Young Spurs side a work in progress

– Tottenham Hotspur have made huge strides since losing the 2015 League Cup final to Chelsea but another Wembley loss to their London rivals on Saturday proved they are still not the finished article.

Mauricio Pochettino ( left), who took Tottenham to that final in his first season in charge, has turned a young English-spined side into Premier League title contenders yet the suspicion remains they still lack the killer touch required to win trophies.

Antonio Conte’s Chelsea have it spades.

Chelsea were outplayed for long periods but struck at the vital moments to claim a 4-2 victory that kept alive their hopes of repeating the double they achieved under Conte’s fellow Italian Carlo Ancelotti in 2010.

Tottenham, who twice equalised Willian strikes through Harry Kane and Dele Alli, looked the more likely winners at 2-2 but Chelsea had the luxury of introducing Eden Hazard, Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas off the bench and it proved decisive.

Hazard fired home after Fabregas’ corner was cleared to him before Nemanja Matic thumped home Chelsea’s fourth.

A seventh successive FA Cup semifinal defeat sent the Tottenham fans home with a familiar empty feeling, although the club look to be on the verge of something special. – AFP