Anyone who consistently watches Arsenal football will be familiar with some version of what’s become a commentator mantra:“No one could have expected Mathieu Flamini’s improvement this season.”
Undoubtedly, Flamini is having the season of his life, but for many Arsenal fans it is entirely expected.
Don’t believe me?
As the 2007-2008 season began, I faced my traditionally difficult dilemma: Whose name would I get on the back of my jersey?
My choices were down to two—Robin van Persie and Mathieu Flamini.I chose van Persie.
Clearly I made an error since van Persie has spent his season in the treatment room, but I should be forgiven that error considering the preseason rumours of a Flamini departure.
What’s important in my personal story is that before “the season of his life” began, Mathieu Flamini was already an Emirates hero of mine. And I know I am not alone amongst Arsenal fans.
So why are we not surprised by Mathieu Flamini’s fantastic season?
Three reasons: his fitness, his tenacity, and his fantastic spell as Arsenal’s left back.
On a team as universally fit as Arsenal one must be an incredible specimen to be considered the most fit—and Flamini is that. For ground covered, most good players average 10-11 kms. Flamini is currently beating that total by three, averaging an excellent 14 kms a game, and he is always as fresh in the 89th minute as he is in the first.
More importantly, however, his work rate is not all that is exceptional. It’s what he does with his work rate. His tracking back is impeccable, his tackles are spot on, and his attacking influence is always growing.
And that’s where his tenacity comes in—Flamini never, EVER, gives up. The rare time that Flamini makes an errant pass, he chases down the recipient and gets the ball back.
The rare time he blows a tackle and earns a yellow card he refuses to turn off and play it safe. He keeps tackling and making challenges.
He is so tenacious that his nickname in the Arsenal locker room is “Little Gattuso.” Certainly that says it all.Moreover, it is Flamini’s natural tenacity that has kept him at the North London club. He has been on the fringe at Arsenal for as long as Fabregas has been at the heart of the first team, but he hasn’t given up. He’s played where he’s been asked, when he’s been asked, while always maintaining his desire to achieve a regular role in central midfield.
During the 2005-2006 season Arsenal had a serious crisis at left back. Ashley Cole and Clichy were hurt for the long haul, and Wenger tried player after player in the position before settling on Flamini as his best answer. Cygan, Senderos, Eboue, Hoyte all took a turn, but they were either hurt or not as good as Flamini, who took the position and made it his own until Clichy was healthy again.
He bombed up and down the flanks with impunity, reeking havoc on opposition defenders, sticking tight to opposition attackers and providing killer crosses, which have continued right into this season when they can finally be capitalised on by the airpower of Emmanuel Adebayor.
He was so good in the position that Wenger almost made Flamini Clichy’s permanent competition.
Lucky for Arsenal he didn’t. And luckier still that Flamini didn’t head back to France in the off season where he was guaranteed a starting place in central midfield by any number of French sides.
Instead, Mathieu Flamini decided to stay with the Gunners and fight for his place—a place that seemed unassailably Gilberto Silva’s. But stay he did, and Mathieu Flamini is now rightfully Arsenal’s number one choice to partner Cesc Fabregas.
As the season moves into its final phase, all teams begin to consider who their best players of the season have been. Commentators tell us that Arsenal’s most improved player is Flamini and their best player is Adebayor.
I disagree.
The most improved player must go to either Manuel Almunia or Alexander Hleb.
And for me the Player of the Year must be Flamini. He makes goals, he scores goals, and most importantly he prevents goals.
He is, quite simply, the best defensive midfielder in the English Premiership today—and he is Arsenal’s most valuable player.
Now all Arsene has to do is make sure Flamini signs that new contract.
He’s a player L’Arse can’t afford to lose.
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5 months ago
They certainly missed him tonight!!
5 months ago
kudos to the author, lets not forget that the boy took us to the CL final in a defence that kept countless clean sheets, only getting replaced in the final by Cashley Hole who couldnt keep hold of Giuly.
He deserves all the success he's getting, lets hope it takes us to the title.
5 months ago
Yeah he's good but where was he in last night's match?
I thot u wud have had Fabregas on ur back coz he has been the most impresive player this season, more than Ade!
from 5 months ago
Flamini was wrongly on the bench for most of the game Sheikh. But it was nice to see him come on and break up Nani's showboating. Fabregas hasn't been as impressive as he was last season, to my mind. He's been good, but even with the goals he hasn't been as good as he can or should be.
