of the group. Still, we can clearly see his specific qualities in training, and we'll see if he can show them in the matches as well."
Do you think the residual defense is better than last season?
"Based on the last game, no, but we are working on it more intensively than in previous seasons. The players have to coach each other better, cover through, things like that. The defense is working on it with concentration, but there are still steps to take. My style of play is offensive, but that requires good organization. Yarek, for example, picks that up well and also thinks about the defensive aspect."
Would you rather play against a team in good form or one that is still searching?
"Rather play against a team that is not yet in top form. But we also have to be able to cope with a team that is in top form. FC Twente away is one of the toughest games of the season: the qualities of the team, the stadium and the fans always make it difficult. That will be no different on Sunday."
Do you have enough qualities up front?
"Definitely. Just look at the game against Sparta: six goals, six different goal scorers. That gives confidence that we have several weapons. Moreover, with Alassane and Ruben we have added other qualities that we didn't have before. Alassane also offers midfield potential, but was initially brought in as a striker."
"When I was still playing matches in my day, I used to sleep out on Sundays, eat two brown sandwiches and go play a match. That's absolutely not possible now."
What aspect are you most satisfied with after the preparation and the first two games?
"Mainly about the way of training. The intensity is extremely high, which is a big difference from two years ago. Moreover, we have hardly had any injuries, which has allowed us to focus more on the footballing aspect. In addition, we have been working with the defenders to move up to the center line offensively, so that we are higher up the field when the ball is lost. That is already going well and I am very satisfied with that."
How much stretch is left in the intensity?
"That depends. You always want to push the limit, but it has to remain responsible. The staff keeps a sharp eye on this and the players themselves also have a responsibility in how they handle their recovery. When I was still playing, I slept out on Sunday, ate a few sandwiches and went to play a game. Nowadays that's absolutely not possible."
What aspects can still be improved, in your opinion?
"There are many new players in new positions. In the mutual coordination we still have to make steps. Communication with players who speak a different language is sometimes a challenge, but we just have to be patient for that."
Has the step from PSV/ PSV U21 to PSV 1 become more difficult?
"Maybe so, because the level is higher. But it is certainly still possible. The intensity of the training sessions is often the biggest challenge. Stijn Schaars also puts a lot of emphasis on that at PSV U21. The youth players who have now trained with us in preparation are already further along in that respect than their predecessors a few years ago, and that makes me very positive."