Dan Bardell exclusive: Damaging World Cup could affect Emi Martinez at Aston Villa
We’re delighted to welcome The Athletic’s Dan Bardell as our exclusive Aston Villa columnist each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at the club…
Emi Martinez has worked so hard to become Argentina number one that a damaging experience in Qatar could affect him back at Aston Villa says Dan Bardell.
The Villans keeper was in goal for the international giants’ shock 2-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia in their opening group game on Tuesday (22 November), and is the most high profile of the club’s players to have made it to the World Cup.
Bardell feels that the 30-year-old is the most at risk of a dip in form at club level if his international campaign goes badly, either via elimination at the group stage or a heartbreaking knockout in the latter rounds.
He exclusively told Villa News: “I think there could be mental issues depending on what happens if players were to lose in the final for example.
“In the Africa Cup of Nations [Mohamed] Salah lost and came back the second half of the season and wasn’t the same, whereas [Sadio] Mane won it and had a really good second half.
“So it may work as a positive or a negative in some aspects depending on what happens, if someone had a result go badly at the latter end of the tournament.
“It’s just that quick turnaround. Martinez, I know how much he puts into playing for Argentina because he waited a long time to be a part of that set up and worked really hard to get to the point to be their number one.
“So if it wasn’t to go well I think that would have some impact on him because of the work that he’s put in.
“I thought he could have done better with the second goal against Saudi Arabia. It was a great goal, with a great touch and a lovely shot, but I spoke to a friend who’s been a goalkeeping coach at Sunderland who felt Martinez went at it with his wrong hand.
“So I think he’ll be disappointed with that second goal but hopefully Argentina can bounce back and at least get themselves out of the group, because that would be an absolute disaster if they didn’t.”
Robin Olsen’s performances have shown that the drop off from starter to back up in goal at Villa Park is pretty major so fans will be holding their breath watching Argentina.
Whatever happens, barring a physical injury, it is sure not to actually prevent Martinez from playing when he returns to the Midlands, but confidence and concentration is key for a keeper so psychological distractions wouldn’t help.
A unique midseason World Cup brings new challenges, but with relatively few players in Qatar Villa are at least at less risk than plenty of their opponents.
In other Aston Villa news, Alan Hutton says the captaincy issue should be shelved.