St Kilda coach Ross Lyon has savaged his team after their upset 33-point loss to Essendon, saying they looked like a bottom-four AFL side.

The Saints changed their post-match routine on Friday night at Etihad Stadium, conducting a more extensive review of the game before sending the players home.

They will retain third spot regardless of other results this weekend, but the 16.12 (108) to 11.9 (75) loss means there are now massive question marks about the Saints.

In their previous two matches, they were also poor against Collingwood and played better in the draw with Hawthorn.

But they showed little on Friday night as Essendon upset them for the third time in a row.

Before the Collingwood loss, the Saints had won seven-straight and were strong premiership contenders.

Now last year's losing grand finalists are suddenly in big trouble.

"Our care and helping each other, colour to colour, was pretty poor," Lyon said.

"They looked like a top-four team and we looked like (we were) 14th, to be frank.

"It's not very palatable at the minute, but (it's) my job to lead and I aim to lead strongly, get to work and fix the problem - or problems." Lyon praised Essendon, but said his team were too complacent.

He added the Saints coaching staff must also share the blame.

"There's two aspects - they were really good and I just thought we looked for an easy game of AFL football and they don't exist," he said.

Lyon said it was pathetic that his team had only kicked three goals to half time and described their attack as impotent.

St Kilda outscored Essendon by six goals to four in the final term, but Lyon said that could be excluded.

"There's not one aspect of the game I can be positive about," he said.

Lyon made a point of saying he did not think the Saints were in crisis, but they are suddenly looking vulnerable only four games out from the finals.

"In the context of what was at stake and how many games there are left, it's pretty hard to swallow," he said.

"They need to go home with some things in their head that we need to fix and fix quickly.

"We're playing quality teams over the next few weeks and we need to get going, because top four means nothing when you're dishing that up.

"Even if you limp in, it's pointless, so we need to fix our attack, fix our defence and our competitive spirit.

"It comes as a bit of a shock when you've been so consistent for so long." Lyon said the team would have "an open and frank discussion" before leaving Etihad Stadium.

"We'll do bits and pieces (of review), more than we normally do - normally I speak to them straight away and send them on their way, everyone sings the song and we're all happy," Lyon said.

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