Arsenal defensive midfielder Mathieu Flamini "enjoys doing the dirty work"

Arsenal’s Mathieu Flamini (C)

Mathieu Flamini has claimed that he enjoys the ‘dirty work’ in the midfield role he usually occupies for Arsenal, shielding the back four while his more skillful colleagues do the attacking damage, according to the Express.

Flamini was surprisingly given a return to the Emirates four years after leaving the Gunners for AC Milan, joining on a free transfer after spending time training with the club in the summer.

The Frenchman recognises there are some truly talented players in the Arsenal squad and claims he loves giving them the platform on which to sparkle by doing the legwork in the middle of the pitch.

Flamini spoke to the media, saying: “My most important job on the pitch is to protect the back four and it’s not easy, especially when the other team is focused offensively and has so many players of real quality.

“I try to stay in front of the back four, to protect (Laurent) Koscielny and (Per) Mertesacker. I’m also trying to co-ordinate between defence and attack, because what’s important in football is to attack together and defend together.

“The team is so offensive, everyone goes forward and that is part of the characteristic of Arsenal. We play football based on attacking very quickly; that is the beauty of our game.

“At the same time we have to make sure we don’t face any counterattacks and stay very high so we can get the ball back when we lose it. It is always much easier to defend when the team is high.

“When I play with any of the boys in midfield, I have to sit in front of the defence and do the dirty work. But I enjoy doing it. My pleasure is to give them the possibility to attack and when we lose the ball, to get it back as quickly as possible.”

Mathieu Flamini has completed 93% of his passes in the Premier League this season, a higher accuracy than any other midfielder in the division.