Arsenal vs Tottenham: Mauricio Pochettino slams Arsene Wenger's FA Cup success

Posted Saturday, November 18, 2017 by Express.co.uk

Arsenal vs Tottenham: Mauricio Pochettino slams Arsene Wenger's FA Cup success
Mauricio Pochettino claims the Premier League and Champions League are "real trophies"

MAURICIO POCHETTINO has dismissed Arsene Wenger's recent haul of FA Cup as "no good for Tottenham", claiming the knockout competition is not one of the "real" trophies.

Asked if he would swap his four seasons of continued Premier League improvement for Arsenal's haul in the same time of three Cup successes, his response ahead of the north London derby was immediate.

"No, because Tottenham is Tottenham and Arsenal are in another stage of their project," he said. "I don't care where they are, after three-and-a-half years we have achieved a lot. We are here and have a team that can compete with Real Madrid.

"I admire what Arsene Wenger did at Arsenal, but we are at a different stage in the project.

"The pressure to win only cups is not useful for us. If we can win FA Cup, Carabao Cup – fantastic. But the principal option is to win the Premier League and put Tottenham in position to win the Champions League.

"You arrive at a big club and you play a cup final and win...that happens at Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea.

"But you know it is the Premier League and Champions League that is a massive challenge for big clubs. That type of trophy are the real trophies."

That said, Pochettino still has not won at the Emirates and has spent this week talking through the whole nature of defeat with his young side.

"We had a very good conversation about loss – whether it is more painful to lose against one opponent than another," he said.

"For me it is frustrating whenever you don't win, against Palace or Swansea or against Chelsea or Arsenal. For me it is the same pain – I don't like to lose. I want to win always, even at home with my kids."