Arda Cup Football 2010 [Archive] - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Boromir88

02-24-2010, 12:03 PM

Arda Cup President Boromir the 88th (no relation to any of the other Boromirs. In fact, history has only recorded 9 Boromirs to ever exist, so no one knows how he gets away calling himself the 88th), held a press conference today to field questions from the national media about getting ready to kick off the 2010 Arda Cup.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Boro: First, let me begin by welcoming all of you here today. I'm sure you are excited to start the tournament, as I am. This year we will see new players in their first Arda Cup, old players on different teams, expansion teams like Gelion and Pelennor making their first appearance, and many of the traditional teams that have been in since the first Arda Cup. This is setting up to be the deepest and most exciting tournament we've had yet. Now, I am open for your questions. Let's start with Master phantom, from MESPN.

the phantom: You said this is the deepest field ever, but you surely are not blind to the criticism against the Committee, and particularly yourself, that you have overstepped your authority to achieve this?

Boro: I'm assuming you are referring to new rules we've put in place this year like the salary cap? I should remind you the salary cap is not strict, owners do not have to be under the cap. If an owner can and wants to spend more, he may do so, but if he does then the team will be fined. These fines will then be spread evenly amongst the teams who remain below the cap, to provide them with a bit more money to maintain key players or perhaps acquire a free agent. I do not see anything inherently evil with enforcing a salary cap.

the phantom: Surely you realize it's not just the new salary cap, but you have also made it now where all trades and signings must be approved by the committee.

Boro: This was put into place because of a difficult situation towards the end of the last Cup and the start of free agency. It was clear to us that Hurin and Gwindor were not happy with their situations in Angband and wanted to leave. Angband did not want them to leave, but instead of trying to reach a peaceful agreement, the black-cloaks decided to try to scare Hurin and Gwindor into staying, by force. In fact, threatening them with a curse if they did leave. Therefor, the committee felt it was our duty to step in and make it possible for Hurin and Gwindor to leave, if they wanted to, and not being under the threat of a curse. To prevent these situations from happening again, we decided we should be able to aprove or deny all future transactions. You should notice we have not been unfair in the application of this new rule, as we approved Durin's Bane, who was not happy in his place, departure from Moria and signing with Angband, now named Thangorodrim.

the phantom: Yes, because that wasn't a move to appease Angband into allowing Hurin and Gwindor to leave. :rolleyes:

Boro: Was there a question in there?

the phantom: Nope, just trying to make the point that by spreading the talent, and attempting to equalize the teams you are working completely contrary to your stated goal of having an exciting tournament. The end can only be, instead of having a thrilling tournament capped off by 2 great teams like Armenolos and Hithlum last year, just 32 mediocre teams playing mediocre games. That's too much mediocrity for some of us to chew.

Boro: Need I remind you these rules were voted on and passed by the majority of the owners? But if you have no further questions, than I'm moving on...yes Formendacil?

Formendacil: I find your choice of words regarding the new rules interesting, that is voted on and passed by the majority of owners. Not the disregard of the minority, but I have observed that perhaps the Committee beat all the owners into submission by making examples out of the disbanding, and then flooding of Isengard, as well as the blow-up of the Armenolos team?

Boro: With regards to Isengard we had proof Saruman was keeping all the profits for himself. Every fan, not matter what team they support, deserves to see a quality team on the pitch. This is the most prestigious sports event in the world, BAR NONE. Saruman was using the prestige of the Arda Cup to make a profit, yet field a crap team and didn't pay his Uruks for the last few matches, and NEVER paid Grima at all. Yet he was boasting record profits and when we began our investigation, Saruman could not provide any of his financial records claiming he left them in his robes and when he washed them the new detergeant turned made everything in the washer techni-colored. Thus, it was necessary to disband Isengard and flood their stadium.

As far as Armenolos, why Ar Pharazon, Sauron, and Tar Minastir left for other teams you will have to ask them. My guess is they had bigger aspirations then spending their career in Numenor. It's no secret Ar Pharazon has always wanted to go to Aman and Sauron no longer decided to be sub-servient, probably why he has taken the position of Lord, Owner, and player-manager of Barad Dur.

Form: So you are expecting us to believe you did not force Aman, who had always rejected Ar Pharazon entrance to the Blessed Realm, to now allow him on the team?

Boro: Yes.

Skip spence here, since you've brought up Sauron claiming complete ownership over Barad Dur and I notice that Melkor has left the Valar to field his own team in Utumno, I want to ask if you feel any possible danger in allowing the two Dark Lords this much freedom? What I mean is, many of us believed last year that Mandos and Tulkas were able to keep Melkor in check, but now with his own team, completely made of servants there is no one to do so. There is also musch scratching of heads at Sauron's aims when he asked several of his enemies from the 2nd Age to join his team. What is to stop Melkor from becoming the much feared Morgoth, or from Sauron trying to create a War of the very Last Alliance?

Boro: I have been assured that Melkor does want something in this world even more than total destruction, and that is an Arda Cup. He felt he could not do this under the restricting Valar, and thus left to field his own team. Sauron, Elendil, Isildur, and Gil Galad are far to honourable and prideful to debase themselves by petty squabbling as typically seen when you stick Orcs and Dwarves together.

Skip: You're making it sound like the War of the Last Alliance was a tiny curfluffle, and not the product of two deeply-rooted enemies.

Boro: Wasn't it? I mean ask yourselves what the Last Alliance accomplished? It was a mere mis-understanding, nothing more.

*~*~*~*~*~*

That is all there is time for, I thank you all for your questions and looking forward to the start of a brand new Arda Cup like the rest of you. Most teams have a filled roster, we're still waiting on The Barrowdowns, nothing unusual about that, but the groups have been decided and will be released shortly. The host teams have not all been decided yet, but that should be finalized shortly as well.

the phantom

02-25-2010, 05:04 PM

The Phantom, MESPN News

Every Arda Cup we see changes in the rosters, but this year may top them all. In some cases teams are looking to make improvements. In other cases it is individual players leaving for greener pastures, either monetary or competition based. And then of course there is pressure from new rules and regulations this season handed down from the Arda Cup higher ups. Whether or not these rules are being enforced evenly and fairly and whether certain owners have been given too much rope is a topic for another time. Right now I would just like to address some of the rumors that have been swirling around.

Rumor 1) Team Armenelos got "blown up"-
This is false. The team was renamed "Numenor" and the majority of last year's championship team is back for another run- it is only the forwards who have, for one reason or another, gone elsewhere. It was a lethal trio to be sure (Ar Pharazon, Sauron, Tar Minastir), but my sources tell me that some quality talent has filled their slots, including King Elros.

Rumor 2) The Feanor-Maedhros-Aredhel scoring team has separated-
This one is true. Despite having great success together the past two seasons, these three will certainly not be playing together again as Aredhel has agreed to sign with Gondolin, while Maedhros is co-captaining the Eithel Sirion team with his good friend Fingon. Feanor is the big question mark here. With his reputation for consistently coming through in the playoffs, every contender would like to get their hands on him, but of course he demands a high price, and also is tempermental and unlikely to work with certain individuals. Which leads to-

Rumor 3) Feanor is going to sign with (fill in blank)-
I have read on message boards rumors of Feanor signing with Aman, Beleriand, Eithel Sirion, Mithrim, Thangorodrim, Tirion, and Valimar, and I've even heard some crack-pot stories about him signing with some team that he has zero association with.

Thangorodrim has been floated as a possibility since Melkor left to start his Utumno squad, but I can't imagine Feanor has much more love for Melkor's house than he does for Melkor himself. As far as Beleriand, there's just no one there that he is familiar with. It's an exclusively mortal team (at least to this point). Aman and Valimar are unlikely because he would be subjecting himself to the Valar leadership. I can't see that. Mithrim already has half a dozen high price players, not to mention there would be possible battling over which scorer would receive top billing and be featured more, Turin or Feanor. Yes, yes, two of his sons are playing for them (Curufin and Celegorm) but I still highly doubt he goes there.

Eithel Sirion has slightly more cap room than Mithrim at this point, but if Feanor goes there it would upset the balance of power, as currently the official headman is Maedhros, and I don't doubt he would hand things over to daddy if he came to play with them. But despite that I think Feanor is so difficult for anyone to sign that he may well end up with Eithel Sirion by default.

And the hottest rumor of course is the Feanor to Tirion talk. The thing is, Tirion (aka Tuna in the past) has made their living on offense, and the potent trio of Miriel, Nerdanel, and Finwe have all signed to be back for this Arda Cup. Why in the world would they bring in Feanor at this point? The offense is already clicking- it's defensive help that they need. Unless of course they think that adding Feanor will make up for it? But that's a big risk! But with Aule managing this team, I suppose it's impossible to rule it out. He's always been a risk taker and we know he loves Feanor. It shouldn't be likely from a logical perspective, but the way things are Tirion is as likely as anyplace other than Eithel Sirion in my opinion.

Rumor 4) Several "Goodies" have signed to play with Sauron-
Absolutely true. It has been confirmed that Elendil, Isildur, Anarion, Ohtar, and Gil-Galad will all be joining Sauron at Barad-Dur. The rest of the team is not completely set, but it appears that at least a couple Nazgul will land there, and Mouth also looks to be on board.

Rumor 5) Thingol has allowed "baseborn mortals" onto his team-
Also true. With Mablung staying with Nargothrond and Beleg continuing to stick with Turin in Mithrim, Thingol simply needed an influx of talent from outside his woods, so he extended an invitation to the people of Haleth living next door, and word is that the call has already been answered.

Rumor 6) Minas Tirith will not have a team this year-
False. Very false! Minas Tirith will essentially have two teams this year- it's just that neither of them is named "Minas Tirith". One squad is playing as "Minas Anor" and the other as "Pelennor". Not surprisingly, the Pelennor team is made up primarily of those who made a name for themselves in the famous Battle of the Pelennor Fields, including Legolas, Eowyn, and Theoden.

Gwathagor

02-25-2010, 05:41 PM

Here we are again.

the phantom

02-28-2010, 06:30 PM

The Phantom, MESPN Blogger

Hey football fans, I just wanted to update all my loyal readers on what's going on leading up to this year's Arda Cup.

As you all know, rosters have to be finalized by the end of this week, so most teams at this point are in the final phase of signing talent. Dark Lord types have historically been the most proactive movers and shakers in Middle-Earth, and so it's no surprise that Melkor's Utumno squad, Sauron's Barad-Dur team, Witch King's troops from Dol Guldur, team Gorgoroth, and team Thangorodrim have already completed their moves and are holding early practices even as I write this.

