Emi Martinez

[Dante Lavelli]

My hunch is that emery was the person that decided to stick rather than twist this January.  I’m also confident that NSWE will back Emery in the summer.

I saw a meme where villa’s net spend was 7th in the whole of Europe since 2018, so we spend decent sums its just been in a scatter gun manner as we swap a mangers every two years.  That level of spending, in a coherent fashion, should see us in and around the unopened places eventually.

[Beard82]

The challenge with our signings has been a - they’re mostly shit, and b - there is no real strategy or plan behind them.  You see teams like Leicester Brentford and Brighton achieve this

But since Joe left there has been no plan.

[Dave]

January was massively disappointing, but I simply don't see a bad January window as a sign the club has "given up".

I don't think we've given up either. I think it's (another) sign that Lange and Purslow aren't very good at their jobs.

[ChicagoLion]

The challenge with our signings has been a - they’re mostly shit, and b - there is no real strategy or plan behind them.  You see teams like Leicester Brentford and Brighton achieve this

But since Joe left there has been no plan.

Born out by the three random signings of Buendia Bailey Ings.

[ChicagoLion]

January was massively disappointing, but I simply don't see a bad January window as a sign the club has "given up".

I don't think we've given up either. I think it's (another) sign that Lange and Purslow aren't very good at their jobs.

It’s the most logical explanation.

[Smithy]

My hunch is that emery was the person that decided to stick rather than twist this January.  I’m also confident that NSWE will back Emery in the summer.

I saw a meme where villa’s net spend was 7th in the whole of Europe since 2018, so we spend decent sums its just been in a scatter gun manner as we swap a mangers every two years.  That level of spending, in a coherent fashion, should see us in and around the unopened places eventually.

Isn't that basically what he said with the Bert situation? I'm sure he had attackers on his list that he thought were gettable in January, but once we were down to the third or fourth choice (or maybe even lower), the chances are they weren't that much better than Bert so they decided to bring him back rather than fork out millions on player for only a marginal gain. I quite like that approach.

Our net spend since 2018 is obviously very high, but people forget where we were at the start of that period, and what our squad actually looked like.  We haven't been adding to an established Premier League squad, we've been buying one from scratch, and then adding to and improving THAT squad.  It's easy to spend £100m on 6 or 7 players. Players in the £10m-£20m range are easy to come by (look at Forest), but with a few exceptions they won't move us into the European places.

[Footy-Vill]

For those wondering what he actually said:

"I'm still hungry, I want to win the Champions League. Obviously, I would like to do it with Aston Villa, but it will be difficult because the club is still in its growth phase.

"I won the most beautiful title there is with the national team and now I'm aiming for the biggest title. I would like to win a title with Aston Villa but it's complicated, they knocked us out of the FA Cup in January. You should never lose hope. We'll see what will happen. I have the feeling that today I have the level to play in the Champions League and try to win it."

"I thought about leaving football a few years ago. I thought that maybe it wasn't made for me, because it involved me a lot, I trained for hours, but I didn't play. I saw that it wasn't working. Then, four, five years ago, I started working with a psychologist, who helped me not to hit rock bottom. And then I got up. My son was born at this time and I decided not to go on loan anymore. From there, I exploded.

"I came close to playing in Ligue 1 several times when I was younger. PSG is a great club with great players. They aim to win the Champions League every year. Who wouldn't love to play there?! Leo and Kylian are cracks! Partners that any player dreams of having."

He's obviously mentioning PSG because he's talking to a French outlet although it is a little 'come and get me'. Overall it's all pretty reasonable for someone in his position.

Thanks for that. And yes a very reasonable and pragmatic from his point of view however there is clear indication for us that he will ask for a move come EOTS.

Why now rather than at the end of the season is the only question I have on Martinez. Having learned the breaking news, I felt obligated to return to the conversation and debate. I'm not waiting on this rather than at the conclusion of the season because somethings going on here for Emi Martinez.
Don't know why he insists on making so much noise.
Maybe McGinn is returning as captain today and Martinez doesn't like that he's been demoted.
And maybe he's going to PSG as strong hint of that in his interview and is preparing the way for French society to embrace him.

Maybe Emi Martinez's ego  couldn't handle the idea that, after his error last week, Emery wants his goalkeeper to play out from the back. This probably brought attention to the fact that Martinez needs to improve, and he doesn't like it??

