Well, Everton have unsurprisingly been dumped out of another cup early, leaving nothing left in their season but the arduous slog that is trying to avoid the drop.
It has been a miserable formula followed all too closely in recent years by seemingly every manager, unable to balance Premier League pursuits with alternative endeavours.
As such, their fanbase have been without a trophy since 1995, with many rival fans infamously letting them know as often as possible.
Yesterday will only add to that misery, made even more frustrating given the immense lack of quality their opponents, Luton Town, boasted.
And yet they were still good value for the win.
It marks a damning indication of what has been not just a torrid campaign thus far, but a demoralising and downright depressing last 30 years for the Toffees.
One journalist would echo such thoughts.
Why Everton’s trophy drought has dragged on
Journalist Joe Strange would seek to offer his viewpoint on the unrelenting torment of supporting the club, taking to X to issue a damning statement on the progress Everton continually avoid making.
It will now have been 15 years since the Toffees last enjoyed a clash at Wembley for a cup final, and as aforementioned, it will be three decades since an Everton captain lifted major silverware in front of the fans.
What made yesterday so frustrating is that, with the Bramley-Moore Dock stadium rumbling on in the background, there is a very serious possibility that the loss to the Hatters could prove to be Goodison Park’s last-ever FA Cup match.
Strange would detail how painful a memory this would prove to be, but admitted it was no less than he expected: ‘If that ends up being Everton’s last ever FA Cup game at Goodison, it’s a pretty fitting summary of the club’s attempts to win a trophy for the past 30 years. Just not good enough.’
How did Everton play vs Luton Town?
I think most Evertonians could have predicted exactly how this game was going to go even before kick-off.
That notion was only exemplified when the team news emerged, revealing Sean Dyche’s decision to start with Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Beto up front in a 4-4-2.
The only other time he has trialled this formation was in the second half of their Premier League loss to Luton Town, and the two looked clunky, disorganised and often got in each other’s way.
Unsurprisingly, that trend largely continued despite brief flashes of interplay, as the Toffees could only muster up a mere two shots on target.
They would not even forge a single big chance, whilst their opponents created three, and Dyche’s side would only find the net as Jack Harrison’s effort squirmed underneath Tim Krul early in the second half.
Other than that they flattered to deceive and looked decidedly blunt in their efforts to break down a solid and steadfast unit.
Then, from two set pieces, they got what they deserved. Dumped out of the cup, and staring down another relegation battle that might not perhaps be as easy as first thought.
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