With rumours of interest from Galatasaray, Frenchman Mathieu Flamini could be the second Arsenal player to join the Turkish club this transfer window, after German international Lukas Podolski. The defensive midfielder was very much a fringe player last season and is currently behind club captain Mikel Arteta and Francis Coquelin, who has impressed ever since returning to Arsenal from loan at Charlton Athletic in January.
At 31-years-old, Flamini would perhaps prefer to play regularly and the prospect of being a first team regular may be enough to lure him away from the Emirates. If he decides to remain though, how would his decision affect Arsenal?
Off the pitch, Flamini seems to be a quite likeable fellow. He appears to get along with everyone in the squad. One player in particular he seems close to is Arsenal’s record signing Mesut Ozil. This particular quality Flamini possesses is great for morale and fosters team spirit and cohesion. These are important off the pitch aspects of successful teams, which this Arsenal squad aims to become.
Experience
With 197 appearances for Arsenal across two spells, including three FA Cup victories and a Champions League final, Flamini is one of the more seasoned members of the current Arsenal squad. He definitely knows the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League well enough to assist younger players and new signings in settling quickly. This experience is also vital when he is called upon, as there is no risk of nerves. He knows his role.
Being a traditional defensive midfield player, Flamini is a great option when it comes to retaining a lead. If the team is under pressure, he is adept at covering ground and winning several tackles. A perfect example of this is his second debut for Arsenal on the 1st of Septmber 2013 in a North London Derby at the Emirates Stadium. Introduced into the match as a substitute, Flamini put in a quite combative performance in a match where Tottenham dominated, to assist Arsenal in holding onto a 1-0 victory.
A negative aspect of Flamini’s style of play is the fact that he commits numerous fouls and as a result, picks up several bookings. He tends to be quite overly aggressive at times and this has led to quite a few unnecessary bookings. This indiscipline can put the team at a disadvantage in different ways. One way is the possibility of him getting sent off, reducing his team to 10 men. This makes winning a match much more difficult due to the obvious number advantage for the opposition. Another way silly bookings can negatively affect the team is that if he is booked early on, he may be unwilling to tackle much in the remaining periods of the match, putting the burden on other players, such as the creative types. These type of players serve the team much better when they are further forward creating, not tackling.
Poor on the Ball
Another flaw Flamini possesses is how poor he is on the ball. At Arsenal, midfielders are required to be comfortable on the ball and able to receive it and take care of it whenever required. This is an essential part of Arsene Wenger’s footballing philosophy and a reason why his Arsenal teams always play such attractive football. Due to Flamini not being technically sound, the team is not always able to maintain this style of play with him playing. In a fluid system such as this, midfielders are required to contribute to more than one phases of play, which Flamini does not.
If Flamini remains, there is a high possibility that the club will not sign any midfielders this transfer window. At the moment Arsenal possess six players for the two deep midfield positions. These players are Mikel Arteta, Francis Coquelin, Santi Cazorla, Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey and of course, Mathieu Flamini. Taking injuries into consideration as well as rotation, that is enough players at the moment. Flamini staying would mean no space for the additional top quality midfield player needed to challenge on all fronts.
Overall, Flamini leaving the club would benefit Arsenal. While he is a good player in his own right, his style simply does not suit the Arsenal system. His departure would open up a space for the top class midfielder that Arsene Wenger has been seeking to assemble his first title winning squad in over a decade.