Valentijn Driessen has questioned Peter Bosz’s tactical decisions during PSV’s defeat to ADO Den Haag, arguing that the manager made a mistake by switching to a more defensive approach after his side were reduced to ten men.

Speaking on Vandaag Inside on Monday evening, Driessen criticised Bosz’s decision to withdraw Dennis Man for defender Ryan Flamingo at half-time following Sven Mijnans’ red card. The journalist believes PSV should have continued to trust their attacking style rather than retreating into a more cautious approach.

His comments come as PSV prepare for a difficult Champions League encounter against Porto, with confidence among the Vandaag Inside panel already low regarding the Dutch champions’ chances of securing a positive result.

PSV appeared capable of competing with ADO Den Haag before Mijnans received his second yellow card. Bosz responded at half-time by introducing Flamingo for Man, but Driessen felt the change disrupted PSV’s attacking threat and ultimately encouraged the opposition to apply more pressure.

“I really found that incomprehensible,” Driessen said.

He also questioned the suggestion that ADO’s physical presence up front justified bringing on an additional defender, pointing to Jesse Bal and Eduardo as the opposition’s attacking options.

“At ADO, Jesse Bal and Eduardo were up front, and they were tall. If you’re very tall, it doesn’t mean you can head the ball. He brought in a defender, while PSV in that phase with ten men wasn’t any worse than ADO,” Driessen argued.

The journalist believes Bosz should have maintained a more positive approach, even with a numerical disadvantage.

Driessen insisted that PSV possess enough technical quality to remain dangerous with ten players and suggested the team’s best opportunities after the dismissal supported his argument.

“PSV can beat you easily with ten men as well. That was also evident in the second half, when they got the best chances,” he said, as quoted by PSV Inside.

“Come on, you’re PSV. You can do that on the ball, even with ten men. I thought that substitution was incomprehensible. Then you also invite those problems onto yourself. You start backing up earlier with more defenders.”

His criticism centres on the belief that adding another defender encouraged PSV to drop deeper, rather than continuing to control possession and threaten ADO in attack.

However, Driessen’s assessment comes with the benefit of hindsight, with the substitution and its consequences easier to evaluate after the final result.

The criticism adds to the scrutiny surrounding Bosz as PSV turn their attention to Porto in the Champions League. Driessen, alongside René van der Gijp and Johan Derksen, expressed little confidence in PSV’s prospects ahead of the trip.

There had been similar concerns before PSV faced RB Leipzig, but the Dutch side managed to offer considerable resistance despite playing without a recognised striker. Their inability to convert that performance into a better result remains a concern as they prepare for another demanding European fixture.

PSV will need to show greater attacking efficiency and composure in Portugal if they are to return with a positive result. Bosz’s tactical decisions are likely to attract further attention, particularly after Driessen questioned whether his response to Mijnans’ dismissal made PSV more vulnerable rather than helping them manage the game.

With Porto presenting another difficult challenge, PSV will be under pressure to deliver a more convincing performance and demonstrate that they can maintain their attacking identity when circumstances turn against them.