Pochettino reacts to Spurs’ collapse vs West Ham

Mauricio Pochettino has blamed a “lack of aggression” for Tottenham’s 3-2 Carabao Cup defeat to West Ham on Wednesday night.

Spurs had gone 2-0 up in the first-half through Moussa Sissoko and Dele Alli but the Hammers scored three times in the second period to put Pochettino’s men to the sword.

Pochettino had previously said he was prioritising the “real trophies” of the Champions League and Premier League this season and he chose to rest the likes of Harry Kane, Hugo Lloris and Jan Vertonghen.

But Spurs are still yet to lift a trophy under his leadership and this was a chance missed to reach the quarter-finals of a competition they could realistically have won.

“We allowed them to come back into the match,” said boss Pochettino, whose side play Manchester United in the league on Saturday.

“In the first half it was under control. In the second half, we lost a bit of the aggression. They have players that are always dangerous.

“We showed a lack of aggression and everything we were doing in the first half. You can never lose your focus.”