Emiliano Martinez - World Cup winner and officially best keeper in the world

[RamboandBruno]

We need to get Champions League for Emi, if nothing else. He deserves it.

Agreed. I think if he went because we didnt get it, it would be crushing, much worse that Grealish. Great keeper and seemingly a great bloke to boot.
Him and McGinn are two of my all time favourites Villa players.

[Risso]

I love how his off field persona is so different to his on field.

[Toronto Villa]

Grealish was superb at a critical time for the club. We shouldn’t devalue what he did for us or importance at that time in our history. But Emi Martinez is proper world class. He’ll be appreciated even more outside of B6 once we are in the CL and gets that elevated European competition exposure.

[darren woolley]

Grealish was superb at a critical time for the club. We shouldn’t devalue what he did for us or importance at that time in our history. But Emi Martinez is proper world class. He’ll be appreciated even more outside of B6 once we are in the CL and gets that elevated European competition exposure.

Totally agree with you TV.

[Toronto Villa]

Some old footage of Emi at the U17 South American Championship in 2009 saving penalties in a shootout from Coutinho and Dudu. And as you can see from the reactions after, he was every bit as mad back then.

https://x.com/selecaotalk/status/1761511674824020368?s=46

[Somniloquism]

Was I picking up the commentators were moaning that Emi was off the line when the balls were struck?

[Brazilian Villain]

Was I picking up the commentators were moaning that Emi was off the line when the balls were struck?

Not sure, they seemed to be enjoying it. I did see Emi mouthing "soy un creyente, amigo" though.

[Somniloquism]

During the second one slow mo, I thought I heard the co-commentator go "phew .fff .Metro.rrrr." which I thought was him picking up on him being off the line.

[Toronto Villa]

All keepers came way of the line back then. If to want to see a great example find one of Dudek’s penalty saves in the CL final for Liverpool. He was practically on the edge of the 6yd box when he saves it.

[Toronto Villa]

Emiliano Martínez: "It's the calmest moment of my entire career; now I'm playing with a free mind. Before, I played under the pressure that if I didn't perform well, I wouldn't play on the weekend.

"I'm enjoying football. I'm a different goalkeeper; I feel like I've achieved what I wanted as a footballer. Now, the best Emi is yet to come.

"I enjoy the warm-up; many feel pressure or are nervous. I feel like a child when he sees the park and runs to get on the slide.

"I look around and see the people; it gives me goosebumps. People ask me to dance, and in that moment, I am free.

“I continue to set goals. I want to play 100 games for the National Team, be the goalkeeper with the most clean sheets in the history of the National Team, play in the Champions League with Aston Villa after 35/40 years.

They are difficult goals but I think I can achieve them, and I am sick with that.”

[Rory]

All keepers came way of the line back then. If to want to see a great example find one of Dudek’s penalty saves in the CL final for Liverpool. He was proactively on the edge of the 6yd box when he saves it.

I saw an old match the other day and noticed that. A 'keeper would rarely stay on their line.

I was a relatively decent 'keeper at school level (until about 15 or so when taller lads started to gain that natural advantage) and on penalties I'd start from behind the line and wait until the ball is kicked to move forward.

At higher levels where there's research everyone would just place it into the corners and I'd be bollocksed, but I was never beaten by any pass or dink down the middle and coming from behind the line meant I attacked the ball so even pens struck with power were more likely to bounce off than squirm through.

Emi has real intelligence and I love that. He thinks about what a striker is most likely to do, and in any kind of one-on-one that is overwhelmingly to go for the easiest option. If through on goal or it's a penalty, he or she will not want to miss the target and will want the GK to commit early to make their job easier.

[Rory]

Some old footage of Emi at the U17 South American Championship in 2009 saving penalties in a shootout from Coutinho and Dudu. And as you can see from the reactions after, he was every bit as mad back then.

https://x.com/selecaotalk/status/1761511674824020368?s=46

Not often you see a GK catch the ball in a shootout 😍

[Dogtanian]

It's coming up Villa down at the Premier League HQ - Emi has been nominated for Save of the Month!

https://x.com/AVFCOfficial/status/1763202474029027821?s=20

[Hookeysmith]

Taking my Emi loving glasses off - that has to go to Ariole of West Ham - bullet shot, close range tipped over

[Footy-Vill]

No need for Martinez to do anything silly on time wasting as Oliver has already had words and he'll be lucky to escape at least a booking.