Flamini: Coquelin's a great player but I'll fight him for FA Cup spot

The 31-year-old has not completed the full 90 minutes for the club since their 2-1 win over West Ham in December but plans to earn his spot in the starting XI against Aston Villa

Mathieu Flamini has praised the emergence of Francis Coquelin at Arsenal this season but has vowed to fight for his place in the starting XI ahead of Saturday's FA Cup final against Aston Villa.

Coquelin has become a key member of Arsene Wenger's first-team squad since his loan spell at Charlton was cut short, making 22 league outings in defensive midfield as the Gunners earned a third-placed finish.

Flamini, meanwhile, has not completed 90 minutes for the club since December and accepted that Coquelin has increased competition at the Emirates Stadium, but the Frenchman insists he thrives off such a rivalry.

"It's part of the game when you're playing in top teams," he told reporters at the club's London Colney training headquarters. "You have to fight to find your place, but it's part of the game.

"You have to accept the competition and I believe it makes you better because you fight in the morning in training to prove that you can play in the team. It makes you better.

"We all knew Francis was a great player and we're really pleased for him because he had the chance to prove it. He has been doing very well since coming into the team so I'm not surprised.Flamini's absence from the team coincided with a remarkable upturn in form for the Gunners who had suffered their worst ever start to a Premier League season.

A shock 3-1 home loss to Monaco in the Champions League last-16 first leg preceded a 15-game unbeaten run, and the midfielder admits he has little room to complain given the club's results.

"I played a lot first part of the season. Second part of the season I got injured, then coming back it was difficult to get in the team," he added.

"We nearly won every single game since February so when the team is winning there's not much to say except working hard and every day trying to get back in the team.

"The situation I accept. Competition makes you better. There's not much to say when the team is winning every single game. You just have to accept it. I'm looking forward. I’m happy to be part of this club.

"I'm looking forward to win another trophy, that's the most important. I don't think the personal situation of every player is important, especially when we're about to play another final and add another trophy.

Arsenal can become the second club to retain the FA Cup twice, after back-to-back wins in 2001-02 and 2002-03, and Flamini feels the squad are in better shape than last season's 3-2 victory over Hull City.

"The team now has more experience, we won the FA Cup last year," he said. "For us to go to Wembley again and win it again is [great]. We [will] try to do the same thing we did last year."

source:www.goal.com