A good run of form was always necessary in order to properly assess the signing of Mathieu Flamini. Anything else and Arsenal and Arsene Wenger would have been rightly targeted by the club’s faithful and of course the media.

The Flamini signing was announced more or less in tandem with Mesut Ozil, and yet there remained a degree of frustration that the easy, cheap option was chosen in the way of midfield reinforcement over, you know, actually spending some money. With free signings who were cast off by their previous clubs, there’s always a high probability of failure, which is something most supporters would have had in their minds, not to mention the fact that Flamini only had one good season in midfield during his first stint at Arsenal.

But transfer fee aside, as well as the lack of reputation when the club can afford to attract some of the biggest names in Europe, the signing of Flamini is exactly what Arsenal have needed. He’s exactly what the team needed because everyone, or at least the majority, were up in arms about signing a player in the mould of Marouane Fellaini, someone who can stem the opposition tide from midfield.

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Here’s one of those grating Wenger quotes that apply: “is Fellaini actually better than what Arsenal currently have?” Some may say yes, as a defensive midfielder he is. But Arsenal don’t need him and the team certainly don’t play to his strengths. It’s not so much that £28 million on the Belgian would have been excessive, but rather a complete waste of money. As should always be the case, it’s about buying the players who are right for the team and its football.

Flamini is a squad player, or at least that’s what he has been labelled as since and even prior to his signing. Mikel Arteta is still the pivot in the Arsenal midfield, and I’m reluctant to use the word ‘centrepiece’ due to the presence of a German in the attack. But the Spaniard is the player who keeps the rest of the team ticking over, and where Aaron Ramsey or Jack Wilshere may be used as rotating partners, Flamini adds depth and, on paper, a selection of options that amount to something far from a thin midfield.

Then there’s the bonuses. Since his arrival, Flamini has put forward a set of performances that could be considered Man of the Match efforts. He brings steel, leadership and a defensive barrier to the midfield, all the while never really comprising the team’s footballing output. The Frenchman is not quite a reference point in the midfield in the way Arteta is for Arsenal or Sergio Busquets is for Barcelona. Instead, he provides necessary cover when that baton of responsibility gets passed on in the absence of Arteta; someone who can quickly and effectively reclaim possession and move it on. And let’s make no mistake here, for all the preconceived ideas fans may have had on this signing, Flamini is good enough to contribute a lot to this Arsenal team.

The club are making do for now on the defensive front, with Thomas Vermaelen returning to the squad on the weekend against Stoke. But when the fixtures do pile up, the returning midfielders – Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Tomas Rosicky – will give Wenger enough freedom to use Flamini as an emergency option at full-back.

Signings don’t always have to glamorous or with price tags of £20 million. For every Ozil or Cazorla that gets signed, there needs to be useful squad players who offer continuity in the absence of those who are considered first choice.

Up until this point, and provided Flamini retains his form and effectiveness throughout the season, Wenger has completed a fantastic piece of business in bringing the Frenchman back. It certainly wasn’t what the fans wanted at first, but credit to the manager for keeping a cool head and seeing the benefits this signing would have over the course of the season. Flamini is quickly defining the important backup player that Arsenal haven’t always had in their ranks.

How good is the signing of Flamini at Arsenal?

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