Moyes aims high for Everton

20 October 2012 14:17
David Moyes has promised Everton will "shoot for the stars" as they bid to continue their fine start to the season with victory at QPR. The notoriously slow starters have been one of the form teams of the opening two months of the season and travel to Loftus Road on Sunday with 14 points from seven games. Pundits are already talking about Everton as potential challengers for a Champions League spot, and it is the kind of pressure Moyes relishes. He said: "I enjoy being near the top of the league, and what comes with that is people thinking how well you're doing and talking in a positive fashion. "I enjoy that and it's something I would like to happen more often when we're talking about Everton at the top and how well we might do. We'll shoot for the stars and see where we end up." Moyes is confident the international break will not disrupt his side's rhythm but does want them to tighten up at the back after conceding eight goals so far. He said: "We've tended to find that after these sort of breaks we've settled down and got the group together and been better so let's hope we can continue to improve from the form we've already shown up to now. "Our attacking play has been excellent, we've probably created as many chances as anybody in the Premier League and had as many shots as anybody, so we're certainly up with the main teams doing that. "We've got to make sure that we're a little bit harder to beat, but our points tally is good for this time of the season. We've normally got about five or six at this time of the year so to have what we have is good. "But we've got to build on it, we have to try to make sure we kick on, and I see this period as a difficult period. We've got quite a few difficult away games in London and a derby to play." On paper, Loftus Road is not one of those. Mark Hughes' side sit bottom of the table having picked up only two points from their first seven games, while they have managed just one goal at home and conceded seven times. QPR were one of the summer's bigger spenders and had been expected to fare better, but Moyes believes it is only a matter of time before the team gels. The Scot said: "That's the one thing I feel we've had over the years is that constant team and stability where we've got a group of players we know are with us and we try not to change it around too much. "We have to make additions every year but I think when you're coming up and you're trying to build a new team, which is maybe what Mark's doing, it's very difficult. "But what he has got is a very experienced side and that's something which you've got to be mindful of that those players one day will pull all together and get a result. "They've got Djibril Cisse, Bobby Zamora, they took (Junior) Hoilett from Blackburn, Adel Taarabt has a goal in him, Park (Ji-sung) from Manchester United, Shaun Wright-Phillips, they roll off your tongue quite easily." Everton will be without midfielders Marouane Fellaini (knee) and Darron Gibson (thigh) and defender Tony Hibbert (calf) through injury while new signing Thomas Hitzlsperger will not be considered.

Source: team_talk