End-of-season reports: Part two

Bolton.

Premier League: 14th. FA Cup: Semi-Final. Carling Cup: 3rd round.

Lowdown: This season looked set to be a great one for Owen Coyle's Bolton but they fell away towards the end. For much of the campaign, the Trotters looked set to comfortably finish in the top eight but five straight defeats at the end of the season saw them finish a disappointing 14th. They also finished 14th last season, meaning any progress made under Coyle was undone in the closing stages of the season. They did magnificently to reach the semi-finals of the FA Cup but it was their 5-0 defeat to Stoke in the semi-final which started their late-season slide.

Bolton's heavy defeat to Stoke in the FA Cup semi-final led to a severe downturn in form for the Trotters

Stuart Holden was a vital player for Wanderers during their early-season good form - they lost just two of their opening fifteen fixtures - and the broken leg he sustained in March was also a key reason for their decline. Johan Elmander was also key in the first half of the season, scoring nine times before the turn of the year, but he faded badly after that. He scored just one league goal in 2011 and always looked set to leave in the summer, so it is no surprise he has now left the club. Daniel Sturridge joined on loan in January and turned out to be a very astute signing, scoring eight times, but even his performances and goals could not prevent Bolton finishing the season weakly. After the relegation battle of last season, this campaign was relatively stress-free but the danger now is that their late-season wobbles could carry on into next season. Their away form was also a worry - they won the joint-lowest number of away games in the Premier League with two - and that will need to improve next season. What should have been a promising campaign for everyone associated with Bolton Wanderers turned into a very frustrating one, but they still look set for a bright future under Coyle.

Best player: Stuart Holden. The American midfielder was the man who made Bolton tick and his loss to a broken leg in March destabilised their campaign. It says something that Holden has won this award when he missed around a third of the campaign with injury, but that is how influential he was. It is hoped he will not miss much of next season with his broken leg and the sooner he is back, the better for Bolton. They proved after he sustained his injury they find it very difficult to cope without him. Gary Cahill and Kevin Davies also had impressive campaigns.

Stuart Holden was instrumental for Bolton when fit this season

Worst player: Martin Petrov joined Bolton on a free transfer from Manchester City last summer and seemed set to add a bit of quality and flair to the squad. However, he has been completely off his game, temperamental and seemingly uncommitted this season and didn't even start half of Bolton's league games. He looked good at City when given the chances but doesn't seem to have any motivation to battle for a place in this team. He is probably on big wages too so it might be a good idea for Wanderers to get him off the wage bill this summer.

Highlight: Bolton 5-1 Newcastle, Premier League, 20 November 2010. Everything clicked into place for Bolton in this game as they moved into fourth place in the table. Johan Elmander was excellent and scored twice, while Kevin Davies converted two penalties, as Wanderers completely dominated the game. It seemed Bolton could do no wrong at this stage of the season, with a 4-2 win over Tottenham shortly before this game, and at this time there were no signs of the late-season troubles to come.

Johan Elmander tormented Newcastle as Bolton ran out 5-1 winners

Lowlight: Bolton 0-5 Stoke, FA Cup semi-final, 17 April 2011. Bolton seemed to freeze on the big occasion as Stoke tore them apart at Wembley. The Trotters were the favourites for this game but they couldn't get to grips with Stoke and defended terribly. They won one and lost five of their six remaining league fixtures after this, so this loss proved the catalyst for their meek end to the season. This game was their big moment and they blew it.

Manager: Despite the poor end to the season, Owen Coyle has still done a terrific job at the Reebok Stadium. Some fans are restless with him but this is completely unfair as his side simply ran out of steam at the end of the season. Before Coyle took over last season, Bolton looked destined for the Championship but he saved them then and they were never in any relegation trouble this season. Coyle seems destined to manage at the very highest level and he is sure to prove this next season.

Owen Coyle's reputation continues to rise despite Bolton's disappointing end to the season

Five games that shaped their season:
Bolton 2-2 Manchester United, Premier League, 26 September 2010.
Bolton 4-2 Tottenham, Premier League, 6 November 2010.
Bolton 5-1 Newcastle, Premier League, 20 November 2010.
Bolton 0-4 Chelsea, Premier League, 24 January 2011.
Bolton 0-5 Stoke, FA Cup, 17 April 2011.

