Apparently we have been tracking him for just under a year.

I think he will turn out to be a success. His play looks very much Coq but seems to have better passing ability and looks like he can score the odd goal

I'm not sure. But assuming he's not crap. Which from all accounts he's not. Then probably because not many clubs were chasing him, and he's relatively un famous and from a small club. So I can imagine we were in quite a strong negotiating position, also I bet Elneny was desperate to join. So probably Basel couldn't hold out for much money

He's good enough to be realistic competition for Coq and not just cover. If he can settle into the league then we'll have gone from no DM to DM headaches for the manager for the next few years. Whom will ultimately turn out to be the best? My money's sticking with my Coq But in all honestly, I don't really care, I'm just happy we'll now have the two to choose from after years of struggling to have one.

Yeah Elneny will be back up when coq is fit. But I reckon they could form a good partnership together, will work well in certain games

By all accounts he was Basel's best player so he should turn out to be pretty decent for us, and even if he isn't great, being a tireless workhorse makes him at least an upgrade on Flamini!

I just can't get my head around why a team like Spurs hasn't come in for him and pushed his price up at least double? You'd think Elneny's agent would tout him around to as many clubs as possible as it's in the agent's financial interest to do so.

Whatever it is I think our board deserve a lot of credit for getting someone with supposed Arsenal-level talent for only £5m. They must be good at their jobs... or they have some dirt on someone in the Basel management team!

i wish we signed Besic instead. Knows the league so wouldn't take time in settling. similar age too i believe. oh well

In this market there are still players out there who cost less than the average going believe it or not.
One thing is for sure, he covers a lot of ground. Him and Ramsey would be mental together

From some accounts he was quite a bit more than the reported figure.

Who cares though?

Because he was playing for a Swiss club.
Shaqiri only went for around £10m to Bayern, for example.

I think pretty much anything would be an upgrade on Flamini

In a separate note, who drops out for Sanchez?

Looking at transfermarkt they have only ever sold Mohamed Salah for over £10m (11.6). Elneny seems to be one of the most expensive exports from Switzerland ever - similar price to Shaqiri who was the golden boy of Swiss football and highly rated across Europe.

Walcott for me. But don't think he will start tomorrow, Wenger gave him a 60:40 to make the squad

Alexis should be on the bench with Elneny.

I remember watching salah and elneny at whl and both ran rings around spurs, salah in particular

Can't afford to start Flamini tomorrow. He is only good for the odd game here and there at the Emirates.

Stoke will play with the same intensity as pool and I just don't feel Flamini will be able to live with it

I would rather play Arteta

It seems unfair to start Elneny against stoke away, but with our next fixture being Chelsea we haven't got an easy game for him to start in and why have him if we need him but don't use him

If he's fit, and Wenger has bought him thinking he's good enough then there's not much reason for him not to start. He won't be any worse than Flamini. At least he'll be much more mobile. As much as Flamini trys and wants to do well, he doesn't have the legs for his role anymore. Although he has actually done better than I was expecting this season. But debuting Elneny won't be any worse than starting Flamini, but he could be even better. So may as well take the risk and play him.

Having said that, most likely flamini will start, and Elneny will come on later.

comment by Castor Troy (U8700)
posted 1 hour, 53 minutes ago
I would rather play Arteta
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I'm glad you're not manager. Even a prime Arteta was never capable of playing DM.

comment by The Year of the Ox (U7080)
posted 21 minutes ago
If he's fit, and Wenger has bought him thinking he's good enough then there's not much reason for him not to start. He won't be any worse than Flamini. At least he'll be much more mobile. As much as Flamini trys and wants to do well, he doesn't have the legs for his role anymore. Although he has actually done better than I was expecting this season. But debuting Elneny won't be any worse than starting Flamini, but he could be even better. So may as well take the risk and play him.

Having said that, most likely flamini will start, and Elneny will come on later.
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Reading all that, the pause and then your final gambit. Priceless

It would be very Wenger I feel to start Flamini and have our new signing on the bench. Particularly because this is a difficult game. But what better way for him to prove himself before the Chelsea game? On the odd occasion Wenger has thrown a new signing into the firing line immediately and I feel this may be another one of those times.

Agree that Flamini has done better than I thought he would and it's clear that he does love Arsenal and fight to drive the team on. Unfortunately though, his lack of speed and mobility coupled with occasionally doing something stupid to put our position at risk in a game makes him a liability. (Remember that head-high foot he left in against Newcastle I believe?) Even when he scored against the $puds in the League Cup I said: "He's still chit".

Elneny has played 1 game since November and has not been involved in training with Basle.
Not sure if he is ready to go straight in, we will find out soon.

on the downsize Wenger has bought plenty of cheap dross before. Let's see how he performs before we start valuing him.

 Even when he scored against the $puds in the League Cup I said: "He's still chit".
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Instead of celebrating a goal you were telling anyone who would listen that Flamini was shhhit?

Interesting.

comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 8 hours, 58 minutes ago
 Even when he scored against the $puds in the League Cup I said: "He's still chit".
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Instead of celebrating a goal you were telling anyone who would listen that Flamini was shhhit?

Interesting.
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That's the modern Arsenal fan for ya

Fact is that since coming into the side, our record with Flamini results wise has been on par with what we could have expected with Coq, or any other starting DM in the league. And he's managed that with Ramsey and Ozil CONSTANTLY hanging him out to dry. For an old man who doesn't have the legs, he's performed admirably and IMO has made a lot of people have to eat their words

Wouldn't start him today though. Us old codgers need to rest