Emi Martinez

[Smirker]

I am absolutely fucking sick of this.

[Toronto Villa]

That we are all getting on is a sobering thought. We’ve operated at the arse end of the league and lower for the better part of 4 decades now.

[Scott Nielsen]

£100mil please

We can use that money to replace him with three goalkeepers that add up to one Martinez.

[Dave]

Keepers are probably the easiest to replace. There are a number of excellent keepers out there who would cost a lot less than what we’d get for Emi.

Yup. Plenty of younger ones too who look like they want to step up.

Reckon Raya (as Scott mentions), Sanchez at Brighton and Meslier (who seems very highly-rated although I don't see it myself) will probably be playing elsewhere before Emi is.

[dave shelley]

That we are all getting on is a sobering thought. We’ve operated at the arse end of the league and lower for the better part of 4 decades now.

In all the sixty-odd years I've been in love with this club the ups have been far less than the downs but by Christ those ups have been well worth it and I'm hanging in for more.  I wish you all the same.

[pauliewalnuts]

Whenever I’ve seen Meslier I’ve failed to see the hype around him.

[Toronto Villa]

I love Emi. But it’s as much down to his personality as it is his ability. He’s brilliant in both areas. But it’s not like in the second category he is perfect. While can he pull of the most magnificent of saves he can also make mistakes that have cost us goals. But no doubt much of his value to us is that he’s a massive personality and absolutely loves the club. We would absolutely miss that even if we could replace him with a very good player who wouldn’t be (talent alone) a huge step down.

[ez]

That we are all getting on is a sobering thought. We’ve operated at the arse end of the league and lower for the better part of 4 decades now.

In all the sixty-odd years I've been in love with this club the ups have been far less than the downs but by Christ those ups have been well worth it and I'm hanging in for more.  I wish you all the same.

Agreed.  We also have to remember there are a lot of villa fans under 30 who have never seen us win anything.

[Lastfootstamper]

He is currently, by untold multiples of the proverbial country mile, the most interesting thing about Aston Villa. After him, there's not a fat lot to strike up a conversation about besides Ashley Young rolling back the years and what've we done to Phillipe Coutinho.

[Toronto Villa]

It’s a sad statement about us as a club if Emi Martinez is the most interesting aspect of the club. And before that Jack Grealish. We have stop being all about a certain player and being interesting as a club. I think that’s precisely what Emery wants to build from the ground up. Of course we need excellent players who improve the profile of the club but it can’t be about one or two individuals but instead the collective.

[Clampy]

Blimey, this thread has taken a depressing turn based on a player saying he thinks he's good enough to win the Champions League. I'm taking an extended break to the tinned bacon thread.

[Drummond]

The Champions League places have no guarantee in this country. Liverpool and Chelsea will struggle for next season now. Man City may fail too. Man Utd will sign de Gea, Arsenal won't get him, Spurs are just a no.

Then it's abroad. And there aren't many clubs that could afford him are there?

He wants to win with us. He's pissed off we lost in the Cup, as are we all. If we make big signings in the summer, and show our intent, then he'll stay. Otherwise he hasn't a lot of options anyway.

[Toronto Villa]

Blimey, this thread has taken a depressing turn based on a player saying he thinks he's good enough to win the Champions League. I'm taking an extended break to the tinned bacon thread.

It’s a visceral reaction and happens any time one of our players utters CL in their list of things to achieve. I don’t blame any player or any employee in any profession to have highest ambition for themselves. It’s only going to stop as a football fan if the club shows it wants to match those ambitions. And even then, there will always be a bigger predator out there to want our best players.

[Dave]

Then it's abroad. And there aren't many clubs that could afford him are there?

And those that can, don't need him.

PSG spent two years chasing Donnarumma. Real Madrid already have one of the very few keepers who are arguably better in Courtois. Barcelona are happy with Ter Stegen, Bayern have just signed a new keeper, if any of Juventus, Milan or Inter suddenly stumbled on a pile of cash, then their keepers are all good enough that the cost / benefit in upgrading to Emi isn't worth it.

If he wants to leave, there needs to be a buyer.

[Bent Neilsens Screamer]

If he goes he goes, I wouldn’t expect too much loyalty from anyone after what previous players have done.
I think the Irish keeper at Liverpool has always looked good and it was reported fairly recently that he wanted more first team opportunities.