The red card in The Hague is the whole week
ADO Den Haag 2–1 PSV. A promoted side that had not won a league game all season beat the reigning champions, and Sven Mijnans was sent off on the way (9)(13). PSV are third with 19 points from nine games, four behind Feyenoord (12).
Bosz said afterwards that he refuses to think in fear: "Niet in angst denken" (12). On the touchline his body language told a different story, and the table does too. Worst start in ten years (3).
The midfield, not the defence
Hans Kraay junior's read after the match is the one that sticks. PSV lack the extra quality of Joey Veerman and Ismael Saibari, and it showed most when they had to play out under pressure (6)(15)(20). Kraay admitted plenty of people never rated Veerman highly, then said what he saw: Veerman and Saibari were extra quality (21).
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That is where the game went. ADO's second half was the better half (13), and PSV could not find a way through it. When Bosz was asked about the concern, he called it supporterspraat (19). Fans can decide for themselves whether an away defeat to the bottom side counts as supporterspraat.
Five defeats, one thread
Look at the run. Loss at FC Twente 3–2 on 20 September. Loss at RB Leipzig 1–0 in the Champions League on 13 October. Loss at ADO 2–1 on Saturday (12). Around them, wins over Sparta Rotterdam 4–1 and Heerenveen 2–0 at home.
PSV beat what comes to the Philips Stadion and lose what does not. That is a pattern now, not a wobble, and it is the reason the gap to Feyenoord exists. Ricardo Pepi, Sam Lammers, Alassane Pléa, Jerdy Schouten, Paul Wanner and Ruben van Bommel have all been unavailable at points this autumn (5). Squads that thin do not travel well.
The teenagers are the one good news
Bosz was enthusiastic about Mikkel Bro Hansen, Amir Bouhamdi and Shuryjano Cornecion after they got minutes in The Hague (1). The three of them cannot carry a title race. But in a week where the senior names were missing or sent off, the fact that the manager had something to praise matters for the months ahead.
What to watch
Two games decide whether this becomes a crisis or a bad fortnight. FC Porto away on Tuesday 20 October at 21.00, with both clubs still without a Champions League win (2)(4). Francesco Farioli is on the other bench, and he has an old score with PSV from the 2024/25 title race (23).
Then Feyenoord at home on 25 October. Mijnans is suspended for it (5). If the gap is seven points after ten rounds, the season has a different shape, and everyone in Eindhoven knows it.
