When news flooded in the media and social networks about the re-signing of one Mathieu Flamini, fans and critics were boiling with anger as to why Arsene Wenger would want to recruit this old boy. He left the fold 5 years ago in a not-so-amicable manner with the Arsenal faithful in the pursuit for a bigger salary and regular Champions League football with AC Milan.
Wenger was under immense pressure during the whole summer transfer window to get a defensive midfielder who would fill the void left by Alex Song. Flamini was the solution.
Flamini made his second debut for the Gunners in the heated North London Derby coming in for Jack Wilshere. Nobody really expected him to make any decent contribution judging by his lack of game play he had had as a free agent. Nevertheless he became a sensation and ended up being lauded by both critics and fans in that 1-0 victory against bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspurs.
Currently, Flamini has been the core of Arsenal’s midfield, together with vice skipper Mikel Arteta. Wenger has him play as a holding midfielder in his central trio; anchoring the play and protecting the backline.
He possesses an exceptional technical ability, vision and passing. This has led to him being the most accurate passer this season with a 91.82% success rate. His great passing of the ball from the defense and feeding it to the attack front has enhanced his durability to charge up and down for the whole 90 minutes.
For a player who is 29-years-old, you would think his game may have dropped. But, to the contrary, it feels like he never even left. Those were the days when Arsenal were competing for major honors on all fronts and the unforgettable Champions League final against Barcelona.
Flamini has shown the ability to get forward and contribute to build-up play. He has showcased these skills in the many league appearances he’s made this season. He’s the third most accurate passer in the final third with a 91.43% of his passes finding his team mates.
According to Opta Stats, Flamini has a tackle-success rate of 75%. His anticipation, ability to intercept, cut balls out and diffuse dangerous situations are remarkable. One could argue that he has been lucky with some of the over-zealous tackles that could have taken a turn for the worst.
With a midfield full of maestros and world class players like Mesut Özil, surely it is unthinkable that Arsene Wenger will go another season without silverware. The Wilshere-Flamini-Ramsey-Özil-Rosicky link up has elevated both the team’s confidence and position in the standings; top in both the Premier and their Champions League group.
The injury list is still long with the likes of Alex Oxlaide-Chamberlain, Lukas Podolski, and Theo Walcott still missing in action. As it stands, much applause has been on Mesut and Ramsey but deep down I think the Flamini has been the unsung hero. The Frenchman’s free transfer back to the Grove is definitely one of the many wild cards Wenger has up in his sleeve.
Flamini is a real revelation and could play a vital role in Arsenal’s success this year.
What’s your take? How important is Flamini to this Arsenal side?
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