Mark van Bommel faced the media on Friday afternoon to preview tomorrow’s Eredivisie encounter at home to FC Groningen. PSV’s head coach was first asked to comment on last weekend’s results. “I was not exactly over the moon when Ajax also dropped two points last Sunday. We’ve been working hard in training all week to avoid a repeat performance.” Van Bommel admitted that the 2-2 draw at FC Emmen was two dropped points for PSV. “This must not happen again.”
'We didn’t play badly'
Captain Luuk de Jong said in his post-match interview last Sunday that it was the first time in his career that he saw his side throw away a two-goal lead. Van Bommel confirmed that this has hardly ever happened. “Two sloppy moments cost us dearly, but we were the better team football wise. They did not pin us back in our own half. In fact, we dominated the game. It was a poor result but we didn’t play badly.”
'Still two points clear'
PSV are still two points clear of Ajax at the top of the table after the Amsterdam outfit were held to a 4-4 draw at home to sc Heerenveen. “We are obviously happy to have maintained a two-point lead at the top of the Eredivisie but you cannot expect to us to record a 34-match winning streak. No team has ever achieved that feat”, said Van Bommel.
Response
Van Bommel will be hoping for a reaction from his players to their 2-2 draw at FC Emmen when they host FC Groningen, but added that players should always respond. “Whether you lose, draw or win a game, you must carry on and always prepare in the same way for each and every game. I keep on insisting that you must always show imperturbable calmness and not enforce things. It is part and parcel of football. Big clubs that contend for the title know that.”
FC Groningen
FC Groningen have signed six new players in the January transfer window to bolster their squad and thrashed Heracles Almelo 3-0 in their first game after the winter break. “We will meet a completely different team”, said Van Bommel. “Their manager, Danny Buijs, has turned his team into a fighting machine, but we will go out to play our usual game. My focus is preparing with the players and only thinking about the next match and preparations for tomorrow will not be any different.“ Van Bommel has a near full-strength squad to choose from. Goalkeeper Yanick van Osch and New Zealand’s midfielder Ryan Thomas face a lengthy layoff due to injuries while Maxi Romero, Trent Sainsbury and Aziz Behich are away on international duty.