Man Utd's Olid sees direct tactics pay off after tough WSL start
Manchester United Women's new head coach Marisa Olid arrived in England as a relative unknown despite success in Scotland, but after two early defeats her side has now won four straight games. Liverpool's Gareth Taylor says his team fell into United's trap of facing a very direct approach.
Marisa Olid joined Manchester United Women as a largely unfamiliar figure in English football, despite having built a strong record in the Scottish Women's Premier League.
Her start in charge was rocky. United lost to London City Lionesses on the opening night of the Women's Super League season, then were beaten 5-0 at home by Chelsea the following week, managing only two shots on target across both matches.
A draw away at Arsenal marked a turning point, and United have since gone on a run of four consecutive wins across the WSL and League Cup, scoring 18 goals in the process. Olid believes this shows her tactical approach is beginning to click with the players.
Still, she is not satisfied. She said she was pleased for her players, who she feels deserve the results because they are fighting for each other and improving in many areas. However, she acknowledged that the team's chance creation is ahead of its finishing, and that the final pass and conversion of chances still need work.
Liverpool's perspective
Liverpool manager Gareth Taylor was less complimentary about United's approach, after his own side's promising start to the season was interrupted by two defeats in their last three matches.
Taylor described United as very direct, saying his team fell into that trap, and noted that United's goalkeeper was effectively launching the ball straight from her hands rather than playing out. He said Liverpool need to show more bravery and that there are lessons to learn, calling the match the first time this season his side failed to be a true reflection of their quality.
