Dimitar Berbatov says that Spurs are not currently in a crisis and Jose Mourinho has not lost his touch yet, but his former team's biggest problem right now is consistency.
Spurs looked to be making a Premier League title charge at the beginning of the season, but now find themselves in seventh place in the table, 14 points behind league leaders Manchester City - though they do have a game in hand.
That fixture comes against Chelsea, who have just replaced Frank Lampard with Thomas Tuchel. The two sides are level on points at the moment, with the Blues having played a game more than Spurs.
Berbatov says that Mourinho's side, who have lost their last two league games and will be without Harry Kane after an ankle injury picked up against Liverpool, are falling short of what the manager was brought in to deliver.
"Tottenham aren't in crisis, and Jose Mourinho hasn't lost it, but the team are suffering from the same old problem: inconsistency," Berbatov told Betfair.
"To be fair to the manager, Spurs are famous for beating the big teams and dropping points against teams they're expected to put away. But Mourinho was brought in to make Tottenham a winning machine and, at the moment, they're falling short.
"It doesn't help Spurs that Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United are all gaining points and Chelsea are already looking better under new manager Thomas Tuchel.
"By the time Spurs wake up and start winning again it will be too late for them to challenge for the title, even in this unpredictable season.
"A couple of months ago I thought this could be Spurs' year to win the Premier League but now I think they're going to have to fight to finish in the top four.
"On paper Spurs have a great team, even when Harry Kane is injured, but matches are won on the field and their inconsistency is stopping them from fulfilling their potential.
"Kane is a major force, not just for his goals but also for the chances he creates and the way he motivates his team-mates. He is irreplaceable and any team would miss him."
