Interview

'We're over the moon with the clean sheet'

Emi Martinez had an evening to remember on Thursday.

Making his first start of the season, our Argentine stopper made seven saves to help us preserve our clean sheet behind a new-look back four.

 

We caught up with Martinez in Frankfurt after the match. This is what he said:

 

on the UEL start...

It was difficult to come here. Frankfurt are like us because they look like a Champions League team, and the atmosphere is top here. They really pressed up really high in the first 15 to 20 minutes. I thought we defended really well. The back four and midfielders stuck together the whole game and we had some clear chances to score in the first half. In the second half, we managed to take them. We're over the moon with the back four because I thought we defended really well. We knew they were going to be strong in the air from crosses and we defended really well. It was a good performance.

on the key to victory...

We said before the game that we had to stick together. We worked to make sure we kept the clean sheet. The back four were talking all the time and saying, 'Clean sheet, clean sheet', even when we scored the first goal. We need to build on that, keep more clean sheets and we know that we can create loads of chances with Pepe, Auba, Bukayo and Martinelli. They're really good going forward so we have to stick together to keep more clean sheets.

on his own performance...

I had a really good second half of the season with Reading and I started pre-season really well. I came to pre-season training early to make sure I was ready for Arsenal. I had a good pre-season, I waited for my chance and when I got it the manager chose me in this difficult game away from home, and I just wanted to keep the clean sheet to make sure the back four is solid with me.

on the youngsters and a bright future...

We spoke before the game and we know we're the youngest team in the Premier League. We were very young going forward today. Auba was up front and then we had Emile and Bukayo on the wings. They're so talented those two guys, and with Martinelli as well, Willock, Nelson... if we help them settle in the team, they'll probably be the best wingers in the league.