To be frank, Utumno is downright scary. Six balrogs, a giant spider, an evil catlike creature, a vampire, and Melkor himself of course, and rounding out the group is Tilion. Melkor was impressed with Tilion's abilities when they played together in Valinor last season, and convinced him to join him in Utumno.

Angband was not pleased in the least to have so many players go to Utumno that they considered to be "theirs", but owners there have to be pleased with the replacements they found. Durin's Bane's return was quite a pick-me-up, and then the return of Scatha and Glaurung really brought promise.

The primary question surrounding Barad-Dur is whether or not Sauron and his cronies (3 Nazgul, Mouth, and a Fellbeast) will mesh well with the lads from the Last Alliance. The problem as far as I can see would be with the good-guys rather than the bads. Sauron already proved last year that he cares more about winning and having a great team than he does about past grudges, but will Elendil and Gil-Galad, who were actually killed by Sauron in ages past, be willing to lay aside their feelings?

Dol Guldur is ready to run with a very frontloaded team (WK, Khamul, Radagast, Bolg, Beorn, Grimbeorn up front), while the back line features a couple of new spider additions. The Witch King has made no secret about his plan to attack nonstop, and has declared, "No man can stop me!"

Gorgoroth has no official captain at this point, preferring to do everything in unison. It's an interesting collection of orcs and men (both alive and dead), and it really surprises me that they've found this sort of team spirit so early in the process. I didn't think orcs were particularly friendly with anyone, but well- the magic of football I suppose.

the phantom

03-08-2010, 11:47 PM

AMAN
-GK- Nienna
-DF- Vaire
-DF- Este
-DF- Nessa
*DF- Turgon
-MF- Irmo
-MF- Nahar
-MF- Earwen
*MF- Orome
-MF- Finarfin
-FW- Ar Pharazon

A mix of Ainu and Elves here, with a horse and man thrown in. Everyone is interested to see what Ar Pharazon will bring to the blessed realm following his championship success last year. He will be teamed with some good talent up front, but the team focus will be on defense for the most part.

BARAD-DUR
-GK- Mouth
-DF- Ohtar
-DF- Nazgul #5
-DF- Anarion
*DF- Nazgul #6
-MF- Fellbeast
-MF- Nazgul #7
-MF- Elendil
*MF- Gil-Galad
**FW- Sauron
-FW- Isildur

After helping bring the Arda Cup to Numenor last year, Sauron looks to deliver the same for his famed fortress. There to help him are several who fought against him in the second age, along with a few of his loyal minions. An unexpected blend certainly, but Sauron has already demonstrated his willingness to work with others in order to obtain football glory, and his followers will fall in line. Barad-Dur will likely play with a straight-forward style- balanced between offense and defense.

BARROW-DOWNS
-GK- Eomerwarg
-DF- Mira
-DF- Gwath
-DF- Steve
-DF- Skip Spence
-MF- Fea
-MF- Nerwen
-MF- Sally
-MF- The Phantom
-FW- Wilwa
-FW- Nogrod

After strong showings the past two years under the name Tol-In-Gaurhoth, the Barrow-Downs looks to take the next step towards the championship. Since their over-aggressive style got them into trouble in the past, look for them to go with a more balanced approach this time around. Helping this new mindset is the fact that they will not be playing as Werewolves, as well as actually getting in a couple of practices before the tournament begins.

BELERIAND
-GK- Halmir
-DF- Mim
-DF- Handir
-DF- Baragund
-DF- Belegund
-MF- Magor
-MF- Hathol
-MF- Manthor
-MF- Imlach
-MF- Bregolas
-FW- Marach

Coming from various teams throughout Beleriand, this group primarily from the ruling houses of the Edain has come together as one. Beleriand will lean on a quality possession game, and Captain Marach says that when they don’t have the ball their lockdown defensive style will be tough to handle.

BREELAND
-GK- Old Man Willow
-DF- Butterbur
-DF- Lumpkin
-DF- River-Woman
-DF- Roheryn
-MF- Harry
-MF- Goldberry
-MF- Halbarad
-FW- Barrow-Wight
*FW- Bombadil
-FW- Strider

Breeland is hoping to break through this year after adding a couple of rangers to their offense and a horse and pony to their back line. Also, naming Strider as the new captain will probably improve their preseason training, as old captain Bombadil was rather absent minded about that sort of thing. Look for them to employ their tactic of attacking at all times, with Strider likely to make the Bombadil-BW duo more potent by drawing some attention onto himself, or scoring himself if he is ignored.

BYWATER
-GK- Cotton
-DF- Nazgul #3
-DF- Ferny
-DF- Nazgul #2
**DF- Shadowfax
-MF- Fatty
-MF- Maggot
-MF- Gildor
**MF- Gandalf
-FW- Saruman
-FW- Bandobras

Don’t overlook the Shire this year, as the team they’re sending from Bywater features two wizards, two Nazgul, Shadowfax, and an assortment of sturdy hobbits. As usual, hobbits are legally allowed a maximum of two liters of ent-draught leading up to the Arda Cup, and Gandalf has been warned that using fireworks to blind opponents will get him carded immediately this year. Owing to the combined wisdom and experience of their players, Bywater will play a flexible style, locking down when ahead and attacking when behind.

DALE
-GK- Brand
-DF- Roac
-DF- Nain
-DF- Carc
-DF- Thror
-MF- Moneybags
-MF- Bard
-MF- Dain
-MF- Girion
-FW- Thranduil
-FW- Smaug

Many fans are concerned that old Mayor Moneybags will abandon the team mid-game and make off with all of the ticket sale profits, but team captain Smaug assured everyone that Moneybags will behave perfectly for fear of being roasted alive. Dale will be playing a straightforward game and banking on the skill of their forwards to win the day. Smaug is always dangerous, and Thranduil showed great promise last year as part of Mirkwood’s surprise run to the semis.

DOL GULDUR
-GK- Oropher
-DF- Tomnoddy
-DF- Thrain
-DF- Attercop
-MF- Galion
-MF- Grimbeorn
*MF- Beorn
*MF- Khamul
-FW- Radagast
-FW- Bolg
*FW- Witch King

With the group of FWs and MFs that Dol Guldur has, it isn’t surprising that they’ll be attacking every minute of each match. At the back they’re hoping that the addition of two spiders will give them enough stopping power to get the job done, allowing them to simply outscore the opposition. Some are concerned though that Tomnoddy and Attercop may be easily distracted by “Bilboish tactics”, such as opponents repeatedly calling their names, particularly when paired with dancing and throwing rocks.

DORIATH
*GK- Melian
-DF- Elured
-DF- Nimloth
-DF- Elurin
-DF- Algund
-MF- Saeros
-MF- Nellas
-MF- Daeron
-MF- Haldir
-FW- Haleth
-FW- Thingol

In order to fill the spots on his roster, Thingol has allowed several “baseborn mortals” from the forest next door to join his team, though he denied requests from a couple of talented dwarves. It looks like this small influx of differing characters and styles will allow Doriath to be more flexible rather than being a strictly defensive team, and relying completely upon the highly skilled Melian to turn aside the opposition.

EITHEL SIRION
-GK- Maglor
-DF- Gundor
-DF- Aegnor
-DF- Galdor
*DF- Angrod
-MF- Bregor
-MF- Nienor
-MF- Gwindor
*MF- Hador
-FW- Fingon
*FW- Maedhros

The northern fortress is back and looking to make a splash with a more than solid assembly of Elves and Men. With no known quarrels existing between the players and much experience between them, Eithel Sirion ought to feature good team play on top of their excellent talent. Look for balance from them at all times.

GELION
-GK- Dior
-DF- Haldar
-DF- Azaghal
-DF- Caranthir
*DF- Luthien
-MF- Denethor
-MF- Bereg
-MF- Lenwe
-MF- Haldad
-MF- Amlach
-FW- Beren

For a first-time team Gelion has managed to attract several quality players who usually play for other squads in Beleriand. Though Beren and Luthien have had their troubles with Celegorm and Curufin, it appears that they are getting on well with Caranthir, and thus their back line is looking particularly good. Besides the talent present there the overall mindset is quite defensive as well, so that’s definitely where they will try and gain their wins.

GONDOLIN
-GK- Huor
-DF- Salgant
-DF- Asfaloth
-DF- Rochallor
*DF- Thorondor
-MF- Ecthelion
-MF- Glorfindel
*MF- Eol
-FW- Fingolfin
-FW- Aredhel
*FW- Maeglin

Gondolin has strong talent and playoff experience across the board, so opponents had better come prepared to play all phases of the game. With their wide distribution of talent, Gondolin will play extremely balanced football, though if they fall behind they have a higher offensive gear to shift into.

GONDOR
-GK- Romendacil
-DF- Fastred
-DF- Ondoher
-DF- Folcred
-MF- Meneldil
-MF- Ostoher
-MF- Narmacil
-MF- Hyarmendacil
*MF- Beruthiel
-FW- Eldacar
-FW- Mardil

Gondor has tweaked their line and brought back the unpopular Beruthiel in hopes that her solid experience with other teams the past two seasons can benefit them. She will not be in a position to run wild, however, as Gondor is committed to defense first.

GORGOROTH
-GK- Shelob
-DF- Gorbag
-DF- Grishnakh
-DF- Shagrat
*DF- Nazgul #1
-MF- Angamaite
-MF- Gollum
-MF- Sangahyando
*MF- King of the Dead
-FW- Earnur
-FW- Castamir

The “other” Mordor team is not one to overlook, featuring a blend of crafty orcs, powerful men, and a couple of skilled undead. And of course there’s the fearsome Shelob in the goal, whose defensive webs are not easily pierced (not a literal phrase of course- the Arda Cup committee has banned players from covering the goal with any sort of obstacle, such as spider-webs). Look for the team to support her as their strategy.

HAVENS
-GK- Olwe
-DF- Lindo
-DF- Amandil
-DF- Eriol
-MF- Ar Gimilzor
-MF- Tar Aldarion
-MF- Elwing
-MF- Uinen
*MF- Cirdan
*FW- Earendil
-FW- Tar Minastir

Havens is a very diverse team, featuring all sorts of sea-faring individuals, including Tar Minastir, whose goal-scoring was an important part of Armenelos’s championship last season. Expect them to push the ball upfield aggressively at nearly every opportunity, where the proven hammers at the front will look to rack up the goals.