Transfer activity: Bolton need to add a bit of quality to their squad and this is something Owen Coyle is sure to look at. At least one new striker and a central midfielder are needed, with possibly a full-back or two, but don't expect wholesale changes this summer. Good summer signings could be Stephen Warnock, Darren Pratley, Joey Barton and Craig Bellamy. If Wanderers could persuade Daniel Sturridge to make his loan spell permanent that could really help them take the next step.

Gary Cahill is repeatedly linked with moves to clubs in European competitions and it would be no surprise to see him leave this summer. He would warrant a fee in the £15-20million range so if Bolton received a fee like that and re-invested it in quality players, a deal could be worthwhile for all concerned. Johan Elmander has already left to join Galatasaray on a free transfer although his form dipped so dramatically in the second half of the campaign his loss should not affect Bolton too much. Other players who could leave are Ricardo Gardner, Joey O'Brien and Ivan Klasnic.

Aim for next season: Owen Coyle will need to build slowly at Bolton as there is not a great deal of funds available to him, so a top-half finish would be a success next season. Coyle has got Bolton on the right track and with a little bit of squad improvement this summer, a top-half finish is more than achievable. They will need to ensure they finish the season a lot stronger than they did this campaign but Coyle will be confident that was a one-off.

Season rating out of 10: 7. On the whole, this has been a successful season for Bolton. The end to the season was extremely disappointing but they looked set to finish in the top eight for a long time, they reached the FA Cup semi-final and they were never threatened by relegation, representing a real step forward.

Chelsea. 

Premier League: 2nd. Champions League: Quarter-Final. FA Cup: 4th round. Carling Cup: 3rd round. 

Lowdown: After last year's achievements of winning the double and the blistering start they made to this season, this campaign should have been one of glory for Chelsea. However, after winning their opening two league games 6-0 and following that up with three more wins, the season turned sour for the Blues. From November to January, Chelsea won just two league games out of eleven and so it is something of a miracle they remained in the title race. It is no coincidence that run came just after the sacking of assistant manager Ray Wilkins, who appeared to be doing a fine job and was well-loved by the players. The decision to sack Wilkins without consulting manager Carlo Ancelotti undermined the Italian and is undoubtedly the root of all Chelsea's problems this season.

Ray Wilkins' sacking as assistant manager led to a severely bad run of form for Chelsea

Following their poor mid-season form, Chelsea went on a run of 11 league wins in 14 games to re-enter the title race, but in truth they never returned to their absolute best. They did go from fifteen points adrift of Manchester United to just three, but defeat at Old Trafford followed by two more winless games to finish the season left them nine points off the title. The January £50million signing of Fernando Torres did not work, with the Spaniard scoring just once, but his presence next season may offer real hope for Chelsea regaining the title. The Blues were knocked out of the Champions League quite easily by Manchester United in the quarter-finals and that defeat, coupled with the failure to retain the league title, led to the sacking of Carlo Ancelotti on the day the season ended. A season without a trophy is just not acceptable at Stamford Bridge anymore but the sacking of a manager who had just presided over the most successful season in the club's history was ruthless to say the least.

Best player: Petr Cech. Chelsea had the joint-best defensive record in the Premier League this season and much of that was down to the Czech keeper. He made some stunning saves at times and his consistency has a calming effect on his defenders, who must love playing in front of him. He did make the odd mistake, but all goalkeepers do and overall Cech was Chelsea's most consistent player. At 29, his best is still to come and that is a prospect which must excite Chelsea fans. 

Petr Cech remains one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League

Worst player: Fernando Torres joined for £50million in January but just one goal in 18 appearances overall tells its own story. Torres struggled to fit into the Chelsea team, which just doesn't appear suited to the way he plays, and he failed to make any real impact in the majority of the games he played. He remains a world-class striker, though, so if the Blues can make a few summer signings to compliment him he could be a force to be reckoned with again next season. 

Highlight: Chelsea 2-1 Manchester United, Premier League, 1 March 2011. There were not too many games this season which will live long in the memory of Chelsea fans but this comeback win over Man Utd was a highlight. It got Chelsea back in with a chance of the title but its real significance at the time was to get the Blues back into the top four, as their Champions League place was under threat from Tottenham. Goals from David Luiz and Frank Lampard sealed the win after Wayne Rooney had given the eventual champions the lead, with Luiz's excellent strike one of the real bright points of the season for Chelsea. 

