Rafa Benitez has had a fantastic start as Everton manager
Rafael Benitez had a tough job on his hands when he took over the Everton side after Carlo Ancelotti left the Toffees abruptly in the summer when Real Madrid came calling. While the Italian manager was welcomed with a banner of “Carlo Fantastico, Carlo Magnifico”, Benitez was treated with banners of “Benitez not welcome”.
Rafa Benitez is a brave man to travel across Stanley Park, a journey not many undertake. When Ancelotti’s side faltered, Everton supporters held back their disapprovals because they had absolute trust in the manager who had one of the most decorated CV’s in football. Benitez wouldn’t have enjoyed such a luxury and he needed the right results from the start to support his act.
The results have been fantastic so far. Even though there’s the caveat that it’s very early days but signs look positive. The former Real Madrid boss has instilled a strong ideology in the squad and injected fresh life into the side.
The squad needed some much needed reinforcements in key areas and instead of papering the cracks, Benitez has addressed the root and tried to solve the lingering issues. This Everton looks far more dangerous in attack and is much more clinical. There have been some key differences in Rafa Benitez’s Everton compared to Ancelotti’s Everton.