Ajax may be emerging as a serious challenger to PSV in the Eredivisie title race, but their performances have done little to convince everyone that they can match the champions' level this season.

The Amsterdam club have produced mixed results, leaving questions about the quality and consistency of their squad. Although Ajax remain in contention alongside Feyenoord, PSV are still regarded by many as the favourites to finish top.

Marco Timmer of Voetbal International believes PSV will ultimately retain their position at the summit, despite expecting competition from both Ajax and Feyenoord. Recent criticism from ESPN analysts Arnold Bruggink and Karim El Ahmadi has added to the doubts surrounding Ajax's progress.

Their assessment followed Ajax's Eredivisie meeting with AZ, a contest that failed to impress either pundit. Both sides struggled to produce the intensity and attacking quality expected from a top-level encounter, with Bruggink particularly critical of Ajax's performance.

Bruggink questioned Ajax's lack of intensity, arguing that their display was nowhere near the level PSV had shown in their previous high-profile match against Feyenoord.

“I found the quality of the match very poor. Up to the box it was sometimes still okay, but the final pass was constantly wrong. Whether it was Ajax or AZ,” the ESPN analyst said on De Eretribune.

He then compared the contest directly with PSV's performance, highlighting the difference in physical intensity and the number of high-speed runs.

“If you put this next to PSV from last week, it really is very, very far off. In terms of intensity. This is just what modern football is about, where it involves sprinting and where the accelerator gets pressed, then this is nothing.”

Bruggink also pointed out that the match ranked among the Eredivisie's five lowest in terms of sprint numbers, while PSV's clash with Feyenoord had been among the strongest.

His criticism extended beyond physical output. The analyst believes Ajax are also falling short of their own footballing principles, particularly when it comes to controlling games and creating attacking opportunities.

“It also is quite far from how Ajax actually envisions playing football,” he added. “They had two shots on goal today, of which one was the goal. For the rest, they basically defended. It is a long way from the philosophy of how Ajax would like to do it.”

El Ahmadi was equally unimpressed by the overall standard of the match, criticising both teams for their lack of intensity.

The former Morocco international questioned whether the players involved could develop the physical qualities required to compete at the highest level, or whether those attributes were simply not part of their natural game.

“Will they be able to learn it or is it simply not their quality? I think the second one, that they just don't have it,” he said, as quoted by PSV Inside.

El Ahmadi specifically mentioned Patati, Daal, Brandt and Tolu, suggesting that improving their intensity could prove difficult.

He had also been critical of Ajax's struggles when put under pressure during the first half, with striker Tolu Arokodare attracting particular attention.

“I can understand now that he hasn't made it in the Premier League,” El Ahmadi remarked about the forward.

Ajax's position in the title race means they cannot be dismissed as challengers, but the criticism from Bruggink and El Ahmadi highlights the gap they still need to close.

PSV's intensity, attacking movement and ability to create chances have set a demanding standard for their rivals. For Ajax, improving their consistency and rediscovering the aggressive style associated with the club will be essential if they are to mount a sustained challenge.

Feyenoord also remain part of the conversation, but Timmer's prediction is that PSV will ultimately come out on top. For now, Ajax have the potential to make the title race competitive, although their performances are yet to provide convincing evidence that they can match PSV over an entire season.