Tony Adams has slammed Arsenal for letting Emiliano Martinez go in favour of Bernd Leno this season and he claimed that the Gunners will have to get a better goalkeeper if they want to win the Premier League.
Mikel Arteta was faced with a goalkeeping dilemma at the start of this season after Martinez who had done so well as a replacement for Leno at the end of last season asked to be number one permanently.
Arteta wasn’t so sure which of his keepers would be the best to keep and the Spaniard decided to keep Leno.
Martinez was sold to Aston Villa, but Adams believes that the Gunners allowed the better goalkeeper to leave.
‘You notice with Liverpool who won the league last year, best goalkeeper, best central defender, Henderson in midfield, the spine of the team were phenomenal leaders,’ Adams told Sky Sports News as quoted by Metro.
‘I’ve always said if Arsenal ever want to win the league again they’ve got to get the best goalkeeper.
‘And for me, Leno is maybe not the best goalkeeper. I question Martinez being let go, that was a mistake for me.
‘I think Martinez has come of age, he performed excellently last season.
‘Why would you, a club that’s wanting to win the league, let go one of the best goalkeepers in the country.
‘I don’t see that as a good decision.’
He claimed that Martinez was one of the best in the league when he was in goal for the club and they should have kept him as their first choice.
Martinez came back to remind Arsenal that he is better last weekend as his Aston Villa side ran riot at the Emirates and they beat the Gunners 3-0 in front of an empty Arsenal Emirates.
🙄
Hey Tony Adams is right when you build a team you start with the spine only when you have a good strong spine you put branch’s on it and carry on build branch’s till you have a team it is not Rocket Science F**k me I could do it
But it’s all water under the bridge
I’m not saying Adams hasn’t got a point – far from it – but Martinez has gone hence 🙄. There was no need to be so bolshy
Martinez was far way above Leno. We should consider Central midfield for Aubameyang and get goals. Lacazette is doing poor
Jeez, another article on Martinez, but please tell me exactly how “Martinez came back to remind Arsenal he is better” when he hardly had anything to do? He may have joined a better team but it certainly doesn’t make him the better keeper.
Go watch the second goal Aston villa second then you will know why..I have not seen Leno doing that for once
Please like us saw it coming but some Leno fans are still living in delusions. Martinez is far above Leno, what a stupid mistake
*People
You make it seem Martinez doesn’t concede goals
Really dislike Adams. A booze addled mind constantly criticising. As if he ever displayed any worthy managerial skills
You can dislike him as much as you want but all he said it’s the truth, any team who wants to win the league need to have a good center back a good midfielder and a good goalkeeper, as good as Leno is, he’s not even in the top 5 in the league in my humble opinion.
Silent stan, a nasty vicious and personal below the belt comment thatt will get you no credit on here.
Consider what Adams did in our shirt and his even greater accomplishments since conquering his addiction and setting up his sporting chance clinic, which has helped countless others!
That truth does not deserve your low and unthinking comment. You ought to be ashamed of your own lack of character!
Agree with Jon, that comment stinks pal, no call for it at all. You may not agree with Big Tone but dont make childish stupid comments on someone who was an absolute hero for Arsenal, has it in his blood and turned his life around.
I’m sure he didn’t set out to become an alcoholic You were unkind
i have never heard of anybody disliking tony adams. what a horrible remark. i hope you are only a young teenager spouting such dreadful dross. if you are an adult, then, i would question your love of the arsenal. tony adams, despite his drinking and whatever, was, probably, the greatest leader on the pitch . i say to you, how dare you say something so childish about one of our greats, a true legend, a man.yes, we are all entitled to our opinions, i do realise this, but ,please dont throw muck at our former players.i cannot believe somebody would bring that subject up about tony adams. let them that are without sin cast the first stone. and i am totally non religious, but i use that term to show you up ,sir.
Why bring that up ?
Are you not able to form an opinion without mocking an illness?
👍👍
Oh shut it Adams ffs.
you really expect the club to go and buy a keeper of Allisons standard?
How? you going to put the 100m in the bank are ya?
Bitter old fool!
Show some respect for our Legends or else you mirror your words.The best defender Arsenal had in modern era.
And Emi was Allison class except that he was from our academy.His ball distribution is second to none and he gives his defenders and mids the confedence these qualities Leno will never have. Mikel had to part with him to fund Ozils wages, so I forgive Mikel.Support Leno!
Show some respect?
I supported Adams the player from the moment he started wearing the red and white.
Both Emi and Arteta have both said the same thing in regards to why Emi left for Villa and yet Donkey Adams keeps playing this broken record.
Just because someone was a legend at your club doesnt make them immune to anything once they start talking tripe.
Mikel had to sell emi to fund Ozils wages? I think you’ll find that is BS.
So after 20 Premier league games Emi is Allison standard? He may be but he may not be, we just dont know as we dont have enough information available to make that judgement, its all assumptions at this point.
And I am 200% behind Leno
And as for the best defender we’ve had in the modern era, again thats debatable!
Rubbish, Martinez will definitely conceded those three goals if he were to be between the sticks for Arsenal. So this is BS
clasping at straws or can you see parallel universes?
There is absolutely no need crying over spilled milk, we all know martinez commands his lines, good in the air, times his decisions and breathes confidence, leno on the other hand is has reserved personality, hardly talks and seems nervous/jittery often.
But a keeper is as .good as his defense, lets support the keeper we have and hope he regain the terrific form that saw him named one of the best in the league two seasons ago
I find it very sad that, when someone gives their personal opinion about something, they are belittled by others who THINK they know better – why not just detail out your reasons for differing with them?
Tell me, Silentstan, what exacly are YOUR managerial skills, as I must have missed your exploits as both a manager and player?
