Carragher Questions Martinez's Form: 34-Year-Old Goalkeeper's Reactions No Longer the Same

Chelsea's 1-2 defeat to Arsenal put the spotlight on the goalkeeper after the match. Carragher publicly questioned Emiliano Martinez's form, asking whether the 34-year-old goalkeeper is still at the level that once made him one of the best goalkeepers in the world.

This summer, Martinez joined Chelsea from Aston Villa for £7.5 million and quickly replaced Robert Sanchez as Xabi Alonso's first-choice goalkeeper. While analyzing Arsenal's equalizer for Sky Sports, Carragher said Martinez from two or three years ago might have saved Havertz's low shot.

"I think two or three years ago, the goalkeeper would have saved that," Carragher said while analyzing Havertz's equalizer. He further explained: "What Chelsea have done, for everyone, it is better that Sanchez is not on the goal line, because although he is a good goalkeeper, he is just a level below."

"They brought in a goalkeeper who was once great, and in everyone's eyes he is still top-class. But they did not bring in the goalkeeper who won the World Cup," Carragher emphasized. "It was not a mistake, £7.5 million is a good deal, he is still a very good goalkeeper and better than Sanchez. It will also give everyone more confidence."

Carragher believes Arsenal's first goal was not a mistake, but a sign that the goalkeeper's reactions have slowed. "It is not an error, it is just that a goalkeeper is not as sharp or as quick as before. It is different from a goalkeeper spilling the ball; this is simply a reaction not being quick enough," he said. "Martinez has always been an excellent goalkeeper, and he is still a very good goalkeeper, but he is not the goalkeeper who won the World Cup anymore. He is not, and this is a small example of that."

Despite the criticism, Sky Sports' post-match report noted that Martinez later made excellent saves from Saka and Konsa, helping Chelsea remain in contention. Carragher's criticism has some justification, but Chelsea did not sign Martinez expecting the version of him from the 2022 World Cup.

The £7.5 million deal was about acquiring experience, authority, and an upgrade for a position that had lacked stability for a long time. His reaction to Havertz's goal could have been quicker, but one moment should not overshadow the saves he made afterward.

For Chelsea, the bigger concern is the gap with Arsenal. Championship-winning teams show more control and maturity at key moments. Martinez can still improve Chelsea, but at 34, he is no longer the unstoppable goalkeeper he once was.