Jamie Carragher has suggested that one Aston Villa player was instrumental in stopping Arsenal’s main threat on Sunday.
Unai Emery’s men produced a vintage away performance to secure a vital three points in their bid for a top-four finish.
After overcoming intense first-half pressure, Ollie Watkins and Leon Bailey’s late goals saw the Villans to a snatch-and-grab victory.
The result has seen Villa leapfrog Tottenham Hotspur into the top four ahead of their Conference League quarter-final second leg on Thursday evening.
Jamie Carragher wowed by Emi Martinez influence against Arsenal
Talking on Monday Night Football, Jamie Carragher was particularly impressed with Emi Martinez’s influence against his former side.
Villa were more than content to take risks at the back to bait Arsenal’s press; it was a tactic that ultimately proved decisive. During some impressive analysis, Carragher admired the visitors’ courage against the league’s best pressers.
“It was [Villa’s playing out from the back] was very brave, but the quality of it was fantastic,” he said [Monday Night Football, 19:26]
“The big reason was Emi Martinez. He was heavily involved. The most touches any goalkeeper has had at The Emirates in the Premier League this season. We go to the top one, Diogo Costa of Porto.
“I was at that game, and it was the first time this season I’d seen a team nullify Arsenal’s press because he played like an outfield player. Martinez yesterday played like an outfield player.”
He added: “I think it’s massive when you talk about Arsenal going man for man; if you use your goalkeeper as an outfield player, you can’t go man for man, which is huge for me. That might be a template going forward.”
Did Emi Martinez do anything different against Arsenal?
Martinez was clearly under strict instructions to bait Arsenal’s press as much as possible. In fact, the Argentine amassed more touches than John McGinn, Ezri Konsa, Lucas Digne, Nicolo Zaniolo, Morgan Rogers, Watkins and Moussa Diaby.
Per FotMob, Martinez has managed, on average, 4.81 successful long balls per 90 minutes. On Sunday, he nearly doubled his success rate. Furthermore, the 31-year-old registered 42 shorter passes.
His confidence on the ball was there for all to see and, as Carragher mentioned, helped nullify the Gunners’ exceptional pressing statistics.
It was a bold tactic that paid off for Emery and his coaching staff.
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