Welcome Back to Arsenal, Mathieu Flamini

So we've re-signed Mathieu Flamini after countless targets have been reported to be under our scope and gone, a decent young talent failed to get a work permit and yet a penny has been spent on players. Needless to say, this will be a crushingly disappointing summer if Flamini is our final signing. I'm confident he won't be but what are all your thoughts.

Let's hear it, was his abandoning of us too much to forgive? Is it acceptable from Wenger?

Said this in the Rumours thread, but I really don't mind the fact that he's back. The way he left us was extremely disappointing but the midfield depth he will provide us along with his ability to play RB is very helpful.

We've desperately been lacking a true DM since he left and even though he might not be the same player he once was, he's still experienced and somewhat effective in that role. I do really like the fact that he can play rightback cause imo Jenkinson still has very poor positioning and makes questionable decisions at RB.

I think fans are just angry about this signing because we haven't splashed cash yet...if this was done after a big money signing, I don't think people would have such a big problem with it.

Flamini will be kept around to show Ramsey what can happen if you start thinking you are too big for Arsenal. We could resign Ade and have him serve as Sanogo's mentor in this way too.



Seriously, though. His leaving in 2008 sucked. But he didn't really do anything that wrong. His contract was ending ... a big club was interested and offered him cash. More cash than Arsenal was willing to offer. Obviously Flamini won't win any loyalty points but he didn't do anything egregiously wrong either. He also didn't baby talk the fans like RvP did. So for me "forgiveness" is a tertiary issue ... at most. More like a non-issue.

Flamini isn't a world beater but he isn't shit either. He may underwhelm this year or he may impress and have a late career renaissance. My opinion is the same as before he signed: useful acquisition, potentially, but I hope that a more solid CM/DM is signed.

Flamini is a beast, just a little toothless now

In regards to his leaving five years ago, it's water under a bridge. He left to join somebody who was willing to pay him more than we were at the end of his contract with us. It wasn't like he forced his way out the club. Would it have been great if he accepted our deal and stayed? Absolutely. He was growing into an excellent player back then and his position was one we struggled to fill. However, any ill will I may have had towards him has long since been replaced by indifference.

I don't mean this in a disparaging way, but Flamini is a very poor man's Lars Bender. We needed to add some bite and power to our midfield, preferably without sacrificing too much in the way of technical ability and Bender was our first choice. The added ability to fill in at full back would have also been a nice bonus. We couldn't get him, though, and so eventually turned to Gustavo, another ball-winner who can also fill in at full back. Couldn't get him, either. Now it just so happens that Flamini is a ball-winner, with decent technical ability and can fill in at full-back...

It's incredibly underwhelming, but better to have him than no one. On his own, it's an unacceptable signing from Wenger, in as much that we should already have a better player. But if we add another midfielder, like Guilovogui or Cabaye, and an attacker, be it a winger or striker, we could see Flamini as an acceptable necessity until we can have another crack at the likes of Lars Bender.

Chumlum wrote:Flamini will be kept around to show Ramsey what can happen if you start thinking you are too big for Arsenal. We could resign Ade and have him serve as Sanogo's mentor in this way too.



Seriously, though. His leaving in 2008 sucked. But he didn't really do anything that wrong. His contract was ending ... a big club was interested and offered him cash. More cash than Arsenal was willing to offer. Obviously Flamini won't win any loyalty points but he didn't do anything egregiously wrong either. He also didn't baby talk the fans like RvP did. So for me "forgiveness" is a tertiary issue ... at most. More like a non-issue.

Flamini isn't a world beater but he isn't shit either. He may underwhelm this year or he may impress and have a late career renaissance. My opinion is the same as before he signed: useful acquisition, potentially, but I hope that a more solid CM/DM is signed.

This. We needed numbers, and Flamini provides that. If we sign another DM too, it will be perfect; if not, it will suck that we only got Flamini...

I think the reason for the wave of negativity is a culmination of a few things that wouldn't have caused such backlash if only one or two of these things were the issue rather than a combination of all:

-We've lost 6+ key players in the last 6 years, each per summer and each seemingly looking for a fatter paycheck - Flamini was the least acrimonious if you compare it to RVP and Nasri, as you said, leaving on a free and not sweet talking the fans, simply joining a club who had more to offer.

-The expectation of a bigger signing, having been linked with such massive names, two free transfers were always bound to provoke bitterness from the fans no matter who they were.

