I've said this before, look a cup is important but competing for the title is more important for us. It's due to where we are as a club, if we finished 6 but won the LC it would be a step backward. We need to be seen as a competing team in the PL, it's how football is right now. We're not United who are massive no matter how they do for a few seasons.
Why does it have to be top 4 or win a trophy? If Spurs want to call themselves a big club then they should be doing both. At any rate ask any Arsenal fan which means more, beating Chelsea to win the FA cup or that time we beat Newcastle on the last day to finish top 4? Liverpool competed for the title a few years and ago and even further back, but then they struggled to get in the top 4. Ac Milan won Serie A a few years back and dropped off dramatically afterwards. Its one thing to concentrate and build for the future but Spurs still need to win trophies in the here and now.
I think Premier League clubs are too obsessed with the Premier League and using it as a barometer of success in general. No one but Spurs fans will remember who finished second last season but they will remember who won the Premier League, Fa Cup, League Cup and European Trophies.
As far as I'm concerned, Spurs could finish in and around the top 4 till the end of time as long as they don't win anything and we keep on winning trophies.