Wenger hails Flamini’s staying power
Arsene Wenger saluted Mathieu Flamini’s decision to fight for his place after the French midfielder’s brilliant brace fired Arsenal’s 2-1 League Cup triumph at bitter rivals Tottenham.
Flamini was Arsenal’s unlikely hero at White Hart Lane as he scored his first goals since March in his first appearance of the season to earn his side a fourth round tie at second tier Sheffield Wednesday.
The 31-year-old, who came close to leaving Arsenal in the last transfer window, punished Tottenham goalkeeper Michel Vorm’s error to open the scoring from close-range in the first half of Wednesday’s fiercely contested third round tie.
Then Flamini stole the show by lashing a sublime 78th-minute volley past Vorm from 20 yards after Tottenham had equalised through a Calum Chambers own goal.
Wenger revealed he had told Flamini he was free to leave before the start of the season, but he was impressed with the way the veteran decided to stick around and fight for his place in his second spell at the club.
“You do not expect Mathieu Flamini to score two goals, but he was certainly frustrated for a long time, and he went for it. He scored two good goals,” Wenger said.
“He had worked very hard recently. He was focused and I wanted him to strengthen our defensive midfield.
“He is a fighter, he is a winner as well. I told him at the start of the season it might be difficult to be a starter, but he decided to stay and he has been fighting.
“I fought to keep him but he is at an age when you always consider it is better to let them go if they are not focused but he wanted to stay.”