AS AN Arsenal fan, Timothee Dieng knows the importance of substance over style.

Few teams can match Arsene Wenger’s side for flair football. On their day, the north London aristocrats are capable of taking their game to another level.

But you don’t need to tell any long-suffering Gooner that such purple patches do not translate into prizes.

Those teams that can grind out the wins, picking up points even when the going gets a little tougher, are the ones at the top of the leaderboard come the final day.

Plaudits about how well you might have played are cheap when you are left behind in a bridesmaid role.

City found that to an extent last season when a bundle of home draws watered down their efforts to make the cut-off for automatic promotion. Constantly being told you were the better side was scant consolation.

But Dieng has noticed the difference this time around.

He said: “I think last year we maybe played better in terms of possession and things like that. But this season we are more efficient.

“I prefer that because you want to win games. Last year we had the long unbeaten run at home but most of those games were draws. It’s better to lose one and win three than draw four.

“If you play average and can win games, that’s a good sign. That shows you are a strong team and can still get better. You’ve got to win games to stay up there, so for that reason I think this year we are doing better because of that.”

City won well and looked good doing it at MK Dons at the weekend. Dieng enjoyed the show at close quarters after returning to the bench.

The Frenchman was not needed but it was a step in the right direction for him after six weeks out with a calf tear.

He said: “It was a difficult time for me because it was the longest injury since I was a pro. But I’m happy to be back now.

“It stopped the momentum for me but not the team, who are doing very well.

“I’m working hard in training to get back in but it won’t be easy.

“The team are flying and there have been some very good performances – but that’s the challenge in football.

“I can watch games on TV, no problem, but it’s harder at the stadium because I want to be out on the pitch.”

Stuart McCall hailed the calibre of his midfield at Stadium MK, where Romain Vincelot opened the scoring with his fourth goal of the campaign.

The skipper’s partnership with Jake Reeves and Nicky Law underlined the task Dieng faces to break back in. But with a busier run of fixtures approaching, he knows the chance will be there.

“The manager sometimes likes to freshen up the team, so the opportunity will be there,” he said.

“When you are not playing, you want the team to do well. I still want us to win every game. But also you know that it’s going to make it harder for me to get back in.

“It’s good for the team when a player is flying like Romain. Hopefully he will continue to play like that.

“But the season is long and I think I will have the opportunity to play. It’s my aim to show what I can do and then try to stay in the team.”

With 26 points from their opening 12 games, City have maintained the momentum from last season despite the extensive squad overhaul that went on during the summer.

They may have lost established names such as Rory McArdle, Mark Marshall, Billy Clarke, Stephen Darby and James Meredith but Dieng feels the replacements are proving already they are up to the mark.

“The board have done a great job to bring in some quality players, who have done well to fit in the team,” he said.

“The squad didn’t get too damaged by the number who were leaving. There were some important players who left – Marshy, Roz, Darbs – but the ones we bought to replace them have done well.

“It will be strange when we play against some of them soon because you have been in the same team.

“But you are not on the pitch to have fun and when the game is on, it will just feel normal.”

As for his beloved Arsenal, Dieng feels they are in familiar territory.

“At the moment they are doing well,” he smiled. “Four clean sheets in a row is good.

“But it’s hard to be a Gooner because you know what can happen . To dominate the game is not the main thing. You have to win it.”