But to salvage something, anything, out of a season that saw us on the cusp of the relegation places in November is testament to the great sqaud that David Moyes has managed to assemble at Everton.
Roy Hodgson - who's face now appears to start somewhere in his neck - has done a similarly remarkable job at Fulham, taking them from relegation certs to potential European finalists in just two years.
And, though he made nine changes to the side that drew in Hamburg on Thursday night, he will feel that his side's good run should have continued by taking at least a point from Goodison.
The West Londoners took a surprise lead in the 36th minute when Erik Nevland latched on to a dreadful backpass from Leighton Baines and smartly dinked the ball over the outrushing Tim Howard before wheeling away in celebration towards the 30-odd Fulham fans in the Bullens Road.
Seriously, how is it that Fulham can take half of the entire borough away to Germany, twice, yet can never muster up any sort of a following for league games?
Do Fulham away matches clash with Harlequins, or Quins if you must, home games?
Anyway, their travelling troupe should've been sent into raptures, or at least loads of polite applause, on the stroke of half time when Stefano Chuka Okaka - a player who deserves to be given his full title all of the time - cleverly chipped the ball over the Everton defence and into the path of the unmarked Clint Dempsey.
But instead of ripping apart the Park End net Dempsey fired his volley high and wide to let the Blues off the hook.
Although the Blues had hardly looked at their world-beating best during the first half they had hardly given Fulham a sniff of the ball and were unlucky to be one nil down at the interval.
Victor Anichebe came on for Diniyar Bilyaletdinov at the start of the second half after the Russin had failed to impress once again, apart from a sweet volley that struck the post in the third minutes, and the young Nigerian certainly instilled some urgency into the Blues play.
He also had a hand in Everton's equaliser just four minutes into the second half as he threw his head towards an Arteta cross, and Yakubu's foot as he tried to scissor kick the same ball, only to see it bonce off Chris Smalling's head and dribble past Mark Scwarzer and over the line.
Everton nearly took the lead just minutes later as Tim Cahill powered a header goalwards but Mark Scwarzer did well to beat the ball away.
The Blues then carried on where they had left off in the first half and played Fulham off the park but, once again, it was the Londoners that created the better chances as Erik Nevland played in Stefano Chuka Okaka, see, who was unmarked on the edge of the Everton area.
The big Italian had time to stop the ball and compose himself but instead he hit a tame first time shot that Howard easily smothered.
Louis Saha, on for Phil Neville, then had a couple of good chances to win the game for the Blues, none moreso than the header he directed into the side netting after rising to meet a wonderful cross from Baines, but the game looked destined to finish honours even.
But...and how many late goals have there been in Everton games this season? well there's been loads in the last few weeks alone...the game was turned on it's head in the final minute of stoppage time.
Tony Hibbert headed a Fulham clearance back into the area, Saha flicked it on again and as Tim Cahill chested the ball down Chris Baird - who must have a sideline as a look-a-like of Gareth Keenan - volleyed the Australian in the ribs and it was a penalty to the Blues.
Mikel Arteta - who does actually have balls made from solid steel - stepped up to do the honours, send Schwarzer the wrong way and bag the three points for the Blues.
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Roy Hodgson was not in the best of moods after the game.