Is this the “core of the issue” at Carlton right now?

How do you diagnose Carlton’s issues of late?

Just weeks ago the Blues were regarded as one of the premiership favourites when they sat second on the ladder.

But in the wake of their three-point loss to Collingwood on Saturday night, which was their fourth defat in five rounds, Michael Voss’ men now find themselves sitting eighth and clinging onto their finals hopes for dear life.

Leading footy analyst David King believes the problems start at the top, in terms of the playing group, with star forward Charlie Curnow playing well below his best in recent weeks.

The dual Coleman Medallist has kicked 11.14 in his last five outings and has struggled to have a serious impact on a game apart from his four-goal haul against North Melbourne in Round 19.

King believes the Blues need much more from their main talisman if they are to get their season back on track and seriously contend for the remainder of the 2024.

“I’m a fan of the Blues,” King said on SEN Mornings.

“I’m not worried about where they sit on the ladder… but they’ve got some problems.

“The core of the issue is Charlie Curnow. He’s kicked 11 goals in five weeks and he’s become a very average forward 50 target.

“If you look at the top 50 targets in the competition over the last six weeks, he’s ranked 44th at being able to turn a targeted entry into a goal.

“That’s an issue. They can’t win it, in my opinion, without him in supreme form.

“So whatever they’ve got to do to get this guy into form… He just can’t win one on ones. He couldn’t shake Darcy Moore on the weekend.

“He was working up the field, doing what everyone is asked to do. ‘Get him up high, play the Jeremy Cameron role, then work himself deep’. He was doing all of that.

“But he took two marks inside 50 and was targeted 10 times.

“Harry (McKay) didn’t have much to give either. He only kicked one goal.”

Key forwards aside, King also questioned the more recent form of midfielder Sam Walsh.

Despite picking up 30 disposals in the loss to the Magpies and averaging a club high 28.8 touches for the season, the 24-year-old has fallen away in a key statistic.

Walsh has produced 23 score involvements across his last five games which King believes is nowhere near enough for a player of his quality.

King continued: “Where are we at with Sam Walsh at the moment?

“He’s getting a lot of the ball, but is there enough damage in his game?

“It’s a different version this year than what we were seeing in the back half of last year. I watch his game and think he’s become a low score involvement player.

“If you look at this last patch of the season he’s gone two, four, eight, three, six (in score involvements). They’re not numbers of a guy that is getting 27 to 30 touches a week.”

King was glowing in his appraisal of Carlton captain Patrick Cripps, but has implored his midfield mates to stand up in the remaining home and away fixtures so they can assure themselves a spot in the finals.

“Patty Cripps is ripping the heart out of games. He’s in there taking the ball from inside to outside,” King added.

“So for those guys on the outside he’s done the heavy lifting, he’s drawn the crowd in to get them into clear air. When you get high uncontested numbers… Walsh on the weekend had seven contested and 23 uncontested.

“If you give the ball to Sam Walsh 23 times outside of contest you should get a better return than that.

“It’s well and good to start (criticising) guys like (Marc) Pittonet and guys that are on the periphery of the 23, but I’m starting at the top.

“They’ve got to get more out of Walsh, They’ve got to get more out of McKay, They’ve got to get more out of Curnow.

“If your top half dozen don’t perform then you’re gone, it’s as simple as that.

“Cripps is shouldering an enormous load at the moment. He needs some friends.”

The eighth-placed Blues next meet 10th-placed Hawthorn in a crunch clash at the MCG this Sunday before fixtures against West Coast in Perth and St Kilda at Marvel Stadium.