Eva Olid arrived at Manchester United with a reputation for high-possession attacking football, built on an impressive spell at Hearts. Her opening weeks in the Women’s Super League have underlined how difficult it can be to transfer those ideals to a new squad. United lost their opening game 2-1 to London City Lionesses, then suffered a 5-0 defeat by Chelsea. A 1-1 draw with Arsenal followed, a performance far more pragmatic than many might have expected. A 10-1 League Cup win at Sheffield United on Wednesday offered evidence of progress, though Sheffield United are bottom of WSL 2 in the early weeks of the season.
Under Olid, United look to play out from the back. Short passes help reduce the 50-50 nature of long balls, and their build-up normally starts from a 4-2 or 3-2 base with the central midfielders forming a narrow two. The winger on the same side as the ball tends to stay high and wide, while the far-side winger drops deeper alongside the number 10 to create a box in midfield. That is a clear departure from predecessor Marc Skinner. Skinner also used a 4-2 or 3-2 base, but his formation was generally a more stretched and symmetrical 3-2-2-3, with players given more fixed positions. His number 10s were often asked to stay high in pockets, either to receive in dangerous areas or to drag opponents away and create space elsewhere.
Olid has moved away from that. Her central players have greater licence to come towards the ball, likely to create overloads in the middle of the pitch. If Jess Park switches from the flank into central midfield, for example, the opposition full-back must decide whether to follow. If they do not, United should have a numerical advantage around the ball. This reflects where United now focus their play. When opponents defend zonally, crowding central areas gives United more numbers in the middle. If defences compensate by narrowing, space appears on the outside for unmarked players. By contrast, Skinner placed fewer players centrally, funnelling possession towards the flanks, where full-back, midfielder and winger combined in triangles.
There are trade-offs. Skinner’s more fixed structure could make it easier for brave opponents to match United player-for-player. In that situation, Olid’s team would respond by moving another player towards the ball to create an overload. But focusing on small-space combinations through the centre also means Olid’s United are more likely to lose possession in dangerous areas, making them more susceptible to counter-attacks. That has already been evident in her tenure.
After three league games, United have averaged 37% possession. Olid identified two problems last weekend: “We lose simple passes and we cannot recognise the free player.” Goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce has struggled with the ball at her feet, lacking some of the qualities this system asks for. Chelsea’s man-to-man pressure exposed that and prevented United from establishing prolonged possession. She is not the only player making a tough adjustment to this more intricate approach. Olid’s tactics are designed to create numerical advantages to put players in space, but United have not always found them even when the movement has been good. Her style requires players to be better technically and quicker cognitively. Playing through crowded central areas means receiving the ball under pressure, combining in small spaces and identifying the spare player. Those actions rely on chemistry and game understanding rather than simply following a pre-planned pattern. Hinata Miyazawa and Julia Zigiotti-Olme have looked the best suited, but developing the collective understanding and removing hesitation will take time. For Chelsea’s fourth goal, United lost possession trying to play through the middle from deep and were punished in transition.
To her credit, Olid has adapted. There is recent evidence of Tullis-Joyce going long more often, and against Arsenal, recalled Simi Awujo provided a more capable target for those passes than Ella Toone. That also allowed striker Elisabeth Terland to stay higher up the pitch rather than constantly dropping deep to engage in aerial duels or hold-up play. Out of possession, Olid has explained her approach, telling Sky Sports: “We are a team who need to press high.” Against Chelsea, however, that press was repeatedly exposed. With Monica Jusu Bah starting on the left and Terland leading the press, Jusu Bah moved inside as the ball travelled wide to try to engage Chelsea midfielder Keira Walsh. That allowed Blues right-back Ellie Carpenter freedom to advance, while on the other side Wieke Kaptein pinned back United left-back Andrea Medina. In the second half, Olid adjusted. Terland became more passive alongside Toone, with the pair screening Chelsea’s central midfielders, allowing Jusu Bah to stay wider and prevent easy access to Carpenter. In the League Cup win against Sheffield United, United’s third and fourth goals came from an intense and co-ordinated press that forced the opposition to turn over the ball close to their own goal.
Implementing a new style takes time, particularly when players are being asked to use space and accept risk in ways they are not accustomed to. A common problem for coaches with an ambitious game model is becoming too attached to the final version of it and ignoring what the current squad needs. Olid does not appear to be falling into that trap. “The focus [against Arsenal] was the defensive shape,” she said. “It’s trying to get them more confidence.” Attacking football in this more fluid manner may be the final goal, but Olid appears willing to build towards it in steps. Early in her managerial role at Hearts, she showed similar flexibility, which won her points, the trust of her players and a platform from which to create exciting football. “The [attack] will come,” Olid has said. “But we need to keep this [defensive structure], then from there, little by little, be an attacking team, create chances, score more goals.” The key now is how United build on that momentum for Sunday’s WSL match against West Ham.