Unai Emery 'embarrassed about' Emi Martinez decision in Aston Villa's loss to Arsenal - 'It's not the spirit'
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Published 18/02/2023 at 17:47 GMT
Emi Martinez had been the centre of attention for much of the afternoon at Villa Park after intermittent time-wasting, but he suffered misfortune at the game's end, scoring an own goal off his head, and then galloping upfield to try and rescue an equaliser, only to see Gabriel Martinelli stroll the ball into his empty net. "I am embarrassed about the last goal," Emery fumed afterwards.
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Unai Emery said he was "embarrassed about" Emi Martinez decision's to go forward late on during Aston Villa's 4-2 Premier League loss to Arsenal.
In a publicly jarring comment from the usually reserved Emery, the Villa boss cut an angry figure as he saw a tight game culminate in an ultimately heavy home loss to the title-chasing Gunners.
Villa had led 2-1 at the break and were drawing 2-2 as late as the 92nd minute, before Jorginho lashed a shot from distance that went in via the goalkeeper's head, and then Martinez's ultimately fruitless sortie upfield in search of an equaliser allowed Gabriel Martinelli to walk the ball into an unguarded net.
Speaking to BBC Sport's Match of the Day, Emery said: "Today, I am very, very disappointed. I am embarrassed about the last goal.
"I have never told my 'keeper to go forward. It's not the spirit. We have to keep our mind clear and be smart."
Responding to whether Martinez had asked him whether he could go forward, Emery added: "No, no, not like that. I have never told my 'keeper to do it.
"Today he decided it was his decision. I didn't tell him.
"He knows now [not to do it]."
Of the overall evolution of his Villa team as they sit 11th in the table after three straight Premier League losses, Emery said: "I'm frustrated. It's not the way I want.
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Dejected Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez after scoring an own goal during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Arsenal FC at Villa Park on February 18, 2023 in Birmingham, England.
Image credit: Getty Images
"I told the players we were reacting very well after changing the coach. The problem now is how we improve with the ball and take control of the game.
"We need time to build and how we want to progress."
Villa striker Ollie Watkins, who got the hosts off to the perfect start with a goal in the fifth minute, lamented his side's continual failure to generate results.
He said: "I feel like we have been in this situation too many times. We need to take a point and move on.
"When we went long, I wasn't really winning headers. When we played it short it was hard to play out from the back because they are very organised.
"The way to get to them was probably on the counter-attack and we didn't really do that.
"It's nice for me to score. I back myself to score goals but it's a shame it's not really leading to anything at the moment."
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