Essendon coach Mark Thompson remains confident his side can still play finals this season as they sit in tenth position on the ladder.

The Bombers currently sit one win outside the eight with seven wins and seven loss.

In three of those losses the tem has led with five minutes remaining and gone on to lose by under two goals.

Thompson said he had faith that his side could turn around their season to finish inside the top eight.

“I think we can, I’m not saying we are going to but we will need to start playing some better football and complete games off,” Thompson said.

“There is no reason why we can’t (play finals).”

“Our next two weeks are difficult but if we were 10-4 with little things late in games this season then everyone would think we were a chance (against Port Adelaide).”

“I still think we are without being in the eight and that is the way we are going to attack this game against Port Adelaide.”

The Bombers coach said it was important the positives in Friday night’s loss were not covered up by the disappointing overall result.

“You can demonstrate a lot of disappointment but in the end you have to look at the good stuff as well and there was a lot of good stuff,” he said.

“We can not afford to get in front of the game with three minutes to go and lose from there.”

“We have to be better then that and we will learn from that.”

Thompson said he was pleased with how he had coached the side this season to give them the best chance to taste September action.

“I am doing a lot of things that I want to do but you have to think of the long term and leave things the way they are.”

“The players wouldn’t have seen this year as a gap year because it has been a good year and a lot of players will get a lot of benefits out of it.”