Frank Lampard believes a lack of confidence was the main culprit of last season's woeful Everton away form.
Results on the road almost cost the Toffees their Premier League status last term, with a run of two draws and 12 defeats between September and April dragging the club into a relegation fight. Performances at Goodison Park - backed by an incredible home support - just about dragged Lampard's side to safety, helped by a vital first away win in nearly eight months at Leicester City in May.
That away-day form was symptomatic of a lack of leadership and brittle confidence among the squad, but despite a couple of recent defeats at Newcastle and Tottenham, both of those characteristics have arrived in bucketloads over the summer.
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And, speaking to Sky Sports ahead of this weekends' trip to Fulham, Lampard acknowledged the fragility that joined Everton on their travels last season.
"Some of it will be confidence: there was a feeling about us last year that when we went behind on the road, heads went down and we conceded more - which wasn't good enough," Lampard said.. "There's definitely a different sense of us - so far - this season.
"It's having a solid nature about us in areas of the pitch where we are dominant - not dominating games, but when we're under pressure, we dominate our box and defend well. In midfield, we have to compete, have energy, legs and the quality of pass to stay on the ball and hold the game sometimes. Then the clinical nature to take chances.
"I'm listing things in the game, but when you go away from home in this league - you have to be spot on. We're not spot on, of course we're not now. But we're working towards that."
A win away from home this afternoon would take Everton level on points with Merseyside rivals Liverpool, ahead of the late kick off at Anfield.
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