David Luiz has established himself as a cult hero at Stamford Bridge

Lowlight: Chelsea 0-3 Sunderland, Premier League, 14 November 2010. Chelsea suffered many disappointments this season but their home humiliation against Sunderland surely topped the lot. They came into the game in great form but the sacking of Ray Wilkins appeared to distract them and Sunderland completely dominated at Stamford Bridge. Goals from Nedum Onuoha, Asamoah Gyan and Danny Welbeck started Chelsea's mid-season slump and this defeat may have been the root of much of their future problems. 

Manager: Carlo Ancelotti was sacked within hours of the final whistle on the last day of the season but he was treated shockingly by the Chelsea board. He was undermined by the sacking mid-season of assistant manager Ray Wilkins and seemingly not consulted on the January signings of Torres and Luiz, which was no way to treat a manager who had just won the first Double in the club's history. Former caretaker manager Guus Hiddink now looks favourite to take over but whoever replaces Ancelotti, they can be sure if they do not win the Premier League or Champions League in any given season they will be out of a job. 

Guus Hiddink is the overwhelming favourite to replace Carlo Ancelotti as Chelsea manager

Five games that shaped their season:
Chelsea 2-0 Arsenal, Premier League, 3 October 2010.
Chelsea 0-3 Sunderland, Premier League, 14 November 2010.
Arsenal 3-1 Chelsea, Premier League, 27 December 2010.
Chelsea 2-1 Manchester United, Premier League, 1 March 2011.
Manchester United 2-1 Chelsea, Champions League and Premier League, 12 April 2011 and 8 May 2011.

Transfer activity: Chelsea badly need to reshape their side to suit Fernando Torres if they want to get the best out of the Spaniard. An attacking midfielder in the mould of Steven Gerrard would be a good addition, while a new full-back, left-winger and a young new striker would be useful signings. Players like Wesley Sneijder, Gregory van der Wiel, Gareth Bale and Neymar have all been strongly linked with the club but any signings are likely to be down to the board rather than the new manager. Getting the average age of the squad down will also be a priority.

If Chelsea are to strongly invest in the squad this summer, it is likely some senior players will leave to make space for new arrivals. Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka have both been linked with moves away but a switch for Anelka seems more likely as Drogba's experience and love for Chelsea could be key next season. Yuri Zhirkov, Jose Bosingwa, Paulo Ferreira and Hilario have all struggled to hold down a regular place in the first team so they could all leave on the cheap. Finally, Chelsea have seen three youngsters join former chief scout Frank Arnesen at Hamburg and the Blues must make sure more talented members of their academy are not lured to Germany.

Aim for next season: Roman Abramovich's much-publicised goal is to deliver the Champions League trophy to Stamford Bridge. If the new manager does not win either that or the Premier League next season, he will not last very long. Abramovich is getting increasingly trigger-happy and is almost impossible to please, so the new manager will have an uphill task upon taking over. Next season must be better than this season or Abramovich's much-used axe will fall again.

Season rating out of 10: 6. Finishing second in the Premier League and reaching the quarter-final of the Champions League is not shoddy by anyone's standards, but any season without a trophy is unacceptable to Abramovich now. Chelsea never really hit their stride again after a strong start to the season and if they had avoided their mid-season slump they would have been right up there with Manchester United.

Everton. 

Premier League: 7th. FA Cup: 5th round. Carling Cup: 3rd round.

Lowdown: This was another typical season for Everton. A very sluggish start followed by a strong end and a top-half finish is what Everton fans have come to expect but finishing in the top ten year in, year out is a terrific achievement for David Moyes and his side. Everton always start the season slowly and this campaign was no different as they failed to win in their first six league games and crashed out of the Carling Cup at League One Brentford. They then went on an unbeaten run of seven games, including a 2-0 win over rivals Liverpool, but were sent crashing back down to earth after a 4-1 home humiliation against newly-promoted West Brom. Everton's form after that fateful afternoon in November though would have put them in contention for the Champions League places had they started the season in the same vein of form.

Everton's 2-0 win over Liverpool was one of the highlights of their season

After the West Brom game, they would lose just five more league games and they won at Manchester City, drew at Liverpool and beat the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea at home along the way. They also went on a strong run in the FA Cup, beating Chelsea on penalties at Stamford Bridge, before surprisingly losing to Reading at home in the fifth round. Their great league form came despite the loss of key performer Steven Pienaar to Tottenham in January and having to cope with a crippling injury list which included the likes of Tim Cahill and Mikel Arteta. Moyes is continuing to work miracles at Goodison Park and if his side can enjoy a strong start to next season and produce the kind of form they showed in the closing stages of this campaign, they may be able to take the next step. A bit more luck in the injury department and a few summer additions and Everton could launch a serious bid for a top four place next season.