ITHILIEN
-GK- Mumakil
-DF- Samwise
-DF- Adrahil
-DF- Bergil
-DF- Mablung
-MF- Elboron
-MF- Damrod
-MF- Frodo
-MF- Anborn
-MF- Beregond
-FW- Faramir

Ithilien’s team is well versed in tactics of stealth and secrecy (though they have been banned from wearing camouflage on the pitch). Look for them to plan their rare attacks carefully while playing a frustrating defensive game. Mumakil in goal is an unknown, but Captain Faramir hopes the sheer girth of the beast will make things difficult on the opposition.

LORIEN
*GK- Galadriel
-DF- Finglas
-DF- Nimrodel
-DF- Orophin
-DF- Amroth
-MF- Fimbrethil
-MF- Rumil
-MF- Fladrif
-MF- Haldir
-MF- Amdir
-FW- Celeborn

Lorien looks to be a strong and wise team overall after adding a few ents to the roster, and the ents ought to be extremely comfortable playing alongside Elves. As usual Lorien will be dedicated to defense, and with their line-tweaks Galadriel hopes that she’ll get some help this year.

MINAS ANOR
-GK- Ecthelion II
-DF- Golasgil
-DF- Dervorin
-DF- Calimehtar
*DF- Pippin
-MF- Siriondil
-MF- Denethor II
-MF- Earnil II
*MF- Nazgul #4
-FW- Falastur
-FW- Boromir I

The tower of guard is back under its old name, Minas Anor, and hoping that the name change signifies brighter days. To help they have recalled the ever likable Pippin and others to service, and with this array of talent and no clear strength, expect a flexible style suited to all foes.

MISTY MOUNTAINS
-GK- Watcher
-DF- Tom
-DF- Landroval
-DF- Meneldor
-DF- Durin
-MF- Bert
-MF- Great Goblin
-MF- William
-MF- Narvi
-MF- Gwaihir
-FW- Azog

Eagles, dwarves, trolls, and orcs come together to make a brutish looking team. Their defensive play is likely to be bruising, and in fact overall they will look for their size and strength to make up for strategy. Their most calculating players they have placed at the front in recognition of the fact that it often takes some guile to change the scoreboard.

MITHRIM
**GK- Huan
-DF- Annael
-DF- Gelmir
*DF- Celegorm
**DF- Curufin
-MF- Androg
-MF- Morwen
-MF- Aradan
-FW- Hurin
-FW- Beleg
**FW- Turin

Together again- the dynamic duo of Turin and Beleg are back, but this time joined by the steadfast Hurin up front. At the back the sons of Feanor and their old pal Huan will make their presence known to opposing forwards. This team looks to have the talent to challenge teams defensively and offensively without having to emphasize either one, though they have that extra offensive gear to use should they fall behind. Given the skill of their defense, the forwards will be freed up to do as they please.

NARGOTHROND
-GK- Beor
-DF- Baran
-DF- Arminas
-DF- Baranor
*DF- Celebrimbor
-MF- Guillen
-MF- Boron
-MF- Finduilas
-MF- Barahir
**MF- Finrod
-FW- Mablung

Sporting a solid line punctuated by a couple exceptional talents, Nargothrond will be tough to crack. As expected under Finrod’s leadership, Nargothrond will be careful and guarded with their play, and tough as nails defensively. And should they encounter a team featuring a dragon, Finrod swears that they will not use the ill-fated “bridge maneuver” this time around.

NORBURY
-GK- Arvedui
-DF- Valandur
-DF- Arveleg
-DF- Malvegil
-DF- Amlaith
-MF- Argeleb
-MF- Tarcil
-MF- Valandil
*MF- Malbeth
-FW- Aranarth
-FW- Araphor

The northern descendants of the Numenoreans have shown some good talent in the past, but this time they think they have their team tweaked just right for a deeper run in the tournament. They will play their usual style, flexible and minimizing errors, ready to capitalize on those made by their opponents.

NUMENOR
*GK- Tar Atanamir
-DF- Tar Meneldur
-DF- Ar Zimrathan
-DF- Tar Cirytan
**DF- Tar Telperien
-MF- Tar Calmacil
-MF- Tar Ancalimon
-MF- Tar Miriel
**MF- Elros
-FW- Tar Palantir
-FW- Ar Adunakhor

The defending champs are back, this time playing as Numenor rather than Armenelos. The team looks a bit different, however, losing all three of their forwards (Ar Pharazon to Aman, Sauron to Barad-Dur, Tar Minastir to Havens). Losing three players of that caliber is certainly a blow, but replacing them are the three best players from last year’s solid Romenna squad, and the talent already present is certainly nothing to take lightly. Thus Numenor expects to fare well yet again with their balanced style.

PELENNOR
-GK- Theoden
-DF- Forlong
-DF- Windfola
-DF- Snowmane
-DF- Gothmog II
-MF- Gimli
-MF- Grimbold
-MF- Duinhir
-FW- Eowyn
-FW- Legolas
-FW- Imrahil

Teams spring up in all sorts of unexpected places, including this one which sprang from the fields before the gates of Minas Tirith. They feature quality talent and have a good team spirit, and will attack without hesitation at all times. Not surprisingly, their team motto is, “Leave it all out on the field!” Of course, players like Theoden hope that the fate that awaits him on the field is one other than the one he found upon Pelennor.

RIVENDELL
**GK- Elrond
-DF- Thorin
-DF- Galdor
-DF- Celebrian
*DF- Erestor
-MF- Bilbo
-MF- Elrohir
-MF- Elladen
*MF- Arwen
-MF- Arahael
-FW- Boromir II

Rivendell teams have always shown great unity and a flare for defense, and Elrond says that this year’s team is no different. They will try to lock down from beginning to end and score when an opportunity presents itself, simple as that.

ROHAN
-GK- Fram
-DF- Stybba
-DF- Firefoot
*DF- Felarof
-MF- Merry
-MF- Hallas
-MF- Frumgar
-MF- Cirion
-MF- Helm
-FW- Eomer
-FW- Eorl

Last year’s Edoras team put on an amazing defensive show through group play, but the goalkeeper (Theoden) and one of the defensive stars (Shadowfax) have departed, and so has the valuable Eowyn. But Eorl has found quality players to plug the holes, including a couple of solid additions from nearby Helm’s Deep. He also feels that the steed Firefoot is ready to step up and fill the void left by Shadowfax, and has recalled Merry Brandybuck, knight of the Mark, to serve the kingdom.

THANGORODRIM
-GK- Carcharoth
-DF- Gorlim
-DF- Drauglin
-DF- Uldor
*DF- Glaurung
-MF- Ulfang
-MF- Ulwarth
-MF- Ulfast
**MF- Durin’s Bane
*FW- Scatha
-FW- Ancalagon

Many Angband fans put up quite a fit when Melkor departed to sign with Valinor last year, and more still grumbled this year upon hearing that he intended to restart his old Utumno squad, and to make matters worse he stole many players which looked like they might play for Thangorodrim- Telvildo, Thuringwethil, Gothmog, and several Balrogs. In addition Hurin has gone back to Mithrim, Maeglin to Gondolin, and Gwindor to Eithel Sirion. But just when things looked hopeless, it was announced that there would be a dragon reunion! Scatha came from Mirkwood and Glaurung from Nargothrond to join with Ancalagon, and the next announcement- Durin’s Bane was at last coming back from Moria! Now Angband fans can look forward to seeing a quality side which will attack and attack again without mercy.

TIRION
-GK- Aule
-DF- Amras
-DF- Indis
-DF- Amrod
-MF- Orodreth
-MF- Mahtan
-MF- Ingwe
*MF- Nerdanel
-FW- Finwe
**FW- Feanor
*FW- Miriel

When a team has a prolific offense but still is unable to advance, the normal strategy would be to shore up the defense or revise to a less risky playing style. But Tirion (formerly Tuna) has taken the opposite route, attempting to add to their already top-tier offense in the form of Feanor. Will he be like throwing wood on a fire and smothering it, or will he be like adding gasoline? Fans can’t wait to find out. In the meantime, Tirion appears to be just as attack heavy as ever, except perhaps that Feanor has brought with him the mindset of locking down after building a lead.

UTUMNO
*GK- Ungoliant
-DF- Balrog #1
-DF- Balrog #2
-DF- Balrog #3
**DF- Balrog #4
-MF- Balrog #5
-MF- Telvildo
-MF- Thuringwethil
**MF- Melkor
-FW- Tilion
-FW- Gothmog

After a spectacular performance for Valimar that in the end proved fruitless, Melkor has decided to form a team of his own, and many have flocked to his call, including a couple of his teammates from last year. Also rejoining him is his chief balrog and several of his brothers, as well as Telvildo and Thuringwethil. This team is loaded top to bottom, and will follow the strategy of getting a lead and then shutting down the opponent.

VALIMAR
*GK- Namo
-DF- Vana
-DF- Pallando
-DF- Alatar
**DF- Manwe
-MF- Ilmare
-MF- Yavanna
-MF- Tulkas
**MF- Varda
-MF- Arien
-FW- Eonwe

Despite losing some heavy hitters, the Valimar squad doesn’t look likely to take a step back after adding the best of Taniquetil to their side. As with most Manwe-led teams, Valimar will be fairly defensive minded, though this time around due to the influence of last year’s holdovers the team will be better suited to come back from a deficit when necessary.

VINYAMAR
-GK- Rog
-DF- Osse
-DF- Galdor
-DF- Salmar
**DF- Ulmo
-MF- Voronwe
-MF- Egalmoth
-MF- Idril
-MF- Duilin
-FW- Tuor
-FW- Penlod

A great many lords of Gondolin have returned to their original home by the sea, and as he did of old, Ulmo has joined them there once again. And as an extra benefit, the lord of the waters has been joined by two of his vassals, Osse and Salmar, making the defense look quite formidable indeed. Vinyamar, while capable up and down the line, will look first to their defense to win matches.

WOLD
-GK- Hama
-DF- Elfwine
-DF- Beechbone
-DF- Lightfoot
*DF- Treebeard
-MF- Aldor
-MF- Grima
-MF- Theodred
-MF- Ugluk
*MF- Quickbeam
-FW- Eomund

The denizens of Isengard, Fangorn, and Rohan have met out upon the Wold and melded into a single team. They hope to be as crafty as orcs, as hardy and strong as ents, and as forward and dashing as the men of Rohan. Captain Treebeard has made defense the focus of this squad, and has instituted a policy of not being hasty, but rather careful and opportunistic.

