The 23-year-old Frenchman almost quit the Gunners during the summer after he had become frustrated by a lack of regular first-team football.

However, Flamini has found himself an integral part of Arsenal's superb start to the new campaign - and was again in the thick of the action yesterday alongside Cesc Fabregas as Wenger's men ground out a 1-0 win at West Ham to stay top of the Barclays Premier League.

Flamini was linked with a move to several other top-flight English clubs, as well as the likes of Inter Milan.

Wenger, however, is glad he decided to stay at Emirates Stadium.

"Mathieu realised he was maybe at a place where he will get a chance if he is doing well," said the Arsenal boss.

"He is growing - he has a little bossy attitude in midfield you know and he is an organiser, a fighter and a winner.

"He has improved in football terms; his vision is better, his presence is better and overall at the moment he is doing very well."

Wenger recalled: "Mathieu told me first he wanted to leave and of course I couldn't do anything against that because he had the right to do it.

"After, when he changed his mind, I said 'okay, you fight like everybody else for your job and for your position' - and he does that well because at a big club you must be prepared to put your backs to the wall, be capable to respond, and he does."

Yesterday's win, which came courtesy of an early header from Robin van Persie, was marred somewhat following a knee injury suffered by Arsenal winger Alexander Hleb.

The Belarus midfielder - who had just returned to action from a similar problem - was stretchered off after an over-zealous challenge by Mark Noble.

The extent of Hleb's injury is as yet unclear, but he is expected to miss next week's Champions League trip to Bucharest.

Referee Alan Wiley decided to show Noble only a yellow card, which means there is no chance of the incident being reviewed by the authorities.

Wenger feels that position should change.

"I believe the problem we have at the moment with referees, what has been accepted, is that if a referee had judged incorrectly you cannot come back," he said.

"I think with the agreement of the referees, if a referee has a look at it and says 'listen that was wrong' he should still be culpable - is it now Noble or somebody else - because if you get away with it during the game you cannot be punished anymore."

Arsenal had several chances to put the game beyond West Ham, but were frustrated by a string of fine saves from Robert Green, who could find himself called up to England again next week.

There was certainly little quarter given by either side, with Hammers midfielder Scott Parker - after his first Premier League start - having to be replaced at half-time following what looked like a knee problem and Emmanuel Adebayor hobbling off late on with a dead leg.

Such a bruising encounter was exactly the kind Arsenal would have lost last season.

"It was satisfying," said Wenger, who expects Adebayor to be fit for Tuesday night's European tie.

"West Ham were our bogey team and on top of that it was a derby, and you know you face a physical game and it was another test. Overall we passed the test very well.

"We never panicked; we didn't give many chances away.

"You cannot say it was a lucky win because overall it was a deserved win."

West Ham could have gotten themselves back into the game had Dean Ashton - another hoping for an England call-up - not sent his free, close-range header straight at Arsenal keeper Manuel Almunia.

Manager Alan Curbishley was disappointed to have seen his side lose a second successive league match, but accepted Arsenal are a cut above many teams they will face.

He said: "They have had a fantastic start and have got all the characteristics of the sides they have had before.

"Flamini and Fabregas put their foot in as well, so it's very competitive out there.

"But they have also got that pace on the break - they can exploit the situation if you have to push on to them."

Curbishley added: "Until he got injured, Hleb was fantastic. He probably epitomizes Arsenal: quick feet, quick brain, quick movement."