Best player: Leighton Baines. There really was no contest for this award as Baines has been simply sublime at left-back for Everton this season. He played every minute of the Toffees' league campaign, chipped in with seven goals in all competitions, was defensively sound, dangerous from set-pieces and he created a string of goals for his team-mates. He has truly made the breakthrough into the England set-up now and he is just unlucky he is playing in the same era as one of the best England left-backs ever, Ashley Cole. He has been linked with a summer move away and, at 26, he may feel the time is right to move on but Everton must fight tooth and nail to keep him as there are not many better left-backs around. Special mentions should also go to Seamus Coleman and Sylvain Distin.

Leighton Baines has drawn widespread praise for his performances this season

Worst player: Diniyar Bilyaletdinov. The Russian was played out of position at times this season but the Everton fans turned on him for a perceived lack of effort, similar to the situation faced by his compatriot Andrei Arshavin at Arsenal. He did score a stunning goal, away at Wolves, and showed glimpses of brilliance but overall this season was a very disappointing one for him. He has obvious talent, but the fact he started just 10 times in the league shows how disillusioned his manager David Moyes became with his performances.

Highlight: Chelsea 1-1 Everton (Everton won 4-3 on penalties), FA Cup fourth round replay, 19 February 2011. Everton had many good moments this season, from scoring twice in stoppage time to draw against Manchester United to wins over Liverpool, Tottenham, Manchester City and Chelsea but the drama of their FA Cup victory over Chelsea surely topped the lot. The Toffees performed admirably to take the reigning FA Cup winners to extra-time but appeared to have lost the game after Frank Lampard's 104th-minute goal, only for Leighton Baines to arrow home a magnificent free-kick with one minute to go to force penalties. After Ashley Cole blazed his penalty over, captain Phil Neville scored the winning spot-kick to send Everton fans, players and staff wild.

Everton's players celebrate after their dramatic penalty shoot-out win over Chelsea

Lowlight: Bolton 2-0 Everton, Premier League, 13 February 2011. Everton came into this game on the back of a good run of form but their meek loss at the Reebok Stadium put them just three points above the relegation zone and left manager David Moyes despondent and reportedly considering his future. Everton were completely dominated throughout and Moyes described the abject display as one of the worst during his managerial reign at the club. The loss did provide a wake-up call to the squad as they went on a strong run to the end of the season, but that does not mask the poorness of this performance. Losses in the FA Cup to Reading, Carling Cup to Brentford and their 4-1 loss at home to West Brom ran this game close.

Manager: David Moyes is continuing to work miracles at Goodison Park on a shoe-string budget but questions are still asked as to whether he needs a new challenge. No other manager could have done a better job than he has at Goodison Park and Everton are lucky to have him. It would still be a major surprise to see him leave the Toffees this summer though as he is unlikely to leave unless a massive club came in for him. He would not leave to take a sideways step. He will need to ensure Everton keep hold of their main players this summer though, or improvement will be an impossible task for even him to achieve.

David Moyes has been in charge at Everton since 2002

Five games that shaped their season:
Everton 3-3 Manchester United, Premier League, 11 September 2010.
Everton 2-0 Liverpool, Premier League, 17 October 2010.
Everton 1-4 West Brom, Premier League, 27 November 2010.
Bolton 2-0 Everton, Premier League, 13 February 2011.
Chelsea 1-1 Everton (Everton won 4-3 on penalties), FA Cup, 19 February 2011.

Transfer activity: Everton's much-publicised lack of transfer funds will remain the case this summer so David Moyes will have to look at free transfers and bargain signings. The squad remains threadbare, particularly in the striking department, so it will need to be improved. Ideally, they should look to sign a central defender, right-back, central midfielder and striker at the very least. Good signings could be Wes Brown, Joey Barton, Sebastian Larsson, Jay Bothroyd and Demba Ba.

If Everton are to progress, many have suggested they may need to sell the promising Jack Rodwell to raise funds for incoming signings. Rodwell had a disappointing campaign and has been linked with a big-money move to Manchester United. The Toffees must keep hold of other stars though, particularly Leighton Baines, if they are to challenge for the European positions. John Heitinga and Diniyar Bilyaletdinov have also been linked with moves, while James Vaughan has already left to join Norwich. Yakubu's loan spell at Leicester has now ended but it seems unlikely he will return to Everton this summer. His impending departure further hastens the need for more striking reinforcements at Goodison Park.

