‘Not happy’ - Aston Villa boss Unai Emery admits Emiliano Martinez developing concerns

Unai Emery has spoken with Emiliano Martinez about the lack of clean sheets recently as Aston Villa seek to improve defensively ahead of the rest of the season.

Following the crushing 4-1 defeat away at Crystal Palace, the Villans haven’t kept preserved any clean sheets in their last 10 outings and have incredibly managed just two in the last 21 matches — equating to less than 10 per cent. Even Southampton - possibly on track for the worst points total in Premier League history - have successfully matched Villa’s total of two shutouts in the last 21.

With the fight for European qualification hotting up in the Premier League and Villa aiming to reach the Champions League quarter-finals with a victory over Club Brugge, defensive improvements are desperately needed. It’s been far from an ideal period in terms of injuries with Pau Torres, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings, Matty Cash and Boubacar Kamara all being sidelined at certain times but the recent record is still inexcusable.

Martinez is by no means the only one at direct fault for the struggles over the last couple of months but Emery is asking for more nonetheless. That’s the case with the entire defence, too, with the head coach challenging his players to improve at a pivotal stage in the campaign.

“We were speaking about clean sheets with Emi Martinez and he is concerned,” Emery admitted to the media on Monday. “He is of course as a goalkeeper conceding more goals than normal. We are being demanding because we are not happy — especially him.

“He is not happy when we are conceding a lot of goals and chances. And I think on Saturday against Chelsea, after my analysis, we conceded more chances than normal as well. This is what I am really focused on now.”

Emi Martinez desperate to return to form

Having set a club record of 34 in his first 100 Premier League appearances, Martinez prides himself on clean sheets. It’s not been a feelingthe two-time Yashin Trophy winner has experienced much of late, however, with just 11 since the start of last season. Last month’s 1-0 win at Everton was a rare shut-out and Villa’s only away from home in the league this term.

On responsibility, Emery added: “With Emiliano Martinez, with the centre-backs, with the full-backs, with the midfielders, with the strikers. We have to be compact and be disciplined tactically to do the best we possibly can to feel strong. We have to try to stop the opponent individually and collectively."