Emi Martinez has kept three clean sheets in the last three games and his performances have people asking whether or not he should maintain his place once Wojciech Szczesny is fit again.
The young Argentine has played with real assurance for a man of his inexperience, but has also benefitted from a much more organised team in front of him.
And he’s paid tribute to players ahead of him, particularly Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny, who have helped him during his spell in the team.
“It really helps me,” he told the official site. “Lolo and Per are both experienced, organisationally strong and always talk to you. It is so easy to play behind them.
“When you play with Per, Lolo, Nacho – whoever is in the back four – you feel confident against any team. I feel really, really confident behind them and hopefully I will get more opportunities.”
Asked about three clean sheets in a row, he continued, “It is amazing! I need to enjoy it and say thank you to my defenders as well. They have been outstanding in the last three games.
“It is always good to keep a clean sheet and do your job. When the opportunity comes, you need to be confident and show the manager that you can play as well.
“I think I am doing it, I am breeding confidence in my defenders and I am really pleased with that.”
Martinez is expected to keep his place this weekend if Szczesny remains sidelined with the hip injury – and a trip to Mordor will certainly be his toughest test yet.
The defence should be thanking him me thinks.
Up The Arse!
Its great to that we don’t concead from the first shot on target.
Erm…why?
I enjoyed the defensive display. My, why isn’t there praise for that Koscielny block. We may have fallen in trouble without it. Did anyone else see the way he reacted. Fast. swift and clean. And put himself between the ball and keeper. Plus why isnt anyone else thanking the injury gods. I mean we give them enough stick but am glad for last night. Our injury curse striking the other team for a change. Thank you gods. Keep it up. I know its probably useless and worthless to suggest but could you visit stanfraud bridge as welll. please. please. please.… Read more »
Isnt the GK part of the defense?
Szczesny also benefited from our defending last season, but when the defense struggled the goals came in bucket loads like in the city, pool and Chelsea game. Would be nice with a keeper that could perform well regardless of our defense.
We could’ve had any goalkeeper from any era in their peak form and we still would’ve lost those games. The shots and angles we gave opposition forwards were always going to concede goals. The defence obviously can’t give up 1v1’s but when they concede shots, they need to be from angles which will be favourable towards their goalkeeper. In those games Szczesny was as helpless as plucking one of the travelling fans and putting them in goal, he stood no chance.
Yea; especially Koscielny. That man is Arsene’s best-value-for- money buy in a very long while. Can’t imagine his value now if clowns like Mangala command £30m.
Martinez will challenge for first team in a season or two. I see the whole Fabianski issue playing out with Ospina again.
I like him. No fading about like Woj. And he wears a proper goalie jumper not a stupid t-shirt.
His catching from crosses are so confident!
Happily have him as no.1 until Ospina comes back. Not Woj.
Don’t really care if the keeper wears a morph suit, a onesie or a suit and tie, as long as they keep clean sheets
For our third choice keeper, who is also very young and inexperienced, he has looked so confident in goal. It’s brilliant to see.
Yeah that one claim later in the game where he came way out was so confidently and competently done that the commentators were struck dumb. It was one of those things where there was a delayed reaction and then just a bunch of bemused smiles after people realized what had happened. He just completely took control. It’s great to see a young keeper having that combination of confidence and good judgment.
I like him. No faffing about like Woj. And he wears a proper goalie jumper not a stupid t-shirt.
His catching from crosses are so confident!
Happily have him as no.1 until Ospina comes back. Not Woj.
His distribution is easily the best of the three…though i’d still prefer our Pole in Goal when it comes to one on ones
I think this kid is great and has the potetial to go a long way.
He was chucked in at the deep end and as shown he has the qualities.
What I like most is his ability to cleanly catch the ball in the air.
I like Martinez a lot, but let’s not get too excited. He had just one save to make against Southampton and one against West Brom. Dortmund was his best game and his only real test. (Let’s forget about Man U, please.) He’s looked confident and assured on crosses, but consider the opposition.
you people are so fickle! He’s been fantastic, but Wojtek has been a great keeper for us as well. He’s been hung out to dry in many occasions this season. It’s great to have to solid keepers, and there should be no reason why we can’t give them both match time. Wojtek has his weaknesses, but so does this young kid. I for one am very happy we’ve got two young keepers to compete with each other.
Funny enough, wasn’t it 4 years ago a rash of keeper injuries led us to play a young, relatively inexperienced Szczesny (league debut at Old Trafford, if I remember correctly) who earned all sorts of rave reviews at the time? History repeating itself, perhaps? Hopefully that doesn’t mean so many people will have turned on Martinez by December 2018.
We need a calm goalkeeper like Dave Seaman again, he could be the one.
Come along way since reading in the cup, credit given where credit is due, keep those clean sheets coming!
I’m gonna have a hard time calling Koscielny anything other than Lolo from now on
I prefer Bosscielny.
All right, you’ve all convinced me, I’ll come to London Colney for a trial- I’m 5’9″ look like Jens, Flap like Almunia, and I come out very confidently, but apparently I’m better than Woj Szcenzny. See you guys from the pitch.
That is an awesome picture
Lolo!
Ospina has looked very good in the few games he’s played as well so we are looking well stacked in the keeper position should Mr. injury Bug decide to infect this area of the team again. I think Shez gets the shirt when he comes back but any poor mistake by him will now open the door for someone else.
Very confident guy. Very ‘t composed too
Our goalkeeping situation is fantastic. It’s not that long ago we fielded some of the most error prone goalkeepers in the League, so I’m very, very happy with our current ones.
I think the spell on the sidelines will do Szcz well. He can see what staying calm and not trying to be Mad Jens can do for his defence. He is still our number one but can fall to sleep at times. I am sure he also realizes his distribution from kicks can improve! Martinez is playing well enough but he hasn’t been in a win or fall out of top 4/next season’s Champions League…
Good lad, seize your chance and make the position your own.
um… Lolo? hahahahaha
He wants his own song, he wants his own song,
LOLO Koscielny, he wants his own song.
We got 99 problems but the goalkeeper position ain’t one
This hype about Martinez is ridiculous. I hope he does well and has a long future ahead of him, but he’s faced 2 shots on target in our two league games, and 4 against Dortmund. Woj has had to cope with a makeshift back 4 the entire season so far.
awesome performance by martinez. if he can maintain does Szcz waltz straight back in??