Another matchday has come and gone, and while Everton have added another point to their tally, the feeling of "what if?" is growing louder. After matchday 36 of the Premier League season, the Toffees find themselves just two points behind Brentford (down from three) and level with Chelsea. A top-eight finish—and a potential European spot, should Manchester City deliver at Wembley on Saturday—is still within reach. On paper, that's progress.

But peel back the layers of Sunday's 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, and you'll find a familiar story: a season increasingly defined by missed opportunities. And we're not just talking about the chances that went begging in front of goal—though Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Iliman Ndiaye both had moments they'd rather forget. This runs deeper.

This is about a collective failure of mentality. When the run-in demanded ruthlessness at both ends of the pitch and decisive action from the dugout, Everton faltered. The squad, the manager, and the club's leadership had a golden chance to seize the moment with both hands—and they let it slip.

Let's keep perspective, though. If someone had told Evertonians at the start of the season that their team would be fighting for Europe until the very end, most would have taken it in a heartbeat. That progress deserves recognition. But it's also fair to say this campaign could—and probably should—have been even better. The overall story doesn't have to be a disappointment, but the final chapters are shaping up to be painfully underwhelming.

David Moyes must carry some of the weight. Against a struggling West Ham side a few weeks ago, Everton failed to go for the jugular from the first whistle—and it cost them. Sunday was different; they started brightly against Palace and had multiple chances to extend their lead. But when the pressure mounted, the old fallback mentality crept back in. For a team wearing the royal blue, that's the kind of habit that needs to be broken—on the pitch, in the stands, and in the training ground gear that carries the club's hopes.