PSV’s shock 2-1 defeat to ADO Den Haag has raised fresh questions about the impact of Joey Veerman and Ismael Saibari’s departures, with analyst Hans Kraay junior arguing that the reigning Eredivisie champions are missing the quality the pair brought to their midfield.

PSV suffered a damaging setback against struggling ADO on Saturday, dropping points in a match that has left them four points behind league leaders Feyenoord. The result prompted Kraay to highlight the influence Veerman and Saibari once had on Peter Bosz’s side, particularly when opponents applied pressure.

Both midfielders left PSV last summer. Veerman secured a move to Borussia Dortmund, while Saibari joined Bayern Munich after an impressive season as PSV’s playmaker, with the German club reportedly paying around €50 million for his services.

Speaking on Goedemorgen Eredivisie on Sunday, Kraay suggested that their absence was becoming increasingly noticeable.

Kraay acknowledged that Veerman does not always receive universal recognition for his ability, but argued that Saturday’s defeat demonstrated the value he and Saibari brought to PSV’s build-up play.

“Some people don’t rate Joey Veerman highly. But yesterday, I thought: Veerman and Saibari really do bring extra quality,” Kraay said.

He was particularly concerned by how PSV struggled when ADO grew in confidence and increased the intensity of their pressing.

“Especially when ADO started playing with more swagger and pressed with an extra man,” the analyst added.

Kraay then explained how Veerman helped PSV escape pressure and progress up the pitch last season. According to him, the midfielder provided a reliable passing option for the central defenders, allowing the team to move forward with greater confidence.

“When PSV were under pressure with Veerman in the team, the central defenders would pass to him. Then you could push up and start playing football,” Kraay explained.

“Veerman would then pass to Saibari, and you could push up even further.”

His analysis highlighted the connection between the two midfielders and the role they played in helping PSV establish possession and advance through the opposition press. Without them, Kraay believes the team are missing an important source of quality in those situations.

Not everyone shares Kraay’s level of concern about PSV’s post-departure struggles. Fellow analyst Sjoerd Mossou said he was not yet worried about the team’s ability to cope without Veerman and Saibari.

However, Mossou admitted that the defeat to ADO was difficult to overlook, particularly given PSV’s standards in recent seasons.

“You would think the PSV of recent years would have taken at least a point here,” he said.

Mossou also warned that losing such a match at this stage of the campaign could have significant consequences, especially as Feyenoord continue to build an advantage at the top of the table.

“Losing this match at this stage of the season is worrying, especially because you’re falling behind Feyenoord,” he added, as quoted by GOAL.

Feyenoord strengthened their position with a dramatic 4-3 away victory over Telstar on Saturday. That result left PSV four points behind the Rotterdam club, increasing the pressure on Bosz and his players to respond.

The defeat to ADO has therefore raised two questions for PSV: how quickly they can adapt to the loss of two influential midfielders, and whether they can rediscover the consistency required to keep pace with Feyenoord in the Eredivisie title race.