Former Tottenham midfielder turned Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp believes Spurs failed to follow the example set by Chelsea during their Carabao Cup final with Manchester City.
Ryan Mason and his men suffered a narrow defeat at the hands of Premier League leaders City on Sunday in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday after Aymeric Laporte, who many believe should have been sent off, headed home the winner and the only goal eight minutes from time.
After the defeat, the big question became whether Jose Mourinho, who was sacked just days before the final, would have made the difference had he been at the helm.
Redknapp doesn't think so, but he does think Spurs failed to follow the example set by Chelsea when they defeated Manchester City 1-0 in the FA Cup semi-final just one week earlier.
“I think everyone will say: ‘Would Jose have a difference if he was here for this game?’, but it didn’t have a different feel to when they played at the Etihad a couple of months ago," Redknapp told Sky Sports.
"There was a gulf in class then and I think it was pretty much the same.
"You have to be so careful because we all believe in a philosophy - you want to play out from the back, but if a team is pressing you and they get success with it and they can’t get out, there has to be a time, even as a player where you accept this isn’t working.
"Then you go to the halfway line, try to turn them and get down the sides, a little bit like Chelsea did last week.”
Tottenham's attention now turns back to the Premier League, their last hope of securing European football ahead of next season.
Spurs are currently seventh, a point behind Liverpool in sixth and five points behind Chelsea in fourth with five games remaining.
