Mauricio Pochettino blasts dressing room splits after Tottenham's Carabao Cup humiliation

Pochettino speaks to his side before penalties. [Courtesy]

Mauricio Pochettino suffered Carabao Cup humiliation and then blamed their disastrous start on splits in the dressing room.

Tottenham were dumped out by League Two Colchester on penalties as the Premier League big guns suffered another major blow after an unhappy start to the campaign.

Pochettino blamed their latest setback on players having “different agendas in the squad” because of an unsettled summer when stars like Christian Eriksen wanted to leave and admitted it will take time to rebuild team spirit.

Tottenham boss Pochettino said: “We are in a period where it’s a bit tough for us but we keep working to find a solution. It’s about staying clear and fresh and calm. We only need time.

“We talked a lot in pre-season. We have experience in football and it’s so important the feelings were how I explained in pre-season but now it’s about that I knew it would be a tough situation.

“When you have an unsettled squad always need time and then you need time to recover the time you lose. That’s where we are.

“Maybe performances are good but we need this mental connection, this energy to be all together, not to have different agendas in the squad. We need time again to build that togetherness.

“We lose the game on penalties and we’re disappointed. This was about to win. You play on this stage, in this competition it’s only about winning, not your performance. If you cannot score in 90 minutes that can happen on penalties.

“They were tough, they defended. The difference of the level is there and if you analyse the circumstances, yes, but we need to create more. Did everything good until the last third.

“We dominate 90 mins but were not aggressive in the last third in the way you expect. This lack of aggression in the last third make the reality.”

Colchester boss John McGreal said: “Great night, isn’t it? Fantastic under the lights.

“This is a fantastic night for the players and the club and the fans and the staff. You need an element of luck and we had that.”