Aim for next season: David Moyes has stated that seventh is the highest position Everton are capable of but with a bit more luck and a better start to the season a top six place would not be out of the question. In reality, seventh place may be the target set privately at Goodison Park but Moyes should publicly aim higher to ensure fans can remain optimistic and players do not become disillusioned with life at Everton. Moyes should also give the cups a lot of prominence next season as silverware would be the ideal proof the club is heading in the right direction.

Season rating out of 10: 8. Another miracle from Moyes and his team who once again overcame all the odds to finish seventh. The only crying shame from this season was their perennial slow start so if they can sort that out next season, they could be in for a very exciting campaign.

Fulham.

Premier League: 8th. FA Cup: 5th round. Carling Cup: 3rd round.

Lowdown: This campaign looked set to be a very distressing one for Fulham half-way through but they turned it around to earn a very creditable top-half finish. They started well enough, with seven unbeaten league games, although six of them were draws. They quickly established themselves as the draw specialists of the Premier League, with 10 draws in their first 17 games, and by Boxing Day they had picked up just two league wins under Mark Hughes. On Boxing Day, they lost 3-1 at home to West Ham and Hughes' position looked under threat, with Fulham sitting in the relegation zone half-way through the season. Four wins in seven games then followed and the Cottagers never looked back from there.

Fulham's 3-1 home defeat to West Ham piled the pressure on manager Mark Hughes

A 4-0 FA Cup win over Tottenham was the highlight for many fans but their league form also significantly improved, thanks largely to the form of the likes of Clint Dempsey and return from injury of Bobby Zamora. Their overall record away from home was as bad as it normally is though, with just three wins away from Craven Cottage, but two of those were in the last two away games of the season which suggests they may have got out of the mindset that they cannot win away. They will be in the Europa League next season due to their placing in the Fair Play League, but they will go into that without Hughes after he resigned. He was replaced by ex-Tottenham boss Martin Jol, who will find a club with solid foundations and the possibilities to move forward. Eighth place represented Fulham's second-highest league placing in their history so this is a club on the rise who have had a season to be proud of, whatever the circumstances of Hughes' departure. One event which cannot go unmentioned from this season is the unveiling of a statue of pop legend Michael Jackson outside Craven Cottage by owner Mohamed Al Fayed. On hearing fans were disgruntled with the statue, the Egyptian replied they could go to hell or go and watch Chelsea. That's them told.

Best player: Clint Dempsey stepped up to the plate after Fulham's attacking line suffered multiple injuries and returned an impressive 12 goals. His versatility was vital for the Cottagers this season, and without his interventions at crucial stages, they could have been deep in the relegation mire. At 28, he has reached a pivotal stage in his career and he has stated he would leave Fulham for a Champions League club, and it would not be a surprise if some of the bigger clubs have been impressed with his performances this season. Praise must also go to Brede Hangeland, as solid as ever at the back, Danny Murphy, still the string-puller in the middle and Moussa Dembele, who impressed in his first season in English football despite a lack of goals.

Clint Dempsey was inspirational at times for Fulham this season

Worst player: Andy Johnson has suffered from a catalogue of injuries and unfortunately does not seem the same player now. Once a prolific goalscorer with Crystal Palace, Johnson scored just three in 26 games this season and seems unlikely to return to the heights he reached earlier in his career. He still works tirelessly and you can see the mind is still thinking the same way it did during the best spell of his career, but unfortunately his body has not held up and allowed him to have the career he ought to have had. Carlos Salcido and Eddie Johnson were also disappointing.

Highlight: Fulham 4-0 Tottenham, FA Cup 4th round, 30 January 2011. Fulham annihilated neighbours Tottenham in the FA Cup with possibly their best display of the season, and this is surely the game most supporters will remember this season by. Michael Dawson was sent off for the penalty incident leading to Fulham's second, and all four of the Cottagers' goals came before half-time. They could have had more and arguably stepped off the gas in the second half, but this was a near-perfect display which will live long in the memory of fans.

