Goalkeepers have always been a vitally important position to get right. Nowadays, though, given the ball-playing responsibilities of a modern-day shot-stopper and the way in which they start off many attacks, it’s a position with far more influence on the pitch. Emiliano Martínez has certainly managed to nail down the number one spot at Aston Villa, earning himself a number of plaudits along the way and cementing himself as one of the Premier League’s best goalkeepers.
The former Arsenal player and current World Cup holder has certainly made a name for himself, albeit controversially at times. Whatever your view of the Argentine is, though, there is no doubting just how integral he has been to both Villa and Argentina’s upturn in fortunes, particularly when assessing his impact in Qatar and the huge, game-defining saves he managed to pull off against the likes of Kylian Mbappe. Put simply, in terms of current form and his overall stock at this moment in time, Emiliano Martínez is one of the planet’s top goalkeepers right now.
For Aston Villa, the goalkeeping department has always been filled with talented players between the sticks, although in more recent years it has been more of an issue. While Unai Emery’s appointment has led to renewed optimism around Villa Park, fans want to see the Villains fighting for the European places next season, an aim the likes of Brighton at 4/5 and Brentford at 19/1 will be hoping to pull off when assessing this season’s sports betting odds. Next campaign, though, thanks to top talents like Martinez, alongside the likes of Ollie Watkins and Jacob Ramsey, Emery will certainly be hoping to mount a serious top six push. Martinez is a vital ingredient to Villa’s cause, similar to many of the great goalkeepers who’ve managed to shine at Villa Park previously.
Mark Bosnich is one of the greatest ever Australian goalkeepers
Known as ‘Bozzie’ by the Aston Villa faithful, Mark Bosnich is adored by everyone associated with the club after managing to shine on numerous occasions after Ron Atkinson signed the young Australian goalkeeper in 1992. From that point onwards, Bosnich didn’t look back, spending six years at the club and making a name for himself due to his shot-stopping and impressive showings in penalty shootouts, similar in many respects to the aforementioned Martinez.
Nigel Sims was a big presence
Despite his relatively large size of 14 stone in weight and 6ft in height, Nigel Sims managed to showcase his impressive agility on numerous occasions in an Aston Villa shirt. A Second Division championship, League Cup and Terrace Trophy winner with the club, Sims was a big presence in between the sticks and managed to earn himself cult hero status with the Villa supporters in the process. Although his form faded somewhat and he eventually departed Villa for pastures new at Peterborough United in 1964, Sims is a goalkeeper many senior Villains will remember fondly.
Nigel Spink is an Aston Villa great
(Image via https://twitter.com/AVFCOfficial)
Ask most Aston Villa fans who the greatest goalkeeper to ply their trade for the club is and many will suggest Nigel Spink. Offering a calming but also authoritative presence in numerous Villa sides over the years, Spink eventually managed to force his way in as Villa’s number one goalkeeper despite originally coming in as fourth choice behind the likes of Jimmy Rimmer and John Burridge. Thankfully, for Villa, Spink’s rise into the first team resulted in a memorable showing in the 1982 European Cup final, where he came on and managed to put on a spectacular performance to help the club win the historic match 1-0.
Brad Friedel’s nickname was the ‘Human Wall’
After joining the club in 2008, American Brad Friedel went on to become one of the most consistent goalkeepers the club has ever had. Considering he cost just £2.5 million at the time, the former Liverpool shot-stopper was a bargain that made a massive impact overall. Like Martinez, Friedel managed to shine on the international stage, too, racking up 82 appearances for the USA and becoming the country’s third most capped goalkeeper in their history.