Maybe he's been told he has to compete for the starting spot?
So our world cup winner is making statements to manage his exit in the best possible light for how he looks but also to us fans since there's a good chance Emery doesn't fancy him

[Footy-Vill]

If he wants to go and anyone else for that matter I’ll thank him and wish him well but we’ll move on. We won’t get a replacement as good as him but I’d like to think another area of the team will be vastly improved instead.

It didn't work out that way when we sold Grealish.

Correct.

Also, he will go, BTW. When he wanted to stay he came our and said that, was a couple years ago I think. These latest comments say he will look to move at the end of the season.

Since Emery came in, I've had a sneaking suspicion that he will go.
Since Martinez won the World Cup, I've also had a sneaking suspicion he will want Champions league football level and that's now been confirmed.
Put all those issues together and there's only one outcome.

Be prepared if Olsen returns to goalkeeping between now and the end of the season. Maybe he even plays against Manchester City today, if so it will only serve to confirm there's a rift that has been somewhat rumoured and that Martinez is already thinking elsewhere as he's clearly off for champions league football.

[Clampy]

That was a long break Footy.

[Drummond]

Oh FFS.

Anyway, nobody is leaving until the summer. By that point, we'll have deals lined up, of that in sure. I wouldn't be at all surprised to find new contracts being offered and signed (or perhaps rejected) in the intervening period.

If we had no ambition, we wouldn't be ploughing as much into the stadium development, and we wouldn't have spent what we have on getting rhw squad to where it is. Just look how far we've come since the League Cup final.

Emery hadn't finiehd lower than 9th I don't think, and I suspect that will continue this season.

January is notoriously difficult to recruit in. The summer less so. Coutinho was an ambitious move, that hasn't quite born fruit, yet. Kamara is a great deal, Dhuran was very highly regarded too. We're building something here, it's coming xwere all excited about it and are so hungry for success we want it now. We deserve it given whst we've put up with over the past decades.

[Footy-Vill]

That was a long break Footy.

Well it's Martinez fault because if he waited to make comments end of season then there would be no debate.
He's now fuelled the fire to whats going on and if he will be in complete first choice to season end and which Champions League club he is signing for.

[Footy-Vill]

Oh FFS.

Anyway, nobody is leaving until the summer. By that point, we'll have deals lined up, of that in sure. I wouldn't be at all surprised to find new contracts being offered and signed (or perhaps rejected) in the intervening period.

If we had no ambition, we wouldn't be ploughing as much into the stadium development, and we wouldn't have spent what we have on getting rhw squad to where it is. Just look how far we've come since the League Cup final.

Emery hadn't finiehd lower than 9th I don't think, and I suspect that will continue this season.

January is notoriously difficult to recruit in. The summer less so. Coutinho was an ambitious move, that hasn't quite born fruit, yet. Kamara is a great deal, Dhuran was very highly regarded too. We're building something here, it's coming xwere all excited about it and are so hungry for success we want it now. We deserve it given whst we've put up with over the past decades.

Thats a good positive outcome and look.
And a great post to remember!
And of course we have Emery an elite manager who is only going to progress the players and the club.
Have a good sunday and lets get the win today drummond!
Up The Villa!

[pauliewalnuts]

Be prepared if Olsen returns to goalkeeping between now and the end of the season. Maybe he even plays against Manchester City today, if so it will only serve to confirm there's a rift that has been somewhat rumoured and that Martinez is already thinking elsewhere as he's clearly off for champions league football.

Honestly, do you have a proper think before you type this stuff?

There's more chance of me starting against Man City today than Olsen.

[Clampy]

Be prepared if Olsen returns to goalkeeping between now and the end of the season. Maybe he even plays against Manchester City today, if so it will only serve to confirm there's a rift that has been somewhat rumoured and that Martinez is already thinking elsewhere as he's clearly off for champions league football.

Honestly, do you have a proper think before you type this stuff?

I think it depends on which one is writing it.

[Stinkin_Thinkin]

I have no problem with Martinez's comments. He's effectively said if the board don't go all out for the champions league I'll go to another club.
All the fans want to hear that beautiful music Zadok the monk at Villa Park, and its refreshing to hear it from a player too, It's the board, who despite their narrative, have the handbrake on.
Of course I expect Martinez to leave for £60m which will be used for 2 or 3 moneyball signings.