Like many football fans in Europe, former Ajax and PSV midfielder Wim Jonk started to follow the top-of-the-table battle more intensely as is became a tight race in the latter weeks.
“Ajax have come a long way and then managed to build up a big lead,” said Jonk.
“But the moment you drop points the outside world will start talking and then the question is what will happen psychologically within the team?
“You could see it with Ajax – as the pressure mounted, their game started to freeze up. It’s not about a lack of quality because there are some good players in that squad.”
Jonk could see it particularly in the home games against Sparta Rotterdam and NEC Nijmegen, when Ajax performed below par.
“When something went wrong during the match, it looked like something switched in their minds – ‘What’s going on here?'” added Jonk.
“That’s where structure comes in – you need something solid to fall back on and from that structure, confidence grows again.”
Ajax’s capitulation only tells one half of the story, though.
PSV’s turnaround is made even more incredible by the fact they previously held a nine-point lead over Ajax in December.
The unexpected twists have somehow become a recurring pattern. In late October there were no signs this season would end up being such a rollercoaster.
PSV won their first 10 games convincingly, just in the same impressive fashion that led them to the league title last season.
“Under [manager] Peter Bosz they played some fantastic football – by far the best team in the league at the time,” said Jonk.
“Very dominant, high pressing – really entertaining to watch. I was curious to see whether that would carry on into the new season.
“In the beginning it actually did – in the first half of the campaign you could still see a lot of those same mechanisms.”
‘Ajax clearly have experience and quality’
Ajax lost just one of their 17 Eredivisie games at Johan Cruyff Arena
The low point for PSV came in early March, when they lost 7-1 at home to Arsenal in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.
Later that month, PSV lost 2-0 at home against Ajax and were suddenly nine points adrift in the Eredivisie table.
“The question is then, is there still that hunger to set egos aside and fully commit to one shared goal?” Jonk said.
“The moment you start to lose even a little bit of that, you know things can quickly start heading in the wrong direction.
“Of course a bit of luck plays a role, but in many ways you earn that luck. What matters most is winning your own games and what happens elsewhere is out of your control.”
PSV went on a winning run, but then there was one moment in which it almost slipped away from them, when they played at Robin van Persie’s Feyenoord on 11 May.
The hosts cruised into a 2-0 lead by half-time and were on track move into second place, putting PSV’s direct qualification for the Champions League in jeopardy.
The plot twist was symbolic of this season, but the second half provided a new turn of events. PSV came back to 2-2, before former Ajax winger Noa Lang scored the winner in the 99th minute.
Shortly after that match it was Ajax’s turn.
Francesco Farioli’s side fell to a 3-0 defeat against NEC Nijmegen – who had never previously won at Ajax in the league.
Still, matters were in Ajax’s hands when they travelled to Groningen three days later.
But the story of this match also came to a head in the 99th minute, as the home side, reduced to 10 men in the 93rd minute, stunned the league leaders with a late equaliser.
“What do you do when you’re leading with just a few minutes to go? Do you drop deep or do you push up?” said Jonk.
“Ajax started dropping back – instead of stepping forward – even while they were playing with an extra man.
“It’s a pity, as the team doesn’t reach the level it’s capable of in those moments. Ajax clearly have experience and quality in their squad.”