It is a very different picture at Manchester United now than it was a month ago. After a winless, low-confidence start to the season, Eva Olid’s side have won their past three WSL matches and six in a row in all competitions, and they head into Sunday’s derby against leaders Manchester City with real momentum.
Manchester United Women (Credits: BBC Sport)
United failed to win any of their first three matches, and the early signs were worrying. New manager Olid, who joined in the summer, had asked her players to embrace a new style built on lots of possession, an attacking mindset and high-risk football. Instead, the team struggled to adapt.
The low point came in defeats by London City Lionesses and Chelsea, where United managed just two shots on target and less than 40% possession in both matches. A 5-0 drubbing by Chelsea, in particular, forced some hard conversations inside the camp.
What Manchester United Changed to Turn Around Their WSL Form
Olid’s answer was to step back rather than push harder. She conceded her side needed to revert to old ways, urging her players to rediscover the strengths they already had, including their defensive organisation, before layering her new ideas on top.
“The things they were good at before, they need to keep and at the same time, little by little, we need to implement our new style,” Olid said. “It’s trying to find this balance. Maybe they thought I would expect them to do everything in the first match but that is impossible. You need time.”
The turning point came in a 1-1 draw with Arsenal at Emirates Stadium, a result that showed signs of improvement and gave the team a foundation to build on. A first win followed against Sheffield United in the Women’s League Cup, and from there the victories kept coming.
The numbers tell the story of the turnaround. Across their next three WSL games, United took the maximum nine points, scored six goals and conceded just two, while almost doubling their possession percentage. Passes ending in the final third jumped from 197 in the first three games to a combined 529 against West Ham, Liverpool and Charlton Athletic, and shots quadrupled from 10 to 42.
Honest Conversations and the Manchester Derby Test
Olid says the biggest changes happened off the pitch. After the Chelsea defeat, the squad held what she called honest conversations during a transitional period, and the international break gave her valuable time to readjust, reflect and work on the training pitch.
“The first two games were good learning for us to connect as a team and for me to know what the players needed from me,” Olid said. “The players also know what I needed. It was about trying to find that balance. I feel now we are connected.”
Individuals have responded too. Vice-captain Ella Toone, who missed out on England selection for the first time under Sarina Wiegman during the poor start, answered by scoring in the 3-1 win at Charlton on Sunday. Summer signing Andrea Medina has grown into a crucial member of the squad, while captain Maya le Tissier returned from international duty with renewed energy.
United now sit fifth in the table, eight points behind unbeaten City. Sunday’s derby at 18:00 GMT is the real test of whether this turnaround is built to last, but whatever happens, the team that walks out will look nothing like the one that stumbled through September.
Also Read: Getting to Know Man Utd Boss Eva Olid: 10 Whirlwind Weeks, a 5-0 Chelsea Humbling, and a Turning Point and Symonds Scores Screamer as Brighton Beat West Ham 3-0 in Women’s Super League
Source: BBC Sport — read the full story there.
