Chris Sutton: Shambolic as Emi Martinez not taken off immediately after blow in Aston Villa v Newcastle
Chris Sutton has labelled the decision not to take off Emiliano Martinez as “shambolic” in the Aston Villa defeat against Newcastle over the weekend.
The Argentine was eventually forced off after the knee of Tyrone Mings clattered into his head in a sickening collision at St James’ Park.
Sutton admitted that everyone could see Martinez struggling, but Robin Olsen should have been brought on immediately, rather than allowing the former Arsenal man time still on the pitch.
Writing in his latest column for the Daily Mail, Sutton could not believe his eyes that the South American was not dragged off immediately after the blow.
“It matched the shambolic scenes at St James’ Park as Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was allowed to continue after the right knee of Tyrone Mings crashed into his temple,” he wrote.
“Martinez was treated. Then he played on. Then he had to be substituted. Of course, he did. Most of us could see Martinez was struggling. I get that medical staff at football clubs are put in a difficult position.”
Not good enough.
More has to be done in these situations to protect players from serious, life-changing injuries.
Medical staff are left in a difficult position everyone keeps saying, but the health of a player has to come first before a football match and whatever a manager may want his side to look like.
Aston Villa went on to get smashed by Newcastle, and that wouldn’t have changed with Martinez in goal fully fit, given the shocking nature of their performance.
So, there are no excuses to leave him on the pitch when it was clear that he should be nowhere the line of action after that heavy collision with Mings.
This will keep happening in football until something more is done about it, with the concussion substitute rule clearly not being used, by any club for that matter.
Olsen will likely continue next week, with there being a period in which Martinez needs to rest and recover before he returns, something that is definitely needed.
In other Aston Villa news, the Lions have come back down to earth with a bang after the crushing defeat to Newcastle over the weekend