MOYES

By The Nark End
March 24 2010

DAVID MOYES HOPES EVERTONS FORM AWAY FROM HOME PICKS UP IN THE RUN-IN AS THE BLUES HAVE TWO BIG AWAY GAMES COMING UP......HE ALSO THINKS THE LESCOTT TRANSFER IS A THING OF THE PAST NOW......

Everton travel to Manchester City this Wednesday with David Moyes eager to see his side improve on their away form.

The Blues have notched up a Club record seven home wins on the bounce in the Premier League.

But the form on the road is in stark contrast, having secured just three away wins in the top flight at Portsmouth, West Ham and Wigan.

"It has been disappointing," Moyes said.  "I could look at it that we were very close to winning at Arsenal and at Chelsea so we have had some good moments away from home.

"But we have also had some terrible moments like the trips to Bolton and Hull earlier in the season.  Our away form hasn't been as good this season. 

"That could have something to do with the instability we had early in the season.  We had new defenders coming into the team and we were trying to find the side to get us a result."

Despite the frustrations on the road this campaign, Everton go into Wednesday's encounter at Eastlands eighth in the table.

The manager says that is down to the grit and determination of his squad.

"The team are playing really well now.  We are in a healthy position and when you consider where we were back in October and November that shows the improvement.

"It is all credit to the players and they have worked really hard to get into a positive position."

In Moyes' eight years in charge at Goodison, Manchester City have seen five managers take the helm.

And with others in Premier League flashing the cash in a bid for success, Moyes says Everton prove it's about team spirit and not about pound signs.

"I think we have got a good team and I hope we go on to prove that.  I have got one or two things I want to improve on but I think we have now got a really good squad without spending the money other clubs have. 

"Spending money isn't always the answer.  Sometimes it is the continuity of the management and back room staff and I think that has happened at Everton."

David Moyes says any acrimony from last summer’s Joleon Lescott transfer saga has been consigned to history as Everton prepare for the trip to Manchester City on Wednesday.

Months of transfer speculation preceeded Lescott’s switch to City last summer – which came just days before the closure of the transfer window in August.

The Goodison chief made his feelings clear over the events which led to the transfer following Lescott’s move to Eastlands. But, whilst he believes the Lescott-saga was a contributory factor to his side’s poor start to the season, he insists the episode is now in the past.

"It has gone and we have moved on so it doesn't give this game any extra edge," the manager told said.  "We have got players here who are playing very well and the team is doing very well.

"The damage that was done by that transfer I think had a lot to do with how we started the season.  It wasn't just the injuries we had to contend with.

"I think it was unfair on Sylvain Distin and John Heitinga being thrown in when the team was short of one or two players."

The 2-0 victory over Manchester City in January was evidence of Everton’s resurgence in the second half of the season.

He continues: "It didn't help to lose a player at the start of the season but we are now nearly at the end of the season so we can't still be talking about it.

"It is always satisfying to beat other teams but given what happened in the summer I felt we were hard done by.  But it's a long time ago now."

Lescott will miss Wednesday's game with a hamstring tendon injury that is expected to keep him out of action for up to six weeks.

The 27-year-old was also unavailable for selection for City's visit to Goodison in January due to a knee problem.