Analysis from Carlton’s defeat to Collingwood at the MCG in round 17

Collingwood showed Carlton just how far off the pace they are in a thumping win. Josh Barnes writes, Blues fans will go home pondering one glaring issue that could cost Michael Voss his job.

It is the “gaping chasm” that continues to push Michael Voss to the brink and shows just how far off Carlton is from a rampaging Collingwood.

Once again, Blues fans trudged out of the MCG after a 56-point beating against their arch-rivals pondering why their players just can’t kick.

Coming into a game against the premiership favourite Magpies, who have proven so sharp and efficient with ball in hand, the Blues just blew chance after chance by foot.

None was more obvious than veteran Sam Docherty taking a kick out in the third term and blasting the ball well over the head of a wide-open Ollie Hollands, into a nest of three Magpies.

Carlton are in a rut. Picture: Getty Images

Nick Daicos easily turned onto his left boot as a result and hit Brayden Maynard for an easy set shot, which he missed.

Only 20 minutes later, Ashton Moir lined up a long shot at goal and couldn’t get the ball over Maynard on the mark, who smothered it and launched the ball forward.

Dan McStay would bomb a long goal from the centre square within 10 seconds, sending humiliated Blues fans to start looking up the next train home before three quarter-time.

The passage of play spoke to the clear difference in class between a team that is only sliding further down the ladder, and another who went to be on Friday night 14 points clear on top.

Goalkicking legend Jason Dunstall could barely hide his disdain for the skills from the ‘baggers.

“They just don’t have the composure in hand unfortunately,” he told Fox Footy.

“It is a gaping chasm, the ability to hit targets.”

Garry Lyon plainly said the Blues were “butchering the ball everywhere”.

Michael Voss is under immense pressure. Picture: Getty Images

Anybody who has watched footy this year knew before the MCG meeting that Carlton’s delivery and kicking inside-50 was horrendous, the Blues ranked dead last before this weekend for conversion when going into attack.

Whether it is a failing of recruiting and signing up too many butchers by foot, or development to create better kickers once they get to Ikon Park, it’s hard to pin the crap kicking on a coach.

Voss’ seat has become so hot he coached sitting on the stairs in the coaches box on Friday night, but short of organising new boots for all his players, there is little a head coach can do about a team that can’t hit targets.

Carlton’s season has been a disaster.

At half-time skipper Patrick Cripps waslked off in an animated discussion with Zac Williams.

At three quarter-time Voss pulled Cripps and vice-captains Jacob Weitering and Charlie Curnow aside to ask for more.

None of the talk has helped all year, the Blues just can’t back words up with action.

Voss swung changes leading into this match, making six moves on the teamsheet and the Blues clearly were urged to move the ball quicker.

Williams began the game in the midfield and played well, with three goals before he was subbed off after a knee knock.

But Tom De Koning, who started the year in a blaze of glory as the best ruck of the first month, was lost playing forward while Marc Pittonet rucked.

De Koning, possibly on his way out for big money at St Kilda, played dejected as he languished up forward in the second half.

The gap between the teams blasted open to a Grand Canyon in the third term, as Collingwood scored from 11 times from 12 inside-50s to start the quarter, booting 8.3 in that time and putting on 20 minutes of pure highlights.

If the Blues were butchers, the Pies cut with the precision of surgeons.

There are so many issues needing to be fixed at Carlton in the next seven weeks, and the months after that, but the most basic skill in the game is the one haunting Voss most right now.

Originally published as Analysis from Carlton’s defeat to Collingwood at the MCG in round 17