Beyond goals and assists, the winger's explosive recovery pace and defensive grit against Sparta Rotterdam have analysts hailing him as the complete package in Peter Bosz’s system.
Ruben van Bommel may not have contributed directly to a goal against Sparta Rotterdam, but his all-round performance still earned strong praise from ESPN analyst Arnold Bruggink.
PSV Eindhoven produced another convincing result on Sunday evening, beating Sparta Rotterdam 4-1 after Peter Bosz changed his front line.
Sven Mijnans stole the headlines with a hat-trick, while midfielder Kodai Sano also found the net. Ruben van Bommel, Ricardo Pepi and Ivan Perišić started the match on the bench, coming on after around an hour.
Van Bommel did not register a goal or assist, but his contribution in transition caught Bruggink’s attention. The former PSV midfielder highlighted a sprint duel with Sparta forward Mitchell van Bergen, who is also capable of reaching exceptional speeds.
Van Bommel eventually won possession with a well-timed tackle, prompting Bruggink to point to an increasingly important part of the winger’s game.
“Here he sprints against Mitchell van Bergen, who also reaches 36.5 kilometers per hour. So Van Bommel has this in his game as well. He’s really a complete player.”
For Bruggink, the moment demonstrated that Van Bommel offers more than pace and attacking threat. Modern wingers are increasingly expected to contribute defensively, particularly when possession is lost and the team needs to recover quickly.
“As a winger, you nowadays also have to be able to go back like that. He’s so fast. I hope he continues his development.”
Bruggink Impressed by Van Bommel’s Response
Van Bommel has also had to deal with significant attention since PSV’s 3-1 victory over Ajax earlier this month, following his controversial collision with Ajax defender Aaron Bouwman.
The winger subsequently played the full 90 minutes in PSV’s 1-1 Champions League draw with Shakhtar Donetsk last Thursday.
As relayed by PSV Inside, Bruggink was impressed by the way Van Bommel handled the scrutiny and returned to the pitch without allowing the surrounding discussion to affect his performance.
“I especially found it beautiful how he stood on the pitch on Thursday against Shakhtar Donetsk, after all the commotion.”
Van Bommel received a yellow card during the match but continued to play until the final whistle.
“He received a yellow card and just carried on from where he had left off. That says something about him too.”
The comments underline why Van Bommel’s development is being assessed beyond his numbers in the final third. His pace, defensive work and ability to recover possession are becoming increasingly important elements of his role at PSV, even on a night when the goals came from elsewhere.
