Danny Murphy has claimed in his column for the Daily Mail that Mason Holgate and Ben Godfrey will benefit from working with Rafa Benitez, as he will make Everton hard to beat.
Farhad Moshiri appointed Benitez as the new Goodison Park boss last week, replacing Carlo Ancelotti. Godfrey and Holgate were key players for the Italian, with the now Real Madrid boss rotating them across his backline.
Everton paid Norwich City £20m for Godfrey in October, and he would go on to be named their Fans’ Young Player of the Season. The 23-year-old impressed on Merseyside with his ability to step in and standout at left-back, right-back or centre-half against any opposition.
Godfrey made 31 Premier League appearances for Everton last term in total, while Holgate featured 28 times mostly at right-back. The 24-year-old offered a solid option at full-back when without Seamus Coleman, but suffered toward the end of the term at centre-half.
But Murphy believes the arrival of Benitez will now see both Godfrey and Holgate become better players for Everton. That’s because the ex-Liverpool midfielder expects the Spaniard will make the Toffees a difficult side to beat from the back.
“Rafa’s coaching will make Everton competitive, building from the back,” Murphy wrote. “He has raw materials to work with. Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison are talented and improving forwards.
“Young defenders like Ben Godfrey and Mason Holgate will benefit from working with Rafa — who will drill the players in training on team shape, when to press and how to move as a unit in and out of possession.”
Godfrey, Holgate impact a positive of Benitez as new Everton manager
Benitez bringing the best out of Godfrey and Holgate will be a positive of the Spaniard being the Everton manager. He has appealed for unity at Goodison Park, via The Guardian, after being met with an onslaught of supporter backlash.
Those fans could come onside if Benitez ensures Godfrey continues to develop as he did during his debut Everton season. He hardly put a foot wrong for most of the term, with bounds of energy and aggression to his actions. But lost the shine with a few shaky games.
Holgate, likewise, was solid if not remarkable at right-back, only lacking an end product to his forward forays. But his centre-half performances toward the end of the year raised a lot of question marks. And Benitez improving Holgate’s central efforts will be ideal for Everton.
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