Danny Murphy scored two penalties in Fulham's demolition of Tottenham

Lowlight: Fulham 1-3 West Ham, Premier League, 26 December 2010. This was billed as a must-win game for Fulham as they knew they would drop into the bottom three if they lost this potential relegation six-pointer. Things started well enough for the Cottagers, with Aaron Hughes giving them an early lead, but things soon unravelled as the Hammers struck twice before half-time and again in the second half to secure a priceless win and pile the pressure on Mark Hughes. Fulham appeared to be in deep trouble at this stage and their performance for much of this game was abject, but they would have the last laugh as West Ham were eventually relegated. Fulham only lost four times at home in the league, but they were all major disappointments: this game, a 2-1 loss to neighbours Tottenham and 4-1 and 5-2 thrashings against Manchester City and Liverpool respectively. When the Cottagers lose at home, they do so spectacularly.

Manager: Mark Hughes had a very difficult act to follow in Roy Hodgson, who led Fulham to their highest-ever league finish of seventh and took them to the Europa League final, but the Welshman coped well and had a very successful first season at Craven Cottage. He looked to be taking the club in the right direction but resigned just a year into his reign at the end of the season to leave fans bewildered. Ex-Tottenham manager Martin Jol has replaced him and that looks like a very astute appointment as he did a very good job with Spurs, knows the Premier League well and is well-respected across Europe. The departure of Hughes should not spell the end of Fulham's move forward.

Martin Jol replaced Mark Hughes as Fulham manager after the Welshman resigned at the end of the season

Five games that shaped their season:
Fulham 1-4 Manchester City, Premier League, 21 November 2010.
Fulham 1-3 West Ham, Premier League, 26 December 2010.
Stoke 0-2 Fulham, Premier League, 28 December 2010.
Fulham 4-0 Tottenham, FA Cup, 30 January 2011.
Fulham 2-5 Liverpool, Premier League, 9 May 2011.

Transfer activity: Martin Jol's first objective as Fulham manager should be to increase the depth of the squad, as it looked threadbare at times this season. He will probably need to look at the full-back positions, aim for a new centre-half, a couple of wingers and a striker at the very least. Players to look at should include Paul Konchesky, Jonny Evans, Jermaine Jenas, Eidur Gudjohnsen (now a free agent and was on loan at Fulham last season), Shaun Wright-Phillips, Robbie Keane and Pablo Osvaldo.

Going out, a number of Fulham players have been linked with moves and Jol must move quickly to ensure his star players do not leave. Tottenham have reportedly had a £10million bid for Moussa Dembele turned down and Jol saw him at close quarters in Dutch football and will be desperate to keep him. Clint Dempsey and Bobby Zamora will also need to be talked to by Jol as they are key performers for the Cottagers and must not be allowed to leave. Zoltan Gera is out of contract and has been linked with a return to West Brom, where he would link up with his former Fulham manager Roy Hodgson, although recent reports have suggested the appointment of Jol may persuade the Hungarian to sign a new deal. Andy Johnson has also been linked with a reunion with Hodgson and could be allowed to leave, while John Pantsil, Carlos Salcido, Eddie Johnson and Bjorn Helge Riise may also be shown the door. The loss of so many players means Jol will need to be busy this summer as pretty much every position will need strengthening.

Aim for next season: A repeat of this season's league position, if not the first-half of the season, would be a real achievement for Jol but Mohamed Al Fayed will have loftier ambitions than that. As intimated, the first-half of next season will need to be better and if a few draws (Fulham had the highest number of draws in the Premier League this season with 16) are turned into wins, they could be in for a successful year. Fulham have never won a major trophy so that should be a real objective as long as it does not impact on their chances of staying in the Premier League. The Europa League will begin as a sideshow but if Fulham can have a similar run as they had the last time they were in the competition, it will have real benefits for the club. Overall though, the league will be the priority for Jol and if he can improve on this season's eighth place it will be up there with all the successes he achieved at Tottenham.

Season rating out of 10: 7. A very solid and respectable campaign for the Cottagers after looking like they were going to be in a relegation battle at Christmas. Fulham is a very stable club and they are now reaping the benefits on the pitch, and if the first-half of the season had been better and a few draws had been turned into wins, this rating could have been one or two points higher.

Liverpool.

Premier League: 6th. Europa League: Last 16. FA Cup: 3rd round. Carling Cup: 3rd round.