***********************************************
***********************************************

GROUP A
Aman
Beleriand
Ithilien
Vinyamar

GROUP B
Barad-Dur
Barrow-Downs
Breeland
Gorgoroth

GROUP C
Mithrim
Nargothrond
Norbury
Pelennor

GROUP D
Dale
Eithel Sirion
Gelion
Rohan

GROUP E
Misty Mountains
Numenor
Rivendell
Utumno

GROUP F
Bywater
Lorien
Thangorodrim
Valimar

GROUP G
Doriath
Gondolin
Gondor
Wold

GROUP H
Dol Guldur
Havens
Minas Anor
Tirion

***********************************************
***********************************************

the phantom

03-08-2010, 11:50 PM

The teams are set, but they aren't all ready to go. In order to make sure they're in practice and going full speed come tournament time, the squads are going to play some friendlies (warm up matches). This will also give participants in the Phantasy League a chance to get to know the teams a bit before drafting. :)

First Round of Friendlies

Aman vs Misty Mountains
Barad-Dur vs Breeland
Barrow-Downs vs Rohan
Beleriand vs Bywater
Dale vs Gondolin
Dol Guldur vs Thangorodrim
Doriath vs Eithel Sirion
Gelion vs Rivendell
Gondor vs Numenor
Gorgoroth vs Nargothrond
Havens vs Norbury
Ithilien vs Valimar
Lorien vs Tirion
Minas Anor vs Mithrim
Pelennor vs Utumno
Vinyamar vs Wold

Boromir88

03-09-2010, 11:47 AM

Boromir the Eighty-Eight
The Two Towers Network (TTN)

Last year I had my very own Boro-blog, but this year was offered a highly coveted position at TTN. MESPN and the Arda Kicker Magazine are still nationally the cream of the crop, but I must say I was very impressed with the reach and influence of TTN. I'm at the glorious Tower of Ecthelion, which reaches many ears of soccer fans from Gondor all the way to the Shire. Then Minas Morgul, our sister station, in the East. From what I understand, those folks in Minas Morgul refer to us as the "sister station," because their ratings are far superior to the White Tower's. To put it in perspective for you, they don't have to contend with MESPN and AKM. Their followers in Mordor and the eastlands are very loyal, and at times fanatical. There was an incident here, last week, where some cult followers of Minas Morgul broke in and left fell beast droppings in everyone's desks. The White Tower's crew thoroughly sprayed strawberry-scented Beanomir Oil everywhere, but now it just smells like baked fell beast manure with a hint of strawberry. However, I am ready and waiting to get the Arda Cup started again, and especially excited to be at TTN.

What we will be bringing to you this year first, is four rounds of friendlies. These friendly matches are essentially exhibitions to give the players the opportunity to practice together, and gel as a team. They will be able to work together on strategy, and see what areas need to be improved on come tournament time. I would caution phantasy owners to not get too excited over their favorites, with the results of these matches, because most teams will not be competing at full-level. It will be interesting to try and see who can successfully pull off that balance of working hard to identify weaknesses, so come start of the Arda Cup they are playing at their highest-level, but not over-doing it now where they enter the tournament already sore and tired.

I was able to talk to many captains and players from the 32 teams to get a brief idea of what their expectations are for this year, and what they hope to see out of their friendlies. Starting with the teams from....

GROUP A

Aman- This is primarily a defensive group, and it's no different for Aman who has Turgon, the defensive mastermind captaining the team's defense. The question will be how will Ar Pharazon mesh with his new, primarily defense-minded team? Good news for Aman fans is it seems he has already won over Orome, who was leading "Zon!" chants at a team party and vowing to hook-up with him at every opportunity. Everyone knows it's not difficult to win Orome's favor, just buy him a 24 pack of Valaroma Premium Draft. However, they should also know Orome has the passion for the game and can certainly play it. If he's sincere, Aman will have a deadly counterattack, and it will be more than Orome chanting "Zon! Zon! Zon!" on the field.

Beleriand- Marach's plan is plain and simple, bog their opponents down. The stout men can run with anyone. However, he's a smart leader and knows his team is already capable of this, so during the friendlies he will be working on a cleverly designed offensive strategy. For in this group he knows 1-goal may be all that's needed.

Ithilien- I am told that Arda Cup officials have two primary security concerns with Ithilien. When fielding a team Beregond was prone to stab anyone who fouled his beloved captain, even if it was an innocent brush. One Gondorian had just slapped Faramir on the rear to congradulate him, but Beregond ran his sword through one of the guy's lungs. Beregond told Faramir it was an "honest mistake" and Faramir gave the deceased player's family, tickets to all of Ithilien's matches. League officials warned Beregond that this indeed constituted a foul, and if it happens during any match he will be immediately red-carded, but Beregond doesn't sound deterred "I was ready to die for my captain. Think I care who I kill to protect him on the field of battle!?"

The other concern is with the Mumak. Officials have security for Ithilien's matches on the "Ludicrously Severe" alert, because of the intense fear at the damage and death caused by a Mumak rampage. Theoden, from Pelennor, has graciously lent Gamling and many of his Royal Guard to help secure Ithilien's matches. Let's face it though, if that Mumak goes on a rampage it is not stopping until it hits a deep water source.

Vinyamar- This looks to be not only the best defensive team of the group, but one of the best in the tourney. Last year Ulmo led the 2nd best defense from Hithlum, who only lost the Championship on a last-minute goal to Armenolos, the BEST defensive (and clearly best overall) team. And he is expecting the same, bringing the loyal vassals Salmar and Osse to the team. It will be interesting to see what the untested FWs (Penlod and Tuor) will do. Can they manufacture enough goals making Vinyamar a balanced and down-right scary team to play? I don't know, that's why I'm asking. :D

GROUP B

Oooh, I love this group, and it will be an honour to write for their matches this year. I will try to not be too harsh on the completely snuggable, huggable, lovable 'Downer team (well most of them that is...the warg and the phantom make much of that nigh impossible), but you are also expected to not make me! Play honourably, win, and we will have no problems...deal? But lets start with...

Barad-dur- talent wise they look the best, but this is going to be an insanely competitive group. Sauron has extended an offer of peace to his former enemies, and to the football community's surprise they accepted! Is this a wise move? Sauron, who always wants to win, believes so, saying "These high Men and Elves were my greatest adversaries...ever. They didn't cower from my power and send in two rotten hobbits when my eye was closed. No! They beat me fair and square...well not completely fair...I mean I did take both of them at once, but that stupid mistake lies on me." When asked what about Isildur? Sauron replied: "I hate him." Because of the Ring? "Oh no, that he had just claim to. Afterall, I had just killed his Pop and Bro, he could have rightfully taken Barad-dur too, I wouldn't have cared. I just want my darn finger back."

Barrow-Downs- The mostly non-warg team will be smart, composed, and undoubtedly the best strategically. At least that is their hope, and now having fielded a team early (at least by their standards), getting to practice together should have a huge pay off. And let's face the facts, it doesn't take 'Downers long to bond. I know this from first-hand experience! :D Despite what many of them will individually boast, they aren't the most skilled athletes, and it will be the comradarity that will make or break the Barrow-Downs. I say "make or break," because there may be so much bonding going on, the players forget they are actually in a soccer match, and decide to tour the many Middle-earth locations and exhibits...oops I mean Harry Potter.

Breeland- Their attack looks more deadly than ever, with the addition of Strider. As well as Bombadil conceding his captain position to the King. Lackadaisical (at best) performances should be a thing of the past for Bree, under Strider's guidance. All of us will remember when Bombadil was asked, at the beginning of last year's tourney, what he expected from his Bree team, he was completely clueless: "To be honest, I have no idea what the point of this game is, it all looks rather silly and pointless. So, I think I'll just come out with brilliant poetry and a comedic song-dance routine. If that's how you win the silly Arda trophy, we should do pretty well." This year, we asked Aragorn, who said "We will win and afterwards, Butterbur will throw a championship party that has never been seen in Arda before! Our soccer play will be as legendary as his ale!" However, will Strider be the great King Elessar who led Minas Tirith last year to a playoff game, or the sketchy creeper-in-the-corner many in Bree know him to be?

Gorgoroth- No one can under-estimate this team from Mordor. There is offensive and defensive talent up and down the line. The biggest concern is going to be leadership. It's a team of followers, with a massive spider who recognizes no leader. Castamir has show great talent the past few tournaments, but those were years he was with the Witch-King, and now he must step up for Gorgoroth. However, his team is making that rather difficult, the King of the Dead is bound to only follow Isildur, or one of his heirs. Castamir has tried to appeal to the Dead-King, by arguing that he has served Sauron in the past, but the King aptly noted Castamir is not Sauron. Besides, the King, has said he wants to leave this mortal-world to find rest. Never understimate the guile of Castamir who told the Dead-King if he helps bring a championship to Gorgoroth, he will have the authority to hold his oath fulfilled. "I'm not convinced," said King o' Dead "but what the Udun? Worth the shot."

GROUP C

Mithrim- Anything short of a championship, and fans of Mithrim will probably view the year as a disappointment. Some may already be awarding the championship to them. Pointing out there is no better duo than Turin and Beleg, then when you add Hurin to the team, their offense looks onstoppable. Add to that a star-studded defense! Ahh...but not so fast...while the defense is certainly talented, there are weakness. Primarily, the mid-field. If they get the ball to Turin and the FWs, it's over for the opposing team. However, against a solid, ball-control MF (such as Nargothrond who's in Mithrim's group) they may not be able to push it up to Turin! Mithrim's defense, while certainly strong, is made better by the ability of Turin and company to push the ball up field. However, their FWs are almost useless defensively. If an opponent can keep possession primarily on Mithrim's side, and apply consistent pressure, their defense could fold. Huan is a solid GK, but is not used to facing a lot of shots.

Nargothrond- consistantly a team who has made it to the playoff round, but this could be the most difficult year for them. Finrod allows no room for mistakes, which makes them nigh impossible to crack. However, they are also not great risk-takers and in a group with Mithrim and Pelennor, it's going to be interesting to see which team strategy will prove to be superior. Finrod believes, they have the mindset and capability, to stop any attack, but also expose the spaces left open for a dangerous counter.

Norbury- they run almost a similar strategy to Nargothrond, but probably a bit more flexible depending upon what opponent they're up against. Their defense can stand up to pressure, but Araphor has proven to be a dangerous FW. Malbeth was asked what fate he sees for Norbury, and would only say: "We will rise or fall upon the boot of Araphor." When being told that didn't answer anything, and wasn't a seer vision he said "In such ways, my power does not work."

