Emiliano Martínez said defeat against Tottenham Hotspur at Villa Park on Saturday was tough to take.
The goalkeeper felt the first 45 minutes was one of the best halves of football he’s been a part of since joining the club.
However, the Argentine was left to reflect on a heavy defeat after Spurs ruthlessly racked up the goals.
He said: “It’s really hard to take – not just the defeat but the fact we’ve lost again at home.
“We conceded again so early in the game, which is something we need to adjust because we’re conceding goals in the first ten minutes of games.
“I thought we played one of the best first halves since I’ve been in this club. Football can be very harsh sometimes if you don’t put the ball in the back of the net.
“We needed to start chasing the game and when you give Spurs space with the quality they have, they can hurt you. It’s hard to take.”
A familiar theme has developed in Villa’s performances during recent weeks, and the players and management are all too aware.
Martínez says the team must become more consistent across the duration of a match, rather than in spells.
He said: “It’s something that the manager’s been telling us: we need to be a 90 minute team.
“At the moment, we play a good first half or a good second half. Even in the team meetings we say we need to be a 90 minute team.
“We let the gaffer down today. As players, we need to focus on the next seven games, make sure we finish in the top ten and put this club right up.”
