Pochettino hits back at Gary Neville's criticism amid Chelsea's Wembley woes
Mauricio Pochettino responds to Gary Neville's critique of Chelsea, defending his team's performance after their sixth Wembley final defeat.
FollowMauricio Pochettino responded to Gary Neville's critical comments, deeming them "unfair," as the TV pundit labeled Chelsea as "blue billion-pound bottle jobs" following their sixth consecutive Wembley final defeat. Neville expressed disappointment in Chelsea's performance during extra time, emphasising the need to maintain aggression, especially when facing a younger Liverpool side. Pochettino defended his team, highlighting the comparable ages of the two squads and expressing pride in the players' efforts. The Chelsea boss acknowledged making changes during extra time but emphasised the challenge of sustaining energy.
Despite Chelsea's struggles in the Premier League, Pochettino remains committed to the project and anticipates future success. The upcoming FA Cup fifth-round clash against Leeds poses a crucial test for Chelsea, currently lagging in the league standings. Pochettino attributed the cup final loss to missed opportunities and emphasized the pain of falling short. Looking ahead, he acknowledged the need to improve and compete consistently at the highest level.
“I have a good relationship with Gary and I don’t know if that’s how I can take this opinion. But I respect his opinion. Of course, we made a few changes with (Conor) Gallagher and (Ben) Chilwell in extra time, but it is true we didn’t keep the energy of how we finished the second half.
“I don’t know how you can describe this situation, but for sure I feel proud of the players, I think they made a big effort. We are a young team and (it is) nothing to compare with Liverpool (just) because they finished with also a few young players. I think it’s impossible (to compare the two sides).
“He (Neville) knows, he knows the dynamics are completely different. I think it’s not fair to talk in this way, if he said that. But I think we are going to keep strong and keep believing in this project and see what we can do in the future.”
With Chelsea listing in the bottom half of the Premier League, a massive 17 points off the top four and seven points adrift of any ticket to European football next season, Pochettino faces a make-or-break FA Cup fifth round date with Leeds at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.
Pochettino, who was on the losing side against Jurgen Klopp in the 2019 Champions League final with Tottenham, laid the blame for another cup final flop on his side’s woeful finishing. He said: ”We created four, five, six big chances and we didn't score. In a game like today and in a final to score first, it is a big advantage.
"We didn't score and that is a bit of a problem. We conceded in the last minute and it is difficult to react. I feel the same as the players - it is so painful. I have less time to win titles, they are younger than me and I’m sure they have time.
“When you don’t get what you want, always the effort you made over seven eight months disappears so quickly. That is difficult to manage. It is painful. But if we want to win, we have to move on.
“You can’t tell me anything to make me feel better. We need to work more, do better things and to compete at this level against a team that for the last five, six, seven years has been competing for big things.
