Emi comes clean over Villa target for run-in
EMI Martinez and his Villa backline have pinpointed at least two more clean sheets from their remaining six matches.
The 29-year-old Argentinian goalkeeper chalked up his 10th shut-out of the season in Villa’s 0-0 draw at Leicester on Saturday.
Last season, he equalled Villa’s record of 15, previously set by Brad Friedel in 2010.
Martinez told the Birmingham Post: “We talk about 12 clean sheets is the second-best record the club has in the Premier League. The record is 15, so we need to try and get 12 or 13 clean sheets and try to finish in the top 10. That is our target.”
Villa head coach Steven Gerrard has urged his squad to cement a top-half finish and, with Norwich and Burnley next up, there is every chance of catching sides above them with Leicester, in 10th, five points ahead.
Martinez offered a sense of reality knowing Villa have struggled for rhythm off the back of a series of injuries.
“We signed Leon (Bailey) and he has been out for a while. Now he is starting to get back to full fitness,’’ he said.
“Bertrand Traore has been injured basically all season. Danny Ings has been injured, another new signing.
“(Axel) Tuanzebe came early then left in January. Tiggsy (Matt Targett) left in January and Lucas Digne has been injured since then.
“It has been difficult but we have been very positive and we have double figures in clean sheets now, which is something to build on.”
Martinez admits the £100 million sale of Jack Grealish has also had a significant impact on Villa this season.
He believes the club’s third Premier League campaign, since being promoted back to the top flight in 2019, was always going to be challenging after Grealish was sold to Manchester City last summer.
Villa replaced their former talisman with three players and spent £95 million in the process. Ings, Bailey and Emi Buendia all joined, though Martinez insists they need time to adapt to their new surroundings.
He said: “There has been investment at the club and everyone expected us to be top eight or top seven, but it is difficult when there are so many changes in one season. We have been inconsistent but we have to realise we sold Jack, a homegrown player and the best we had at Villa.
“We have had to rebuild and find new players but they need time to adapt. We changed the manager in mid-season too, with a new philosophy. It isn’t as easy as it looks.
“(Grealish) was outstanding last season but we understood he needed to make that step. The signings we made were really positive.
“You can see now at the end of the season the inconsistency because we have a new manager, a new philosophy. Next season, we will know what to do.”
Gerrard insists Philippe Coutinho ‘will be fine’ at Villa, despite the Brazilian receiving criticism for some quiet performances in recent weeks.
Coutinho hasn’t registered a goal contribution in his last five games and although Villa did stop the rot with a valuable point at Leicester, he was anonymous for the most part.
Coutinho will leave Barcelona this summer and Villa have a £33 million option to buy the player who arrived on loan in January.
He made seven goal contributions in his first eight appearances in claret and blue but, without one since, Villa face a decision on whether or not to shell out big money and wages for a player who turns 30 in June.
Commenting on Coutinho’s form, head coach Gerrard said: “Phil will be fine.
“We can’t expect Phil to be man of the match, creator and goalscorer every time he plays. We’ll continue to work with him and I’m sure it’ll only be a matter of time.”