Everton midfielder Gareth Barry has told his team they must change their mentality to start closing out matches.
Roberto Martinez's men led with under 15 minutes remaining against Stoke City before suffering a 4-3 loss at Goodison Park on Monday.
Everton have just one win in their past five games, and have claimed three league victories at home this season to sit 11th in the Premier League.
Barry said changes needed to be made if his side were to start collecting the points they deserved.
"We have just got ourselves to blame. We've been in this situation many times before and clearly we have not learned our lesson," he said.
"You find yourself ahead and with 12-15 minutes to go and we've not got ourselves in a position, or in formation on the pitch, to close the game out.
"We need to change our mentality and realise the situation of the game."
Barry said Everton, who are nine points behind fourth-placed Tottenham, were capable of moving up the table if they tightened up defensively.
"We need to tighten up in certain areas and stop showing that naive side in the team," he said.
"If we do that we are capable of going on a run."
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