Val, you have surprised me with your comments as well.
As a professional player yourself, tell me why you think TA is a “bitter old fool?” It’s his opinion as a successful professional player, nothing more and nothing less.
You are normally so reasonable, so why this kind of response?
Tony Adams was giving his opinion and to bring in his personal and successful fight against an addiction as a negative, is just beyond belief.
Ken I don’t know why a person opinion should be label as him been bitter old fool, the man gave his opinion you can decide to agree or disagree.
Lenohappy, I have said how surprised I was that Val said it – others who might have used those words wouldn’t have surprised me.
Val’s answer has given the reason why and answered my question – I guess in today’s world, when someone answers a genuine question and gets a straight forward answer it is worth reading.
Before one decides to agree or disagree, isn’t it reasonable to ask why?
Since he was turned down by the club to come back and coach he has done nothing but take swipes at our managers.
He’s been saying the same thing about Emi v Leno for months, even though all the information regarding why Emi was sold has been out there for all to see and read and yet still takes this angle.
That is why Ken I have my view on Adams, I take nothing away from his playing career with us as he was a great captain for us, but since he couldnt make that transition to management himself and was told no by Arsenal when he asked to come back and coach, he does this.
Legend or not, doesnt make you immune to anything, if you keep chatting horse crap then I will comment accordingly.
It really did not matter who was in goal against Villa, even a prime Buffon wouldnt have changed anything as the team was just utter crap
Thanks for your reply Val, I know you didn’t comment on his playing career or personal life of course – totally different to Silentstan.
I wasn’t aware of his comments regarding the two keepers over the previous month or so either by the way.
On the subject of Sundays game, a previous article about Martinez “proving” he was the better keeper, was where I thought your “horse crap” observation would have hit the target perfectly as well!!!
As you mentioned previously that you were a professional keeper, it would be interesting to know your views as to the argument regarding Leno/Martinez, especially as I thought we should have sold Leno (just my personal preference) and how you rate the two in regards to past Arsenal keepers and current PL goalkeepers.
As a layman, it would be really interesting to be given an insight into the cons and minuses of each man…hope you can spare the time.
As you know i didnt watch the game live, I have however watched the full game since just to see and judge for myself how we played.
Both teams play different football, we ALWAYS play out from the back, so to me we would never had scored a goal like Villa’s second because we just dont play like that from the keeper, its extremely rare that we pump it up top from the keeper in such a manner.
I think I said in the summer that I would have rather kept Emi as everything he has seems like a complete package and he should be No1.
However that was before I knew what was actually going on inside the club, player demands, finances etc etc.
If you look at it from a coaches view, Emi may have all the attributes to be a top top keeper but has only played a handful of games and then have to think why he’s been there for 10 years and not been given a chance considering how many keepers we have gone through since Jens left.
You have to go with what you know to an extent and Leno was magnificent before his injury and spared our blushes on numerous occasions, especially under UE.
We all know he isn’t a world class keeper but he is very, very consistent and you can then fall on that in the long run.
Emi on the other hand, we just don’t know do we really, he hasnt played many games in the past, none of his loan moves yielded anything to note, he was pretty average in the UEL for us last season aswell so you have to ask the question, is it form or class? Class is permanent and form is temporary as we all know.
So when you have a young, pretty inexperienced manager and he pretty much had to choose in the end, you go with what you know especially given the ultimatum Emi set the club – no1 or bye bye.
Then you addon the poor finances and what he was valued at the summer before ( 2m ) and we couldnt get a buyer for him then so to get an offer of 17m, the club and manager had to give it serious consideration, which they did and give Emi what he wanted which was to be a no1 for a club to enhance his international chances.
For me though, I think he took the easy route, I would have stayed to fight for it for at least a season and proved that I was no1.
Which is what I did during my playing days.
I hope this is what you wanted to know Ken
That is so interesting Val and thanks for replying.
As fans we probably live the last game(s), rather than reflecting on the past a little more and, without doubt Leno was quite brilliant before his injury.
As I said, my choice would have been Martinez, but we were in the situation where we had the choice and the money received (I wonder what Leno would have fetched by the way?) was too good to refuse.
I also think Martinez put MA in such a position with his No.1 demands, that the decision to sell him was his own fault as well.
He did, at least, fulfill his dream with our club and he left in a positive way.
Thanks again for your insight and good to “pick your brain!!!!”
You’re welcome Ken.
It is important for other fans to look at the bigger picture and that goes for former players aswel.
To me there wasn’t alot that MA or the club could do in this situation without going back on his values.
You cannot turn around to one player and say ok, you are first choice in your position, it causes more issues within the squad than is needed.
Say he said to Mari that he is first choice LCB, that means if he’s fit, he plays, what does that then say to Gabriel? What does it then say to the rest of the squad? The fact is you need all spots to be open for everyone, that in itself breeds competition within the squad.
Agree 100%👍
I enjoyed reading your thread with Val. Very illuminating
we can’t blame it all on Leno. our entire team was rubbish to watch that Sunday. Martinez didn’t score the three goals; infact he wasn’t tested by our sleeping players at all. Adams is a respected legend but let him use another analytic to compare the two keepers. Adams is at times disgusting to hear.
Can’t disagree with what Big Tone says, it isn’t rocket science and he is correct.
Even a blind man can see that Martinez is the better keeper, we sold the wrong keeper in my opinion.
Typical Arteta, he can’t spot talent. He prefers experience
Emilo is crying inside. He was Arsenal. The boy became a man in red and white, and Arteta sold him to make some money, as the Kroenkes wanted the cash.
The reason we won those cups was Emilio.
Of course, Tony of all people would know. He played at the back! What would Arteta know?