Carlton have a lot of problems, but their president and captain are adamant that coach Mick Malthouse is a big part of the solution.

The heat is on the Blues following Sunday night’s 81-point capitulation to Essendon, leaving them with a 0-3 start to the AFL season.

Inevitably, fans and some pundits are wondering whether Carlton made the right move two years ago by sacking Brett Ratten and enticing Malthouse to take over.

“The last thing I’m worrying about is if we’re being coached well,” Blues president Stephen Kernahan told the Nine Network’s Footy Classified on Monday night.

“Mick Malthouse is a fantastic coach and he’s doing a great job with our blokes.”

Kernahan said the three-time premiership coach was the right man to strengthen a playing list that has shown too many weaknesses so far this year.

“Mick Malthouse is going to build a side at this football club,” he said.

“There’ll be another draft at the end of this year. It’ll be uncompromised, which helps a lot more.

“We’ll have another draft the year after, so I fully expect Mick to shape the side and I fully expect us to be better than what we were last night and for the next 19 weeks.”

Carlton’s next opponents on Saturday are Melbourne, who are also winless.

But the Blues came into this season with far greater expectations.

They finished ninth last year, were elevated into the top eight after Essendon’s expulsion and then upset Richmond in an epic elimination final.

What appeared to be a regulation win for the Blues this weekend is now a must-win assignment where Kernahan is demanding a much better performance.

Blues captain Marc Murphy also backed Malthouse strongly on Monday and was confident they would bounce back against the Demons.

“He’s so positive and he makes things very simple for the side,” Murphy said of Malthouse.

“I’m just hoping that last night is one of those things, (where) nothing went right for us.

“When the chips are down, that’s when you find out about characters around footy clubs.

“So we’ll find out about certain blokes in our side over the next month and obviously the rest of the season.

“I’m sure you’ll see a very good response this Saturday.”