Liverpool
What went right
August. Despite having a game fewer than the top two and being on the receiving end of a shocking decision at home to Chelsea, Liverpool were on top of the table at the first international break. Wa-hey.
Once Florent Malouda's flop had been unjustly rewarded, a sizeable number of decisions went Liverpool's way to the consternation of the opposition, most notably in the Merseyside derby at Goodison in the Premier League, and against Arsenal in the Champions League.
One player who most definitely was not a flop was Fernando Torres, who broke Ruud van Nistelrooy's record for top-flight goals in a first season for an overseas player. Although the Spaniard failed to score enough goals away from Anfield in the Premier League, his strike at Stamford Bridge took his team to the brink of the Champions League final.
After appearing to be in danger of being overtaken by Everton, late-season salvage work ensured Liverpool finished with a record points total for fourth and lost fewer matches than the champions.
What went wrong
An awful lot, starting with the fact that two of the League defeats were against the champions. There were also far too many draws, including those inflicted by John Arne Riise's own goals at Luton in the FA Cup and at home to Chelsea in the Champions League.
It is a matter of dispute how much of the on-the-pitch problems was caused by boadroom chaos and vice versa.
The opening three games after the first international break were a draw at Portsmouth, a draw in Porto in the Champions League and a home draw with Birmingham. There were 18 different starters in those matches. A struggle to win at Wigan and defeat at home to Marseille quickly followed.
Rotation is never an issue when it works, but these performances and results put Liverpool on the back foot for the rest of the autumn - and effectively the season.
Daniel Agger's injury left defensive resources stretched and generally there were too many bit-part players. Oddly, one of them was Peter Crouch - Benitez put faith in the player when so many wouldn't, then withdrew his support once the striker had proved his worth. Mystifying.
Reasons to be cheerful
Torres proved worth the money. Javier Mascherano proved worth the hassle as well as the money. Martin Skrtel looks like an escapee from the gulag archipelago, but recovered well from the shock to the system delivered by Havant & Waterlooville.
Ahead of a summer when he may have to sell before he can buy, Benitez has shown he can play the market by making profits on Craig Bellamy and Mohamed Sissoko in the past 12 months and Pennant and Crouch have surely enhanced their value while at Anfield. Shame about Scott Carson's loss of form.
Liverpool have sold their soul already, and DIC are lurking in the wings if the Americans can ever make up their minds to take their profit.
The receptions given Havant & Waterlooville and Barnsley were a credit to the home supporters.
Doom and gloom
For the first time under Benitez, there was no cup final. The first squad the Spaniard has had capable of mounting a title challenge failed to do so.
Transfer gossip this week was linking Liverpool with moves for three different wide players, which is no surprise but probably a disappointment for Benitez. From Antonio Nunez to Mark Gonzalez, Bolo Zenden to Jermaine Pennant, Liverpool's manager has been looking for width. Yet he winds up with Dirk Kuyt stuck out on one flank.
And the moral is
One good summer can still leave you with a season that's hard to swallow.
Arsenal
What went right
Thierry who?
Well, not quite, but Arsenal were widely tipped to struggle last summer (a suggestion advanced here, too), yet in late February looked on course for the title and in with a decent shout in the Champions League.
Emmanuel Adebayor's goals and no-nonsense approach seemed the perfect foil for the artistry behind him, while Eduardo was looking better and better until his encounter with Martin Taylor.
Alex Hleb improved dramatically. The already excellent Cesc Fabregas got better and better. Theo Walcott had what should have been his signature moment at Anfield. Arsenal were for large stretches of the season the best team in the country to watch.
They deposed the reigning European champions and three times held the advantage against Liverpool in the quarter-final.
What went wrong
"Birmingham City 2 Arsenal 2" is a popular answer. Likewise "Manchester United 4 Arsenal 0" in the FA Cup.
William Gallas's comical St Andrew's sulk was arguably as damaging, coming from the skipper, as Eduardo's horrific injury. Too much is made of the captaincy in England - a consequence, perhaps, of its greater importance in rugby union and especially cricket - but "not acting like Gallas" is surely an important part of the job description everywhere.
The limp display at Old Trafford in the Cup should have been unthinkable. Arsenal were embarrassed - an insult to their travelling fans - and United bolstered by the result. Spurs, too, profited at the expense of rivals not sufficiently committed.
Just when Adebayor was being talked up, he fell away. Or possibly over.
In the end, United stumbled, Chelsea were less than perfect - a couple more wins would have made all the difference in the Premier League. Improved concentration at Anfield would have been enough, too.
But - and this will make things more painful for Wenger the perfectionist, because it confirms that some things are beyon his or anyone's control - a little bit of good luck where Arsenal had bad could have made all the difference.
Reasons to be cheerful
Wenger is as devoted to the club as ever, an unsackable institution as long as Arsenal remain in the hands of football people.
Bakary Sagna had a first season in England every bit as outstanding as his hair.
Auf weidersehn, Jens.
Doom and gloom
Adieu, Mathieu.
Lassana Diarra decided he couldn't wait (and his FA Cup medal will have vindicated his decision), to the frustration of Wenger.
Off the pitch, the departure of David Dein over the role of Stan Kroenke, and the machinations of Alisher Usmanov, a man closely acquainted with his lawyers, shook what remains of the marble halls.
The future is uncertain, and while United and Chelsea have absurd debts one is in fact profitable as an ongoing concern and the other has an owner who doesn't need to care how much money is spent.
And the moral is
"Que sera, sera" may not work as a phrase in any known language, but it certainly speaks to football.
Philip Cornwall