Everton will really have their backs to the wall on Thursday evening.
Even in the best of circumstances, trips to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge haven't necessarily gone well for the Blues in the past.
And let's be honest, the current situation can't really be described as rosy by any stretch.
Division and confusion, both on and off the pitch, have dominated over recent weeks - with the only slim glimmer of positivity coming thanks to a rousing victory over Arsenal.
Whatever good hope that could inspire was instantly snuffed out thanks to a dismal display against Crystal Palace last time out, with those who travelled to south London left hugely angry at their side's display.
Granted, much of the frustration at the time centred around a decision to remove Richarlison from the game in the 58th minute - which ultimately proved to be the right one considering the injury he suffered.
But that's not to say that Evertonians were happy before that point.
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Once again they had seen their side abandon what they had done well in the closing stages particularly against Arsenal. The energy, aggression and purpose was completely gone.
In its place was a setup that was designed to sit back and be solid in defence, before hitting their opponents on a counter-attack. Certainly not what Blues thought would be the case against Palace.
The system makes sense when it works, that must be said. Rafa Benitez himself has pointed out that it has worked for his side earlier in the campaign and he is right.
But, that was when they were using it in a much better manner.
The boss seemed to hint once more that they would use the counter-attack against Chelsea this weekend, which many might have expected even before he addressed the media in his latest press conference.
He said: "The first thing that we did yesterday was starting to work on our ideas of how we want to play and how to approach the game.
"Be sure that we go there with the idea to win the game. When I say that, I don't want people taking advantage of that and saying 'on the front foot if you want to win'.
"Sometimes you have to win in the counter-attack. Nobody can expect that we will go there and have 70% possession, it will be impossible. These 15 games have proven that it's like that.
"We have to have a plan to get the best from our players and take advantage of the weaknesses of Chelsea, which are not too many."
On the balance of things, what the manager is saying makes sense for this match.
It would certainly be unrealistic for Everton to try and dominate possession against Thomas Tuchel's side, especially in the injury predicament they currently find themselves in.
Supporters understand that, but there's a certain way to approach being on the counter.
Individual mistakes have been really key over recent weeks and that cannot be ignored. Key players are making these errors, as well.
Injuries are a factor behind this run of form, and they mean that players lower in quality are playing significantly more minutes than many would have expected at the beginning of the term.
But this becomes about managing the whole squad in the right way. If a system isn't working with the players available, then it needs to be changed.
Playing on the counter-attack makes sense if there's a lot of pace in the side and you are solid at the back.
Take the Palace match for example. You certainly couldn't describe Everton as either of those things.
Being on the front foot is not the same as wanting your side to be aggressive, play with purpose and put in every ounce of effort available to come away with a result.
Last time out Everton abandoned that attitude they stumbled upon at the end of the game against Arsenal - helped, no doubt, by a switch to a 4-3-3 system which has seemingly suited them more often over recent years.
This will not be an easy match by any stretch of the imagination. The Blues will have their backs against the wall right from the start.
Recent trips to Stamford Bridge have brought no joy. Memories of a 4-0 drubbing under Carlo Ancelotti and a 5-0 reverse under Ronald Koeman are still very fresh in the memory.
Considering how well Chelsea have played this season, if Everton aren't careful then another heavy scoreline could be on the cards.
This is all about learning from what happened earlier in the week. The system wasn't right against Palace, and they were punished for it.
Arguably from the start against Arsenal the system wasn't right either, but things did change up by the second half to build something of a head of steam.
Everton won't have the benefit of momentum, confidence or good form going into this match. Hardly anyone will realistically be giving them a chance to succeed.
But, this squad of players has proven solid in the past under a different manager. Under this boss they have proven they can utilise a counter-attack effectively.
The big question isn't about Everton going on the front foot, it's about having a real purpose and desire in this match.
