Another matchday comes and goes, and for Everton, it's another single point added to the tally. After Matchday 36 of the Premier League season, you could argue the Toffees are in a slightly stronger position than when they started—now just two points off Brentford instead of three, level with Chelsea, and still holding a slim chance at a Top 8 finish. That would be enough for European qualification if Manchester City do the business at Wembley this Saturday.

But let's be real: Sunday's 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park feels like yet another missed opportunity in a season that's starting to look like a story of chances not taken—by the players, the manager, and the club as a whole.

We're not just talking about the missed shots in front of goal, though those certainly stung. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Iliman Ndiaye both had golden chances to put the game to bed but couldn't find the finishing touch. No, this runs deeper. It's about a mentality issue—an inability for this squad, this manager, and this leadership to seize a massive opportunity when it's right in front of them. To be ruthless at both ends of the pitch, and off it when the moment called for it. They haven't been.

Now, let's keep some perspective. If you had told Evertonians at the start of the season that their team would be fighting for Europe right up to the final whistle, most would have been thrilled. And we should be happy about the progress made. But it's also fair to say it could have—and probably should have—been better. The overall campaign doesn't have to be a disappointment, but the finish is shaping up to be a frustratingly flat one.

David Moyes has to shoulder some of the blame here. A few weeks ago, failing to go for the kill from the first whistle against a poor West Ham side proved costly. That wasn't the case against Palace—Everton started brightly and had multiple chances to extend their lead. But when the pressure mounted, the old fallback mentality crept back in. And in a season where every point matters, that's a habit they simply can't afford.