Moyes looking for improvement

Everton manager David Moyes has warned his players they cannot afford
to be complacent as they head into the second half of the season.

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In
recent years the pattern has been for the Toffees to have a slow start
to campaigns with results picking up in the new year. This time has been
no different as a testing run of fixtures in September and October left
them at the wrong end of the table and although they have risen to 10th
Moyes has stressed things have to improve in 2012.

"The first
half of the seasons have always been tough for us but there is no
guarantee that in the second half of this season we will do what we have
done in the other ones - we have to prove that," said the Scot ahead of
Sunday's trip to West Brom.

"I hope we are in the mindset of
getting better because we need to kick on and start winning the games.
But we will be asking to do that with basically the same players and if
they haven't been winning them now they have to make sure they win them
in the second half of the year.

"I think the players believe we
come good and are strong in the second half of the season so because of
that we have to try to show it. I am ready for it and looking forward to
winning a few games and enjoying my Saturday nights more. We have to
hope it happens again but there is no guarantee."

Everton's
problem has been a lack of goals with just 18 in 17 matches and that has
been compounded by leaking goals at inopportune moments - usually
before they have had chance to score themselves. In four of their last
five league matches the Toffees have conceded the first goal and Moyes
admits that is making life more difficult for themselves.

"If you
are not scoring many goals it means we are chasing," added Moyes, whose
side have kept just three clean sheets this season.

"If we are not
careful if we lose a goal there will be some games when teams will
score two and it might become impossible for us to get back into the
game.

"But I couldn't say we've been that bad defensively but we
are still conceding slightly more than a goal a game. We have to stop
that if we want to do better because our 'goals for' column is not
allowing us to concede any.

"We are either going to have to start
rattling them in at one end or keeping them out at the other if we are
to stand any chance. 2011 has been a difficult year for Everton, it has
not been one of our best, so it would be great if I could win the first
game in January."