'It's a tough fix': Matthew Lloyd torches Bombers over 'absolute mess' against Adelaide
Essendon legend Matthew Lloyd has whacked the "absolute mess" at his former club in the wake of their loss against Adelaide.
It was one-way traffic for large periods of the game on Saturday afternoon, with the Crows finishing off 161-100 winners over the Bombers.
The issues on the defensive side of the game were evident and according to Lloyd, it will be a "tough fix" for the club moving forward.
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"Defensively, they are poor and they have been for a number of years," he said on Nine's Sunday AFL Footy Show.
Essendon player look dejected after losing to the Crows. via Getty Images
"You've got poor defensive work and poor systems. It's an absolute mess … it's a tough fix, because there are problems absolutely everywhere."
Essendon conceded over 100 points in their first game of the year against Hawthorn and things won't get any easier next weekend with Port Adelaide, who are coming off a thumping win over Richmond.
Lloyd again put the spotlight on Ben McKay - the club's highest-paid player on a deal worth approximately $1 million - for another disappointing display.
"He can be non-competitive," Lloyd said.
"It comes with more pressure and you've got to live up to that. He's got to be better."
Ben McKay is under mounting pressure at the Bombers. via Getty Images
There were also concerns raised by Lloyd over the club's recruitment and retention, with the Bombers failing to turn their draft picks into top-line talent.
"All recruiters miss some, but can you recruit that many bad top 10 picks? They've missed out on three," he said.
"Defence is a problem with personnel and structure, i's recruitment and development as well ... it's a whole club thing."
