I was not alone last night in staying up late to watch the FA Cup highlights, specifically to see some Tottenham action. After what felt like an hour or so of waterboarding we were finally treated to about 34 seconds which consisted of the goals and nothing more. The footage was so low quality I'm still trying to work out if it was animated by monkeys. Blink and you would have missed it all. It was akin to Tyler Durden inserting the subliminal edits into Fight Club. You know Spurs won but you're not quite sure how you know.

With hefty irony,  when we don't play well and lose it's AVB's fault. When we play well but still lose or draw, it's AVB's fault. When we win, even if we win a couple on the trot, there is still something in amongst the result to pin blame on AVB. The manner in which we've performed, not becoming to a particular expectation or trait of tradition.

January is four days old and Tottenham have already signed two players. I'm half expecting this to be an inception. Is the spinning top still spinning? No? I'm actually awake? Yes, I'm awake. I know I'm awake because we've not yet signed a world class striker or an attacking midfield for the classic 'number 10' role. Or a right-winger. Proper dream within a dream within a dream stuff.

January. Christ, I hate it. Returning to work after two weeks annual leave. Hundreds of emails staring back at me with over-bearing red flags by their side. Countless meeting requests and conference calls to respond to. If I had hair on my head, I'd pull it out. I've got hair everywhere else but I have no intention of plucking it, regardless for my initial disdain towards the beginnings of a new year.

Resolutions is another bane. I always half-heartedly promise myself that I will detox. Then I remember why I suggested this the very first time many years ago. I was taking the p*ss out of the people that we're taking it seriously. At some point parody merged with reality and I allowed to be consumed by it all. Thankfully, I also tend to consume plenty of drink and food making any proposed detox redundant as early as the first of January.

I'm not one for writing up a review of the 2012 mainly because most of what happened in 2012 has been written about already on this blog. Last seasons dramatics, Harry Redknapp, Andre Villas-Boas arrival. In fact, even expectations for 2013 have been cited with each passing week in terms of what we need and how best we can improve. So instead, here's a bunch of mid-season awards I've dished out.

It's been an almost perfect transition from the festive period of 2012 into the cold front of 2013 that might or might not be warmed up by a new arrival or two. Ten points from twelve, just the one blemish ruining what might so easily have been a perfect Christmas and New Year. Near perfect, nothing to scoff at.

Another day, another Spurs win totalling seven with two draws and one defeat in our last ten (all comps). It's been a solid December. A strong festive period. Plenty to shout about and the usual assortment of reminders that fixes are still required as we look to bid farewell to 2012 and welcome what will hopefully be a fulfilling 2013 with big goofy smiles on our faces.

Sunderland away. Early kick-off. They beat City last time out. Martin O'Neil was under pressure (supposedly) not that long ago, how quickly things change. Or perhaps they just paper over the cracks. They've been abject for most of the season. But with three wins from their last four games, they have reclaimed form. Complacency their enemy. They beat City. Can't be harder to brush Spurs aside.

"Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way...Oh what fun it is to see Bale score a hat-trick in a superb second half dismantlement on Boxing day against the Villa away..."

I need to work on that ditty. The only thing Spurs need to work on is the January transfer window to sign that special type of player that can find space to aid with unlocking deep defending sides. This game was a wonderful illustration of so many different things.

Been struggling to write this match report for the 0-0 against Stoke City. Mainly because I don't want to re-live it and force you into reading a deconstruction of the misery we witnessed. That and the fact that my time is better spent washing my eyes out with bleach. The world was meant to end on Friday. There was a point in the game that I actually hoped to see the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse ride into White Hart Lane with Famine tapping his watch and apologising for the shoddy time-keeping. No such luck.

The end of days. Was meant to be yesterday. But perhaps the apocalypse doesn't actually kick off until 3pm on Saturday afternoon when Stoke visit White Hart Lane. Then again their football is hardly comparable to the intricate Maya civilisation. It's medieval at best.

Lyon in the next round of the Europa League with a possibility of facing Internazionale (if they get past Cluj) in the round after. It's just got real. No easy teams left in the competition which means our level of competitiveness has no room for comfort or casual strolling. Intensity is a key repeated word Andre Villas-Boas loves to cite in his pre and post match musings and we'll need plenty of it if we're going to get past the French.

If Tottenham was pornography it would be the type that you find on digital subscriber channels. Hardcore edited to soft to escape slapped wrists (and personal injury) from broadcast regulators. Nothing explicit and no money-shot. You know it's happening you just can't see all the graphic details but there's enough there to leave you satisfied. It's sort of sexy in the same way a Victorian man would tremble at the sight of a naked ankle.

I'm now on cruise control for the festive period. Annual leave so no working distractions. A rum per night is Santa's delight. But whilst my feet are up I'm hoping Tottenham's don't touch the ground either. Just expect a little more dynamism from our boys in Lilywhite compared to my brisk walk from living room to kitchen fridge and back.

Much like Christmas itself, the fixture list can leave some feeling bloated, head in hands nursing a migraine. Except, if you feast on points (and the odd pint in celebration) it will be your points tally bloated and the only migraine will be that of your opponents.

We had Chris Miller on The Fighting Cock podcast this past week (that's @WindyCOYS of http://windycoys.com/ fame). If you're not familiar with his work, he loves the young kids. The youth kids to be precise. He provides the pod with weekly updates but this time we had him live in 'the studio'. His rather beautiful face houses some extensive knowledge on THFC's academy and development squad and players out on loan. He's also tasty when it comes to biting tactical reviews (specialising in goals conceded) that might not make the best post-match reading but is still refreshing in a world that is obsessed with sensationalism and ITK.

If only games finished at the 80th minute mark. If only games lasted long enough for Spurs to win them. In the blink of an eye we saw three points evaporate to nothing. Blink of an eye, lapse of a defence...same difference. Both take a split second to occur. This is Tottenham after all. Never without drama, never without heart break. Am I disappointed? Of course I am. But that's football. It slaps you in the face the moment you dare to look away.  In a less philosophical conclusion you'd  analyse tactics and find yourself agreeing that some games turn on moments that could so easily have turned out to be inconsequential when played back differently in your mind.

When The Fighting Cock launched an appeal to raise funds for a new microphone to record the podcast, we wanted to give you something in return. For your donation, Chicago Dan agreed to get The Fighting Cock emblem tattooed on his behind.

Atmosphere at the Lane was a little diluted even with 1882 in amongst the Park Lane blocks. 1882 started out as something for the youth games, to bring supporters together to sing for the shirt and feel pride and love for Tottenham regardless of the team we were watching and the importance of the game. It works best when we're grouped together. Anyone that went to Charlton away in the FA Youth Cup last season or the Barca nextgen game or Maribor will tell you its an incredible experience. Says a lot about the modern game when it takes this for football fans to feel like they've completely changed their match day experience.