Today was a day of great significance for Arsenal as they stretched their lead at the top of the Premier League to seven points. It also saw French midfielder Mathieu Flamini score his first league goal for the Gunners since the 2007/08 season – which you can watch below – and it was thoroughly deserved in my opinion.
The 29-year-old has been an incredible asset for the north London side since returning to the club on a free in the summer but is rarely seen on the score sheet – he’s scored just 17 in 311 career games.
Flamini has sat in front of the backline for the majority of the season this term and been brilliant at picking off opposition attacks. He is often seen flying into tackles and grafting hard in the middle to strip his opponents of possession, but his distribution is also impressive. He has completed 91% of his attempted passes and played four key balls, all the while averaging three defensive actions per appearance.
Watching the goal, you would never guess that it was Flamini on the end of it. As the ball is rolled into the box the Frenchman bursts in and rifles it into the top of the goal. It truly is a staggering finish from a player renowned for his defensive abilities.
Mesut Ozil plays the threaded pass which allows him to connect with the ball in the first place, but don’t underestimate the difficulty in what Flamini does.
Watch the clip and enjoy, but I think you would agree that he certainly deserves it.