Pelennor- will seriously annoy most teams they face, and not just because of the flocking Legolas fan-girls, who are sure to show up to Pelennor's matches dawning their idol's jersey. Eowyn has said "Those fans disgust me. The only way you achieve glory is by winning on the pitch!" and then she ran off shouting "Death!" Although, Eowyn will likely not hold Legolas' adoring fans against him, he can't help it, and she will have a large crowd of supporters herself! But I digress, Pelennor will seriously annoy most teams, because they will always attack and will never stop playing until the referee blows his whistle, signaling the end of the match.

GROUP D

Dale- A very scary, and underrated offense. Thranduil looked impressive for Mirkwood last year, but there's questions whether being out of his forest will change his attitude. Especially, since he will now be playing with a few dwarves. So what caused him to come to Dale? No doubt it was money, Smaug made him an offer he couldn't refuse, but Thranduil still said in his press conference: "I do not trust the dwarves. I will never receive a pass from a Naugrim!" The next day, he changed his tune, as he was seen high-fiving and trying to lift Thror onto his shoulders. League officials are investigating the possibility that Smaug has placed Thranduil under an enchantment.

Eithel Sirion- statistically, probably the favorites of Group D. Maedhros has the same ability of his father, to completely take over a game when needed. And co-captaining the team with Fingon will be more beneficial than harmful. A dark horse to seriously contend for the championship because of skill, strategy, and unrivalled teamwork. The talent is good, but it is not top-tier. Teamwork is a great positive to have, but if you have to rely on it too much, you will ultimately lose to a team with superior talent. That will be the challenge for Eithel Sirion, but we have all witnessed games where Maedhros can rack up the goals.

Gelion- A first-time team and there's really no way to judge how they will fair together. Probably one of the teams where the friendlies will be of extreme importance, and we can get a more accurate picture of the new team. Primarily defense minded, but in this group that could turn out to be a successful strategy. Since, together, Beren and Luthien make a well-rounded duo. Luthien isn't purely a defensive player, and she will be looking to get the ball to her dearly beloved.

Rohan- Eorl is not daunted by the departure of several players from last year which took Edoras to the round of 16 and losing to Minas Morgul in a thrilling shoot out. They did lose Eowyn, but Eomer remained and Eorl brought the Hammer from the Deep to help with their attack. The key will be the horse-loaded defense, which under Shadowfax's leadership never tired, and made things relatively easy for Theoden at GK. Well, this year, both are gone, Felarof will have to set the same pace and work ethic for young Firefoot and Stybba.

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*Loves Microsoft Word.* The other 16 will be up later. :D

Boromir88

03-09-2010, 05:25 PM

and continuing...

GROUP E

Misty Mountains- Despite some grumblings from the Moria team last year, because Durin's Bane was a ball-hog who may have caused the team's failure to make it out of group play, they were furious when news came he would return to Thangorodrim. The evil creatures are angry, which makes them dangerous, but this was an insanely difficult draw for them. They are up against a different, yet still defending Arda Cup champs Numenor, the defensive specialists Rivendell, and a highly-skilled, scary Melkor-led team from Utumno. Without their Balrog, they don't have the strength, skill, or guile, to win...sorry boys.

Numenor- Much has been made of Numenor losing Sauron, Ar Pharazon, and Tar Minastir, and fans fear this could lead to a decline in Numenor's performance. Obviously, being defending champs, if they don't repeat it will be a decline, but there's plenty of reason for optimism in Numenor this year as well. It was virtually impossible to score on Tar Atanamir last year, as they won every match (except the championship against Hithlum) by at least 2 goals. Ar Adunakhor at MF, showed scoring capability and he drops down to FW this year. Then, ba-da-dum Elros comes from Romenna where he was a stout GK, to be a MF and looks to fill the void offensively. They may have lost a step on the offensive, but defensively they will be as tough as ever, and no one is going to go up against Numenor and take the defending champs lightly.

Rivendell- Elrond's defenses are always of the highest quality. There will be a dog fight between 3 teams for 2 spots, so this will certainly be an exciting group to watch. Elrond has brought Boromir II back to Rivendell to be the primary scorer. This was an interesting move, because of Boromir's comments about hobbits (particularly bashing Bilbo for not retiring yet) last year on a popular radio show. However, it should be no surprise, for Elrond's house has always been a place of fellowship and forgiveness. He has written in the locker rooms "We will unite, or we will fall" and if Rivendell can advance Boromir will be the first rushing to Bilbo, to lift him high up on his shoulders.

Utumno- Melkor has taken full reigns of Utumno, but the critics have said this is only setting Melkor up to the trap of trying to do TOO much to win. Everyone knows you can't trust minions, if you want anything done properly you must do it yourself. Melkor is planning to laugh in the all the pundits' faces this year, pledging he will pretty much sit out during the friendlies. "I can play at full-speed any-time, any-day, I don't need warm-up. I will put up my 10-guys against any 11-man team and they will still win." Is Melkor seriously going to sit out of the friendlies and make Utumno play a man short just to prove a point to the critics?

GROUP F

Oh boy, another just impossible group to predict at this time. It's shaping up to be another dog fight between 3 teams for a much desired top-2 spot.

Bywater- The hobbits have stocked up on strong talent to put together a solid team. The only time the hobbits won anything was when Gandalf was on the team, and now Gandalf is back! The whole Shire was up all night partying when they heard the news that Gandalf would return, and not only that he brought Shadowfax, who was crucial in Edoras' stout defense last year. Gandalf did say that Saruman was still head of his order, and would look for his guidance, but most believe Gandalf was just playing political to appease Saruman who will be looking for the chance to rebound from the debacle with Isengard last year.

Lorien- certainly a talented defensive team, but not nearly as good as their Rivendell cousins, and Lorien's struggles are always on offense. Galadriel will keep Lorien in most of its matches, but ultimately it's a boring team, with not enough skill up front to contend with the other 3 teams of the group. There are grumblings from Lorien fans that Galadriel has to get over her feud with Feanor. There were strong rumors Feanor was willing to come to Lorien for merely a lock of Galadriel's hair, but Galadriel refused. To quiet the fans' temper of her decision, she brought in several Entwives who are usually crowd pleasers.

Thangorodrim- Wow do they look scary...3 dragons, a balrog, and 2 werewolves. They will attack constantly, and Carcharoth improved as GK for Angband as the tournament progressed. They took 3rd place last year and obviously have hopes of bettering that result. They have the power and talent to do it, but are also prone to costly defensive mistakes. If a team can match Thangorodrim's fire-power (easier said than done, of course) the defense and Carcharoth will crumble.

Valimar- Lost a lot of it's scoring ability when Melkor and Tilion left, but Manwe has come from Taniquetil to take over for Valimar and provide a real leader the entire team will support. Last year there were questions over whether Melkor or Namo was in control of the team, with Manwe taking over they won't have that problem. The knock on Manwe-led teams, however, is he believes the will of Eru determines the winner, and that is terribly poor mindset in a competition-driven sport like soccer. And Valimar will definitely face stiff competition from Bywater and Thangorodrim, who will be looking to knock the mighty Valar from their thrones.

GROUP G

Doriath- Thingol has changed it up this year, by adding some offensive talent to an already strong Melian-run defense. Gondolin is the group's early favorite, but this one is wide-open and anyone's for the taking. The overall defensive strategy is pretty weak, forcing Melian to usually have to turn away lots of shots. She's capable of meeting any challenge, but no one can rely that much on a goalie, even one as good as Melian. The good news is, Thingol promises to relieve some pressure by playing more balanced and attacking more, but only the matches will tell how successful he will be.

Gondolin- The early favorites, but they were strong favorites to make it out of group play last year, and wound up not making the playoffs. It was a huge disappointment to Gondolin fans, and some say Turgon left his Hidden City out of shame for Gondolin's failure last year. Gothmog has also left to join his master Melkor, and many of its lords went to a new Vinyamar team. So, Gondolin is looking quite different from last year, and fans hope the many changes will bring Gondolin better success. They look to have made smart moves, as Eol and Maeglin have been an unexpectedly good duo, and Aredhel has come from Hithlum. They are just as strong defensively by adding Thorondor, Asfaloth, and Rochallar, as well as Huor who made big saves for Dor-Lomin the previous year.

Gondor- Defense first for Gondor, but there's a lot of good talent up front. Not just Beruthiel, who has been a part of past successful tournament teams, and Gondor is clearly banking she can bring the same to them. However, the Good Steward and Eldacar are also skilled goal-scorers. Mardil believes Gondor matches up well with everyone in their group (including Gondolin) and that's probably not too far from the truth. (And no, I'm not being payed by my employers to make any outrageously false claims. :p)

Wold- last year Treebeard was on the diverse Mirkwood team who lost to Angband in the 3rd place match. Mirkwood surprised a lot of people, and gave many phantasy owners severe migraines. Treebeard thinks he has put together the right mix of diversity to create a new competitive team from the Wold. It may not be hasty either, to believe him. The Ents are capable of stopping any of the offenses they will face in this group, the question will be about scoring. For Treebeard also knows Mirkwood was the surprise team because of talent of their three FWs, so he will surely be hard at work during the friendlies to come up with a wise offensive scheme.

GROUP H

We started the groups with 4 impressive defensive teams, and the last group has the most potent offenses. This will be a highly-entertaining group, and the poor defenses of all the teams will be constantly (and mostly fruitlessly) running all over up with opposing FWs.

Dol Guldur- Wherever the Wiki goes, the Wiki brings with him a winner. Two years ago, pundits doubted how he could take over for Mordor when Sauron departed, but he did and got Mordor to the playoffs. Last year no one had Minas Morgul making it out of a group with Hithlum and Gondolin, but they did and even made ot to the quarter-finals. Sauron is obviously confident that he can leave the Wiki on his own to continue a good soccer tradition from Mordor. The major question for Dol Guldur will be their untested defense, by adding the two spiders, and Oropher who is a mediocre GK at best. Their defense will definitely be tested right at the start in this group. The Witch-King is not trouble "I played even with Feanor and his mighty Hithlum team last year! If Tirion scores 4, I'll put up 5!"

Havens- traditionally Olwe's teams are more flash than substance. He looked to address that weakness by adding three stout Numenoreans, who will not be easy to push around. However, he has decided to focus their talent on the offense, and leaving the fleet-footed, yet rather weak Elves to handle defensive duties. In the style of this group, Olwe may finally have a team who can make it out of group play.

Minas Anor- A capable threat offensively, but the likely the weakest threat in this group. Although the sturdy Stewards of Gondor will not back down from any opponent. Ecthelion II was a tower for Minas Tirith at GK last year, and he has worked hard to improve this year. A work ethic that will definitely pay off against the talent FWs from the other teams. Simply because they are not as flashy as the other teams, there's a lot of experience and strength out of Minas Anor, and they should not be taken lightly.

