To have a cutting edge in football is to turn possession and chances into goals. Every team wants it, but not every team has it. Dundee United are lacking in this department. Badly.

This season's Jim Goodwin side is looking really promising at times. The football is a joy to watch and far more entertaining than some of his previous efforts. No offence to those sides.

Defensively, we've improved on last season, with new signing Michael Forbes proving an excellent addition and Bert Esselink enjoying a career redemption arc.

The midfield is the star attraction. Dylan Tait, Zidane Iqbal and Lyall Cameron are forming a formidable three-man partnership, creating chances and making things happen. Of course, we can get caught out, but it's risk and reward and I'm happy to live with that.

The problem is what happens at the other end. For all the chances we create, this United side lacks a cutting edge. We have three strikers - Zac Sapsford, Lachie Rose and Idjessi Metsoko - yet none have nailed down a starting place.

The trio have a combined goal tally in the Premiership of two - one apiece for Sapsford and Rose.

I liked the look of Metsoko early in the season, but that promise hasn't amounted to much yet. Rose gives you everything he's got, but so far the goals haven't followed.

And Sapsford? It feels like he's been out of form longer than he was ever in it. We've seen what he can do, and he can score goals, but he desperately needs to rediscover that version of himself.

The long and short of it is United are more than capable of a few heavy wins this season. The football is there, the chances are there, and the midfield is purring.

But without someone to put the ball in the net, all that lovely build-up risks becoming an elaborate way of getting everyone's hopes up before the inevitable disappointment.