Carlton can't expect captain Patrick Cripps to lead them out of the AFL mire by himself, Blues coach Michael Voss says.
Brownlow medallist Cripps, like his team, enter Sunday's MCG fixture against Gold Coast, in a form slump.
The Blues have won just once in their past nine games while Cripps' form has dipped in what Voss describes as a rough month for the skipper.
"He has had a bit of a rough spot over the last month," Voss said.
"But he's so valuable to us and he brings so many other intangible things to us.
"The players love playing with him so if he keeps bringing that energy, that leadership, that's what we're after, because some of those intangible things are really important to us."
The Blues have lost their past six games to sink to 15th on the ladder ahead of meeting the 11th-placed Suns.
And while Voss said the off-field bond between his players has remained strong during the slump, the connection hasn't translated on the field.
"We have absolutely felt that (bond)," Voss said.
"And that has been something since the start of the year that has been a big focus for us - when we talk about creating the environment, that's the environment that we want to keep cultivating.
"What we want to see is that full transfer, so the environment that we're trying to provide, can we do that out on the ground, under pressure?
"And that's something we haven't got quite right so far."
But the second-year Carlton coach remained optimistic.
"It won't stop us encouraging the environment so hopefully it carries to game day," he said.
"It's not going to be on the back of one person.
"We have talked about having that squad mentality, we have talked about leaning on each other and teammates.
"And it's going to take everyone to make sure we stick together and that's still the focus for us."