Lowdown: The best way to sum up this season at Anfield would be to describe it as a season of two halves. Roy Hodgson took over from Rafael Benitez last summer against a backdrop of uncertainty surrounding the club's American owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, and appeared to have an almost impossible task. He led them to several victories in the opening rounds of the Europa League but the league form of the Reds was a real concern: they won just one of their first eight fixtures, a narrow home win over West Brom. Among the early disappointments was a humiliating loss at home to Blackpool and a meek defeat at neighbours Everton, while they also lost a penalty shoot-out at home to League Two Northampton in the Carling Cup to leave belief at an all-time low at Anfield. Liverpool's poor early-season form came during a period of real uncertainty at the club, with Hicks and Gillett eventually taken to court and effectively having the club stripped from them, with fellow American John W Henry's Fenway Sports Group completing a buy-out. Things momentarily improved, with three straight wins including a 2-0 win against Chelsea, but the writing was already on the wall for Hodgson, with fans calling for the installment of club legend Kenny Dalglish as manager after poor losses at Stoke, Newcastle and Blackburn and a home defeat to Wolves. Hodgson's signings hadn't worked either, with Paul Konchesky, Christian Poulsen, Milan Jovanovic and Joe Cole all failing spectacularly at Anfield, with only Raul Meireles impressing. They had dropped to as low as 19th earlier in Hodgson's reign and he had presided over the club's worst start to a season since 1953-54, and a change was needed to stop Liverpool unthinkably facing a relegation battle.

Steven Gerrard missed a penalty in Liverpool's 3-1 loss at Blackburn, Hodgson's last game as manager

Hodgson was sacked prior to an FA Cup tie at Old Trafford and succeeded by Dalglish on an interim basis, and a revival of epic proportions then took place. After losing that tie and then losing at Blackpool and drawing with Everton, Dalglish led them to four straight victories including a win at Stamford Bridge. The Scot also had to deal with the departure of star striker Fernando Torres to Chelsea, and this was followed by some frantic big-money business on January's transfer deadline day. After recouping £50million for Torres, the club splashed out a reported £57.8million on two of the most highly-rated young strikers in world football, Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez, with the new owners' recruitment plans made abundantly clear. Carroll struggled with injuries in his opening months at the club but impressed when called upon, while Suarez has added the flair Liverpool have been missing for the last few years and become a huge fans' favourite. They were knocked out of the Europa League by Braga but were clearly progressing under Dalglish - who was rewarded with a deal to become manager on a permanent basis - and they recorded impressive wins over Manchester United, Sunderland, Manchester City, Birmingham and Fulham. If the league had started when Dalglish took over, Liverpool would have finished third, and only two defeats in their last two games denied them a place in Europe for next season. Captain fantastic Steven Gerrard missed almost half of the season through injury but if he returns strongly next season, Liverpool could be set for a fantastic campaign. The future also looks bright, with youngsters including Martin Kelly, John Flanagan, Jack Robinson, Jay Spearing and Jonjo Shelvey all impressing when given the chance. The brave new Liverpool under Dalglish was encapsulated in the 1-1 draw at Arsenal, with Dirk Kuyt scoring a 102nd-minute penalty to cancel out Arsenal's 98th-minute opener. Dalglish took Liverpool from relegation candidates to possibilities for a top four finish so the future is surely bright for Liverpool under him. Talk of winning the league title may be fanciful but the added incentive for Liverpool has now been handed to them by arch rivals Manchester United, who overtook them with their 19th league title this season.

The future looks bright at Liverpool, with Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez's partnership particularly exciting

Best player: Lucas Leiva has completely changed his reputation among Liverpool fans this season, going from a player fans wanted to leave the club to someone who now looks indispensable. He never complained during the bad times and always tried his best, so he deserves the success he has achieved this season. He won the fans' Player of the Year award at a canter so that shows how his status has grown recently. He has visibly improved in confidence as his Reds career has progressed and his consistency has made him one of the first names on the teamsheet, so he truly warrants this award. Special mentions must also go to the workhorse Dirk Kuyt, who scored 13 league goals, Raul Meireles, who adapted brilliantly in his first season in English football, Pepe Reina, as solid as ever between the sticks, and Luis Suarez, who already looks a bargain at £22.8million.

Lucas Leiva has become a key member of this Liverpool side

Worst player: Paul Konchesky. Konchesky was excellent at Fulham and a key member of the side that reached the Europa League final last season, but he seemed to get stage fright at Liverpool and failed to make any impact whatsoever. He was farmed out on loan to Nottingham Forest in January and appears extremely unlikely to return to Anfield after suffering heavy criticism from fans. He wasn't the only disappointment though, with fellow Hodgson signings Cole, Jovanovic and Poulsen also proving absolute flops.

