Olid won’t change tactics despite Man Utd’s winless WSL start

LEIGH, England — Eva Olid is committed to maintaining her intended style of play as she aims to foster a more competitive team despite Manchester United’s 5-0 defeat to Chelsea on Sunday, which left her without a win since taking over as manager.

During the match, United recorded only two shots, with just one hitting the target. Although they conceded five goals, goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce made several crucial saves to prevent an even larger deficit.

Having stepped into her role shortly before the season began, Olid acknowledged that facing tough opponents like London City right off the bat has inhibited the team’s ability to execute her vision. Next up for United is a challenging away game against Arsenal.

“I anticipated challenges because you want to implement an attacking style, but you are up against three difficult teams,” Olid stated at a press conference.

“While aiming to attack, you also have to defend, making it hard to build confidence in an offensive strategy. I’m here to establish a certain identity for the team and remain committed to that vision.”

While facing top teams early on may present certain advantages, the Spanish coach recognized that it can also reveal weaknesses that can become focal points for improvement.

Although her attacking strategy hasn’t yielded results yet, Olid is confident that remaining steadfast to her approach is crucial for the team’s development.

“If I start altering our strategy based on the opponents, then I’ll never achieve what I want to build. If I tell the players that we can’t try to be aggressive today, they won’t gain the confidence to do it,” she explained.

“If we continue this way, we will eventually see success; confidence will increase, and we will begin to play the way we aspire to. I realize this transition is tough, and no one likes to lose a match, but we must remain committed to our vision, as I believe it will lead to victories in the long run.”

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Chelsea manager Bompastor: a dominant win is the best show of respect

Chelsea, on the other hand, delivered an impressive performance, with five different players scoring after a previous 1-1 draw with Aston Villa.

The club exhibited a return to form, showing improved finishing after a lackluster display in front of goal against Villa during the opening match.

Chelsea’s manager Sonia Bompastor commended her team’s sharpness and commanding play.

“We started strong and maintained our intensity throughout the match, which is essential when discussing mentality and mindset,” Bompastor commented.

“I’m pleased with our response following last weekend. I know there’s a process involved, and while I’m satisfied with our performance today, I anticipate some fluctuations as the season progresses. It’s crucial that I support the players with the right mindset to sustain this level of intensity. If we can achieve this, we’ll operate as a completely different team.”

Reflecting on the 5-0 victory, Bompastor asserted that the best way to honor an opponent is by aiming to score as many goals as possible.

“To me, the best way to show respect is to take advantage of opportunities and score as many goals as you can,” she stated.

“It’s painful to witness another team concede five goals; honestly, it would sadden me if I were in their position. Nonetheless, demonstrating respect means having the ambition and mentality to maximize scoring opportunities, and that sets apart great teams from good ones.”