Peter Bosz praised PSV’s intensity and Kodai Sano’s ability to win second balls after an emphatic 6-1 victory over FC Utrecht, while Guus Til urged his side to maintain the same level ahead of next weekend’s clash with Ajax.

PSV produced a commanding display at De Galgenwaard, recovering from an early setback to dismantle FC Utrecht 6-1. Head coach Peter Bosz was particularly pleased with the energy his team showed throughout the match.

“What I pay particular attention to is the energy a team exudes. It’s in the pressing, the sprinting back for a second ball, how quickly we want to move away from the goal, and how many players are on the move,” Bosz explained.

“That’s what I call energy, and it was there from the start. That’s also how you make sure the opponent gets tired at some point.”

The PSV coach did, however, identify one area for improvement.

“We should have decided the match sooner, because it stayed 2-1 for too long. But it was just a really good game.”

One of the notable performances came from new signing Kodai Sano, whose contribution in midfield impressed Bosz.

“I thought we played really well today, and so did Kodai. The great thing about his play is that he adds something we didn’t have before. He’s strong and solid on the ball, two-footed, and has a good sense of where second balls will fall.”

Bosz believes that final quality could prove particularly valuable for PSV.

“That last part, in particular, is really his strength. It’s an extra quality we didn’t have in our team before.”

The manager also stressed that PSV cannot afford to treat the performance as a one-off.

“We’ve already set that standard in training, and it applies at this level as well. We know we can do this, but you have to demand it of yourself in every match to deliver at this level. That’s where the difficulty lies.”

Lutsharel Geertruida remained on the bench, with Bosz explaining that the defender needs more time to understand PSV’s demanding style.

“He’s only been with us for a week, and we have a very specific way of playing football that isn’t easy. He simply needs time to really get the hang of it, and that makes sense. He’s definitely a great player and someone I’d feel confident putting in right away.”

Bosz also singled out Sven Mijnans after the midfielder scored.

“I was sitting right behind him and saw the ball disappear beautifully into the top corner. His first touch was also truly excellent.”

Asked whether the victory tasted better than the vanilla ice cream he had enjoyed the previous week, Bosz gave a simple answer: “This victory.”

Guus Til scored twice and was delighted with PSV’s response after conceding early.

“They’re not in their best form right now, but after that free kick by Mauro, you could see they cracked. That created more space, and we often looked fantastic as well, because they started giving us more room.”

He added: “Their goal, on the other hand, was really their only shot on goal. We were dominant the entire match, and it’s important that we maintain this level of play over the long term.”

Til also praised Sano’s involvement in his second goal.

“You can definitely see that reflected there. I think that’s one of the more beautiful goals we’ve scored together as a team.”

On shooting from distance, Til argued that players should prioritise the highest-quality opportunity rather than simply taking aim.

“I actually think you should go for the best chance. These days, you see a lot of pulled-back crosses that are tapped in. With Guardiola, for example, you hardly ever see shots taken from distance. It looks nice, and it used to happen more often, but statistically speaking, it’s very unwise to shoot from distance.”

After his two-goal contribution, Til admitted: “Scoring two today, of course, makes me feel really good.”

Attention now turns to Ajax next weekend.

“They’ve also had a strong start to the season, so I’m looking forward to it. I think it’s going to be a great and interesting game.”