After years of genuine crisis, last season ended with the hope that the worst might soon be over for Everton.
They had survived in the Premier League despite an eight-point deduction, a fabulous new stadium was taking shape by the Mersey, and the disastrous Farhad Moshiri era was staggering towards its end.
Some of the noise around the club subsided and perhaps some of the existential fears went with it.
But the takeover drags on, more players could be sold before Friday's deadline and the first two games of the new campaign have brought little by way of comfort.