Mathieu Flamini, unsurprisingly, says this Arsenal team are ready to fight for trophies this season.
The combative Frenchman has added some vigour and steel to the Arsenal midfield since his re-arrival on a free transfer, and he says that the days of the team being too soft are a thing of the past.
“What you need in any Arsenal side is the fighting spirit and you can see we now have that,” he told the Daily Star.
“Perhaps the physicality has been missing a bit in the past few years. But if you want to win leagues and cups, sometimes you have to fight for it, especially when you are playing in the hardest league in the world.”
The former AC Milan man also believes that this season’s Arsenal have managed to combine a potent offence with a solid defence, and that could be what brings silverware back home.
“We have a very good offensive team but it is so important to be strong defensively as that could make the difference at the end of the season,” he said.
“You have to go to places like Newcastle and be prepared to fight before playing your football. Only by doing that can you win. Picking up three points to return to the top of the league was a fantastic feeling. The team spirit was amazing and there was so much fight.
“We know this is a marathon, a long burner. We have to stay very focused and work as hard as we did at Newcastle. That’s all we can do.”
We got Flamini for free. Wow.
First time commenting after reading news and blogs silently since Fenerbahce, I feel that without Flamini, we would be top 6 at best with Wenger increasingly frustrated. He brings a presence you just cant replace, he is a jolly man, he brings out the best side of everybody, try watching postmatches, interviews or behind the scenes with him, and you will agree that Flamini was everything we paid for… and more.
Nope, he’s a former-former Arsenal player.
I hope everyone starts taking more response when we have through ins cause I find it frustrating when no-one is doing anything cause
And waiting for Ollie to get the ball. Also, I hope Jack starts taking more responsibility with the ball, and stops hiding being opponents when a team mate needs someone to pass the ball to. Last example of that was 45th minute against Newcastle when he instead of offering himself to Koscielny he ran away and didn’t anticipate the ball at all. It also happened on the city game.
I’m a big defender of Walcott, but I noticed that during the Toon game too and it really annoyed me.
If anything, Wilshere needs to take less responsibility imo.
He tries to do too much, drive forward and beat guys when it’s either the worst option or he simply can’t do what he could, as he hasn’t fully recovered yet.
It’s weird, you’d imagine he’d at least take a look at what Rambo did when he simplified things a little…
For different reasons Flamini’s signing was as important as Ozil’s. Flamini has brought organisation and leadership. He ensures defencisive discipline in midfield and provides a screen to the central defenders. How often did you see Arsenal concede a goal from their own attack? Not anymore!
Love Flamini!
Great player…Please keep up the flames you’ve brought to this team. I feel so confident and assured anytime I see Flamini on the pitch.
The anguish I felt when he left on a free last time have been ameliorated by us getting him back on a free in a time we need him most. Other seasons apart from the season he left has seen us lacking a goalkeeper or an actual striker. Glad he’s back to make us whole again.
our unsung hero, really underrated by those so called pundit and football experts bull-s. thank you flamini, your hard work is being appreciated by us from around the world, and even lift up the team spirit to defend actually.
I don’t like Flamini, he cuts his sleeves.
An excellent signing, 21.175m well spent!
He can cut his shirt all he likes!:D
Lovin flamin!!! Arsenal DNA through and through. Coyg
I have been saying for I don’t know how many seasons that we missed this type of player a lot, probably since he left. I don’t think Wenger appreciates this sort of “dark” arts role, but in some games it is necessary to have someone give orders and get stuck in like no ones business. Some games you might not need that, but other games you do. This was definitely a really important signing, I just fear a little that we might not be using him enough actually or using him in the right games (like today I don’t think… Read more »