And so, 2021 comes to an end with something of an anti-climax.
A number of postponed matches following the rousing 1-1 draw with Chelsea two weeks ago have proven to be the curtain call on 12 months which did contain real moments of promise.
This was the year Everton FINALLY beat Liverpool at Anfield, although even that came tinged with the disappointment that no fans were able to witness it.
A long run without victory away to Arsenal came to an end back in April, before Demarai Gray produced an absolute piledriver earlier this month to put the Gunners to the sword once more - this time at Goodison.
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That might not even win the club's goal of the season, with Abdoulaye Doucoure and Andros Townsend both producing Goodison Park stunners against Southampton and Burnley respectively.
The calendar year ends with Everton having picked up 49 points, scoring 42 goals and conceding 58 over the course of the last 12 months of the Premier League.
Having ended 2020 in second place after a flying start to last season, the Blues enter the next calendar year in 15th. That's a bit of a difference.
It goes without saying that 2021 has been one of the most tumultuous spells in the club's rocky recent history.
On the pitch - home defeats against Fulham, Newcastle, Sheffield United, Burnley and the collapse against Watford all would be unacceptable by themselves - let alone together.
In the stands and in the backroom, things have been even more topsy-turvy.
Yet another managerial departure, one of the most controversial appointments Merseyside football has ever seen, protests against the board and Marcel Brands cutting short his time on Merseyside.
All of that packed into just a 12-month span. It really can be exhausting to follow this club sometimes.
Many of the more controversial aspects of the year have come in its second half, and that has left an interesting mood around the club as we head into 2022.
There was a real sense of optimism this time last year. With Carlo Ancelotti at the helm and players with the quality of James Rodriguez in the side, things seemed to be heading in exactly the right direction.
Unfortunately, football is a sport which loves to throw random twists and turns into the mix.
Now with Rafa Benitez in charge (imagine saying that to someone at the start of the year) and off the back of an extremely tricky run of form, you have to admit things are a little different.
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A draw with Chelsea earlier this month doesn't do much to paper over the gaping cracks that have appeared over recent weeks.
There's still pressure on the board, the manager and the players to start giving much better than they currently are - with the hope still being for European football at the end of this season.
As we reach the new year, despite the rollercoaster that has dogged the last few months at Goodison Park, there are some signs of optimism for the coming 12 months.
That is if Everton follow a certain amount of resolutions as we ring in the new year.
Of course some aspects 2021 can't, and shouldn't, be forgotten in the grand scheme of things. The arbitrary roll over to a new calendar won't have those most vocal fans changing their tune all of a sudden.
The January transfer window can provide something of a building block for what is to come over the next few months.
The first resolution, then, is getting their strategy right. Easier said than done, granted, but still worth mentioning.
Last summer saw the club complete some good business despite their financial constraints, particularly with the signings of Gray and Townsend to bolster quality at the top end of the pitch.
Benitez is already confident that early business can be conducted over the coming days, although that could unfortunately involve the sale of Lucas Digne.
The left-back has fallen out-of-favour at Goodison and reports are heavily linking him with a move away from the club, which could mean Everton lose an extremely talented player.
The hope must be that any funds potentially raised in his sale are used adequately this time around, even if recent years haven't exactly provided any guarantees that can be the case.
In his pre-Brighton press conference, Benitez highlighted the significance of this window. It's not going over-the-top to suggest this could potentially define the rest of the campaign.
The manager remarked: "I said when I came here that I knew the fans, the team and the club. It's exactly the same now.
"I knew what we were looking for in August, we are working to find the right players for the present and the future.
"We are trying to be sure he have chances to improve.
"What can they [the fans] expect? Two or three players and I'm sure we will bring the kind of players that want to be here. That is the main thing for me.
"I think we can see the second part of the season as something totally different with new signings."
It's not just the transfers though, it's important players returning from injury too - starting with the much-missed Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
That becomes another important resolution. Get players back in the side and do everything in their power to keep them there.
The lead striker is back in training and might not be match-fit yet, but you feel he's going to be crucial if Everton are going to turn themselves around for the back end of the 2021/22 campaign.
Looking further ahead to the summer, no doubt transformation will continue with a number of players reaching the end of their contracts with the club.
It's likely there will be another major turnover of talent, and at the centre of the club's success will have to be a smart recruitment strategy to set them on the right path.
Brands isn't there anymore, and the club's "strategic review" needs to be completed at that point. Joined-up, concise planning and execution is an absolute priority.
So, resolution number three - come up with a long-term plan and actually stick to it. Everton haven't been great at that in recent years for a number of different reasons.
2021 was a real rollercoaster of a year. Maybe that term is over-used, but it feels extremely apt in this sense.
Through managerial changes, fan unrest, protests against the board, brilliant goals, a director of football exit, a long-awaited Anfield win, performances that make you tear your hair out and displays that get you off your feet in wild celebration.
Just another 12 months of Everton, then.
Happy new year everyone, and let's hope it's a brilliant one for those in royal blue.
