Rangnick appointment at Manchester United bad news for Arsenal

Manchester United have kindly taken over the mantle of laughing stock in recent weeks, even if they still sit only three points off Arsenal in the table and find themselves in the Champions League knockout stages.

Their football has been atrocious, salvaged solely by the individual brilliance and clutch moments of certain players, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer having been allowed to let the rot fester at the biggest football club in the world.

Them sacking him was devastating. Tactically inept and having way overstayed his welcome, for a club looking to challenge Manchester United it was a pity to see him axed.

However, the reason they’ve been the butt of the joke is because they’re a club run by imbeciles. ‘Football people’ who can only lay claim to being the human half of the term. With a muddled hierarchy, who they would look to employ, or at least try to employ, offered some reassurance of further calamity.

Manchester United appointing Ralf Rangnick as interim manager and then in a consultancy role is dreadful news for Arsenal

Sadly, they’ve made the most competent move they could.

As per The Athletic, Ralf Rangnick is to come in on an interim basis until the end of the season to replace Solskjaer. Having not managed since 2019, the idea of the German coming in and suddenly turning United into some pressing machine that will blitz its way up the Premier League table is not the concern. It’s what happens at the end of the season.

Upon seeing out the campaign, Rangnick will take up a ‘consultancy’ role at the club for two years. For a club like Arsenal, this is dreadful news.

For years Arsenal have been trying to narrow the gap to the Red Devils despite the vast differences in finances. United have been able to splurge on players like it’s going out of fashion, but the people making those decisions have been fools. A new transfer strategy has emerged in north London as the Gunners seek to rectify their previous errors, and it’s seeing them attempt to bridge the gap.

Of late, it’s been less of a case that Arsenal have been great and instead that United have been dreadful; throwing money without consideration and getting them nowhere near the title. That’s because they’ve been led by clowns. Rangnick is not that. His talent ID and focus on early development and attacking principles is rightly heralded.

Dubbed the ‘godfather’ of German coaching who introduced the back four and the concept of pressing, the entire Red Bull footballing empire is testament to his vision and clout. There are few men on the planet you would more happily hand the keys of your club over to with the aim of rebuilding and implementing a sustainable long-term strategy.

Him entering the fold makes United both rich and smart. A dangerous combination, and one Arsenal had been glad to sit on the sidelines watching where stacks of money has been flushed down the drain.

This isn’t good news. As much as the focus is on our own garden, this kind of appointment goes beyond simply hiring a manager who can coach the bare principles of the sport, this is someone who can take a footballing powerhouse with endless streams of money back into the upper echelons.

Fortunately, in terms of strategy, Arsenal are tending to their own patch in a way that fans are on board with and is the most realistic way of achieving success. But when money and power are placed in the capable hands of those with outstanding track records, it is always a concern. It won’t be done overnight, but the framework is in place.