Essendon’s 32-point loss to the Western Bulldogs on Sunday consigned the Bombers to a 1-6 start to the season.
Coach Ben Rutten conceded his side is lacking consistency and making “basic fundamental errors” after slumping to their third straight defeat.
Essendon, who recovered from a 2-6 start last year to make the finals, face an uphill task of making the eight following their loss to the Dogs.
Nathan Buckley is seeing a “fractured” and “spooked” Bombers group that aren’t working hard enough defensively.
“I’m seeing a side that are a bit spooked by their really tough start to the year. They played three of the best sides in the comp – they played Brisbane, they played Melbourne and they got smacked,” Buckley told SEN Breakfast.
“I reckon you’re seeing the fruits of a full pre-season and a bit of confidence going in and then just getting whacked and then not being able to cope with the reality of what they faced.
“That’s an excuse, but I think it’s something that’s there in them because what I’m seeing is a group that are fractured on-field.
“They’re not playing with any synergy, they don’t value defence, and I think every one of the good sides in the comp value defence.”
So where is it falling down defensively for the Bombers?
“They’re just too easy to play against. There’s not enough pressure on the ball so the ball moves quickly and puts their defence under pressure,” Buckley continued.
“The second reason their defence is under pressure is because their midfielders and high half forwards aren’t getting back to clog space and to support their back six.
“There’s not enough focus on defensive intent.
“When one or two or three decide that I won’t work quite as hard in that phase of the game, it makes a massive impact.”
Buckley did acknowledge that the absence of key pair Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti and Will Snelling is impacting Essendon’s ability to apply forward pressure.
“They’re missing a little bit of their speed and some key players,” the former Collingwood coach said.
“Snelling has been a key player, and he’s not the only one, but they’ve had almost no representation in their pressure at ground level from their small forwards, because they’re not selecting any small forwards.
“Devon Smith has gone out of the side. Snelling is not available. (Nick) Hind, who did it at St Kilda, is playing off half-back, but he’s not there either. Tipungwuti’s another one.
“There’s a really key element of good attacking sides and the beginning of the defence that they simply don’t have at the moment.”
The 16th-placed Bombers next play Hawthorn (3-4) at the MCG on Saturday night.