He was named talent of the month in January. In part because of a starring role in the ArenA against Ajax. Saturday night, Sam Lammers meets his PSV. "It's special, but that goes by the wayside for me," he said.
Heroic role
The 21-year-old striker said so earlier this week in conversation with Heerenveen TV. As a PSV mercenary, Lammers is impressing this season. With nine goals and three assists, Lammers is involved in more than a quarter of the Frisian production (43 goals). A minor heroic role was earned by the striker at the end of January in the ArenA. While all PSV'ers regretted the 2-2 draw at FC Emmen, two goals by the Goirle-born striker also resulted in a point loss for Ajax. The consequence is well known. The Amsterdammers grabbed next to the lead in the Eredivisie and are now six points behind PSV. "We could already hear the crowd going wild during the warm-up. That was extra incentive for us to go the extra mile," Lammers told FOX Sports after the match.
Two-legged
Besides his goals in the Eredivisie, Lammers also scored three in the KNVB Cup tournament. Followers of Young PSV already knew it - Lammers has so far scored the most goals in the professional existence of the promising team - but what is striking is that the striker scores goals just as easily with his left and right leg. One sometimes more beautiful than the other. Take the match against Ajax. He shot the 1-1 with his left leg on the edge of the penalty area. The 3-2, after halftime, plopped into the nets off his right foot. "I shoot easily with both legs," Lammers said. "Penalties I usually shoot with the left, but I think I'm pretty two-legged."
Youth training
Lammers developed that skill in PSV's youth academy, where he was turned from midfielder to striker later in life. A debut in the first team followed, as did goals. In late 2017, he scored his first in an Eredivisie game with FC Groningen; a week later, he darted across the pitch with happiness after he also found the net against PEC Zwolle. It seemed like a prelude to more, but with competition from Luuk de Jong and Jürgen Locadia, it remained at 207 minutes in PSV's main squad last season. To continue his development, Lammers opted, in consultation with PSV, for a rental period.
Lammers celebrates the 1-1 against FC Groningen, his first for PSV, with Luuk de Jong
Good for him
"We looked at what is good for him," head coach Mark van Bommel clarified the two sides' choice at the press conference ahead of the meeting with Heerenveen. "Here he would have filled in a number of times. Sometimes he would also have been in the starting line-up, but there, if he stays fit, he will play 34 games from kickoff. That is excellent for his development." Van Bommel is therefore impressed with Lammers' development. "If you play consistently, you learn a lot more. Opponents adjust to his style of play, for example. He is learning to deal with that and I think he is doing very well. Next summer he will return to PSV as a better player."
Special
The protagonist himself sees the match against PSV as a new measuring moment in his career. "It will be a very difficult match. They are at the top for a reason," Lammers said. "But we are playing at home. I hope we can make it very difficult for them and I think we will. So I'm looking forward to it. It's a special game for me, but that will go by the wayside on Saturday. Just like every game, it's just full commitment and I hope I can score a goalt."