Goalkeeper’s demanding character is rubbing off on others.
Pau Torres claims goalkeeper Emi Martinez’s “extreme obsession” with keeping clean sheets has helped improve Villa’s defenders.
The centre-back says the Argentina international’s demanding character keeps everyone on their toes and has helped to raise standards during his time at the club.
Villa posted three shutouts in four matches heading into the international break and Torres told Spanish newspaper Marca: “He (Martinez) is a very demanding guy with everyone.
“First and foremost with himself, very professional. He's not happy if the team wins and we concede goals.
“It's that clean sheet mentality that's very ingrained in England. He takes it to the extreme and he instills that in us.
“First and foremost in that back four who are close to him, and that's his biggest obsession: keeping a clean sheet.
“He works incredibly hard to improve every detail and makes you more focused throughout the entire match.”
Torres himself started all three matches in which Villa kept clean sheets, earning a recall to the Premier League starting XI for a 2-0 win over West Ham.
He continued: “When I haven't been playing, I've been supporting the team from the sidelines.
“I’ve been taking on that role and knowing that I simply had to work to regain that consistency, which is what you, as a player, ultimately strive for. I believe it's the way to achieve peak performance.
“With that consistency, and hoping the results follow, I'll just keep working and maintain that mindset heading into that crucial final stretch of the season.”
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