Tirion- probably the team with the most talk, because everyone knows the scoring potential of Miriel, Finwe, and Nerdanel. Now, they add Feanor! How can any defense stop them! Some question Feanor's attitude and overall team spirit, however returning to Tirion has always been right below winning an Arda Cup, and now he believes he can kill two birds with one stone. There was much love, before the match a few years ago when Feanor met his mother and father as opponents, I'm sure there will be no problems now that he is on the same team. Miriel had a lot of pressure on her to score, and probably a reason she tired out in the loss to Mirkwood, now that pressure will be shared by her son, and Tirion expects to go all the way.

Boromir88

03-10-2010, 10:30 AM

Gondor vs. Numenor

Overall this was a pleasantly exciting game to watch. Both teams had great respect for eachother, and put up a good effort. It was evenly played, and at no point in the match did one team gain a significant advantage over the other. For a first-round friendly this was a nice treat.

Gondor left optimistic about how they performed. The Numenoreans are taller, stronger, and more experienced but Gondor had even shots on target, and only 1-fewer total shot. Even when Numenor grabbed a 2-1 lead, with under 10 minutes to play, Gondor made a few impressive efforts to try and get an equalizer. They were unsuccessful, but if Gondor can keep the intensity and level of play they showed today, for when it really matters, they are going to be stiff competitors.

I was able to catch up to Numenorean defender, Tar Telperien, after the match. She was obviously pleased with the win, but noted they had several things still to work on, particularly on the defense: "We gave Mardil and Eldacar too much space, they were able to take advantage getting off several quality shots, and even scoring on one of them. We got a few additions from Romena this year, and fortunately we have 3 more friendlies to completely gel as a team. We are going to have huge targets on our back, and in the group we're in this year we can't play like we did today and expect to win."

Gondor 1-2 Numenor
tot shots 9-10
on target 5-5
GOALS:
*32, 0-1 Elros (Tar Miriel)
*57, 1-1 Mardil (Eldacar)
*81, 1-2 Ar Adunakhor (Elros)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Gondor- Narmacil, Ostoher
*Numenor- Ar Zimrathan, Tar Calmacil

~~~~

Other matches from today:

Gorgoroth 1-0 Nargothrond
tot shots 7-7
on target 3-3
GOALS:
*66, 1-0 Castamir (Nazgul #1)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Gorgoroth- Sangahyando, Nazgul #1, Earnur, Grishnakh, Shagrat
*Nargothrond- Arminas, Boron

Match Notes:
*Gorgoroth aggressive on defense, but will have to try to limit the amount of cards they're picking up
*After Gorgoroth scored in the 66th minute both teams seemed content with the outcome. Gorgoroth stopped pressing the attack, and the ball pretty much stayed at midfield.

~~~~

Havens 2-1 Norbury
tot shots 13-7
on target 7-3
GOALS:
*25, 1-0 Earendil (Cirdan)
*63, 2-0 Earendil (Tar Minastir)
*78, 2-1 Araphor (Malbeth)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Havens- Ar Gimilzor
*Norbury- Tarcil

Match notes:
*Havens looked to be in mid-tourney form, but it could just be Norbury was completely unprepared.
*Arvedui made nice saves to keep the game close, but was clearly frustrated afterwards with his defense breaking down time and again.
*Norbury scored late, because after Havens got a 2-goal lead, Olwe pulled his team back to get work in for his defense.

~~~~

Ithilien 0-1 Valimar
tot shots 5-10
on target 2-4
GOALS:
*34, 0-1 Eonwe (Varda)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Ithilien- Faramir, Adrahil
*Valimar- Tulkas

Match notes:
*It was clear Valimar had the far superior athletes, despite winning only 1-0.
*Eonwe said of the Ithilien's defense: "just when you thought you broke free from one of them, another came in from nowhere to steal possession or disrupt the shot. It was brilliant."

skip spence

03-11-2010, 02:34 PM

Last week Gondolin and and their new captain Fingolfin were scolded by Melkor for playing boring football, sitting behind their miserly defense and seldom venturing forward. But with yesterday’s emphatic 4-0 win at Dale, the Hidden Rock has sent a clear message to the football world: this new-look team can not only defend, they can play attacking football too. A hapless Dale finished the match with ten men after Mayor Moneybags was sent off for trying to steal equipment from the dugout, but the Wilderland team was already well beaten by then, and the result did not flatter the flamboyant Gondolin.

Utumno kingpin Melkor, or the Morgoth as he is often referred to, had officially accused team Gondolin of taking a negative approach to the game and complained how this was detrimental to the entertainment value of the game and also Gondolin’s chances of winning the Arda Cup. “They've been building white walls around their penalty area”, said Morgoth to a MESPN-reporter. “That kind of play may work in the early rounds, but you don’t win tournaments with it. It’s pathetic really. But let them defend. If we meet I, I mean we, will crush them nonetheless.” When asked if he thought the addition of High King Fingolfin will give Gondolin the offensive edge they need, the imposing Melkor just shrugged his shoulders. “I have trampled Fingolfin into the mud before. I’d gladly do it again!”

In Dale, a relaxed Fingolfin took time to respond to Melkor’s criticism after yesterday's display of might: “We have a strong back four; of that I won’t make excuses. But verily we can also score goals, as we have shown tonight. Utumno will feel the bite of our bright steel, if we come to meet. If that is our fate Mandos alone knows.”

Yesterday’s friendlies:

Dale 0-4 Gondolin
tot shots 3-18
on target 1-10
GOALS:
*3 1-0 Aredhel (Glorfindel)
*16 2-0 Maeglin (Fingolfin)
*30 3-0 Fingolfin (Asfaloth)
*49 4-0 Ecthelion (Eol)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Dale- Moneybags, Dain, Thror, Nain, Roac
*Gondolin- Rochallor, Eol, Maeglin
RED CARDS:
*Dale- Moneybags (53, second yellow)

Dol Guldur 2-4 Thangorodrim
tot shots 18-15
on target 8-8
GOALS:
*11 0-1 Ancalagon (Durin’s Bane)
*22 0-2 Scatha (Ulfast)
*44 0-3 Durin’s Bane (Ulwarth)
*57 1-3 Witch King (Khamul)
*65 2-3 Khamul (Radagast)
*78, 2-4 Glaurung (Drauglin)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Dol Guldur- Beorn, Attercop, Bolg
*Thangorodrim- Drauglin, Ulwarth, Uldor, Ulfang, Scatha, Gorlim

Doriath 0-2 Eithel Sirion
tot shots 7-11
on target 3-6
GOALS:
*49, 0-1 Maedhros (Fingon)
*73 0-2 Hador (Nienor)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Doriath- Saeros, Thingol
*Eithel Sirion- Aegnor

Gelion 1-1 Rivendell
tot shots 10-10
on target 5-4
GOALS:
*60 1-0 Beren (Lenwe)
*76 1-1 Arwen (Elrohir)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Gelion- Bereg, Azaghal
*Rivendell- Bilbo, Thorin

Boromir88

03-11-2010, 05:04 PM

The match ended in an uneventful 0-0 draw, but there was a moment of excitement in the 39th minute. Ugluk committed a hard sliding tackle, on Voronwe, from behind. The ref immediately drew out a yellow card which sent Quickbeam into a rage. His eyes flashed a bright green, he dug his roots deep into the field and ripped out a large chunk of turf. There was a 2 meter in diameter and 7 meter deep crater in the middle of the field. Officials had to call out the grounds crew to refill the massive hole before being able to continue play, and the ref carded Quickbeam for delaying the game.

Treebeard re-composed his players as they still had to set up defensively for Voronwe's free kick, which was placed only 25 meters from the goal. Voronwe was looking to guide the ball to Tuor, but he mis-hit it and it went straight into the gigantic wall the Ents made. Treebeard easily, and effectively cleared it, sending a blast that landed just short of the penalty box on the other side of the field!

The half came to a close. Vinyamar had missed on their best scoring opportunity, and neither team got as good of a chance in the 2nd.

Vinyamar 0-0 Wold
tot shots 9-6
on target 4-3
YELLOW CARDS:
*Vinyamar- Osse
*Wold- Grima, Ugluk, Quickbeam, Beechbone

~~~~

More scores:

Lorien 0-2 Tirion
tot shots 5-14
on target 2-7
GOALS:
*40, 0-1 Miriel (Feanor)
*56, 0-2 Ingwe (Amrod)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Lorien- Rumil, Orophin, Fladrif
*Tirion- Mahtan

Match notes:
*Tirion was kept off the board until late in the 1st half. Their second early in the 2nd half degenerated Lorien and the match was all but over.
*Feanor more interested in scoring with Galadriel, than against her

~~~~

Minas Anor 0-2 Mithrim
tot shots 6-16
on target 3-8
GOALS:
*32, 0-1 Hurin (Aradan)
*65, 0-2 Beleg (Turin)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Minas Anor- Siriondil, Dervorin, Earnil II
*Mithrim- Androg, Hurin

Match Notes:
*Ecthelion looked strong, but Minas Anor was no match against Mithrim's explosive offense.
*Turin doubled all match, but was still able to deliver a precisely placed ball to Beleg for a goal

~~~~

Pelennor 1-2 Utumno
tot shots 10-13
on target 5-7
GOALS:
*17, 1-0 Legolas (Imrahil)
*43, 1-1 Telvildo (Thuringwethil)
*74, 1-2 Tilion (Gothmog)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Pelennor- Gimli, Gothmog II
*Utumno- Balrog #3, Telvildo, Balrog #5

Match notes:
*Pelennor on the attack and in control for the first 30 minutes
*Melkor stuck to his vow, standing at mid-field commanding his players, not even touching the ball once during the match.

Nogrod

03-13-2010, 03:50 PM

The Arda Kicker Magazine is back on track!

As is well known the glorious Tol-In-Gaurhoth team has made dramatic changes to this season; they have abandonded the awe-awaking name of T-I-G and quit their werewolvery playing now as humans. So it was very interesting indeed to see how their game would settle in a friendly match against a diminished Edoras team playing now under the banner of Rohan.

Everyone thought the game was over after the first period as the ‘Downers ripped the previously mighty Rohanian defences into pieces and made it 2-0 on the scoreboard in a playful manner. But the Rohanians came back to the second half with Felarof and Firefoot totally closing their defence and a hungry Eomer taking advantage of the overconfidence of the satiated ‘Downers. After the game it was easy to say the draw was a justified result. But did it tell the spectators anything of the relative strengtht of the two teams remains to be seen.

