“We need to believe in what we are building” – Eva Olid | OneFootball

Manchester United Women opened their season with a defeat to London City after an overall disappointing performance, managing only one shot on target all game, which became their only goal in the 10th minute of added time.

Despite a rough start to the season, Manchester United manager Eva Olid believes the players know where they went wrong against London City and how to fix those problems for Chelsea on Sunday.

“We analysed the game together, and I think we had clear why we lost the game, and that for me is so important that the players understand what we had to do better.”

I say to them that this new style of play that we are trying to implement needs training; of course, you need to train and train and train. For they feel more comfortable every time.” Olid explained.

In the London City game last week, Olid expressed that the team in the second half was truly her squad and reflected the style of play she wanted to see. However, she admitted that she didn’t recognise the team in the first half. When asked what she hoped to see against Chelsea, the United manager shared her expectations.

“I expect us confidence with the ball, like everyone showing we want to have the ball; yeah, it’s everything about that, not about the confidence. Of course we know they are good and will be moments we have to defend, but we want attack too; we want to put them in difficult situations where we hurt them, and that is the main focus. When we have the ball, we enjoy with the ball, and we really have confidence to create chances to put them in difficult situations and hope that we can score goals too.”

During United’s 2-1 defeat to London City away from home, the Reds struggled to create any major chances, as their only shot on target came with Simi Awujo’s injury-time late consolation goal.

When asked whether the team was lacking confidence or had a structural issue regarding the only shot on target United had last week. Olid defended the players as she believes they were still trying to adapt to the pressure of a new style of play.

“No, because in pre-season everything had been working in terms of structure. I think in pre-season we didn’t have the pressure that going to the first match a newer style; I think the players could feel that pressure. We go to the first competitive match with a new style of play, in pre-season we were doing, but now it’s the real proof, and I think the first minutes the first half is something of confidence, and we couldn’t recognise the pictures and the scenarios because I think we had free player; we had the spaces, just we couldn’t recognise and I think after the first half we started recognising.”

“I’m not saying that the second half was perfect, but was so much better. We had momentum that we could score, and as I say, it’s the start of Sunday from second one with that mentality, you know, we can create chances, we can have the ball and that had been the main focus this week.”

Manchester United have been hit with an injury blow as Olid confirms Jade Riviere’s absence ahead of Chelsea on Sunday.

“We have an injury, a new injury with Jade, as she finished the match with calf problems and is not gonna be in the squad for injury. Emma have been already was not in last week; she will be a few weeks out.”

“After training today, I’m still waiting two players how they are, but after the doctors and physcio are gonna tell us, yeah, like sure, these two players for inury are not gonna be in the squad.”