It's not regression, it's progression.
Last couple of seasons, we've sat back super deep and hit every top team on the counter. That's worked because we have lots of pace, but it's not a long term strategy.
The reason this is progress is because Ole trying to make us a team that always plays on the front foot. Despite some of our results, you can't deny that we're trying to impose ourselves on matches more we used to.
If Manchester United want to make the step up, we can't be a team that code switches between big team mentality and small team mentality every few weeks. We'll get better the more we practise it. Even if that means more 0-0 draws in the short term. These are the growing pains of a side that's potentially on the cusp.
It's not progression though.
We had more shots on target vs Liverpool last season and same possession as this season.
We have evens possession vs Arsenal in November when we lost 1-0 and didn't stamp any more authority than the defeat a season prior. The same goes for the 0-0 this season we had a
bit more possession but didn't make any more a stamp on the game itself compared to the November fixture this year, or last season's fixture (where we had 51% possession anyway).
Vs Chelsea yesterday we had 43% possession yesterday and 50% in the reverse under Lampard. Compare that to the season before it's actually very similar, you're looking at margins of a difference with the exception of more potency in the season prior.
We also got spanked by Spurs and the Leicester match this season was not dissimilar to the possession of last season (you're looking at 41% vs 46% which is not exactly material).
There is no way you can look at the games this season against bigger sides and claim it's progression. We might not be operating as deep but we are still too cautious to get anything meaningful by way of a collective points tally from them, especially when you consider certain games (Arsenal, Chelsea reverse, Liverpool currently) didn't even warrant being anywhere near as passive as we were last season.
You have to also remember that last season we actually played big teams at poorer times when they were on rampant form and we were not so, like Liverpool or City last season. This season we actually played a a couple big teams at the best possible time when they looked like trash, e.g. Liverpool/Arsenal and failed to capitalize in any meaningful manner outside of deciding "we won't defend as deep anymore".