There was little to cheer for Chelsea in the end at Wembley on Sunday as the Blues left empty-handed following their gut-wrenching defeat on penalties to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.
But once the pain of defeat subsides, there will be positives to look back on and the performance of Kai Havertz was certainly one of several Thomas Tuchel will reflect back on.
The 22-year-old performed admirably as he spearheaded the Blues' frontline, where his excellent movement proved pivotal in setting up each of the game's biggest chances, before moving into a deeper role to accommodate for Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner entering the fray.
Havertz, who was the first player to create five or more chances in a Carabao Cup final since David Silva in 2016, was heavily involved in all of Chelsea's best attacking sequences, roaming in and out of pockets just like the Spaniard did for Manchester City in his pomp.
However, despite Tuchel's side ending up with a runners-up medal, the Germany international left with something more as his stock rose significantly and his dynamism proved critical once again amid this team's continued attacking struggles.
While it's premature to suggest Havertz is in Silva's league, there are several comparisons you can draw between both players. The similarities in elusiveness and grace on the ball are striking and the former City midfielder's performance in this particular six years ago offer a hint at how Tuchel could use Havertz as part of his frontline moving forwards.
In that particular final, Silva worked closely alongside Sergio Aguero.
Tuchel must find a system that not only includes both Havertz and Lukaku but also helps that partnership to grow and blossom by optimising their best qualities.
This was the second game in succession where Tuchel opted for Havertz ahead of the Belgian and his comments following the win over Lille hinted at him being the current first-choice option as the German boss hailed his compatriot.
"I'm very pleased. Kai is very strong for weeks now, really steps up," he said. "His effort is immense, the work rate is immense, the areas of the pitch he covers for us is very, very good.
"He was decisive, created chances, was involved, and was never shy of defending. We had a very aggressive high line today on the pitch with the offensive three players together.
"The formation was to have intensity, a high work-rate consistently throughout the whole match and they did all very good."
Tuchel has noted tiredness and the pressure Lukaku has been under following his seven-touch nadir against Crystal Palace when explaining his recent absence and while his impact against Liverpool was far greater, his omission from a game of that magnitude was telling.
It increasingly feels as if the question here surrounds whether Tuchel is minded to pair Havertz and Lukaku or not. If he isn't, it will only serve to raise further questions about the decision to spend the money they did on a striker not suited to the manager's needs.
For now, Havertz is the man leading the line and if he can combine his creative talents with an increased goalscoring threat, a transfer decision looms this summer over Lukaku.
The opportunity to create an intriguing partnership between the two is there. Whether it's taken or not will reveal plenty about Lukaku's role moving forward under Tuchel.
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