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Mauricio Pochettino makes feelings clear on Gary Neville’s ‘billion-pound bottlejobs’ jibe

Mauricio Pochettino makes feelings clear on Gary Neville’s ‘billion-pound bottlejobs’ jibe in Chelsea’s Carabao Cup Final defeat.

Poch has expressed his disagreement with Gary Neville’s comment about his team, referring to them as ‘bottlejobs’ following Liverpool’s late winning goal at Wembley.

Liverpool won with a goal in the 118th minute, as Virgil van Dijk headed in Kostas Tsimikas’ cross. Despite having a goal controversially disallowed by VAR during regular time, van Dijk had the final say with his decisive header in front of the passionate Liverpool supporters who set off pyro.

Liverpool saw key players such as Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, and Dominik Szoboszlai absent from the squad, with Jurgen Klopp including several young players on the bench, and called upon five of them during the latter stages of the game.

They relied on a talented group of young players including James McConnell (19), Bobby Clark (19), Harvey Elliott (20), and Jarell Quansah (21) who were thrusted into action. Conor Bradley (20) had already been part of the starting lineup in defence.

In contrast, Chelsea opted for Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo, both of whom were acquired for a hefty sum of over £100m, to anchor their midfield. Raheem Sterling (£50m) spearheaded their attack, while Mykhailo Mudryk, who was signed for £88.5m, and Christopher Nkunku (£52m) were brought on as substitutes.

Although Chelsea displayed strength towards the end of regulation time, they were unable to maintain that momentum during the additional 30 minutes with Liverpool keeper Caoimhin Kelleher, 25, putting in a man of the match performance.

Gary Neville criticised Chelsea in his commentary and expressed his frustration once van Dijk scored the winning goal.

He said: “In extra time, it’s Klopp’s kids against the Blues Billion Pound Bottlejobs. I don’t have any sympathy for Chelsea.”

But Pochettino believes that Neville’s remark is unjust.

Neville referenced the £1billion investment made by Chelsea owner Todd Boehly since acquiring the club in May 2022.

Asked directly about Neville’s comments, Pochettino said: “I didn’t hear what he said, but if you compare the age of the two groups, I think it is similar.

“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. 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.”

Pochettino admitted his players began to focus on taking the final to a penalty shootout as their legs started to tire during extra time.

He said: “Some players like [Conor] Gallagher and Chilly [Ben Chilwell] start to feel really, really tired and maybe [we] use different players to go with and help. We need to change Gallagher after five minutes and then in the start of the second 15 minutes, I think Chilwell. The team started to feel that maybe the penalties will be good for us.

“But we cannot blame, we cannot say nothing. I think the effort was massive. I am happy with the effort. It’s about ‘keep believing in that’. We didn’t get the reward we wanted, but now we keep moving.

“My emotions, it is the same as the players. I am so disappointed, it is so painful.

“I am an older guy that has less time to win titles, they are younger than me and for sure they have time.

“But in football always it is about when you have the opportunity. Now we need to move forward. But the players need to feel the pain. We played for a trophy and we didn’t get it.

“They need to realise we need to work more, we need to do better things, we need to improve.”

“Liverpool have been absolutely sensational,” Gary Neville said, via Sky Sports. “Those young players have been incredible. Klopp must be so proud.

“However, for Chelsea, I have no sympathy for them whatsoever. Mauricio Pochettino’s players have shrunk. They have shrunk right in front of our eyes and in front of their fans.

“Before the game, with Liverpool’s injuries, you think Chelsea could have won. The Liverpool kids come on and you think they should win. But then there was just something holding you back because you couldn’t see Jurgen Klopp watching Chelsea go up and lift the trophy.

“The Chelsea players will regret that extra-time for a long, long time. I thought they played quite well and punched hard in normal time. They were a little unlucky. But in the real crux of the game in extra-time, where they had Liverpool by the scruff of the neck with those young kids, Chelsea didn’t turn up. They didn’t perform. You cannot do that.

“It was in half-time of extra-time Pochettino had to get them in a huddle and try to rouse them. What was up with them?

“I’m really disappointed with Chelsea in that extra-time period. You can lose any final and you can lose any game of football, but you cannot play like that. You cannot shrink and go back, particularly when Liverpool had five kids on the pitch.

“They had to go for their throats.”

Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher said: “This result just tells you that football isn’t all about money. It’s about getting the right players and creating a connection between those players, the manager and the supporters.

“Liverpool have that in abundance. There’s no doubt Chelsea have quality but they still haven’t found that connection this season.”

Jamie O’Hara said on Sky Sports: “Chelsea absolutely bottled it in extra-time. Pochettino, what an opportunity to win a trophy! Awful from his players.

“You’ve got a reserve team for Liverpool out there and they’ve played Chelsea off the park in extra-time for 30 minutes.

“I can’t believe what I’ve seen. Chelsea were miles off it in extra-time.”

SEE MORE: Every Attendance of the Weekend – 25th February 2024

Twitter users reacted as Mauricio Pochettino makes his feelings clear on Gary Neville’s ‘billion-pound bottlejobs’ jibe…

@realbigbuckets: It’s completely fair. They reminded me a lot of some of the United teams over the last decade. Plenty of expensive players, but capitulate at the first sign of hardship.

@MarkQuinnell: Most accurate thing @GNev2 has ever said tbf

@EmenaIo: Please just resign man. Their team was way, way younger. They played on Wednesday, we had the whole week off. Just say you’re terrible at your job and resign.

@xfootballia: £1 billion spent. There is a difference between that and Liverpool pulling kids out of the academy for their senior debuts in a final

@AndrewTurmer: The more Poch talks the worse he makes it. We lost to the weakest – and youngest – possible opponent. We couldn’t have picked a better team to face in a final. And we bottled it. Stop digging, shut your mouth and start winning games. Or get out.

@TimSEaston: What a b*******s excuse Chelsea are a young team, they spent a billion pound on players so you would expect them to be better than Liverpool’s academy graduates

@GBFC98: Does not hide away from the fact that Chelsea have spent 1 Billion pound and are actually woeful. Klopp “disrespecting” them by bringing on the kids… who by the way looked like they’d bonded with the squad. Chelsea have all that individual talent but no team cohesion. #CFC

@RealTomHoskins: Bore off Poch! You’re really not helping yourself!

@MikeJ_A: Forever damaged by the ‘billion pound bottle job’ comment. This will haunt him forever.

@_CalvinDavis: You’re a young team? Is he havin’ a laugh?

@EttyTweets: The difference is that your team spent over a billion quid for your young squad. We had to pull up kids from the academy

@_TedCooper:
Jarell Quansah (21)
Harvey Elliott (20)
Conor Bradley (20)
Bobby Clark (19)
James McConnell (19)
Jayden Danns (18)

@S_Nurse1987:  Neville has absolutely had Poch’s pants down there. That’s literally his legacy now #BlueBillionPoundBottleJobs

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