Manchester United have won just six of their first 13 Premier League games which, quite simply, is not good enough for a team purporting to be title contenders.
Sunday brought another missed opportunity to claim all three points as the defending Premier League champions drew 2-2 at Tottenham.
Ordinarily a point at White Hart Lane would be a decent result, but with United going into the game 11 points adrift of league leaders Arsenal it makes the draw a poor outcome.
United played pretty well in the game and yet were still unable to get the victory – demonstrating the many weaknesses David Moyes’ side have.
While the passion and drive that was lacking in the early weeks of the season seems to have returned to the United team, the quality hasn’t.
The major problem is that the champions lack any real tempo to their game – you could go and make a cup of tea in the time it takes them to work the ball from one side of the penalty area to the other.
Everything United do in attack is pedestrian and lacking any ingenuity or flair.
Wayne Rooney aside, there has been little to admire about the offensive side of the United game this season.
Their final balls have been truly woeful, both from wide and central midfield.
In particular Antonio Valencia, while showing terrific energy and work rate, seems incapable of getting his cross past the first man.
Yet we have seen glimpses of what Manchester United are capable of.
Against Bayer Leverkusen last week they were terrific in running out 5-0 winners in the BayArena.
The attack functioned well, admittedly against a disappointing Leverkusen, and it looked as though United had found their spark.
Yet every time United have looked like finding their feet this season, they have failed to put together a consistent run.
While they are now seven games unbeaten in the league, that run features three disappointing draws.
United followed up an encouraging win over Sunderland with a home draw to Southampton, and backed up their win over Arsenal with an underwhelming point at Cardiff.
Drawing such matches, rather than sealing the wins that are expected, will see United fall further behind the title contenders and slip into a battle for fourth.
It is this inconsistency which is holding United back. They just don’t possess the quality to launch a significant assault on the Premier League title.
David Moyes alone can’t be blamed for this – he has inherited a weak squad that Sir Alex Ferguson dragged every ounce out of.
Failing to address that weakness in the summer transfer window has left United trailing behind their title rivals and looking destined to be battling it out for a Champions League spot.
There are without question three better teams than United in the Premier League.
Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal are all looking stronger and are playing much better football that the reigning champions.
If United do not start to show the ruthless streak that so often saw them edge out their opponents then that trio will make up the top three of the Premier League come May.
United would then have to settle for a battle with a host of other sides for that all-important final Champions League place.
Securing that position will not be straightforward for Moyes and United – though failure to do so would be disastrous for the club.
Sundays defeat at Hull aside, their great rivals Liverpool look every inch as good as United and will be in the shake up for fourth.
Across Merseyside and Everton, without Moyes, are playing very well.
If they can sustain their level of performance, United will have another team to be looking over their shoulder at.
Also, despite a number of problems at White Hart Lane, Tottenham have the squad to match United and could fight for fourth if their new signings click.
What is obvious is that United are way short of what it takes to challenge for the title.
The team are lacking a spark and a creativity which, to be frank, has been missing since Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez both left Old Trafford in 2009.
Since then, United have won trophies and had success by grinding out results.
The difference this season is that United are playing that way but are failing to grind out wins.
Three defeats and four draws in thirteen league games represent inconsistency and signals that United are not good enough at the moment to get the wins they need.
If they can remain in touch with the other top four contenders by January, a successful transfer window could seal United a Champions League spot.
However, without drastic improvement from the Reds, a title challenge looks like it might be a bridge too far this season.
Image courtesy of sarflondonunc,with thanks
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