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Antonio Conte could only laugh at this latest Tottenham Hotspur embarrassment.

The angry Conte at Turf Moor had been replaced by a smiling and laughing Italian within the bowels of the Riverside Stadium on Tuesday night.

There was no raging at what had been another eye-rolling defeat this season, this time to a Championship side in Middlesbrough who completely deserved their victory in front of a roaring Riverside, with more possession and more shots on goal than their lofty visitors.

Instead of anger, Conte wore the expression of a man who knows he has tried everything to either push or hug these Tottenham players towards some kind of consistency but they are not having it. Perhaps there was nothing left but to laugh.

understands that after the dismal defeat at Burnley, the Spurs boss threatened his players with the prospect of remaining at The Lodge, the hotel at Hotspur Way, for three nights until the trip to Middlesbrough if they did not beat Leeds.

The indirect knock-on effect of that of course would have been time away from their families as they remained together in a unit to train every morning and afternoon. The result was a 4-0 victory at Elland Road, albeit against a poor Leeds side, and no such 'punishment' was required.

There are also those within the club who believe that with this younger group of players, they