Emiliano Martinez has had ‘sleepless nights’ from Aston Villa’s poor start to the season, goalkeeper tells Sky Sports | Football news
Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez admits their poor start to the Premier League season has kept him up at night and says non-Steven Gerrard players should be responsible for the current predicament their.
Martinez and Villa were beaten 2-1 by leaders Arsenal on Wednesday night, their fourth loss in five away games, leaving them second in the early standings.
Villa now face the tough task of next Premier League champions Manchester City, who they have not beaten in their last 13 meetings and the Argentine admits morale is low. since that loss at the Emirates.
“Even if we win and I admit, I can’t sleep – but I can’t sleep on Wednesdays [after Arsenal], I go to bed at 6:30 (am) and I wake up at 7:15 (am). I struggle with defeats, I struggle when I concede goals but that’s me – I carry on and after I’m out training,” Martinez said. Sports sky.
“I love this club. I see kids with my shirt on the ground and they chant my name makes me want to stay and I’ve fallen in love with this club, and that’s why I can not sleep.
“Obviously if you don’t care, I’ll just sleep right after the game but I’m really interested in this club and I want to take this club to Europe – obviously it’s a bad start but I think I can still do it.”
“People will be short. It’s normal, it’s part of football, you should be angry, you should be disappointed that you’re not getting anything out of the games, but that’s what I like about my team. Everyone is interested in this club. It’s not like they don’t care, nobody will laugh, nobody will laugh. They will go out and train, and that’s what I love about these players. – just one big win, one big performance to turn the tide.”
Wednesday’s results added to the pressure on Villa boss Gerrard, who had also seen his side booed in a 0-1 home loss to West Ham three days earlier.
Villa have now won just three of their last 16 league games and Gerrard has openly admitted the pressure to turn the tide.
“The coach gives us the game plan every week and we as players need to deliver. When we make a mistake or a personal mistake, the manager won’t play. We know what to do. what from now on has nothing to do with the manager,” Martinez said.
“Sometimes we concede within 15 minutes, sometimes we concede right after scoring like against Palace or the other day. [at Arsenal] and it’s like jumping into an ice bath. It took a while to recover from that, and for us as a team it really affected us. It’s something that we need to change, but the game plan is still there.
“The manager said after the game that we didn’t defend the red zone properly like our lives depended on it and he’s right – maybe last season we could put more agency , and 11 players have actually defended.”
In terms of his own form, Martinez has kept 26 clean sheets in his first two seasons with Villa, but is still awaiting his first of the campaign.
He was criticized for his part in the opening goal against his former club when Gabriel Jesus gave Arsenal the lead. Although Villa briefly overcame Douglas Luiz, Gabriel Martinelli then secured a fifth straight win for the hosts.
Martinez will attend this year’s winter World Cup in Qatar as Argentina’s No 1 but admits he has fallen short of his own high standards in the opening month of the season.
“I’m not keeping a clean sheet which is probably the worst feeling as a goalkeeper, I’m ambitious and we’re working with [goalkeeping coach] Neil Cutler to see what my problem was or what I could do better, but it certainly wasn’t the start I was hoping for,” Martinez said.
“[Against Arsenal] that’s another deflection going into goal. I was expecting a cross, and it was a counter-attack, not a comfortable catch – but unfortunately Jesus was there at the right time and it was a good finish.
“The second time, again, I couldn’t see the ball well and instead of going over the bar. I thought I had a good game, we held it, I made some saves. good but me” I will always blame myself and never make excuses. Sure, I have to deliver more. “
Watch Aston Villa vs Man City live on Sky Sports Premier League from 16:30 Saturday; starts at 5:30pm.