The Carabao Cup is not a “real trophy”, or so implied Mauricio Pochettino in his press conference earlier this week.
On Wednesday night, his players echoed that sentiment with their second-half performance as they threw away a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 at home to West Ham.
As easy as it is to mock the Hammers’ over-zealous celebrations at the final whistle, they won the tie because they wanted it more. It actually meant something to them. It wasn’t just Andy Carroll who won every aerial ball in the second half; Tottenham players ducked, dodged, and backed off. West Ham fought.
"Our objective is to try to win the Premier League and the Champions League. For me, two real trophies,” Pochettino had said.
"I would like to win the Carabao Cup. But I think it will not change the life of Tottenham.”
The Argentine is by no means the only manager who must lament his side’s participation in the least glamorous of the four competitions they are contending this season. Nor is he the only one who doesn’t seem to care – see the dwindling attendances, at all clubs, not just at Tottenham, as the big teams field increasing weakened sides.
On Wednesday night, his players echoed that sentiment with their second-half performance as they threw away a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 at home to West Ham.
As easy as it is to mock the Hammers’ over-zealous celebrations at the final whistle, they won the tie because they wanted it more. It actually meant something to them. It wasn’t just Andy Carroll who won every aerial ball in the second half; Tottenham players ducked, dodged, and backed off. West Ham fought.
"Our objective is to try to win the Premier League and the Champions League. For me, two real trophies,” Pochettino had said.
"I would like to win the Carabao Cup. But I think it will not change the life of Tottenham.”
The Argentine is by no means the only manager who must lament his side’s participation in the least glamorous of the four competitions they are contending this season. Nor is he the only one who doesn’t seem to care – see the dwindling attendances, at all clubs, not just at Tottenham, as the big teams field increasing weakened sides.
With a crucial trip to Manchester United, with whom Pochettino’s men are joint-second, on Saturday, and the small matter of Real Madrid in the Champions League next Wednesday, it is undeniable that Spurs have bigger fish to fry.
Previous generations will tell you that Spurs are a ‘cup team’ – after all, they’ve won the league just twice in their history. That reputation has to come under scrutiny, however, due to a tally of just two trophies in 25 years.
Following their Worthington Cup win in 1999, their last triumph came in the 2008 Carling Cup. The current squad is miles ahead of that group and yet, as it stands, they risk having nothing to show for it. They are in danger of becoming the Newcastle of the mid-90s; attractive, but at the end of that impressive era, they had nothing whatsoever to put in the cabinet.
Pochettino doesn’t need to win the Carabao Cup to prove himself as an elite manager. The fact his first trophy has eluded him is a nonsense of a stick to beat him with, especially considering he began his managerial career with Espanyol and Southampton.
Even if he isn’t interested, the players should be. They fall into dangerous territory when they can pick and choose what games are important. The finale of the 2015/2016 season, which saw them lose 5-1 at Newcastle on the final day, saw them finish below Arsenal because of a mentality problem.
Previous generations will tell you that Spurs are a ‘cup team’ – after all, they’ve won the league just twice in their history. That reputation has to come under scrutiny, however, due to a tally of just two trophies in 25 years.
Following their Worthington Cup win in 1999, their last triumph came in the 2008 Carling Cup. The current squad is miles ahead of that group and yet, as it stands, they risk having nothing to show for it. They are in danger of becoming the Newcastle of the mid-90s; attractive, but at the end of that impressive era, they had nothing whatsoever to put in the cabinet.
Pochettino doesn’t need to win the Carabao Cup to prove himself as an elite manager. The fact his first trophy has eluded him is a nonsense of a stick to beat him with, especially considering he began his managerial career with Espanyol and Southampton.
Even if he isn’t interested, the players should be. They fall into dangerous territory when they can pick and choose what games are important. The finale of the 2015/2016 season, which saw them lose 5-1 at Newcastle on the final day, saw them finish below Arsenal because of a mentality problem.
This latest outing was a performance straight out of the Spurs of old’s textbook – cruising for the first half against weaker opposition, before completely capitulating. What will irk their supporters is that it wasn’t down to a gulf in ability, as they proved themselves to be streets ahead of West Ham in the first half.
As they say goodbye to their most likely chance of silverware this season, they can at least take a valuable lesson from the competition. As brilliant as Spurs are to watch and as worthy this team are of winning something, they haven’t yet earned the right to be complacent, nor to write off the domestic cups.
As they say goodbye to their most likely chance of silverware this season, they can at least take a valuable lesson from the competition. As brilliant as Spurs are to watch and as worthy this team are of winning something, they haven’t yet earned the right to be complacent, nor to write off the domestic cups.
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