5 months ago
You clearly didn't see the Flamsters success this year as a suprise Brad, but to me its quite a pleasant suprise indeed. He really is a rock and we missed him sorely yesterday.
5 months ago
He was certainly missed against Man Utd!
They could've done with a Flamini thunderbolt like the one against Newcastle as well!
Is it me, or did the Arsenal midfield complete lose it's shape against Man Utd without him?
Well i hope he signs a new contract and this article is really well written and structured too, good luck to the author on his novels !
5 months ago
They lost their bite, more than anything. Arsene set the tone with the team he picked, and the extent of the 'injuries'.
Nutrition, conditioning, physio, etc have been one of the hallmarks of what Arsene has brought to Arsenal. No one really believes that those injured and not played on Saturday won't be starting against AC Milan midweek; you can bank on it.
The FA Cup is the 3rd priority of the new young team, and that fixture wasn't worth it. That much was clear.
Fletcher and Rooney had more to prove, and lose, in that game, and they played like it. Arsenal just barely showed up.
from 5 months ago
A fair assessment Dimitry. I just hope that playing everyone injured doesn't make the injuries long term.
5 months ago
No body cud stop Nani Brad...not even Flamini...Nani was unstoppable that day
from 5 months ago
I can understand you being excited by most of Nani's footballing performance, but it disappoints me that you are talking about him like he's the second coming after his showboating, Sheikh. Aren't you embarrassed by his juggling? I would be. And I can guarantee that every Arsenal fan I know (I can't speak for those I don't) would be taking this piss out of him today if he were our player. What he did hows a lack of class. Pure and simple. There have been a number of Red Devils and Gunners over the years who could easily have done the same thing, but they didn't because they had respect for those they were playing against (I am sure Cantona and Bergkamp could have done it and done it on the attack rather than heading back to their own goal). And just to head off the Gallas criticism for tackling Nani from behind: if someone had done that to Man Utd during the Keane years where would Nani be this morning? The hospital with a career ending leg injury (and I would have no sympathy for him).
from 5 months ago
Well said Brad...when Sir Alex criticies his own players you know they deserve it. Football has no place for such behaviour.
5 months ago
I agree with a lot of what you've said (and I don't want to nit-pick) but it was the 2005-06 season that Mathieu filled in at left back. It was back when the position belonged to one Cashley Cole who was out with a foot injury as was his immediate replacement Gael Clichy. It was also before Willy Gallas and Armand Traore had even joined the club so it would have been a bit hard for AW to call upon them.
You are right though Flamini did a great job at left back when required although I don't think he would have been a realistic long-term option there.
I've always been a big fan of his simply for his no-nonsense attitude on the field and the fact he always gives it his all and I didn't want to see him leave in the summer but I understood his reasons for wanting to move on. He needed at least to be given a run of games in the middle of the park before he should have been labeled as simply a utility player. Luckily for us, and him, he stayed and was given a chance to show what he could do in his favored position with Gilberto still recovering from the Copa America Tournament at the start of the season. Without that the spot might still be Gilly's.... Credit to Matty though he's come in and made it impossible for AW to drop him and in the process has changed the way the midfield operates meaning when Gilberto is called upon he looks totally out of place.
I think it's debatable as to who's Arsenal's best player but I think what we can now say is that we have a number of stars in our team and are pretty sound in almost every position but you're right the value of Flamini should not (and cannot) be underestimated.
Vic, London
from 5 months ago
Yeah Vic. I realized my mistake about the season Flamini was at left back after I published, but I can't figure out how to get back and edit my stuff now that we're out of Beta. Sorry about that. Glad you agree with Flamini's ability. I hope he signs that contract.
from 5 months ago
Figured it out and made the fixes. Cheers.
5 months ago
No probs Brad. Only stumbled upon this site by chance as I was looking for articles on Flamini and yours came up- was a good read!
And I totally agree- sign that contract Mathieu!
Vic.
5 months ago
well said Brad, and it's obvious that as a Gooner fan u didn enjoy that waste of time for u guys, whereas we really loved it.
But this case has been minimized by Gallas's malicious booting incident on Nani...so i dont think a further issue will be created on this ...chapter closed!
5 months ago
I remember when Flamini filled in at left back and you're right he was brilliant. It does say a lot for his character that he stayed with Arsenal despite his lack of playing time. At the moment he is a perfect foil for Fabregas - good article
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