“In all the team is very optimistic and everyone gets along well, we’re very confident we’ll win everything”, the heroine of the game Wilwa rejoiced. Some others were more careful with their comments. “We need to remember a game lasts for 90 minutes” Nogrod commented shaking his head. “We can’t afford such lapses of game-control in the actual tournament” Skip Spence added. “And Eomer really needs to start picking more than half of the shots at the goal” the phantom said smiling sarcastically.

Barrow-Downs 2-2 Rohan
tot shots 12-10
on target 5-4
GOALS:
*26 1-0 Wilwa (Nogrod)
*37 2-0 Sally (Wilwa)
*61 2-1 Eomer (Cirion)
*81 2-2 Helm (Eomer)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Barrow-Downs- Sally
*Rohan- Firefoot, Helm

On other games the AKM was watching Gil-Galad made a serious appointment to contest for the title of the top goal-scorer of the tournament with his two smashing goals against Breeland. Playing alongside Sauron didn’t seem to slow him down t all, and some were already speculating whether the magic touch of Sauron could work it’s miracles this year as well, now for Barad-Dûr.

“You know me…” Sauron commented but would not say more. His grin though was a trademark thing anyway.

Many were disappointed with Aman’s performance in drawing with Misty Mountains, and the equalling goal was more or less doubtful. Even with the high numbers of cards given it was clear the referee missed half of the crimes Misty Mts. were guilty of. It will be seen how they will manage to keep their players disciplined for the tournament itself.

On the fourth game Bywater really showed some signs of being a team one shouldn’t underestimate this year. They dominated the game against the great heroes of old and the Belerianders were more or less lucky to get the late-equaliser.

“This is good fun” Gandalf laughed after the game. “Yeah, feels like being a young and stout Maia again!” Saruman nodded smiling without any evil in his grin, resting his arm on Gandalf’s shoulder. “And with the good old Shadowfax and the Nazguls in defence we are ready to take on any team in this tournament” Gandalf added and winked his eye to Saruman.

Aman 1-1 Misty Mts
tot shots 8-10
on target 4-3
GOALS:
*58 1-0 Finarfin (Ar Pharazon)
*73 1-1 Azog (Narvi)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Aman- Orome, Turgon, Nessa
*Misty Mts- Durin, Bert, William, Landroval, Tom

Barad-Dur 3-2 Breeland
tot shots 12-15
on target 6-7
GOALS:
*14 1-0 Gil-galad (Isildur)
*29 1-1 Halbarad (Bombadil)
*42 2-1 Gil-galad (Sauron)
*70 2-2 Barrow-Wight (Strider)
*85 3-2 Sauron (Nazgul #7)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Barad-Dur- Fellbeast, Elendil, Nazgul #5
*Breeland- Lumpkin, Harry, Barrow-Wight

Beleriand 1-1 Bywater
tot shots 6-11
on target 3-5
GOALS:
*55 0-1 Saruman (Shadowfax)
*74 1-1 Marach (Manthor)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Beleriand- Hathol, Mim
*Bywater- Bandobras, Ferny

Nogrod

03-14-2010, 02:45 PM

The AKM newly appointed editor-in-chief Ugr Nogrendale managed to lure a few players from the ‘Downs to join him with some finedining and a glass of wine. The report is here, exclusively in the AKM!

~*~

We had made a rendez-vous at the “Steward’s Terrace”, one of the finest restaurants in uptown Minas Tirith. The afternoon sun still warmed the terrace but the cool southern breezes from river Anduin made it pleasant to sit outside looking over the downtown and lower circles of the mighty city.

An hour past the agreed meeting I was getting concerned whether they had just played fool with me. I ordered a third glass of classy Dorwinionian red wine and was honestly on my way planning a mighty mock-report of the arrogant wanna-be stars when they finally arrived apologising heartily.

“Sorry to let you wait, but we ended up playing some live werewolf in the lockers after the rehersals and you know how it easily takes time.” the phantom excused.

“Oh boy did I fool Nogrod big time!” Wilwa added smiling at Nogrod who just nodded returning the smile.

“But you didn’t fool me dear!” Fea snapped in a playful tone.

“Heh, that’s why we killed you on N2…” Nerwen said.

"I still wonder why some people play it online though..." Skip put in and others burst into laughter.

It seemed they could have discussed that game for ages but happily the waiters came with the menus and I had a chance to politely turn the conversation into football. And without further ado, here’s what we discussed.

AKM: “So it seems you guys have a good feeling in the locker room and the practise-field. How would you describe the mood of your team?”

Skip: “Oh we've been having a blast. Those of us who've been there anyway. The Phantom never shows up for practice. There's nothing to improve, he says. Already perfect.”

tp: “Ha- Skippy! But well, perhaps a bit too good actually! We get on very well, and sometimes we can get off track in practice. But I think as the tournament nears we will be able to put that aside.”

Wilwa: “Well of the 2 times we’ve practiced, the first was more a matter of getting to know each other, so we threw a little dinner party on the field, ya know, to get used to being there and being around each other. The second time we decided to get the ball out and after about 25 minutes it was obvious we were awesome, so there was no point in continuing.”

Nogrod: “There is a time for action and there is time for in-action. It’s all in the metaphysical balance of it. Action is mostly overrated.”

AKM: “Okay, so how do you look forwards to this year’s tournament?”

Skip: “Oh, I've been looking forwards to it, sure. Ever since last year's fiasco I've been locked up in my room, smoking the pipe-weed and painting the walls with layer after layer of black paint, then watching it dry. Now it's time for revenge.”

tp: “I've got a few Arda Cups under my belt already, so there's no jitters to worry about. I'm just anxious to get out there and start playing.”

Nogrod: “Yeah, we live in anticipation… we’re almost there already. Which is not to say we’re not here now, even if that can be doubted.”

AKM: “Well I was actually thinking about the prospects of your team. So let me phrase it this way: what do you think are the strengthts of your team, which are the weaknesses?”

Nerwen: “On the plus side is our sheer enthusiasm for the game, and our sense of, well, I can only call it fellowship, as Downers. On the other paw, I mean hand, some of us just aren't that used to taking human form– just a moment, I've got a flea.” *whimpers and scratches ear furiously*

tp: “I really think the best way to describe us is solid. We work together well, cover for each other, support each other, and know the basic habits of our mates. We don't have the sheer individual strength of your dragons and balrogs nor the speed and quickness of Feanor or Bombadil, but I think our overall quality, unity, and brains will make us equally as dangerous.”

Skip: “Hard to say, there are many new faces in this year's team. But a player like The Phantom deserves a mention. If he's only half as good as he thinks he is he's twice as good as any other player. However, with young ladies like Nerwen, Sally and Fea playing on the midfield, he must have a mind to keep his eyes on the ball and not on his pretty team-mates.“

AKM: “I see we have a strong representation of midfielders here, how would you say your midfield is up to the task?”

Fea: “I've always said that the best defense is a good offense, and as midfielder, I get a fair bit of both. It never gets boring, i can say that.”

tp: “If anything bites us in the midfield it will be inexperience. The girls are doing great in practice, but it's easy to lose your focus a bit out in front of a huge hostile crowd, or even an overly rooting crowd. But so long as there's nothing like that, I think we'll be great. They help pressure the goal when we're on offense and get back quickly to help on defense. Very flexible.”

Nerwen: “Well, midfield is simply crucial to the game, but it does take a lot out of you. You have to be able to sniff out your opponents' weaknesses, tackle them with your front legs (resisting the urge to nip their ankles, which is a foul), then, dribbling the ball with your nose, you– what am I saying?” *mutters* think like a human, think like a human...

AKM: ”How about you forwards?”

Wilwa: “What am I again? *checks* Oh yeah, forward. *thinks about what that is* The one in the net right? Oh, they’re quite important indeed.”

Nogrod: “The time has only one direction and that is forwards, that’s where everything gets resolved in the end… well that’s basically it.”

AKM: “Uhh… erm, well… on defence?”

Skip: “The key in defence will be to get our communication right. This is a new-look defence, and I think Gwath will have a big part to play here. He will have to show his leadership qualities and get the best out of young Steve and Mira. I'm really exited about Mira too, think she had a great tournament ahead of her. She will have to control her violent temper though, because physically assaulting opponents or team-mates will get her sent off.”

AKM: “Who will be the key-player to lead your team this year?”

Fea: “Me, of course.”

Wilwa: “Steve, clearly.”

tp: “I really think it's down to the veterans. Nog and I are here for the fourth straight time, and everyone else looks to us. We've both had a heroic moment or two in Cups past, and I think our team believes in our ability to pull off anything.”

Nogrod: “What he just said… And Wilwa will perform miracles as we do live in an enhanced reality.”

Skip: “I think Wilwa might surprise a lot of people. She's untested at this level but I believe she has the capacity to score many goal with people like The Phantom there to supply her with top quality passes.”

tp: “I hate to put extra pressure on anyone, but I'd have to agree on Wilwa. When SPM retired after last season we knew it'd be tough to fill the void. Nogrod and I are known commodities up front- you figure we're going to do our thing. What we don't know is if Wilwa is ready to step up. She's shown promise in practice, and we're hoping that she comes through.”

AKM: “Let’s go to some realities then, enhanced or not, you face Barad-Dûr, Breeland and Gorgoroth in the group play. What are your predictions? Who will challenge you, who will be an easy pray?”

Wilwa: “I think Breeland will be fairly easy to beat; lots of the players just have silly names. I don’t like spiders so I’m not really looking forward to playing Gorgoroth, but I hope to overcome it, perhaps by playing with my eyes closed. Barad-Dur is a tougher call, but I think Nog and I should be able to get around those Nazgul fairly easily.”

Nerwen: “Breeland will be a walkover. To put it bluntly: at least a couple of them are seriously out of shape, Bombadil can't keep his mind on the game, the Barrow-Wight's not what I'd call solid, and they're simply wasting the goal-kicking potential of their equine members by making them play in defence. Oh, and their goalie's a tree. A tree. I ask you.

Gorgoroth is harder to call. It's going to be pretty tricky to get past Shelob, I can tell you that. Still, word is she's not popular with the rest of the team– something about her appetite.

As for Barad-Dûr– I'll be honest with you– we've a strong team and an optimistic one, but we're really going to have our work cut out for us here. Morale may be a problem too, though I'd hope those of us from Tol-in-Gaurhoth will have the sense not to roll over for their one-time alpha wolf, Sauron."

