‘He is a monster; the whole lot about him is character’: Premier League legend claims Arsenal made huge mistake in promoting ‘excellent’ participant

October 11, 2024

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Premier League legend David James claims that Arsenal made a mistake in promoting one participant below Mikel Arteta.

With 572 appearances, James has performed the fifth most quantity of video games in Premier League historical past, turning out for the likes of performed for Liverpool, Aston Villa, West Ham United, Manchester Metropolis and Portsmouth throughout an 18-year top-flight profession.

For James, there is a distinct lack of characters throughout the Premier League these days, with the previous goalkeeper highlighting how this has doubtlessly harm Arsenal of their bid for glory below Arteta.

Premier League missing ‘characters’

David James in action for Liverpool in February 1995 in the Premier League against Arsenal

James enjoying for Liverpool (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)

When discussing the shortage of characters, James means that Arsenal’s resolution to promote Emi Martinez to Aston Villa in 2020 has proved a pricey error for the Gunners, with the Argentine’s persona important for any profitable facet.

“It’s fascinating, whenever you have a look at Premier League goalkeepers, I’d say over plenty of years now – 5, 10 years or no matter – there’s not many characters,” James stated on the Seaman Says podcast by way of Betway. “Whereas in case you go previous to that, there have been characters round within the recreation for no matter motive.

“I believe it was conditioned out of goalkeepers. Type of like: ‘I’ve simply made a mistake, however you do not know since you’re not allowed to see it.’

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 02: Emiliano Martinez of Aston Villa celebrates victory after the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD2 match between Aston Villa FC and FC Bayern München at Villa Park on October 02, 2024 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Aston Villa/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images)

Martinez is a ‘monster’, in accordance with James (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)

“[Emi Martinez] has character. Every little thing about him is character. He’s an enormous, huge recreation participant, however it’s virtually like he desires to be within the largest recreation. We have a look at Raya’s state of affairs at Arsenal, the Ramsdale state of affairs at Arsenal, and the truth that Martinez was allowed to go due to Bernd Leno. Leno’s a good goalkeeper, however would not essentially have character. Martinez would have been the proper goalkeeper, I believe, for Arsenal proper now.”

The obvious instance of Martinez’s character that James is speaking about is his gamesmanship techniques used through the 2022 World Cup remaining in opposition to France. James highlights one thing more moderen, although, discussing the 32-year-old’s physicality and confidence as a goalkeeper.

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“I believe he’s a monster, within the sense that if the ball is within the air he’ll come for it,” James added. “There was the free kick from Bruno Fernandes [against Manchester United last weekend], regardless that he didn’t have to put it aside, he was there. There’s not many ‘keepers that I see within the Premier League now who’re able to attending to the highest nook, weirdly. Simply take into consideration the final time you noticed a high nook save.

“I’ve had this dialogue with goalie coaches. The pitches are arduous, and I believe as a result of the pitch is so arduous, you do not get the acquisition that you’d have finished on a softer pitch to have the ability to actually explode. You’re extra prone to slip, so you find yourself diving barely in another way.

“It was fairly frequent, a goalie would spring alongside, bang, bang, high nook. Now the shot that simply goes previous the highest nook, you are considering the keeper’s not ever getting there. Martinez will get there as a result of he can do it.”

‘He is a monster; the whole lot about him is character’: Premier League legend claims Arsenal made huge mistake in promoting ‘excellent’ participant

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