Boss Targeting Away-Day CheerSam Allardyce is urging his players to conclusively end talk of Everton’s previous issues away from home and complete a strong finish to the campaign with victory at West Ham United.
The Blues wrap up the season against the London club on Sunday knowing a point could secure eighth spot – but targeting the maximum haul which would lift them to 52 points and guarantee a top-eight finish.
Everton have claimed 34 points from 23 games since Allardyce took charge back in December. They have won four and drawn three of their past eight matches, a run which has taken in three unbeaten fixtures on the road.
Victories at Stoke City and Huddersfield Town sandwiched a draw with Swansea City in south Wales.
And Allardyce is eyeing a display against David Moyes’ Hammers’ to replicate the authoritative performance which comfortably saw off Huddersfield 2-0 a fortnight ago.
Everton won twice on their travels in 2017 – the second of those wins coming at Newcastle United in Allardyce’s second away fixture – but the manager believes his side are progressively becoming a stronger proposition outside L4 in a bid to improve their away form of recent seasons.
“I think we have done that (cured the travel issues) in the past few away games,” Allardyce told evertontv.
“The performance at Huddersfield was something we want to achieve again at West Ham. The emphasis is on the players to stay motivated and not let it be one of those end-of-season damp squibs.
“It is about me saying to the players, ‘If you get a win, that takes us to 52 points which is a magnificent finish to the season’.
“No matter what happens, we cannot finish any lower than ninth and I said from the start (of my tenure) that if we could finish in the top half that would be a major achievement.
“Our goal is to finish eighth and reach 52 points. Fifty-two points from where we started would be an unbelievable return from the players.
“This is our best spell. In the past seven games we have 12 points and going into the eighth game we can make that 15 (a win in fact would make it 18 points from the closing nine matches).
“Let’s hope the players can do that on Sunday and finish the season on a high.”
Midfielder Tom Davies’ stoppage-time goal earned Everton a point against Southampton last week and extended the Blues’ solid Goodison Park form.
The Toffees have collected 28 points from the past 42 available on home turf but were forced to make-do without Theo Walcott – scorer of the decisive goal in the previous home fixture with Newcastle United – for the draw with Southampton.
Allardyce will make a call this weekend on the availability of electric winger Walcott, while Wayne Rooney has a chance of featuring after he missed out against Saints with a knee problem.
Whichever team he sends out, however, the boss wants to see a display at the London Stadium in keeping with this productive period of results.
“The achievement of the players has been exceptionally good with what they have had to cope with this season,” said Allardyce.
“Consistency is what you look for… and results have been consistently good.
“We always try to make performances better. The players have tried and given everything they have got in my time here.
“That is why we have been out of the danger zone for a long, long period of time – and never in the danger zone in my entire time at Everton.
“Not like all the others below us who have been receiving a lot of praise.
“We achieved that months ago and have pushed on from there. This level of results in the past seven games and the possibility to take 15 points from eight games shows what a strong finish we are on.”
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