(PICTURE courtesy of http://shmokh.tumblr.com/)
Mathieu Flamini believes Arsenal can end their trophy drought by honing a deep-seated collective spirit and laid bare his own winning mentality by likening modern footballers to Roman gladiators.
The French midfielder, who returned to North London this summer after five years on the books at AC Milan, also conceded that like the fans he found it tough watching the Gunners fail to deliver on their potential in his absence.
“I watched Arsenal a lot from Italy, and I was frustrated as well,” the 29-year-old told the Arsenal Magazine.
“When you look at the team, you see all that quality, players playing amazing football, and being so close to be successful, yet not winning anything. It’s not easy to watch that.
“What’s important is to work hard, and to work on the spirit of the team, because I think that makes the difference. Of course quality is important, but just as important is the collective of the team – to work together, attack together and defend together. That will make the difference.”
Joining the club from Marseille in July 2004, Flamini knows what its like to be surrounded by winners having played a bit-part in the tail end of the Invincibles 49-game unbeaten run. Eager to stress the lessons learned from such an historic period in the club’s history he further emphasised the importance of balancing group harmony with individual talent.
“Trying to stay close to each other on and off the pitch is very important. The team spirit is most important. Individuality in the team makes the difference but, for me, on top of it is the collective spirit. What’s important is the team spirit because working for each other on the pitch makes you win games.
“I love to win and I hate to lose,” he continued. “I really have problems to accept it when we drop points or when we lose a game. I wake up every morning and I come here to work hard because I want to win. I want to win every little game in training and I want to win when I go on the pitch with Arsenal. I’m a winner and maybe a bad loser.
“That’s why for me, going on the pitch, I’m trying to give everything. Before you had gladiators at the Colosseum, today we are the gladiators on the pitch when we go in the middle of the stadium and play in front of 60,000 people. We have to give everything for our club.”
Arseblog News can well imagine a bloodied Flamini gripping the severed head of a Spurs player in one hand and a trident in the other yelling at the Emirates crowd: “Are you not entertained? Are you not entertained? Is this not why you are here?”
To which the answer would always be…yes.
Are you not entertained?
He seems so committed its a joy to see. thats the thing though he was here when the invincibles were still around so its easier for him to channel that same arsenal diehard spirit they had and now rubbing off on the rest.
What a signing this has been!
It’s hard not to fucking love this guy.
actuall it’s not . he’s the last guy who should talking about spirit and sh*t…he’s the guy who left us when we needed him…for free.
“I watched Arsenal a lot from Italy, and I was frustrated as well,” – then you should’ve stayed mofo..when you were at the peak of you career.
And he just very physical ,doesn’t necessary mean he wins the ball more ,Ramsey and Lego hair win waay more tackles and interceptions.
Let the thumbs down begin
“Let the thumbs down begin”
Yep. I’ll get you started there.
Well, at least your name is accurate.
Have you ever considered trying some actual downers there Debbie? Heroin? Opium? OxyContin, if you prefer?
Lighten up a little, maybe take some advice from Santi Cazorla : “I do not understand football without joy”
Heroin and opium are not downers. It is barbiturates, not opiates that are commonly described as “downers” as they have the opposite affect to amphetamines,”uppers”.
Which is so weirdly awesome, because a couple of months ago, he was a mercenary and not welcome.
Gotta love Flamiator. Always did. (yes, we all did)
Love flamini, running around cropping people whilst heavily concussed. Hates losing more than bentner should hate himself. What a lad
don’t you see the irony in praising a player, whose calling for a collective team spirit, by insulting another one?
I think the majority of us do the see irony, but don’t actually care, considering Nick Betnaaar is a total plonk.
Could we swap that spurs player for Dutch skunk?.. It’s just most spurs players are new and I just haven’t started hating them as much..I will in time, I am sure.
Gladiators didn’t wear sleeves either, they would just get covered in blood!
Flamini was given a white shirt. The Arsenal red is the blood of his enemies.
Really..
How did he spell out Fly Emirates on it? When i try in my six aside matches the blood of my enemies always runs through the text.
Which just looks a bloody mess.
That is a top notch picture blogs!
Even in my eyes i seem to visualize flamini as a fiery gladiator wielding a whip….now its come to being!
A whip? I think maybe you visualised Flamini as a fiery Archaeologist?
or a Sadist
Seen a lot of the clubs sporting jacket on before the game something only the italian national team use to do.
We should send them out as gladiators with the war chest( no not transfer budget thing) on them.
We are TheArsenal we always do something different.
Love that lad, love the attitude even more though!
I can imagine Flamini kicking the Dutch Skunk on his ass and yelling “THIS IS ARSENAAALLLLL”
The Gladiators Of Rome were to me represents the Italians! Unless I am wrong in this take!
Arsenal with a fair group of French nationals and British core …. I am pretty sure it is more apt to be proudly named …..
‘THE ARSENAL MUSKETEERS’ led by none other than Monsieur Wenger ….. to the that spirited call of…
‘ONE FOR ALL AND ALL FOR ONE’ in all their games both on home and away soil!
