After watching him withdraw from the starting XI at short notice for the third time this season, Aston Villa may decide it is time to move on from Emi Martinez.
At both Brighton and Feyenoord earlier this season, Martinez was named in the team only to pull out close to kick-off. The same happened again at Nottingham Forest, with his deputy Marco Bizot given only 25 minutes’ notice that he was playing. This time, Martinez had a calf problem.
Bizot is a solid operator and performed well, making a key save in the second half. Yet if Unai Emery and his squad are starting to lose patience with Martinez, who could blame them?
Martinez put plenty of noses out of joint last summer by making it clear that he wanted to leave. The Argentine stayed and there has been an uneasy truce yet few would be surprised if he really did depart this summer. For player and club, it feels like it is time for something new.
There is no suggestion that Martinez is less than 100 per committed to Villa and he has been one of their best goalkeepers of modern times. He has often played despite pain in his hamstring.
All good things come to an end, though. After pulling out against Brighton, Martinez returned for the 2-1 win over Arsenal three days later. He had done the same after Feyenoord but that did not keep him out of the victory over Burnley less than 72 hours afterwards. So these were not severe injuries.
It remains to be seen whether Martinez will face Bologna on Thursday, with Villa certain of progress to the Europa League semi-finals if they avoid defeat. As good as Bizot is, Villa cannot afford such uncertainty around a key position.
Until now, they have not suffered too much from Martinez’s absence. They beat Brighton and Feyenoord and secured a point here. What if it happened before a Europa League Final, though?
Emery’s men took the lead in the first half when Murillo turned Morgan Rogers’ cross into his own net, only for Neco Williams to equalise for Forest shortly before half-time. Villa crept a point closer to achieving a place in next season’s Champions League, while Forest now have a three-point gap to the relegation zone.
Asked about Martinez, Emery said: ‘He was telling us in the warm-up that he didn’t feel comfortable with his calf. But Marco Bizot is a fantastic goalkeeper and he responded brilliantly in the circumstances.’
Emery had already made an eye-catching decision by leaving Ezri Konsa, a vital player throughout his tenure, on the bench. Yet central defensive pair Pau Torres and Victor Lindelof were among Villa’s best players.
With Ross Barkley operating in the No10 position where he made his name early in his career, Villa were on top early on, despite making only three changes to Forest’s nine and it was no surprise when they took the lead.
Morgan Rogers was played into space inside the Villa box and with Ola Aina 10 yards behind him, he drilled the ball across goal. It rebounded off the shin of Murillo and trickled into the net, with Matz Sels helpless.
Moments later, Sels saved brilliantly from Ollie Watkins after a fine move involving Torres, Barkley and Rogers. Though Watkins was initially flagged offside, replays showed he was level with Nikola Milenkovic and had he found the net, it would probably have been given.
Forest had another close shave when Rogers, again in far too much space, drove against the outside of the post.
Emery rarely looks relaxed on the touchline and what happened soon afterwards would have enraged him. His side missed at least two chances to clear, allowing Aina to cross deep. Callum Hudson-Odoi took over and under little pressure, set up Williams to hammer a low shot beyond Bizot from 20 yards.
Early in the second half Bizot did his team proud, showing brilliant reactions to turn the ball away when Morgan Gibbs-White’s shot clipped Matty Cash and looked destined for the corner.
Then at the other end, Sels matched him by clawing away John McGinn’s effort as it curved towards the net.
Forest boss Vitor Pereira had just sent on Chris Wood when Rogers produced an astonishing miss. Sels saved again, this time from Barkley, and Rogers lashed the loose ball into the Villa fans from eight yards. No wonder Emery covered his face with his hands.
Now the game was opening up. Youri Tielemans did well to block another dangerous strike from Williams as Forest fans turned up the volume. With his side wobbling, Emery responded with a triple change and a minute later one of the substitutes, Emi Buendia, fed Watkins who blazed over from 15 yards.
Forest boss Pereira said: ‘Some teams prefer to be victims but we prefer to be warriors and fighters. With responsibility and spirit, we will fight until the last game. We faced a team fighting to be in the Champions League and a draw is better than nothing.’
