Adelaide hope scans on key AFL forward Kurt Tippett will reveal a low-scale shoulder injury.

The Crows' spearhead will miss Friday night's fixture with the Western Bulldogs after hurting his left shoulder in Adelaide's 39-point loss to West Coast.

Tippett will have scans on Tuesday, while utility Patrick Dangerfield has been cleared of any break to his damaged right thumb.

Dangerfield expects to front the Dogs in the clash between struggling clubs, with just three wins each.

Adelaide were immersed in a four-game losing streak and defender Ben Rutten believed small things had created bigger problems.

"The little things, we are not doing well enough on a consistent basis," Rutten said on Monday.

"And it shows up big time in terms of scoreboard and big run-ons."

Rutten had been swamped during serious opposition scoring sprees in the past month, from Collingwood's remarkable 11 goals in 20 minutes to the Eagles' seven goal to nothing second-term blitz on Saturday.

"It gets back to your pressure on the ball carrier," Rutten said.

"You tend to look at big things and big problems when sides get big run-ons, which they have.

"When you look at it a bit more closely, it's moreso the little things we are not doing, whether it be pressuring the ball, enough chasing, standing the mark.

"As a defender, it's unbelievable the amount of difference it makes when the kicker doesn't have as much time."

Rutten said the Bulldogs' woes wouldn't enter his mind this week - Adelaide have enough problems of their own.

"The consistency of our effort at the moment is nowhere near good enough," he said.

"It is just something we're going through at the moment.

"We're all in together and we need to try and fight our way out of it together. That is the only way we are going to do it."

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