The Adelaide Crows have anxiety issues, coach Brenton Sanderson says.

Sanderson blames a lack of composure for near-misses this season that will cost the Crows a finals spot.

Adelaide are 13th, with their finals hopes shot, ahead of a home fixture against North Melbourne on Sunday.

“It just feels like we’re getting in a situation where we can sometimes panic and feel a bit rushed when we need to just be calmer,” Sanderson told reporters on Thursday.

“There’s a lot of examples where we should have been able to close games out and we haven’t done it.

“We have got to live with that, learn from it, and make sure that when we’re put in that situation again, that we’re much better prepared.”

Adelaide’s finals aspirations were dashed by a four-point loss to Port Adelaide last weekend, in which the Crows conceded four goals in the last six minutes. But Sanderson dismissed fitness as the reason.

“I don’t think we can solely say ‘it is because of this, that we’re not closing games out’,” he said.

“It’s a little bit about experience but also, too, managing anxiety.

“As the game comes down to the wire, we have got to educate our players to be able to handle those situations better … good sides are able to be calm and poised under pressure.”

Sanderson felt Adelaide’s seven wins and 11 losses didn’t accurately reflect their season.

“We have been in a lot of games, we have played some really great footy,” he said.

“We have had some challenges with personnel and injuries. We have got more trauma injuries than any other club in the competition this year … it just feels like we’re pretty banged up.

“But I have been really proud of the way our boys have fought it out.

“Yes, we have lost some games that we should have won.

“And it’s going to be a season that we reflect on that we haven’t met expectations. We are going to have to live with that during the summer.”