CARLTON coach Michael Voss insists there's still plenty to take out of 2023 despite the Blues' finals hopes appearing gone after Sunday's 34-point loss to Essendon that included an "unacceptable" tackle count.

The Blues slumped to 15th spot following their fifth straight defeat and their eighth loss from their past nine games, leaving them with a 4-1-8 record, 10 points outside the top eight after 13 games.

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Carlton won the inside 50s 56-41 on Sunday night but failed to capitalise, particularly in the second term when on top, before Essendon booted 7.1 in a lopsided third quarter to run away with the game.

Voss' side failed to score more than 60 points for the fifth consecutive game, with the coach lamenting their inaccuracy.

The Blues also only managed 33 tackles for the game, the club's fewest in the past eight years, which Voss called "unacceptable".

The situation has heaped the pressure on Voss, in his second year in the job, with external expectations of a finals finish being realised in 2023 becoming increasingly unlikely each week.

Voss, however, remained resolute that the season wasn't done for the Blues.

"There is a lot of the season left," he said. "We've got 10 games left. There's a lot to take out of it. We'll be playing to the last minute."

Voss denied any suggestion he'd lost the support of the players.

"What I've always felt from the entire club is support," he said. "Support for our program and what we're trying to achieve.

"There's some immediate things that we need to get after and there's some longer-term things that we need to get after as well."

Among the immediate concerns for Voss was their inaccuracy in front of goal, with the Blues finishing with 6.16, having managed 6.8, 6.15, 7.15 and 8.11 in their previous four games.

"We feel enormous disappointment ... it hurts a lot especially when there's parts where we played some dominant football in periods of the game," Voss said.

"We're putting enormous pressure on ourselves by not being able to finish our work. That puts pressure on your system because you don't have your way the whole time in this game.

"Essendon were able to put the foot to the floor in the third quarter. They score 7.1 and in the second quarter when we had the dominance in our half, we kicked 2.5. Sometimes the game is simple like that. You've got to finish your work."

Carlton managed only six tackles for the third quarter as Essendon pulled clear, with Voss acknowledging the total game figure of 33 was a concern.

"That's just unacceptable," he said. "We've got to be better than just being a team that wins the ball. 

"We've got to be a team that can go back and pressure when it's our turn. Certainly through that period of time we didn't do that."

Voss said he didn't hear booing from Carlton fans as the players left the ground but added "we feel their disappointment" and reiterated his frustration at their situation.

The Blues coach also clarified that 2022 Brownlow medallist Patrick Cripps was fully fit and is just "out of form" after he had 19 disposals, two tackles and minimal influence for the game.

"Sometimes players get out of form," he said. "He's completely fine, sometimes you lose a bit of form and he's running through a bit of that.

"He's got a little challenge ahead of him to be able to rectify it and I'll back that man in. I know where his heart is and what he wants to be able to do for this football club. It means a lot to him. I know he won't rest until he can turn that around."

While Carlton are struggling, Essendon's win means they are percentage behind third-placed Melbourne, sitting sixth on the ladder with an 8-5 record.

However, coach Brad Scott refused to indulge questions about resetting expectations and targeting a finals spot.

"I don't think we need to worry about expectations," Scott said. "They're cliches because they're true. The thing about words like system and process, the outcome and the result and where you finish is just the sum of all the parts you put together throughout the year.

"As soon as you start looking too far ahead and you start thinking about outcome, you take your eye off what's really important. We'll be laser focused on what we know is important. We'll work really hard not to get caught up in that."

Scott revealed he subbed out 24-year-old ruckman Sam Draper due to an ongoing hip issue that they wanted to manage ahead of the bye, but was bullish he'd be available for their round 15 game with Fremantle.

The Bombers coach also lavished praise on young onballers Ben Hobbs, Archie Perkins and Jye Caldwell, who stepped up for a side missing Dylan Shiel, Darcy Parish and Will Setterfield due to injury, along with the selflessness of skipper Zach Merrett, who was tagged by Ed Curnow before moving forward in the third.

Scott was also delighted with the fixture that attracted a crowd of 83,638 supporters to the MCG, believing it can turn into a regular marquee game on the footy calendar.

"The King's Birthday eve slot has the potential to grow into a massive game, another blockbuster for the competition," he said. "We're just really privileged to play in a timeslot like this."