Well, it has come down to the last ninety minutes of the season as Everton face a final day fixture against Bournemouth tomorrow that they have to win to secure survival in the Premier League.
That is all they need to do. Three points against the Cherries will be enough regardless of the results gained by Leicester City and Leeds United.
It is of course disgraceful that Everton are yet again in this position after another dreadful season of failure on the pitch and near farcical distractions off it.
Last season the Blues avoided this scenario, but only with a game to go. Now, the Toffees have to repeat the final day succeses in the nineties against Wimbledon and Coventry City.
Can Everton do it for a third time?
I have to say I’m not feeling very optimistic, especially given the critical injuries that have arrived just in time to undermine the team’s preparations for this huge game.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin (predictably) and Nathan Patterson are both unavailable for Sean Dyche as he tries to pick a side to secure survival.
The obvious problem is how to overcome Calvert-Lewin’s absence in attack.
Dyche has had to do without his best centre-forward for most of the time he has been manager so he is used to coming up with a revised attack.
He has usually gone with a solitary striker and I suspect he will do so again, recently using Demarai Gray up front.
I would prefer to see Ellis Simms given a start but I doubt Dyche will go with him as the manager doesn’t seem to rate the youngster, despite his ability to finish.
Certainly, he has only given Simms one chance from the start against Liverpool and Dyche didn’t even bring him on last weekend as Everton chased a vital goal.
There is an argument for starting with two forwards to try and maximise the chances of scoring goals quickly to gain an early lead.
That would be dependent on the Blues creating enough chances, something this team has struggled to do all season long.
Regardless of who starts at centre-forward, I would like to see Abdoulaye Doucoure pushed right up alongside that player.
Losing Patterson doesn’t help either of course. The young Scot was the only fully fit full-back available last weekend and his injury potentially leaves Dyche without a full-back, potentially forcing a defensive re-shuffle, hardly ideal for such a massive match.
Hopefully, Vitalii Mykolenko will be fit enough to play although that’s not certain.
Mykolenko is far from a top class full-back but if he starts, at least Dwight McNeil can return to his position further forward where his ability to put good balls into the box will be crucial.
Tomorrow’s opponents have nothing to play for and have lost their last three Premier League games, perhaps indicating the players are thinking about their summer break.
But, it would be foolish to asume that means anything for the game on Sunday. Given the Blues luck I wouldn’t be surprised if they turn up and put in a strong performance at Goodison.
And, the Cherries have had the indian sign over Everton this season. Bournemouth beat the Blues back-to-back 4-1 and 3-0 earlier in this campaign.
Those were results that perhaps could and should have been enough to get Frank Lampard the sack much earlier than eventually he was.
So, what will happen tomorrow?
All Everton have to do is win, by hook or by crook. Then they won’t be dependent on what Leicester and/or Leeds do. Simple enough right?!
A point will also be enough if those teams both draw or lose, but that obviously can’t be relied upon.
If the Toffees somehow survive this dreadful ordeal again then there simply have to be major changes at this club in the summer to prevent this happening in another twelve months time.
Of course, we said all that last summer and yet here we are again.
Frankly, I want to see Farhad Moshiri, his board and executives gone and replaced by fresh people with a coherent financial and football strategy.
I almost don’t care who they are, surely they can’t be as incompetent running a club, or as ham-fisted and inept comminicating and connecting with supporters as the current incumbants are.
Hopefully, there would be significant investment or a full takeover in the summer, if Everton survive, which would presumably include such a root and branch review.
Whatever actually happens in terms of new financial partners or owners, the whole club needs a restructure and I think basically everyone’s job should be under scrutiny after this appalling fiasco of a season.
Leaving all that aside for the future, my final plea then is Everton just do the job tomorrow – please!