Wenger tells defenders: You must protect rookie keeper
Arsene Wenger has told his Arsenal defenders they must protect rookie goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez in Wednesday’s Champions League tie against Anderlecht.
Martinez is Arsenal’s third-choice stopper, but will be thrown into the starting line-up following Wojciech Szczesny’s red card against Galatasaray and an injury to No.2 David Ospina – who could be out for three months with a thigh problem.
Argentinean Martinez, 22, has not played since a 2-1 defeat at Ipswich in May while on loan to Sheffield Wednesday. His last competitive game in an Arsenal shirt was the astonishing 7-5 League Cup win at Reading in 2012 – in which he was at fault for several of the home side’s goals.
Wenger said: “We have to make sure it is as comfortable a night as possible by defending well as a team.
“He is two years older. He has good experience, has grown in stature and I am confident he can handle it. He has experience from Sheffield Wednesday last year and when he played for us he did very well.”
In-form midfielder Jack Wilshere added that Arsenal “are confident” in Martinez, adding: “We train with him every day, and see what he can do. He’ll be ready.”
While Martinez will undoubtedly benefit from spending some time as Arsenal’s No.2, Ospina’s injury is a blow for Wenger.
“He had his first injury in Nice, it was a knee problem and I think he was a bit rushed back,” Wenger said of the Colombian keeper who only joined Arsenal in the summer. “It is exactly the same injury.
“He didn’t use his legs so his muscle became weaker, then he got injured during the World Cup. And after that he came to us injured, from the World Cup. It took him two months to play a game.
“I had to bring him on against Galatasaray without a warm-up, without being prepared and he had a recurrence of that injury. That means he is out for two to three months.
“Now we have to be really careful because he has a recurrence of a thigh injury that’s very difficult. It’s a long-term injury.”
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