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Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini feels that a lack of character is behind the club’s current trophy drought and has promised to do everything possible in order to bring silverware to the Emirates this season.
The Gunners’ last success came in the 2005 FA Cup Final when they defeated Manchester United on penalties, although the 4-1 sixth round victory over Everton on Saturday has set-up a Wembley semi-final for the north London side and is their most obvious chance of success this term.
Speaking to the Evening Standard , Flamini explained what he felt was missing while he spent four years with Italian side AC Milan. He said: “What I would say is maybe character. That is important, especially in the English league. I’m someone who gives a lot on the pitch, fight for every ball. I’m a fighter, so I do that naturally.
“Everyone is giving more — I really have that sensation. Everyone is committed to each other and that’s important. We really want a trophy. Everyone was very focused on the [quarter-final] game against Everton because we all know — you win, you’re through. You lose, you’re out, so it’s very simple. I can assure you I will do everything I can to make a difference.”
Arsenal: The latest match picturesShow all 75 1 /75Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal: The latest match pictures FA Cup final - Arsenal 3 Hull 2 Aaron Ramesy celebrates after scoring the winning goal
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures FA Cup final - Arsenal 3 Hull 2 Laurent Koscielny prods the ball in for the equaliser and is injured by Allan McGregor in doing so
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures FA Cup final - Arsenal 3 Hull 2 Bacary Sagna wins the header that would lead to Laurent Koscielny's equalising goal
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures FA Cup final - Arsenal 3 Hull 2 Santi Cazorla jumps into the air in celebration after pulling a goal back for the Gunners
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures FA Cup final - Arsenal 3 Hull 2 Santi Cazorla curls in a superb free-kick to get Arsenal back into the game
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures FA Cup final - Arsenal 3 Hull 2 Curtis Davies and his Hull teammates celebrate after Hull go 2-0 up
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures FA Cup final - Arsenal 3 Hull 2 Curtis Davies slams in Hull's second on the rebound after Lukasz Fabianski pushes Alex Bruce's header onto the post
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures FA Cup final - Arsenal 3 Hull 2 James Chester celebrates with his Hull teammates after scoring the opening goal after just four minutes
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures FA Cup final - Arsenal 3 Hull 2 James Chester and Alex Bruce celebrate going in front with Arsenal players looking on
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Norwich 0 Arsenal 2 A young Norwich fan holds up a sign
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Norwich 0 Arsenal 2 Fit again Jack WIlshere competes with Bradley Johnson
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Norwich 0 Arsenal 2 Carl Jenkinson celebrates scoring the away side's second, his first goal for the club
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Norwich 0 Arsenal 2 Aaron Ramsey celebrates scoring for Arsenal against Norwich
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Norwich 0 Arsenal 2 Aaron Ramsey scores a superb volley to put the Gunners ahead
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 West Brom 0 The Arsenal players line-up before the match
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 West Brom 0 West Brom manager Pepe Mel looks on from the sidelines
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 West Brom 0 Mesut Ozil escapes the attention of James Morrison
Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 West Brom 0 Olivier Giroud heads Arsenal into a 14th minute lead
Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 West Brom 0 Olivier Giroud celebrates his goal against West Brom
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 West Brom 0 Mikel Arteta turns away from Diego Lugano
Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 West Brom 0 Mathieu Flamini unleashes a shot on goal
Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 West Brom 0 Santi Cazorla brings the ball under control
Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 West Brom 0 Arsene Wenger waves to the Arsenal crowd after the final whistle
Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 3 Newcastle 0 Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud climbs highest to head in his side’s third goal of the night
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 3 Newcastle 0 German midfielder Mesut Ozil, right, celebrates with Frenchman Olivier Giroud after scoring the second goal of the night
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 3 Newcastle 0 French defender Laurent Koscielny celebrates after opening the scoring
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Arsenal 3 Arsene Wenger rues an early missed opportunity
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Arsenal 3 The game is held up while players remove advertising hoardings blown on to the pitch
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Arsenal 3 Aaron Ramsey scores Arsenal's opening goal of the game
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Arsenal 3 Aaron Ramsey celebrates after opening the scoring in Arsenal's win over Hull
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Arsenal 3 Tom Huddlestone beats Santi Cazorla to a header
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Arsenal 3 Lukas Podolski volleys in Arsenal's second goal just before half-time
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Arsenal 3 Hull players protest to referee Jonathan Moss after Nikica Jelavic was fouled in the build-up to Arsenal's second goal
