Every word Mauricio Pochettino said on Chelsea character, heavy Arsenal defeat and Cole Palmer

Mauricio Pochettino looked a devastated figure as he conducted his post-match press conference at the Emirates Stadium.

The Chelsea head coach had just witnessed a demolition job from Arsenal on his Blues side. The Gunners extended their advantage at the top of the Premier League table to three points with the comprehensive win against Chelsea.

Goals from Leandro Trossard and two each from Kai Havertz and Ben White ensured a straightforward win for Arsenal. Understandably, Pochettino did not seem a happy man as he conducted his media duties after the game. You can read the full transcript below.

What did you make of your team's performance?

"I feel disappointed, I feel really bad. I don't feel great. The performance was not good. We started the game not in the way we were supposed to start. We conceded a goal so easily, we made things easy for Arsenal.

"I think after 10 or 15 minutes, after we concede, in this moment we started to play a little bit, we started to create some chances. We were talking at half-time, it is not possible to start the game like this, but we started in a bad way again – conceding two goals in this moment, I think the team gave up and we were not in the game."

How do you stop the rest of the season unravelling?

"It's difficult to talk because we are talking after nearly one season in the same way. It's impossible to see after Saturday at Wembley, a fantastic performance, competed really well against a very good team like Manchester City and then today.

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"You can lose against Arsenal, they are fighting for the Premier League, but in the way we competed. Why one day, three days ago, and then today in this way? For the circumstances, we needed to make some changes for different reasons but that is the inconsistency we are showing the whole season. Three days ago; fantastic game, great performance and we deserved to go to the final and then today, we cannot use any words to describe this performance. It was not great, it was not good."

How did you decide on the changes today?

"I need to explain that Chalobah did not play at the beginning of the season and needed a rest, like Thiago, a 39-year-old that needs a rest, also. After a tough game at Wembley, we needed to provide the team with energy.

"We had Alfie [Gilchrist] because Reece James and Malo Gusto were not available to play and then we used Mudryk in the position of Palmer. The circumstance to make the decisions, that is what happened and we cannot change.

"The most difficult thing to accept is the way we started the game because the last 30 minutes of the first-half, we competed well and the game was even. We started to force them to make mistakes and created some chances.

"But then the way we started the second-half, how after you keep going, believing that you can compete better. In this moment I think the team started to suffer a lot and struggled to manage the game."

Are your team too reliant on Cole Palmer as your creative outlet?

"Maybe with him, the team today, maybe it could be the same situation. But of course, Palmer is doing well for us. He is the only player we have, a playmaker who links all the lines in the team. When you miss a player like this, it is not easy to replace.

"But I think it was a great opportunity to step up for different players. It's true, we didn't compete. I cannot blame the players. We are showing this inconsistency, that is why we are where we are.

"When we have bad days, we are so bad. When we are good, we are capable of everything. That is another thing we need to be aware of, that we need to increase for the future."

How do you pick the boys up?

"In the same way that from here [points upwards], we go here [points downwards]. The group of players can move there in a few days. It is a positive thing because we are not able to keep the focus [on the confidence] because we are able to go down and in the same way we are capable to be here and go high in a few days. The squad we are managing are capable of that."

Do you feel let down by your players?

"No. There are too many details and circumstances why this happened. That is the experience we need to make sure the team doesn't have in the future. The club is building a new project, a new way to operate and of course, always that is a risk you need to take when you build a young squad, it takes some time with all the circumstances we are living.

"The circumstances are not helping to be more competitive, to be better, to be more consistent. That is the reason this type of game can happen when you play a team like this that in the last three or four years are preparing to win the Premier League, to fight for the big trophies."

Did you feel embarrassed?

"I think we cannot blame the players. I am not going to blame the players. The circumstances are bigger than the performance of the players. We cannot blame young guys that came here and after suffering some circumstances, the team, you need to come here and fight against a team fighting for the Premier League.

"That is why you need to be careful. You cannot be unfair with our players. It is true that we are disappointed with our performance but I am not going to use a word that is not fair to describe our team, our players, our squad."

You're 30 points behind Arsenal. Is it unrealistic to ask them to make that up next season?

"I think that is the first time the players, the defensive line, with Alfie, that is the first time since the beginning of the season they played together. That is not an excuse. I do not want to go again and again and again talking in the same way.

"That is the circumstances we are living with. Listen, from the beginning of the season, we were suffering with too many situations that were not helping. It is a very young squad with not too much experience in the Premier League.

"It's not only to go and play football, it is about having the experience to compete to win. That is the moment. Yes, they are young and talented players but they are not just there to play. From our experience, we know that the last part of the season is always the most difficult moment for the players."

You said your players "gave up". Does that make you question their characters?

"No, it's not the character. I played football and I was in some similar situations with big players. I played with Maradona, Ronaldinho, but it's true some part of the season, this type of thing can happen.

"Because also of the opponent, our energy, nothing is for you in this situation and you cannot find nothing positive during the game. This type of things happen and will happen for sure with different teams."