That’s the aim and call by Flamini …. one of Arsenal’s Midfield Generals!!
The gladiators were usually slaves shipped out from Africa and the North, etc., everywhere but Rome though, really
Asterix? (Best not to cast Getafix).
Ehm, I think The Flams family orginally from Italy, just like the Kos family originally from Poland!!!!.
“My name is Mathieu Flamini, Commander of the Arsenal midfield, General of the centre circle and in front of the back four, loyal servant to the true emperor, Arsene Wenger. And I will win a trophy with Arsenal, in this life or the next.”
Emotions of pride overcame me and a tear gently flowed down my cheek. Beautiful Heisenberg, beautiful.
Thank you trimi, I appreciate your kind words!
COYG
He is spot on. Great profiling of our past teams,and the main problem of lack of team spirit among the squad members (cashley, adebawhore, chinless nasri, dutch skunk e.t.c), thank goodness thats over. Fight on, you French Battle Axe.
Was gutted when he moved to ac. Re signing him was very shrewd business and by far the best pen on paper in the closed season.
If this squad doesn’t win anything this season I will be depressed. From the outside, at least, squad harmony hasn’t been this great for years.
I fucking love this guy
opposition team fear us this season
they fear us like they used to
they fear us like they should
I’m Flamini!
No, I’m Flamini!
No I am flamini
He’s not flamini, hes a very naught boy…
(since we are on wrong movie references)
I’m Flamini and so’s my wife
I for one was delighted by his re-signing, as opposed to his resigning 5 years ago and can’t understand why there was so much ill will towards him. He knew his worth, and when we didn’t offer him that he exercised his right to go elsewhere. Now he’s back (for £0.00) he’s added the steel we had been missing, and has galvanised the team. Good on him, and good for us !
You know I’ve been watching more Spurs games than usual this season, and I must say, their ground is looking absolutely immaculate. Then and again, you would expect that, seeing as they put £100m of shit on the pitch every week!
The only gladiator seen was in san siro, & c/lge final but he is right afc can time a good season with sensible results, we should learn from the v chavs & man.u losses
Flamini is the best transfer Arsene has done in many years. Flamini will wipe the floor with Alex Song in defensive midfield duties.
I find it hard to be angry at a player who saw out his contract and left.
Naturally, it would have been better if he stayed, but it’s not like he put in 1/2 a good season and then wriggled his ass to any high spending club that could offer him more £££’s, even though he had a couple of years left on his contract (like a certain chinless wonder).
Lucius Verus: Are you the one they call the Spaniard?
Maximus: Yes.
Lucius Verus: They said you were a giant. They said you could crush a man’s skull with one hand.
Maximus: A man’s? No. The little boy inside’s
God love Flamini and fuck the dutch skunk, can’t wait for this weekend
Totally agree with Red Ed. Flamini has managed his career shrewdly (studied employment law) and has always been honest and respectful towards his employers unlike our disloyal and dishonest erstwhile captain. Whilst as a fan I hate using words like ‘career’ & ’employer’ I have reluctantly accepted that’s what it is to most players.
With only the slightest of differences in that gladiators were often slaves forced to kill and maim each other purely for bloodlust and sport, whilst footballers are compensated somewhat more handsomely…
But yeah, gladiators. Totally with you.
You are the one who should become a roman gladiator Flambo!!
Maximus flamini
Totally unrelated:
I found a guy on a video that looks like Per.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPjAYwy2LRg
9 seconds in.
On topic; I fucking adore the Flamster, hard hitting midfielder with unprecedented determination. We’ve missed this type of prideful vocal rallying for quite some time now. COYG. Can’t wait for the weekend.
Flamini is the voice of this arsenal team. Nothing makes me happier than seeing him barking orders like a mad man regardless if we are 3-0 up or 1-0.
Love him now, even though I’m sure he is a certified nutter and I questioned his re-signing. Proven to be another masterstroke free transfer from Wenger.
Onward and upward … Those about to win salute you. COYG!
Arsene Wenger before kick-off to the backroom staff holding a sealed box:
“On my signal, unleash Flamini”
Mathieu Flaminscus!
Flamini stands over John Terry’s barely living body. The emirates roars. Poor guy gets the thumbs down.
Captain Oveur: “Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?”
22mins 1-0 france . Come on france
2-0i said 2-0 . Benzema score onside and offside goal one of them stood
If he had only stayed way back then . . .
He earned some serious cash and won a trophy or two in Italy, but he suffered football wise in Milan and we suffered without having a proper defensive shield with a gladiator spirit like him during the Cesc and VP years so it really was a no win situation for all partiies.
But the boy is back now and as long as he can stay healthy, he will be a very important player for us in this second spell.
Well done France! The World Cup would not have been the same without them.
Great goal, Per! Now do that for us against Southampton!
Flamini is a Corsican hit man. It’s all about vengeance. There’s no one better to take to a knife fight.
Banned for the match against southampton though right?
Ye fifth yellow against Manc scum