PSV crushes Willem II with fullback-free tactic

Bosz deploys PSV without fullbacks to counter Willem II's three-centre-back system, a tactical shift to address last season's struggles against similar formations.

Peter Bosz has adjusted PSV's tactical approach to combat opponents using five-defender systems after struggling against such setups last season. PSV stumbled early against Telstar and Union Sint-Gillis, then lost twice to NEC after the winter break—once in the KNVB Cup and again in the league. A key problem was how to pin down the three centre-backs.

For the Willem II match, Bosz opted for an unconventional solution: playing without fullbacks entirely. "We play without backs today," Bosz revealed to ESPN before the match. "So without left-back or right-back. We fill that in differently, to put them under pressure." He declined to elaborate on the exact setup, saying "You'll see it shortly."