Can Tottenham really win the title?

First things, first.. this is my 200th post so yeah!!! And there's plenty more yet to come..

Anyway, to my first "football" post of the year and it's come just as Tottenham have won their game in hand against Everton 2-0 and as a result now sit 2nd level on points with Manchester United and 3 points behind Manchester City at the top of the table.

There is no doubt that the form team in the Premier League is from riot-ravaged north London not Manchester.

Harry Redknapp's men have always played a brilliant and entertaining brand of football courtesy of having the talented Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon on the wings with Luka Modric controlling the middle of the park. Of course, the backbone of a brilliant team is strong defence and Spurs also have that with Michael Dawson, Ledley King, Assou-Ekotu & Brad Friedel the most important vertebra in that Spurs backbone.

In fact, that defence was Spurs' Achilles heel last season in Europe and in the league - the one reason why they didn't quite make the Champions League in back-to-back seasons. The goalkeeper was the key - Heurelho Gomes is spectacular at times but rather erratic and made some horrendous errors in big games. The experienced Brad Friedel is a lot calmer and more experienced, and in his 40s is still as sharp as ever.

So can Tottenham continue this hot run till May? If they do - and keep the likes of Bale, Modric, Dawson, Friedel and Adebayor fit, they will win the title. But football of course is not like that and Spurs do face some tough games up ahead - trips to Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal and at home to Man United.

Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal have shown to be vulnerable at home this season especially against a decent side and a confident Spurs team will go there backing themselves to get 3 points even if Arsenal have Spurs' old nemesis, Thierry Henry, at their disposal. Still it is a tough ask for a Spurs side who have history against them  at their long time London rivals.

Having said that, you don't have to beat your sides in the top 4 to win the title - Liverpool beat Man United twice in 2008/09 but still lost the title to their arch-rivals. It's ultimately all about accumulating points and taking advantage when others have dropped points - something Tottenham have done when the Manchester clubs have dropped points over the festive period.

Tottenham have a fairly easy run-in at the death of the season so if they can come away with a point at least from their big games, they could back themselves to score an unexpected title victory.

But as they say, you can't win the title in January but you can certainly lose it then. It seems Tottenham have avoided the second part but need to carry on. But with the best and deepest side they've fielded in years and a manager who is giving it his all in his one last shot for glory, a title is actually a realistic possibility for that "other" north London club. And even if they don't quite do it, at least they should have the consolation of playing in the Champions League again - their main goal for the season.

And who would have thought in a season that everyone tipped and in all likelihood will still end up being  dominated by the city of Manchester.