Chelsea's first campaign under Mauricio Pochettino has not gone according to plan but on Sunday afternoon they had their chance to build some hope and momentum that this project was finally heading in the right direction.
They will arguably not have a better opportunity of winning a cup final. Up against a Liverpool side totally ravaged by injuries, the Blues had been made favourites in some quarters.
However, even against what turned out to be a youth side come extra-time, plus Virgil van Dijk and a couple of other senior figures, they couldn't get over the line.
The Dutch colossus popped up with just two minutes of extra time remaining to seal a 1-0 win and the Carabao Cup trophy for Jurgen Klopp's side.
It could well be the first of four titles the Reds win during what is being dubbed as Klopp's farewell tour with the German set to stand down from his position at the end of the season.
For Chelsea, they are at the opposite end of their journey. They are where Liverpool were when Klopp took over, albeit they have spent their fair share of cash. We've heard enough about that, though.
Why Chelsea lost the Carabao Cup final
As the game went on this became more about fresh legs than quality but it was a man who had played 120 minutes that popped up with the winner.
It could have been Van Dijk's second of the game had an earlier header in the second half stood. Wataru Endo, however, was adjudged to be offside as Andy Robertson's free-kick was floated in. Why did that matter? Well, he blocked Levi Colwill from getting a run on the Liverpool centre-back. Controversial? Perhaps, but it didn't matter in the end.
The real reason Pochettino's men lost the game could be determined by their missed chances in the second half. Conor Gallagher was the chief culprit in that department, spurning two wonderful opportunities in the second period.
At one stage he was slipped through by Cole Palmer but when one-on-one with Caoimhin Kelleher, stuck his shot from inside the area right at the Irish goalkeeper. Moments later Gallagher would then bend an effort high and wide from the edge of the area. Christopher Nkunku was another who missed a gilt-edged chance, scuffing a close-range effort straight at the 'keeper.
However, it was a man who actually found the net that was arguably Chelsea's worst performer on a gloomy Wembley afternoon.
Chelsea's worst performer at Wembley
Before the break for half-time it looked as though the Blues had taken the lead in the showpiece event at Wembley.
Nicolas Jackson galloped down the right-hand side before laying the ball to Raheem Sterling who thought he had opened the scoring against his former employers.
Unfortunately, the goal was ruled out with their Senegalese forward drifting offside in the build-up from Palmer's pass.
That was as good as it got for Sterling who in the eyes of The Standard, dropped a distinctly average 5/10 display in the final.
Why was that the case? Well, he offered next to nothing on the left-hand side of Pochettino's attack.
The England international only had eight passes in the entire game and mustered up 19 touches, a staggering 45 fewer than Chelsea gloveman Dorde Petrovic who had a good game himself.
Minutes played
67
Touches
19
Accurate passes
8/10 (80%)
Shots
0
Key passes
0
Dribble success
0/3
Duel success
0/7
Possession lost
7x
Dribbled past
2x
With so few touches it is hardly a surprise that Sterling was hauled off after 67 minutes. In that time the winger had failed to create a single chance for his teammates and lost all seven of his duels. Dismal stuff indeed from such an experienced professional.
This has been a topsy-turvy season for the former Manchester City star who has found the net on eight occasions this term, albeit just once in his last ten league outings. On this evidence, it won't get much better for Sterling in the dying stages of the season.
There must be a real worry now that the campaign will peter out for Pochettino. This was an opportune moment to salvage something from a dire debut campaign in the Stamford Bridge dugout.