Four things Chelsea must do to quickly help Emiliano Martinez settle in goal
Chelsea’s summer signing of Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa was meant to solve the club’s goalkeeper issue. However, after four matches, the Argentine has not totally convinced while the Blues sit 10th in the table with 12 goals conceded.
While some post-match analysis has focused on Martinez’s errors — such as the first goal he conceded against Arsenal in September — his struggles arguably point to a broader structural issue at Chelsea.
With that in mind, here are four things that Chelsea need to do to help Martinez and reduce the number of goals they are conceding:
1. Address exposure in transition
Manager Xabi Alonso utilises a 3-4-2-1 system that commits numbers forward, including the wing-backs. When Chelsea lose possession, the wing-backs and midfielders are frequently caught too high up the pitch to track back effectively. This creates structural gaps that allow opponents to launch counter-attacks, regularly leaving the defensive backline outnumbered.
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2. Reduce number of one-v-ones against Emiliano Martinez
Partly because of the above, Martinez is not facing long-range efforts or shots from difficult positions. Instead, he is having to deal with isolated one-on-one situations and high-probability, close-range chances inside the penalty box where goalkeepers statistically have the lowest probability of making a save.
3. Cut out defensive errors
Chelsea’s defenders have struggled with individual positioning and defensive transitions early in the campaign. Jorrel Hato and Malo Gusto have made some costly errors, while Levi Colwill has not been at his best. As a result, opponents are being presented with some very good opportunities.
4. Find a dedicated defensive midfield anchor
Unlike structurally balanced teams that employ a traditional defensive midfielder to screen the defence, Chelsea have not had that since Moises Caicedo’s injury. Without a robust defensive shield to break up play or delay transitions, they have been conceding easy chances and putting Martinez under real pressure.
The tactical verdict
Judging a goalkeeper solely on goals conceded overlooks the quality of defensive protection ahead of them. While Martinez’s traditional stats look poor early this season, the full picture shows that Chelsea’s defensive issues are systemic rather than individual. Until the team can manage transitions better, any goalkeeper in the system will remain highly exposed.
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