Honestly, it feels like deep down, most Evertonians generally thought that the Blues finishing in a European position was a pipe dream.
The squad wasn't good enough, and the flaws, especially in defense, really came out and reared their ugly heads when the team needed to be at its strongest. Depth was going to be an issue, too, even with a European competition to flaunt over the summer.
And so, on some level, it's better that Everton enters the final day with all that behind them. The Toffees sit in 12th on 49 points heading into the final weekend, although Spurs, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Bournemouth still have to play their 37th game first.
Only Chelsea, currently two spots ahead of Everton on goal difference, are within range for the Toffees, who probably can't climb any higher than 9th, even with a win over Tottenham on Sunday's final day.
Because of that, David Moyes must turn to his bench to see what he has in players who are likely to be around for next season, but who haven't seen much time on the pitch this year.
Move 1: Jake O'Brien to centerback
The hope is still that Jarrad Branthwaite is a long-term option here once he recovers from his injury. But if there's one thing his absence has proven, again and again, it's that Michael Keane and James Tarkowski is a bad pairing.
With the search on for a new right back, Moyes must start the transition back to central defense for Jake O'Brien, who has stalwartly filled in outside of his natural position since the manager arrived.
O'Brien should start at center back on Sunday and never again at right back so long as he's at Everton.
Move 2: Start one of Tyler Dibling or Tyrique George (or both) on the wings
The club knows what it has in Iliman Ndiaye, and the hope is they'll be able to retain the Senegal international this summer as other clubs come calling.
But neither Tyler Dibling nor Tyrique George is a known quantity, and so Moyes must give them each a good run on Sunday.
George, of course, might be back depending on the nature of the loan deal with Chelsea, but Dibling must be part of the plan for next year, and that needs to start with an opportunity to play most of, if not all, of the Tottenham match.
Move 3: Keep Merlin Rohl in the starting XI, but in the midfield
The midfielder is staying after the buy clause was triggered, so Moyes must figure out where he is best suited. And while he's worked hard on the wing the last few matches, given his skill set and the other players in the squad, that's likely not his place.
Tim Iroegbunam is a fantastic athlete, but he doesn't have Rohl's skills on the ball, so figuring out if James Garner and Rohl can work together as a midfield pair will be important.
Move 4: Free Adam Aznou
Maybe the young left back won't survive the summer as an Everton player. If so, what a weird move to bring him in last summer and feign that an upgrade at the position was on the horizon.
But if he is indeed in the future plans, then he needs to play at least one Premier League match so he can understand the speed of things.
If he's truly on the way out, then showcasing that he's still been working hard even when he hasn't been playing would be helpful as a selling point for either clubs.
There's nothing to learn about Vitalii Mykolenko, so there's no reason not to give Aznou a run.
Move 5: Don't forget about Harrison Armstrong
When Everton decided to cancel Harrison Armstrong's loan spell in January, the worry was that the youngest would end up languishing on the bench at a vital time in his
After a few starts and plenty of minutes upon his return, the appearances have dried up for the 19-year-old, and he has played just 16 minutes since late February, with his last start coming against Manchester United on February 23.
It appears the most feared outcome has prevailed, which isn't ideal for someone of his age, with the need for time on the pitch so valuable.
He doesn't need to start necessarily, but Moyes should look to find an opportunity to give him minutes on Sunday, as a decision about what to do with the teenager for next year will need to come soon.
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