David Moyes demands mental toughness from Sociedad players
ByReuters
Updated 19/12/2014 at 16:09 GMT
Real Sociedad need to toughen up mentally if they are to reverse a poor away record when they travel to Valencia to face Levante in La Liga on Saturday, according to coach David Moyes.
David Moyes, coach of Real Sociedad (PA Sport)
Image credit: PA Sport
Sociedad are yet to win away in Spain's top flight this season and were thumped 4-0 at Villarreal and drew 0-0 at Deportivo La Coruna on their last two trips away from San Sebastian.
With 15 matches played, they are 14th on 14 points, one place higher than when former Manchester United and Everton manager Moyes took over last month.
"It's very important to try to finish the year with a win," Moyes told a news conference on Friday as Sociedad prepare for their final game before the two-week winter break.
"We have to be stronger mentally and approach away games with the idea of getting a win and that's something that we clearly have to improve," added the Scot.
"We need to be tough in defence so that it is difficult to score past us."
"I have to learn from the games at Deportivo and Villarreal and I have to find a way to win games away from home."
Moyes said he had no illusions about the amount of work needed to turn Sociedad's fortunes around and achieve the club's goal of securing a place in European competition for next season.
Sociedad finished fourth in 2012-13 and qualified for the Champions League group stage, where they finished bottom of their pool.
Last season they were seventh and secured a place in Europa League qualifying but were eliminated by Russian side FK Krasnodar.
"The team is not showing that it can compete with the best and that is what I want to achieve," Moyes said.
"At Everton I was fighting for the top places and I want to repeat that here. There's some tough work ahead in the next six months."
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