It has taken nine rounds but the reality has finally hit me, the Blues are not as good as many of us thought. Nine rounds in and Carlton has gone into every game as favourite and won just four. That tells you just how overrated Carlton has been in the 2009 season. Or doest it?

It is not the promotional hype that has given a potential false dawn; it is the glimpses of something that then fades, particularly when Carlton travels interstate. The glimpses have certainly had many in the media get excited about the Blues this year with a number talking top four. No doubt this hype has added to our unreal expectations. So perhaps it is not a false dawn but an early dawn that has many of us shaking our heads and trying to come to terms with the 4-5 win/loss record.

Sure until Saturday’s match against Adelaide we had been in every game; another four goals and we would have enjoyed three more victories (losses by 4 points, 4 points and 7 points). No doubt we have been consistent for the first eight rounds of the season but Saturday’s performance has certainly created more questions about where we are. Were the losses unfortunate or are they an indication of something missing, of where we are really at?

Sure the Crows were playing for McLeod and they had their backs to the wall after three consecutive losses. Some would say we met them at the wrong time. But after watching what was one of the worst halves of football I have seen by Carlton for a long time I am wondering if our ‘glass half full’ attitude is part of the problem.

Are we continuing to find excuses to justify our expectations?

While we may have met the Crows at the wrong time, surely everyone knew what to expect. The football world knew the Crows would be fired up, particularly at the start of the game and it was the lack of intensity, just like it was against Fremantle two weeks ago, that was as disappointing as anything.

The performance also raised the question on what the team can achieve without a dominant display by Chris Judd. Sure a number of players have stood up at times this year to assist the captain but that was assisting his work. When Judd has a rare poor day, virtually no-one stood up to take the game on. Once again a ‘glass half-full’ verdict would say it was a poor day by most players after eight consistent performances.

What is really disappointing is not being able to play with expectation. Whenever Carlton looks ready to take the next step and string more than one win together we all get let down.

So am I a glass half-full or glass half-empty person? Call me a sucker for punishment but I remain a glass half-full when it comes to Carlton in 2009. Well I will until this Friday night against West Coast. This is my line in the sand game for the Blues in 2009; there can be no excuses this Friday night. It is time!

If the Blues don’t win, don’t worry about playing well or an honorary loss it must be a win. There can be no option on Friday night but a victory for Carlton. If not, then the glass will be half-empty for 2009 and the dawn of a new on-field era at Carlton may well be on-hold for another 12 months.

I am certainly not jumping off the Blues bandwagon, I am just waiting to see if it is going to take a little longer than I thought to get the bandwagon going forward. A final eight finish is what we are aiming for and there is no reason we will not be part of the finals action this year. But for me it all starts against the Eagles this Friday night.

I bet we start favourites again. This time I am getting on.

Blue boys after the disappointment of Saturday in Adelaide, do us all a favour and make sure the glass remains half full in 2009.

Please Note: the views expressed in the above article are solely the opinion of the author and do not reflect the opinions of the Carlton Football Club or those employees of the Club. The Carlton Football Club would like to acknowledge the tireless work of those supporters who contribute to carltonfc.com.au.