Ben Godfrey has opened up on the 'mentally' tough season he experienced at Everton - and his positive relationship with Frank Lampard.
Godfrey has had to endure a difficult campaign for the Blues, with illness and injuries resulting in him spending long periods of time on the sidelines. It was a far cry from the 31 Premier League appearances the defender made in the previous campaign.
The centre-back could also only watch on as his side battled for their lives to avoid relegation to the Championship. Following a Merseyside derby defeat to Liverpool at Anfield, Frank Lampard’s men slipped into the bottom three.
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But back-to-back wins over Chelsea and Leicester City gave the Blues a fighting chance of survival. Everton then confirmed their place in next season’s Premier League following a dramatic win over Crystal Palace at Goodison Park.
“This season has been really tough, mentally so tough,” Godfrey told The Press. “To be part of a side that should be nowhere near the bottom end of the table was really disappointing and it was tough for long periods of the season.
“In terms of personal performances, I was nowhere near what I’ve achieved before and nowhere near what I aim to perform like.
“I don’t want to say that it was a season to forget because I think that we’ll look back and learn things from this and we pulled out of it which is a massive positive.
“But, speaking for the team and myself, we were definitely a shadow of what we’re capable of.”
The Blues headed into their second to last game of the season with the chance of securing their place in next season’s Premier League thanks to a combination of their own results and results elsewhere going their way.
However, it looked like Everton's fate would go down to the wire when they trailed Palace 2-0 at half-time. But the Blues produced a spirited comeback in the second-half to send Goodison crazy.
Michael Keane started the fight before Richarlison restored parity with 16 minutes of normal time remaining. Dominic Calvert-Lewin then headed Everton in front with five minutes left to send Goodison wild, with some supporters even invading the pitch.
The game resumed and Everton ensured its stay in the top division would extend to 69 years. And as soon as referee Anthony Taylor blew his whistle for full-time, Goodison erupted again as supporters made their way onto the pitch for a second time.
“The emotion that you saw from everyone involved that night was frightening,” Godfrey recalled when asked about the night.
“It was a special night and I think it showed how much it meant to everyone: the players, the staff, the fans. The emotion would have been there regardless of how we won the game but to win it in that fashion multiplied that by a thousand.
“It was dramatic and I wouldn’t like to put myself through it all again, but we got there in the end. This will be a massive learning curve for a lot of us and I think we’ll be able to take a lot from it.”
Godfrey was signed by Carlo Ancelotti from Norwich City during the 2021 summer transfer window. But after the Italian departed for Real Madrid last summer, Rafa Benitez was the man chosen to lead the Blues forward.
But Benitez was sacked after just six-and-a-half months in charge following a 2-1 defeat at Carrow Road. But in Everton’s hour of need, along came Frank Lampard.
His charming smile and straight talking approach instantly won the Blues faithful over. And Godfrey has explained how the former England international has left his mark on the Everton squad.
He said: “He’s made a massive impact. He’s a top guy, all of his staff are first-class and his CV speaks for itself, as a player.
“He’s spent a lot of time speaking to me and helping me where he can, and that goes for all of his staff too. There’s not a lot of other people that I’d rather have to get that (advice), to be honest. I’m really fortunate to be working with him.”
Before Godfrey continued on his time at Everton, saying: “I’m absolutely loving it here, I’m loving every single second of it.
“The lads are great, the fans are unbelievable and I’ve been welcomed from the very start with open arms which is always appreciated. The pressure does increase when you come to Everton from a club like Norwich.
“But that’s why you play football, you want to play in pressurised environments where it seems like life or death, that’s what you want to be involved in. The pressure is a lot higher than at Norwich and I think that I’ve thrived off that at times.
“When you make mistakes, they’re highlighted, it’s seen by a bigger audience and you do feel it more. But I think that’s all part of learning. I’m really enjoying it here."
