16th September 2020
ASTON VILLA SIGN EMILIANO MARTINEZ
BY ADAM HOLT
This article is also featured on an Aston Villa blog website called the 'Villa Underground' with whom I contribute articles.
Link to their website: Link
Link to this blog on their website: Link
This article is also featured on an Aston Villa blog website called the 'Villa Underground' with whom I contribute articles.
Link to their website: Link
Link to this blog on their website: Link
Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez had been extensively linked with a transfer to Villa Park, with the fee rumoured to be around the £20m mark. Is Martinez a good signing for the Villans? Let us start with the Argentine stopper’s career to date...
Martinez’s career so far:
Emi Martinez began his career in his native Argentina with Independiente and went on to sign for Arsenal in 2010 where he would start playing for Arsenal’s youth teams until he signed a professional deal with the Gunners in 2012. He was promptly loaned out to then League Two side Oxford United but could only manage one appearance for the U’s.
Martinez’s subsequent loan spell was with Championship side Sheffield Wednesday for the 2013-14 campaign, in which he made just 11 appearances for the Owls in a campaign where they finished 16th.
The Argentine’s next loan stint was with Rotherham United in 2015, again in the Championship but he didn’t manage many appearances for the millers with him only playing 8 games in the remainder of the 2014-15 campaign.
His next loan spell was in the Midlands, with Wolverhampton Wanderers – who were then a Championship side. Martinez went on to make 13 appearances for Wolves, before returning to the Gunners at the end of that campaign.
Upon his return to Arsenal’s first team in the 2016-17 season, the Argentine stopper made five appearances, with one in a Premier League match with West Ham. He was then sent out on loan to Spanish side Getafe for one year, in which he made just five appearances in LaLiga.
Martinez’s final loan spell came with Championship side Reading, whom he joined in January 2019. He made his debut against Bolton Wanderers, and even got a man of the match award against Aston Villa soon after.
A first team breakthrough finally came for Martinez at Arsenal when the number one keeper, Bernd Leno suffered an injury in a match against Brighton, with Martinez coming on to make his first Premier League appearance in three years. The Argentine saw out the remainder of the 2019-20 campaign as Arsenal’s number one, and came up with many great performances and saves, with possibly the pick of the bunch coming in a match against Liverpool.
He also starred in Arsenal’s victory in the FA Cup final against Chelsea and also in the Gunners’s Community Shield victory over Premier League Champions Liverpool, and from the scenes post both of these finals – it clearly meant a lot to Martinez.
Martinez’s subsequent loan spell was with Championship side Sheffield Wednesday for the 2013-14 campaign, in which he made just 11 appearances for the Owls in a campaign where they finished 16th.
The Argentine’s next loan stint was with Rotherham United in 2015, again in the Championship but he didn’t manage many appearances for the millers with him only playing 8 games in the remainder of the 2014-15 campaign.
His next loan spell was in the Midlands, with Wolverhampton Wanderers – who were then a Championship side. Martinez went on to make 13 appearances for Wolves, before returning to the Gunners at the end of that campaign.
Upon his return to Arsenal’s first team in the 2016-17 season, the Argentine stopper made five appearances, with one in a Premier League match with West Ham. He was then sent out on loan to Spanish side Getafe for one year, in which he made just five appearances in LaLiga.
Martinez’s final loan spell came with Championship side Reading, whom he joined in January 2019. He made his debut against Bolton Wanderers, and even got a man of the match award against Aston Villa soon after.
A first team breakthrough finally came for Martinez at Arsenal when the number one keeper, Bernd Leno suffered an injury in a match against Brighton, with Martinez coming on to make his first Premier League appearance in three years. The Argentine saw out the remainder of the 2019-20 campaign as Arsenal’s number one, and came up with many great performances and saves, with possibly the pick of the bunch coming in a match against Liverpool.
He also starred in Arsenal’s victory in the FA Cup final against Chelsea and also in the Gunners’s Community Shield victory over Premier League Champions Liverpool, and from the scenes post both of these finals – it clearly meant a lot to Martinez.
How good is Martinez as a goalkeeper?
From what can be seen in his appearances for Arsenal in the last few games of last season, it seems clear that Martinez is an excellent shot stopper, with his save against Liverpool in particular coming to mind. He is also brave, coming for balls from forwards who are running in to the box, as well as being adept at one-on-ones, which his bravery makes this a big strength of his. He also seems to have razor-sharp reactions, which are obviously a big plus for goalkeepers, with his handling looking decent as well.
As previously mentioned, this seems to be a promising signing for Villa.
As previously mentioned, this seems to be a promising signing for Villa.
Verdict:
Overall, I believe that Emiliano Martinez is a great signing for the Villans, and his excellent recent performances for the Gunners making this a very promising and exciting signing for everyone of an Aston Villa persuasion. The rumoured fee seems relatively low for the quality he showed at the end of the previous season and the Argentine moves to Villa Park in a quest for guaranteed first team football.