Former Aston Villa goalkeeper condemns ‘so bad’ Emiliano Martínez error against Liverpool
Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez made a catastrophic distribution error in Saturday’s Premier League defeat at Liverpool.
Villa lost 2-0 at Anfield, bringing to an end their four-match winning run in the Premier League and also concluding Liverpool’s four-match losing streak.
After Villa avoided going behind to a disallowed header, Martínez misplaced a pass to defender Pau Torres and put Mohamed Salah’s 250th Liverpool goal on a plate.
Whether Martínez’s lapse in concentration or Villa’s stubborn tactics in the face of a press was the primary factor in conceding the goal, its consequences were catastrophic. Villa let their grip on the match slip and Liverpool seized the momentum to score a second goal after the break.
‘Martínez has tremendous qualities’
David James, who played in goal for both Villa and Liverpool during a 26-year playing career, noted that the timing of the error, which occurred on the stroke of half time immediately after the disallowed goal, was fatal to Villa’s hopes.
“Had it have been in the first five minutes, you would think there is plenty of time for Villa to get back in it,” James said on the BBC Radio 5 Live Football Daily podcast.
“But to happen just before half-time changes the mood and both managers’ team talks. Martínez has tremendous qualities and clean sheets are not always the best judge of how a goalkeeper is doing. However, Villa have not had many in the last couple of seasons.
“The cliché from pundits is that when he makes a good save it is because ‘he is the best in the world’, but I don’t think he has been performing at that level for a couple of seasons. Plus, wanting a move away can definitely rile fans!”
James played in 67 Premier League matches for Villa between 1999 and 2001. The former Watford and Liverpool stopper later represented West Ham United, Manchester City and Portsmouth, among other clubs.
The Martínez expectation conundrum
Villa’s goalkeeper has trimmed his accepted margin of error in ways both positive and negative. As James noted, Martínez’s leeway among many Villa supporters has constricted as a result of the transfer window fiasco that now overshadows his legacy.
But the expectations placed on Martínez aren’t just because a lot of supporters have less time for him overall.
He is a World Cup-winning goalkeeper with two global awards to his name and proven ability to serve as a vital contributor to a Premier League team emerging from the darkness into three consecutive seasons in European competition.
James is right to question the Argentina goalkeeper’s recent levels in general. There have been times this season and in the last two when he’s been unflappable and able to win points almost on his own, but weaknesses in his game have begun to show.
The mistake against Liverpool wasn’t the first of its kind this season, just the first that was punished. It was a very costly one but it should be acknowledged that Martínez’s overall form has arguably been slightly improved compared to some patches of last term.
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