A welcome return to form - and hopefully not just for Tottenham

Strange things are happening in the Premier League - and the best thing about that is some of them are happening at White Hart Lane.

It’s March. Former title favourites Chelsea are still in the bottom half, former relegation candidates Leicester are top of the tree and English football’s former rulers Manchester United are still lurching weekly between progress and catastrophe.

Manchester City’s mind is already on next season, Arsenal are suffering severe deja vu and Tottenham, well, let’s just say things are looking up.

The maths started to stack up a few weeks ago. Then we beat City and the media - plus the teams around us - took notice. Now, having come from behind to beat Swansea on Sunday, even the fans are starting to believe. Some fans anyway.

That’s where I come in. My last blog post was just over two years ago before a new job sapped my spare time and, regretfully, this website fell onto the dreaded backburner. Now a proud dad of a newborn, I’m even busier than ever.

But with this amazing season taking twist after turn, week after week. And the faintest hope that maybe, just maybe, it might turn into something very, very special indeed, I just had to have my say.

There is a long way to go and a lot of tough games - each one of them our own Cup final. We have to go to Liverpool and Chelsea, not to mention West Ham tomorrow. Then there is what must be one of the biggest North London Derbies in a generation at lunchtime on Saturday.

However unlikely or difficult you see the possibility of us lifting the League Championship come May, Spurs fans would be foolish not to be getting just a little bit excited. 

Many in my generation (born 1983) would have felt that the club’s existence nowadays was purely geared at the top four and that resting on the summit after 38 games was for the real rich kids and oligarchs. To find ourselves in this position at this stage of the season was unthinkable, a pipe dream. But what is the point in football if you can’t dream once in a while? 

This run of form, this focus on the Academy, this brand of football has all come together to shake even the most miserly of fans from their slumbers and, as for me, well I wasn’t going to let it pass me by without getting my thoughts down. 

I will endeavour to keep the blog up do date from here on in and see where that takes me. Whether you savour it, snub it, comment on it, condemn it, rave about it, rant or even recommend it, I’m not concerned. I suppose feedback is always nice but as long as I've got something on record to show another little Spurs fan sometime down the line, then that will do for me. 

Although a Premier League title would be nice as well.

Hugo Lloris fits like a glove and is key to Spurs' good start

THREE wins in a row for Spurs and our new centre forward is already centre stage but it's also three clean sheets and Hugo Lloris is very much our unsung hero.

The keeper has been in inspired form so far, coming to the rescue on numerous occasions against Swansea and Crystal Palace.

France captain Lloris made a terrific fingertip save to deny Pablo Hernandes a late equaliser on Sunday and twice stopped the Eagles in the final few minutes last week, thwarting Damien Delaney and then Kagisho Dikgacoi.

But it is not just his shot-stopping that is proving so important to Spurs. 

The Frenchman commands his area and organises his defence. He is fast becoming one of our biggest assets and one of the Premier League's top goalkeepers.

He is quick off his line - for crosses and one-on-ones - can mix it in a busy penalty area and is not afraid to throw himself in harm's way.

At this stage last season we had one point, having let leak a late goal two matches in a row to lose 2-1 at Newcastle and draw 1-1 with West Brom at the Lane.

We may have needed two penalties to secure six points this term but we have defended the lead on both occasions and Lloris has been key to closing games out.

But the gloves didn't always fit so snug. When the £11million man arrived from Lyon last August, his position was immediately shrouded in speculation.

Brad Friedel had been a fine servant for just over a season and new boss Andre Villas-Boas was not about to unceremoniously ditch the veteran stopper for no reason.

The tabloids roared that Lloris felt insulted at being on the bench and wanted to go home to France.

In reality, a 40-year-old Friedel was never going to win the battle as the long-term option and it was only a matter of time until Lloris, 26, made the No 1 shirt his own.

We have had some good keepers in recent years but all have had their flaws.

Paul Robinson managed several years of solid service but had a knack of being beaten all ends up from 25 yards. 

Friedel was consistent but only arrived in the twilight of his career.

And Heurelho Gomes was rightly known as "the octopus" for his long arms but was only ever one bonkers decision away from KO'ing his own player or throwing the ball in his own net.

Add Neil Sullivan, Kasey Keller and Ian Walker and it's a very long time since Spurs have had such a consistent and all-round performer between the sticks.

Unlike many of his predecessors, Lloris remains calm at set-pieces and switched on for the full 90 minutes - that breeds confidence in the back four.

It is testament to the Frenchman's influence that we hurtle into the last week of the transfer window looking to strengthen almost every position but his.

That's because, after three wins built on three clean sheets, there are very few keepers out there who can do the job better than Lloris.