Martin Jol was back to English Premier League (EPL) football last season, returning to London to coach Fulham after leaving Dutch giants Ajax Amsterdam.
Before his appointment in Holland, Dutchman Jol had spent three years at Tottenham (from 2004 to 2007).
Kenny Dalgish was in his second stint at Liverpool, taking over from Roy Hodgson in January 2011. The Reds did well in the 2011-12 domestic cups but failed miserably in the championship.
Luck did not smile on Liverpool who struck the woodwork on no fewer than 33 times last season, the most ever recorded by one club in a season for a very long time. Fulham were second with 24 shots against the wooden goal frame.
Liverpool also had more shots off target than any other side in the Premier League besides missing five penalties (the most in the championship) and misplacing more passes than anyone.
An eighth-place finish was awful – the worse since Liverpool returned to the top flight 50 years ago. Also, the 52 points gathered was the lowest total ever since teams started earning three points for a win.
Season 2011-12 was owner John Henry’s first full campaign at Anfield. New signings Andy Carroll, Stewart Downing and John Henderson let the club and Dalglish down as much more was expected from this trio.
Dalglish’s errors mostly showed in the selection of his team, leaving out valid players as most of the time Carroll, Downing and Henderson figured in his starting line-ups.
The Scot also failed to handle adequately the Luis Suarez contro-versy in the media and in the end he was sacked and replaced by the emergent Brendan Rodgers.
Fulham finished ninth last season, one place less than the previous campaign.
Their defence failed to live up to expectations but in attack Clinton Dempsey did well and finished fourth overall in the scorers’ list with 17 goals.
In the Europa League, Fulham were involved in 14 matches before they were eliminated at the start of the knock-out phase by the Dutch side Odense.
In the FA Cup they lost to Everton at Goodison Park 1-2 in the fourth round and in the League Cup neighbours Chelsea held Fulham in their stride – but only after a penalty shoot-out.
Liverpool went all the way to carry the League Cup at Wembley, beating Cardiff City 3-2 on penalties after a 2-2 draw.
The Reds made the trip to North London again for the FA Cup final but this time they lost to Chelsea 2-1.
On their way to the final, they saw off Man. United, Stoke and rivals Everton in the semi-final.
Premier League 2011-12
Fulham
August
Home vs Aston Villa 0-0.
Away vs Wolves 0-2.
Away vs Newcastle 1-2 (Dempsey).
September
Home vs Blackburn 1-1 (Zamora).
Home vs Manchester City 2-2 (Zamora, Murphy).
Away vs West Brom 0-0.
October
Home vs QPR 6-0 (Johnson 3, Murphy pen, Dempsey, Zamora).
Away vs Stoke 0-2.
Home vs Everton 1-3 (Ruiz).
Away vs Wigan 2-0 (Dempsey, Dembele).
November
Home vs Tottenham 1-3 (Kaboul og).
Away vs Sunderland 0-0.
Away vs Arsenal 1-1 (Vermaelen og).
December
Home vs Liverpool 1-0 (Dempsey).
Away vs Swansea 0-2.
Home vs Bolton 2-0 (Dempsey, Ruiz).
Home vs Manchester United 0-5.
Away vs Chelsea 1-1 (Dempsey).
Away vs Norwich 1-1 (Sa).
January
Home vs Arsenal 2-1 (Sidwell, Zamora).
Away vs Blackburn 1-3 (Duff).
Home vs Newcastle 5-2 (Murphy pen, Dempsey 3, Zamora pen).
February
Home vs West Brom 1-1 (Dempsey).
Away vs Manchester City 0-3.
Home vs Stoke 2-1 (Pogrebnyak, Svensson og).
Away vs QPR 1-0 (Pogrebnyak).
March
Home vs Wolves 5-0 (Pogrebnyak 3, Dempsey 2).
Away vs Aston Villa 0-1.
Home vs Swansea 0-3.
Away vs Manchester United 0-1.
April
Home vs Norwich 2-1 (Dempsey, Duff).
Away vs Bolton 3-0 (Dempsey 2, Diarra).
Home vs Chelsea 1-1 (Dempsey).
Home vs Wigan 2-1 (Pogrebnyak, Senderos).
Away vs Everton 0-4.
May
Away vs Liverpool 1-0 (Skrtel og).
Home vs Sunderland 2-1 (Dempsey, Dembele).
Away vs Tottenham 0-2.
Liverpool
August
Home vs Sunderland 1-1 (Suarez).
Away vs Arsenal 2-0 (Ramsey og, Suarez).
Home vs Bolton 3-1 (Henderson, Skrtel, Adam).
September
Away vs Stoke 0-1.
Away vs Tottenham 0-4.
Home vs Wolves 2-1 (Johnson og, Suarez).
October
Away vs Everton 2-0 (Carroll, Suarez).
Home vs Manchester United 1-1 (Gerrard).
Home vs Norwich 1-1 (Bellamy).
Away vs West Brom 2-0 (Adam pen, Carroll).
November
Home vs Swansea 0-0.
Away vs Chelsea 2-1 (Rodriguez, Johnston).
Home vs Manchester City 1-1 (Lescott og).
December
Away vs Fulham 0-1.
Home vs QPR 1-0 (Suarez).
Away vs Aston Villa 2-0 (Bellamy, Skrtel).
Away vs Wigan 0-0.
Home vs Blackburn 1-1 (Rodriguez).
Home vs Newcastle 3-1 (Bellamy 2, Gerrard).
January
Away vs Manchester City 0-3.
Home vs Stoke 0-0.
Away vs Bolton 1-3 (Bellamy).
Away vs Wolves 3-0 (Carroll, Bellamy, Kurt).
February
Home vs Tottenham 0-0.
Away vs Manchester United 1-2 (Suarez).
March
Home vs Arsenal 1-2 (Koscielny og).
Away vs Sunderland 0-1.
Home vs Everton 3-0 (Gerrard 3).
Away vs QPR 2-3 (Coates, Kuyt).
Home vs Wigan 1-2 (Suarez).
April
Away vs Newcastle 0-2.
Home vs Aston Villa 1-1 (Suarez).
Away vs Blackburn 3-2 (Rodriguez 2, Carroll).
Home vs West Brom 0-1.
Away vs Norwich 3-0 (Suarez 3).
May
Home vs Fulham 0-1.
Home vs Chelsea 4-1 (Essien og, Henderson, Agger, Shelvey).
Away vs Swansea 0-1.