Highlight: Liverpool 3-1 Manchester United, Premier League, 6 March 2011. Any victory over Manchester United is special for Liverpool but the manner in which they won this game ensures this will live long in the memory. The Merseysiders completely outclassed the eventual champions in every department, and their performance offers real hope they could challenge United for the title next season. Dirk Kuyt grabbed the headlines with a poacher's hat-trick but it was the performance of Luis Suarez which really caught the imagination, with his trickery, work-rate and flair simply too good for the champions. There were other memorable games, such as their home and away wins against Chelsea, 5-2 win at Fulham, 5-0 win over Birmingham, 3-0 victory against Manchester City and last-gasp 1-1 draw at Arsenal, but the victory over United is surely the highlight of most Liverpool fans' seasons.

Dirk Kuyt's hat-trick in Liverpool's 3-1 win over Man Utd will live long in the memory of Liverpool fans

Lowlight: Liverpool 0-1 Wolves, Premier League, 29 December 2010. When an away team travels to Anfield, they expect to be under intense pressure from the first whistle to the last and have to ride their luck for any victory they get. Wolves came into this game bottom of the league yet Liverpool did not even look like scoring, and Stephen Ward's second-half strike was enough to earn them a deserved 1-0 victory. Fans turned on Hodgson again during this game and called for Kenny Dalglish, and Hodgson criticised the fans for their negativity after the game. Hodgson only lasted two more games, and it seems this performance was a major reason behind his sacking. Other games which rivalled the Wolves game for this category were Liverpool's 3-1 losses at Blackburn and Newcastle as well as their humblings at home against Blackpool in the Premier League and Northampton in the Carling Cup.

Manager: It's hard not to feel sorry for Roy Hodgson for the way things turned out for him at Anfield as he took over in the most difficult of circumstances. That said, results don't lie and the improvement the team showed under Dalglish proved the board made the correct decision to dispense of Hodgson's services. Dalglish had a terrific impact after taking over in January and has galvanised the whole club, so the future looks bright under him. Hodgson has bounced back with West Brom to save his reputation, again underlining the difficulties he faced at Anfield.

Kenny Dalglish took over from Roy Hodgson as Liverpool manager half-way through the season

Five games that shaped their season:
Liverpool 2-2 Northampton (Northampton won 4-2 on penalties), Carling Cup, 22 September 2010.
Liverpool 1-2 Blackpool, Premier League, 3 October 2010.
Liverpool 0-1 Wolves, Premier League, 29 December 2010.
Chelsea 0-1 Liverpool, Premier League, 6 February 2011.
Liverpool 3-1 Manchester United, Premier League, 6 March 2011.

Transfer activity: Liverpool look set to be very busy this summer both with incoming and outgoing transfers and much of that business will be down to Director of Football Damien Comolli. They look like they are looking to sign young, British (preferably English) players with real drive and ambition, and their first summer signing looks set to be Jordan Henderson of Sunderland for a reported fee between £16-20million. Other positions which need strengthening are left-back, centre-half, left winger and the striking department. They have been strongly linked with Jose Enrique, Gary Cahill, Scott Dann, Charlie Adam, Stewart Downing and Connor Wickham among others. One of their main targets, Blackburn's Phil Jones, appears to have opted for Manchester United so Liverpool will now redouble their efforts to sign a central defender.

There is a lot of deadwood at Liverpool at the moment and they will have to get rid of as much of this as possible to make way for the new additions. Alberto Aquilani, Paul Konchesky, Joe Cole, Milan Jovanovic, Christian Poulsen, David N'Gog and Sotirios Kyrgiakos all look set for pastures new as there will be no place for them in the new Liverpool. They will need to keep hold of the likes of Pepe Reina though and they have a much better chance of doing that with Dalglish in charge.

Aim for next season: The primary aim for next season for Liverpool should be to reclaim their place in the top four and this will be difficult given the resources available to some of their rivals. However, Liverpool now have plenty of cash themselves and if that is invested wisely this summer, a top four place will be more than achievable. Liverpool have not won a trophy since 2006 so Dalglish will be looking to address that, but next season may be just too early for the Reds to seriously challenge for the title. However, with Dalglish in charge, anything seems possible.

Season rating out of 10: 7. Mid-season, this rating would have been a two at best but Dalglish has completely turned the tide at Anfield and the future now looks bright. The fact the rating is this high is due to the second-half of the season alone as things could not have gone any better and fans have entered the summer in positive spirits.