It may seem ridiculous to use such a word to describe a team crammed with attacking talent but, at the moment, ordinary is exactly what they are. If they don't improve in time for the weekend, then they haven't a prayer against Arsenal.
Ferguson will hope his players improve but don't expect to guess what his team will be for the biggest match of this season so far. Only 24 hours after talking of the need for consistency of selection, he made seven changes from the weekend draw at Birmingham.
Deprived of Roy Keane and Rio Ferdinand, it was easy to understand why players like Rooney and Paul Scholes were recalled. But it remains unfathomable that Liam Miller was chosen for his first start since August 21 and that John O'Shea was asked to play in the centre of midfield.
Ferguson has acknowledged this week he is unsure how to make the most of his midfield options and that was clear again. When they did have the ball in the final third of the field, United looked as though they may have been able to open the Sparta defence. But on most occasions their final pass was poor and Rooney and Ruud van Nistelrooy were starved of quality service.
Van Nistelrooy caught defender Pavel Pergl late in the first half but Sparta Prague coach Frantisek Straka dismissed the incident as accidental. He said: 'There was no intent. It was one of those duels that happen in football.'
Yet apart from an earlier air shot form a Ryan Giggs cross, Van Nistelrooy was able to contribute very little else. It was not until substitute Cristiano Ronaldo brought a straightforward save from goalkeeper Jaromir Blazek with eight minutes left that United managed to register a shot on goal.
Although Rooney had fired two shots wide before half time, by the time Ronaldo finally tested the goalkeeper United should have been behind.
Sparta were lively going forward and goalkeeper Roy Carroll was called upon to rescue his team on two occasions in particular.
Carroll's first save came when former United winger Karel Poborsky thumped a shot towards goal just before half time. Carroll reacted well - before watching Tomas Jun head the resulting corner against the woodwork - and he was at his best again towards the end when he saved a Jun effort with his legs.
Apart from that, Sparta also went close in the first half when Lukas Zelenka shot across goal when it seemed easier to score and Scholes was fortunate not to concede a penalty for a foul on Zelenka.
Ironically, unused sub Alan Smith won the loudest cheer of the night when he obliged with a shot into an empty goal from 30 yards after the game.
United fans do not usually do sarcasm. Currently, however, they have no choice.