-The reports of our transfer funds also tie in to the second set. "Why sign a washed up former Gunner who totally betrayed us when you have £920239million available?! #WENGEROUT."

-The timing of the signing. Right before the deadline with no other players signed yet? Really, Arsene?

So after all the talk of a huge transfer war chest Arsenal have finally signed someone; a former player for free. I would have been OK with Flamini coming back had he been our 4th or 5th signing of the season.

Wenger really looking for trouble, our squad is too thin and needs help, Wenger will burn the young players to prove a point.

I was a big Flamini fan and was really hurt when he left, the only good thing could come out of this is, Cesc and Flamini are good friends. 

Raptorgunner wrote:So after all the talk of a huge transfer war chest Arsenal have finally signed someone; a former player for free. I would have been OK with Flamini coming back had he been our 4th or 5th signing of the season.

Wenger really looking for trouble, our squad is needs help and he will burn them to prove a point.

I was a big Flamini fan and was really hurt when he left, the only good thing could come out of this is, Cesc and Flamini are good friends. 

lmao, Raptor, this is the exact response I said people would have because of the reasons I listed. Perfect timing

“It feels good to be back home,” Flamini told Arsenal Player. “I have some unfinished business with Arsenal so it's a great feeling to be back. Once you're a Gunner, you're always a Gunner.

“Unfinished business because we had the opportunity a few times when I was there to win trophies and we didn't. I'm thinking about the Champions League final, the 2007/08 season when we were in the running for the first place and we didn't close it.

“I feel good, I have been training for three weeks with the fitness coach, Tony Colbert. So I feel ready to start competing for Arsenal, especially on Sunday - it's going to be a big game.

“It’s a derby, everyone knows how important it is. We have to win it and we have to be ready for it.”

"I'm glad to be back and I will give everything on the pitch to make them [Arsenal fans] happy because I know how important the team is for them."

D'aw. Hard to hate on those words.

Flamini-Ramsey midfield pivot: running all over the place, making tackles, trying the occasional cheeky pass ...

MJGunner wrote:

“It feels good to be back home,” Flamini told Arsenal Player. “I have some unfinished business with Arsenal so it's a great feeling to be back. Once you're a Gunner, you're always a Gunner.

“Unfinished business because we had the opportunity a few times when I was there to win trophies and we didn't. I'm thinking about the Champions League final, the 2007/08 season when we were in the running for the first place and we didn't close it.

“I feel good, I have been training for three weeks with the fitness coach, Tony Colbert. So I feel ready to start competing for Arsenal, especially on Sunday - it's going to be a big game.

“It’s a derby, everyone knows how important it is. We have to win it and we have to be ready for it.”

"I'm glad to be back and I will give everything on the pitch to make them [Arsenal fans] happy because I know how important the team is for them."

D'aw. Hard to hate on those words.

Great words, I think he will back it up. Now since he is a Gunner, I have to welcome and support him again.

unfinished business

bring Cesc back?

Someone pls post his freaking videos

Well, one big positive is Frimpong not making our bench anymore.

Thank god Bergkamp for that.

Welcome back Mathieu, if you bitch-slap Adebayor on Sunday you're forgiven.

Chumlum wrote:Flamini-Ramsey midfield pivot: running all over the place, making tackles, trying the occasional cheeky pass ...

With Wilshere joining in with his Paul Scholes-like tackles...

GoonerJay29 wrote:

Chumlum wrote:Flamini-Ramsey midfield pivot: running all over the place, making tackles, trying the occasional cheeky pass ...

With Wilshere joining in with his Paul Scholes-like tackles...

anyone remember in 2007/08 season

when our mid was

hleb--cesc--flamini--eboue/rosicky

WE TORE UP THE EPL....

Will never cheer/applaud Flamoney but he's a good squad signing, how did signing a free agent take us a month though?

1991 wrote:Will never cheer/applaud Flamoney but he's a good  squad signing, how did signing a free agent take us a month though?

hey, " you affe tuu evalyate ze Kwalitee"

boyzis wrote:

Got the ball

My homeboy is back.... I will guarantee you he will directly help us win games. Btw his leaving was as much our boards fault as it was his. We should not have waited that long into his contract to resign him.

aleumdance wrote:anyone remember in 2007/08 season

when our mid was

hleb--cesc--flamini--eboue/rosicky

WE TORE UP THE EPL....

Not to mention Europe aswell. Arsene Wenger making 4-4-2 look sexy those were the days.