Arsenal legend Emmanuel Petit hails Mathieu Flamini & Mesut Özil
Arsenal legend Emmanuel Petit heaps praise on the club's summer signings Mathieu Flamini and Mesut Ozil
Emmanuel Petit has heaped praise on Arsenal’s summer signings Mathieu Flamini and Mesut Özil after the club’s promising start to the season.
The 24-year-old German has scored one goal and made four assists following a club-record £42.5m switch to the Gunners from Real Madrid on transfer deadline day.
Flamini, who left Arsenal for AC Milan in 2008 before returning this summer, has brought
much-needed bite to Arsene Wenger’s midfield as the Gunners currently sit top of the table.
“There was a lot of pessimism around Arsenal at the start when they were beaten by Aston Villa in their first match,” Petit told the Daily Mirror.
“But they have recovered well since then and Özil has been ¬magnificent. He cost a lot of money but was the best bargain in the window.
“And Flamini has given the team ¬something they lacked.”
Despite an impressive start to the campaign, Petit, who won the top-flight crown in 1998, urged the Gunners not to get carried away with stiffer challenges on the horizon.
“They have to face some big tests in the months to come in the Premier League,” Petit added.
“They still have to face Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United. They will be big tests. And there is now the ¬international break.
“It can sometimes be difficult to keep the same momentum you had before the break.
“But I have to say that so far they have been tremendous and playing some excellent – football that is great to watch and some of the best in Europe.
“And the arrival of Özil is a positive sign for the fans. It looks now as though the club are bringing in the top players rather than selling them.”
