JOHN Worsfold has dismissed criticism of his coaching at Essendon, saying he needs longer to make his imprint at the club.

The 2006 West Coast premiership coach is coming under growing pressure in his role at the Bombers, given their 4-6 start to the season.

Club great and goalkicking legend Matthew Lloyd told Channel Nine on Monday Essendon should look at other coaching options and that its list is underperforming.

THINGS WE LEARNED 'Walla' needs to get better against the best

Worsfold, who is contracted until the end of next year, said time was needed to piece together a premiership-contending list. 

"It's fair for 'Lloydy' if that's what he feels. I'll put it in perspective…how long does a coach need to build a group to play at their best footy?" he said.

"Last year was really my first year. I would say it's pretty hard to count 2016 and 2017, we had a totally different focus in reintegrating players back into the game.

"Last year was our first crack at it. In my three years at Essendon we've played in the finals once and just missed the finals once. This year we’re aiming to play finals."

The Bombers finished last in 2016, Worsfold's first year in charge, after losing their group of senior players to doping bans. They made the finals in 2017 but were belted by the Swans in an elimination final, and did not make the top-eight last year.

Despite again being active at the trade table last off-season, acquiring Giants gun Dylan Shiel, the Bombers have had an underwhelming first half of 2019.

Worsfold would not be drawn on how long he would need at Essendon to bed down his plans, but pointed to Richmond coach Damien Hardwick and Collingwood leader Nathan Buckley as examples where patience in senior coaches has worked at rival clubs.

"I'll let everyone make their own decisions on that. I have a fair bit of data on what it takes," he said.

"If you just use Hardwick and Buckley as examples you can do sums on that. People wanted them sacked after a number of years and those people are wrong.

"No one would admit to saying that, but they were wrong to think that not having Damien Hardwick not coach Richmond after all the hard work he'd done was a good decision to make."

AROUND THE STATE LEAGUES Dons mid fires, Harley roars on return

Hardwick led the Tigers to the 2017 premiership in his eighth year in charge of the club, while Buckley steered the Pies to their Grand Final last year in his seventh season as coach.

Essendon has been hit by injuries to key players, losing Joe Daniher (groin) and Devon Smith (knee) to season-long injuries. The pair will undergo respective surgeries on Tuesday.

Orazio Fantasia (quad) will be out until after the bye, as will Jake Stringer with his hamstring injury from last week's loss to Richmond.

Shiel, however, is a chance to face Carlton on Sunday at the MCG after scans did not show any tear of his hamstring last week, with Worsfold saying the spate of injuries did not change his hopes for what the Bombers can achieve this year.