WEMBLEY — Some are preventable, some are screamers, and some like Eberechi Eze’s are deemed somewhere in between.
No matter the manner though it leads to a familiar outcome, with the goal that set Crystal Palace on their way to the FA Cup final once more the first shot Aston Villa had faced on target.
It has become a bizarre and worrying trend for Villa this season. There is so much to celebrate about this campaign, and yet the agony of another year left waiting for a major trophy brings to the fore feelings of frustration, of the wrongs that can be corrected.
Ahead of kick-off at Wembley, X account Aston Villa Statto posted: “Please save the first shot on target today, Emi.”
Just over an hour later, shortly after Eze’s strike, the same account posted: “First shot on target confirmed. Shock horror. 22nd time this season.”
Twenty-two times in 53 games this season, and on this occasion it was after a strike that divided opinion with regards to whether Martinez could have done better. “The ‘keeper has got to save it,” Wayne Rooney said on BBC at half-time, weighing in on the debate. A view that some may deem harsh.
EBERE EZE. THAT IS INCREDIBLE.
An unbelievable goal from the @CPFC and @England magician #EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/SD364TWvBF
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) April 26, 2025
Either way, it put Villa on the back foot, with the sucker punch then Dean Henderson’s two brilliant second-half saves that denied them an equaliser before Palace turned this into an emphatic victory.
It was some contrast. One of these goalkeepers has been voted the world’s best goalkeeper twice, the other is England’s fourth choice, but on Saturday there was only one standout.
Martinez can be brilliant but he can be a source of frustration for Villa fans, and while it may be a stretch to suggest they should replace him this summer, some fiercer competition wouldn’t hurt. It would at least keep him on his toes.
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His distribution is up there, was pitch perfect against Newcastle, but other elements of his game are slacking, and the Argentine would be the first to admit he must improve.
This season he ranks down in 18th among Premier League goalkeepers (with more than 10 games) for save percentage at 65.9, while he is a lowly joint-13th for clean sheets with five.
He is seventh for overall goals conceded (45), while his rate of 1.41 goals conceded per 90 minutes is also more than Villa’s nearest rivals, perhaps explaining why they are behind in the top-five race, with their goal difference of +5 some distance behind the six clubs above them.
Causes for concern and to maybe address in the summer, but first though Unai Emery must somehow pick his squad up for the Premier League’s final straight.
They are still in the battle to finish in the top five, and though it has been another season of progress, as Emery would like to point out, this season could end with three agonising near-misses: the defeat to PSG for one, this FA Cup loss, and their bid to return to the Champions League next season.
It isn’t over yet, though, and Emery wants Villa to channel the pain of this Wembley defeat in the four league games remaining.
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“We have to dominate our frustration and disappointed moments and keep going,” Emery said.
“How we are increasing our level and our demands through Europe, in the Conference League last year and Champions League and FA Cup this year, we have to be happy, motivated and excited about how we are improving.
“We have to change again our objective because the Premier League is our priority.
“We lost a possibility to get one trophy in the Champions League and again today, but we have to keep going.
“We keep going and we really need next week against Fulham at home every supporter trying to be close to us, supporting us and helping us to get again our full energy to play the final four matches.
“It’s our objective to play again in Europe.”
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