Tottenhams antonio conte makes debut scared not enough time ...

According to Spurs attacker Dejan Kulusevski, Antonio Conte was not happy with the team after their first-half display against Wolves in the Premier League at the weekend, and didn’t hesitate to show that frustration to the players.

Tottenham Hotspur have enjoyed a strong start to the season when it comes to getting points on the board, with two wins and a draw from their opening three matches leaving the North London club in fourth place in the Premier League table.

The manner in which those points have been acquired, however, is up for debate. Spurs have started slowly in each of the three fixtures so far, conceding first against Southampton and Chelsea.

Against Wolves in the early kick-off on Saturday, it was a similar story, with Spurs on the back foot for much of the first half. Luckily, Wolves couldn’t capitalise on their dominance, and Tottenham came out fighting in the second half to claim the three points.

Swedish attacker Dejan Kulusevski was integral in the win, as one of the key players who took the game to Wolves in that second half. In an interview with Football.London, Kulusevski revealed what Conte’s reaction was like at half-time.

He said: “He [Conte] was angry, but we were all angry at ourselves. Early in the game, we didn’t wake up, we didn’t play good. We played a little bit with fear. We have to improve.”

“We have a good team like we showed in the second half, but we have to show that from the first minute. We have a lot of improvement to do.

“I feel that for sure [that’s a game Spurs might not have won last season]. I think even if we’re not playing at the top level everybody, we’re still winning. That’s very important.”

“We have to win. It doesn’t matter how you play, you have to win. It was a very good result, and we’re very happy.”

Spurs Web Opinion

You can’t blame Conte for being angry at the players after the turgid first-half display against Wolves, and it’s a worrying pattern that’s emerged from the first three games.

You would hope that once the players kick into gear, that will all change, and hopefully, that happens sooner rather than later.

Still, to get three points from a tough game and a lacklustre performance is something that the top sides have to do from time to time, and it shows a massive improvement from where Spurs were last season.

Have something to tell us about this article?

What an impact Antonio Conte has made at Tottenham - and he hasn't even been in North London for a year. From the hardship that Spurs faced under Nuno Espirito Santo to where they are now, it has already been a big journey.

The Italian was welcomed with open arms from Tottenham supporters and he hasn't disappointed. The Lilywhites finished in the top four last season, meaning a return to Champions League football for the 2022/23 campaign.

Conte has seen the club sign eight players since his arrival, with both Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur making an immediate impact after their moves in January. Tottenham have started the season with two wins and a draw and will soon begin to prepare for their European and cup games.

READ MORE: Antonio Conte handed Carabao Cup boost amid Tottenham's secret weapon vs Nottingham Forest

At the time when Espirito Santo's sacking was imminent, Man United were also struggling with their manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Conte was a name that had been linked to both clubs but ex-United player Gary Neville, didn't believe the Italian was the right fit for his former side.

"There will be people who say: 'Antonio Conte has just gone to Tottenham'. He was never coming to Manchester United," Neville said after Conte's move to Spurs.

"Manchester United’s board were never going to appoint Antonio Conte whether you agree with that or not. I don’t think Antonio Conte would have been a fit for Manchester United and I don’t think there is an absolutely perfect fit available at this time so they have to bring someone in temporarily until someone is available who can take forward the work that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has done."

Since then, the Red Devils have welcomed Ralf Rangnick on an interim basis before the full-time appointment of Erik ten Hag. Ahead of their 2-1 win over rivals Liverpool on Monday, United had a woeful start, losing to both Brentford and Brighton.

At the end of last season, it was already clear to see the impact Conte was starting to have on Spurs, but when Jamie Redknapp called Neville out on Sky Sports, there was no going back on his previous words. "I think Gary was wearing them glasses when he said Man United shouldn't get him [Conte] as their coach because when you look at him now, surely you must realise he would have been good for Manchester United," Redknapp said.

"It is possible to think that he's a great coach but he doesn't suit your club and that's it. For me, he does two years at clubs and I don't think he's right for Manchester United but for other clubs, it's fine," Neville admitted.

"To be fair, he's done a good job. Arsenal have blown it [fourth spot] at the end and Manchester United have capitulated, which has helped but I have no doubt he's a great manager, he just doesn't suit the club that I support, I feel."

Redknapp also said the club needed to back Conte this summer to ensure he had "everything he needs" for a successful 2022/23 campaign. That is exactly what Spurs have done, with both incomings and outgoings helping the Italian create a strong and cohesive squad.

United still have a long way to go in their improvement, but it is hard to deny that if Conte had made the move to Manchester, he wouldn't have made a difference to the struggling squad. This is something Paul Ince noted when speaking to BoyleSports Premier League about Neville's comments.

"I wanted Antonio Conte in at Man United and Gary Neville thought he wasn't the right fit but you have to look at what he's doing at Tottenham. He's given his players a desire to win games and they're winning even when not playing well," he said.

The former United midfielder did however make a negative prediction about Tottenham's season. "I don't think Antonio Conte can win the Premier League with Spurs, definitely not this season anyway," Ince admitted. "It's important that they finish in the top four and they've got a manager with the worth ethic and passion to do that."

As the 54-year-old alludes to, the Lilywhites will want to finish in the top four and hopefully win some silverware. However, a number of pundits haven't ruled Tottenham out of the title race just yet.

There is a long season to go but Spurs fans can be content knowing that they have a world-class manager, who has already made a major difference.

READ NEXT:

Antonio Conte has easy £59m decision to make on 'phenomenal' Tottenham player amid exit talk

Hakim Ziyech tipped to favour Tottenham transfer over Ajax amid Chelsea exit talk

The four Tottenham players who could hand Antonio Conte major transfer boost with loan moves

The transfer deadline Nottingham Forest must meet for Serge Aurier to face Tottenham

Full Tottenham Premier League fixture list for 2022/23