The Western Bulldogs have won just one game this season, but coach Brendan McCartney isn't spending time worrying about that statistic.

The Bulldogs triumphant victory over the Brisbane Lions in round one is but a distant memory, but that's not to say the Dogs have lacked effort this year.

The scoreboard doesn't always reflect it, but for patches this season they have put together the sort of football they want to play consistently in the future.

That was seen against North Melbourne for most of the first three quarters last week, until a dramatic fade out in the final term.

It's the minutes in which the Dogs take control of games that spur the coach on, with the belief that one day in the future, this pain will pay dividends.

That's not to say Brendan McCartney's men aren't in need of a win.

"If you worry totally about the result it can paralyze you," he said on Wednesday.

"It's how you do things, the method to how you go about your football. We know and the playing group know that when they play well these are the things in place. They also know that when they don't play well usually, those things aren’t in place."

McCartney is one of three coaches attracting criticism for his team's performance.

Melbourne coach Mark Neeld and Lions coach Michael Voss are also under pressure with just over a third of the home and away season completed.

"We have a job to do here," McCartney said.

"I think all the people you mentioned are pretty strong, resilient people who have challenges in front of them, and for the most part, the majority of the playing group they have to work with is young and developing.

"My challenge and all the other coaches that feel pressure to get their team to play better, is to come to work every day resilient, optimistic, with a clear vision and focus of what you want the players to do."

Surprisingly, McCartney believes it is acceptable for coaches to be judged on part of a season if certain factors are taken into consideration.

"The one thing you've got to analyze when you watch a club is: Do they look functional? Are the players cracking in? Are they working hard? Do they look like a group of players that want to work for each other? You can't escape that.

"The next thing you've got to factor in is: How has the draw handled them? How is their injury list? How competitive they are when the game gets busy and I think when you watch a club and you watch a game you've got to factor all of those things in."