The most significant developments at United may have taken place away from the field.
Olid said her team had worked through a period of transition and held important discussions after suffering a 5-0 defeat against Chelsea.
The players needed to rebuild their belief, and Olid acknowledged that frank conversations were necessary to identify a way forward.
“The opening two matches taught us a lot about coming together as a team and helped me understand what the players expected from me,” Olid said. “They also learned what I expected from them. The aim was to establish the right balance.”
“I believe we now have a strong connection. That does not mean difficult days will not happen again, but we understand each other much better.”
Their early-season struggles also affected individual players, with vice-captain Ella Toone left out of the England squad for the first time during Sarina Wiegman’s tenure.
Toone answered that setback by scoring in Sunday’s 3-1 victory over Charlton, while summer arrival Andrea Medina has developed into an important part of the team.
The international break gave Olid a valuable opportunity to settle into her new position, assess the required improvements and work closely with the squad in training.
United captain and England defender Maya le Tissier was among the players who returned with fresh momentum after producing impressive performances for her country.
The coaching team was also finalised, allowing Olid to assemble a staff she believes can help United achieve future success.
Spanish coach Jose Herrera arrived as an assistant, joining Gavin Beith, who previously worked with Olid at Hearts.
Reflecting on the international break, Olid said: “I was able to reorganise everything, define the responsibilities of the new staff and decide how we would operate as a group.”
“For me, the break was incredibly helpful. It felt like a fresh beginning. We wanted to preserve the positive mood created by our recent matches while also embracing a new chapter.”
With United now enjoying a run of victories, Olid hopes Sunday’s Manchester derby will provide her players with even greater motivation.
“Ahead of major matches, I always want to strengthen the players’ confidence while using the identity of the opposition to inspire them,” she said.
“It is a derby, so the players will naturally be motivated. However, when the opponent is City, an additional level of desire is required, isn’t it?”
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