Antonio Conte sensed a lull around a stadium that, from the start of the second half, had pulsated to the rhythm of a relentless Tottenham performance. There had been scant threat of a Leeds equaliser but the volume had tailed off and, with a few minutes left, any drop in energy could prove costly. Looking up to the stands, he waved his arms furiously until the faithful had summoned a noise to his liking; it did the trick, because Spurs heaved themselves over the line and bred a sense that the handover between eras started right here.
That is what Conte brings: an intensity, drama and insistence that sweep others along with him. Natural charisma like that does not grow on trees and, whether you are a player or a fan, it comes with demands. Meeting them tends to be worth it and, if evenings like this become the norm here, Spurs may discover that soon enough. They looked like a team in their head coach’s image after the interval, undoing the harm caused during a horribly laboured first half and setting a standard Conte will demand they match.