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Arsenal 3 Mesut Ozil in action for Arsenal in their 3-0 win over Hull
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Arsenal 3 Lukas Podolski nets his second and Arsenal's third after Steve Harper failed to hold Aaron Ramsey's shot
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Arsenal 3 Lukas Podolski celebrates his second goal in Arsenal's win over Hull
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 3 West Ham 1 Kim Kallstrom leaps for the ball last night, when he made an encouraging start for Arsenal after a long injury lay-off
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 3 West Ham 1 Lukas Podolski hammers in Arsenal's third
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 3 West Ham 1 Oliver Giroud puts Arsenal ahead with his weaker right foot after showing sublime touch to get the ball under control
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 3 West Ham 1 Oliver Giroud kisses the Arsenal badge after giving the Gunners the lead
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 3 West Ham 1 Lukas Podolski equalises with a precise, powerful finish
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 3 West Ham 1 Players, fans and officials observe a minute's silence to mark the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster prior to kick-off
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Wigan 1 Arsenal 1 (Arsenal win 4-2 on pens) Thomas Vermaelen (third from right) celebrates with penalty-saving goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski after his crucial final save
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Wigan 1 Arsenal 1 (Arsenal win 4-2 on pens) Arsenal's Per Mertesacker celebrates his late equaliser at Wembley in this FA Cup semi-final
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Kevin Mirallas celebrates Everton's third
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Kevin Mirallas has an effort on goal but the ball comes off Mikel Arteta for an own goal
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Ross Barkley has an effort on goal
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Romelu Lukaku celebrates his goal with manager Roberto Martinez
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Romelu Lukaku goes on a driving run and cuts inside to smash home Everton's second
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Steven Naismith celebrates his goal
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Steven Naismith slots home Everton's opening goal with a cool finish
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Bacary Sagna goes in for a tackle on Leighton Baines
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Leon Osman receives treatment and has to go off after a clash with Bacary Sagna
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 Edin Dzeko can't believe that his deflected effort goes wide
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 Mathieu Flamini celebrates his equaliser for the Gunners
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 Mathieu Flamini celebrates after putting Arsenal level
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 Olivier Giroud remonstrates with referee Mike Dean
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 Mikel Arteta plays the ball past Jesus Navas
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 Tomas Rosicky battles for the ball with Yaya Toure
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 Martin Demichelis confronts Tomas Rosicky after the Arsenal player's tackle leaves Gael Clichy injured
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 The Arsenal players walk back to half way line looking dejected after conceding the opening goal
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 David Silva and Edin Dzeko celebrate after the Spaniard's opening goal
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 Yaya Toure holds off Santi Cazorla
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 Fernandinho holds off the challenge of Mathieu Flamini
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 2 Swansea 2 Mathieu Flamini scores a late own goal
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 2 Swansea 2 Oliver Giroud finishes a fine move to put the Gunners 2-1 up
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 2 Swansea 2 Lukas Podolski levelled the score with a volley
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 2 Swansea 2 Wilfried Bony uses his head to give Swansea the lead
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Chelsea 6 Arsenal 0 Arsene Wenger complains to the referee during an awful day on his 1000th game in charge of Arsenal
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Chelsea 6 Arsenal 0 Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring his first goal for Chelsea and his side's sixth on the day
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Chelsea 6 Arsenal 0 Chelsea players celebrate as Tomas Rosicky looks away
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Chelsea 6 Arsenal 0 Oscar helps himself to his second of the afternoon
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Chelsea 6 Arsenal 0 Wojciech Szczesny can't quite believe whats happening
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Chelsea 6 Arsenal 0 Oscar taps in for Chelsea's fourth
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Chelsea 6 Arsenal 0 Eden Hazard scores from the penalty spot to put Chelsea three up
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Flamini said he left Arsenal for the San Siro in the summer of 2008 because he “wanted to win”. And the Frenchman revealed his disappointment that a string of players, including Robin van Persie, Samir Nasri, Gael Clichy and Cesc Fabregas, followed him out of the door for the same reason.
“Why do top players leave? It’s a good question,” he said. “That might be a question to ask the coach or the management but I agree with you, when you are a top club you want to keep your top players.”
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