Skip: “It's a very tough group for sure. Barad-Dur has a strong squad but it remains to see if Sauron can play together with Isildur and Gil-Galad. Breeland has been all about Tom Bombadil in the past, but with Strider and the Barrow-Wright by his side, he's got some quality support. It's easy to overlook Gorgoroth, but they've got some quality players and are capable of an upset.”

tp: “I wouldn't say "easy" for any of them. This year's field is the strongest top to bottom I've ever seen, and one cannot afford to take any team lightly. Now, Barad-Dur certainly will get more attention, and rightfully so- their talent is at least a match for ours, and they have Sauron. A couple seasons back a few of us actually played with him on Tol-In-Gaurhoth, so we know not only how talented he is, but how well he prepares himself and his team for matches.

Breeland you worry about getting hot and putting up goals with those forwards they have. We can't allow for Strider to get free-kick chances or even too many corners- they're quite deadly when given chances like that. I imagine our strategy will be to hold possession against them and deny them the offensive zone for the most part.

Gorgoroth is the most difficult for me to predict, as it may partly depend upon how the match is being called. They have very crafty defenders, whose tactics border on the illegal. But being the clever sort they often get away with it, and of course they have good talent up front to counter-attack with.”

Nogrod: “We should avoid the situations where the hunter turns into the hunted… easy to be hard, hard to be easy.”

AKM: “Well overall then, if not you, name your favourites to win Arda Cup this year.”

Wilwa: “If not us, I think Bywater has a pretty good chance.”

Skip: “Gondolin will be dangerous this year, no doubt. Ar-Pharazon's Numenor always play for world domination too. And never count out Melkor and his Utumno. He may not be as good as he once was, but he is still mighty among footballers.”

tp: “Well now, that's a toughie. As I said previously, this tournament field is very deep this year. It's difficult to pick one favorite. You've got a few who could ride their offenses, and a few who could ride their defense to the title. If I had to pick I suppose I'd go with Utumno.”

AKM: “Is there any team team you particularly love?”

Wilwa: “Big fan of Utumno, you can never have too many Balrogs.”

tp: “I will be following Gondolin with great interest this year. Maeglin was just absolutely clutch in last season's playoff run, and now helping him out is Aredhel, who was great with Maedhros and Feanor the past couple years. She's constantly under-rated in my opinion, and therefore one of my favorites. And then there's Fingolfin- no questioning his talent. And daddy Eol has done well lately too, and Glorfindel and Ecthelion will be supporting also from the midfield. That's quite an assembly of scoring talent there!”

AKM: ”Do you hate any team?”

Wilwa: “Numenor, too many Tars.”

tp: “I don't particularly like Lorien, primarily because of the way Galadriel runs the team. She could put together a better side if she didn't demand so much control over everything. Like this year, if you read the report from Boro- they could've signed Feanor! And Celeborn, poor chap- I think he's got some great ideas for the offense, but she has to do everything her way. I really do wish huge failure upon them, in hopes that it will shake things up enough to get some changes there.”

Nogrod: “I hate hating and love loving.”

AKM: “Fair point… but disregarding it I just have to ask this. Is there a player you’d especially love to humble?”

tp: “Ha ha! Well, hmmm... Perhaps I shouldn't name anyone very good, because I don't want them motivated when they play us! I suppose if I had to choose- Bombadil perhaps? He's such a loon, and when he's out there it's like he's not taking things seriously half the time. He's off chasing butterflies about the pitch- literally sometimes! And then suddenly after you've stopped paying attention to him he makes a surprisingly quick dash in at the goal and scores easily, laughing the whole time. Kind of gets on my nerves a bit.”

Fea: ”Morgoth. I don't care how good of a footballer he is, he still owes me some jewelry.”

AKM: “Thanks for your time. Anything you’d like to add?”

Fea: “Oh god, don't you just love Becks? And that Tony guy. He plays football, right?”

tp: “Go Barrow-Downs!”

Boromir88

03-14-2010, 05:58 PM

TTN Round 2 Preview
Boromir the Eighty-eight

Round 1 friendlies are complete and the Round 2 games will be coming shortly. Before previewing some of the intriguing upcoming games, let's briefly review Round 1.

I'm not sure phantasy owners can take much out of the first matches, as essentially it isn't a sure barometer of what is to come. In truth, nothing will be until the games start to mean something. However, I think the teams have learned a great deal of information about themselves and the rest of the field. They are no longer going against practice squads, and players not good enough to make it on the tournament roster, but this was everyone's first time going against a quality opponent. Playing this level of competition should be highly beneficial for all teams as no one will go into the tournament blind, nor can any team complain about being unprepared or rusty.

I would not pay much attention to the final scores of the friendlies, but more to what happens from match to match. The 1st round sets a bar, it provides a measure for how they played against another quality tournament team. Now it's about trying to improve your team-play in Round 2, which will set a new standard for Round 3...and so on. The progression (or digression) of teams, from round to round, will probably be more important than their records in the friendly matches.

Here are a few specific examples, take the Gondolin-Dale and Havens-Norbury matches. Both Gondolin and the Havens looked to be in complete control, where Dale and Norbury were absolutely unprepared to play. However, lets not annoint Gondolin and Havens as favorites to win their groups just yet. Both have something to prove this year, and clearly came out trying to prove it in their first friendly. Gondolin has very few hold-overs, completely revamped their roster, and are coming in with a new strategy from last year. They want to prove they are a different and dangerous team. None of Olwe's teams have made it past group play, he usually puts together a highly-skilled, yet nimble group of Elves, who get pushed around. With 3 Numenoreans this year Olwe wants to prove they are not going to be easy to break. The problem is, you don't want to peak too early. For 1, it's difficult to maintain this intensity, and level to play for long periods of time. No one wants to enter the tournament completely fizzled out because they spent too much energy trying to prove their worth in the friendlies. And 2, if you peak too soon, you give the opportunity for other teams figuring you out sooner. A big part of having a deep run in the tournament is being able to surprise your opponent, as Mirkwood did last year. If Gondolin is destroying all their friendly opponents 4-0 they aren't going to go unnoticed for long, and other teams may find ways to beat them by the start of the tournament.

Then on the other hand there's Dale and Norbury, who can not lose morale simply because they got manhandled Round 1. The test will be can they come out performing better in Round 2, or will they become so dejected the wheels have fallen off by the tournament? Dale definitely has proven playoff talent up front. Smaug led Erebor to the Round of 16, and Thranduil was an important key in Mirkwood's surprise run last year. The Lords of Arnor, have fallen short at making the playoffs, but traditionally play better as the tournament progresses and are never an easy foe. Arvedui was furious after the Havens match, but it will be interesting to see how they respond to Thangorodrim in Round 2. Thangorodrim plays a completely different style from the Havens, but the mighty Kings' Norbury typically match up better to meaner, harder-hitting opponents, than the speedy, flashy Elves.

Those 4 teams I'm going to take keen interest in seeing how they play in the 2nd round. So, let's preview 4 matches that should not only be interesting, but may actually prove something about the teams.

Barrow-Downs vs. Gorgoroth
Dale vs. Rohan
Rivendell vs. Utumno
Dol Guldur vs. Gondolin

I've chosen these, because the first 3 are actually teams who are in the same group. Barrow-Downs and Gorgoroth (B), Dale and Rohan (D), Rivendell and Utumno (E). Those 3 will be interesting for the fact that they will all play eachother again. So it will be important for the 6 teams to play at full-level (or as near to full level without over-doing it), because they want to be able to go back, look at the film from this round, and be able to learn from it when they play again in the tournament. The last match will be interesting, because it will be like a re-match from last year, where the Wiki-led Minas Morgul team upset Gondolin in group play to take their spot in the playoffs. So let's start with that match...

Dol Guldur vs. Gondolin

In some ways it's a re-match, and in other ways it's not. It's a rematch because a Wiki-led team is going up against Gondolin again. But it's not because there are a lot of new players. The Wiki has brought over some of his Nazgul from Minas Morgul, but has changed fortresses and therefor has many from Mirkwood and the surrounding area. Gondolin's team is almost completely different, than the one that lost to Minas Morgul.

I think Gondolin wins 4-2, because ultimately they have a feeling of wanting to prove more than Dol Guldur does at this point. Gondolin fans WANT a win against the Witch-King, as opposed to the Witch-King who will probably come in over-confident from his victory against them last year. Also, Dol Guldur's defense should prove about just as effective at stopping Gondolin as Dale did.

Rivendell vs. Utumno

If Utumno does want to win Melkor actually has to play. Will he, is another question. But no matter whether Melkor plays or not, I think the game ends 1-1. For, not even Melkor can get 2 goals against Elrond. I believe, in a 90 minute match, it is impossible to score 2 against Elrond. I qualified it with "90 minutes," because last year, Dor-Lomin did score 2, knocking Eregion out of the playoffs, but it took overtime. Also, Turin and Beleg were arguably the best 1-2 punch of the tournament. Utumno has the power and skill to get 1, but even that will be difficult, so getting 2 is out of the question. Now it will be even tougher for Rivendell to score on the Balrog-loaded defense, but Boromir II stood strong against Durin's Bane, even halting him briefly with a mighty horn blast. Arwen has also shown lots of promise as an offensive threat (for those who are familiar with last year). So, I think they can stun the Balrog-defense just long enough to get an equalizer.

Dale vs. Rohan

Good news for Dale is Rohan is not Gondolin, not by a long shot. Bad news is Rohan is coming off confident from their draw against the Barrow-Downs. That was a match BD let get away, because they under-estimated the resolve of Rohan to battle back. Smaug will be very tempermental after the embarrassment against Gondolin, and a tempermental Smaug usually does not bode well for his opponents. Rohan wins 2-1. Dale is able to play much better, but Rohan has a veteran dragon-slayer at GK, who will keep Dale's Dragon in check. Since we all know that a football match can be judged exactly by taking a story plot.

Barrow-Downs vs. Gorgoroth

Probably the match everyone is most anticipated to see. Group foes, and judging from the phantasy participants it's clear who the favorite will be. The Downs should have won against Rohan, everyone knows it, but the outcome isn't that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things. They proved they can play just as good in human-form as they can as werewolves. They may even be better in some ways, because as werewolves, they had a tendancy to get down 2-goals before deciding they actually wanted to play. As humans now, they know they can't dig themselves out of a hole as easily, so they should start every match ready to play. The challenge will be, can they avoid slacking off as they did against Rohan? Will they play the full 90 minutes, and not start thinking about enjoying the Middle-earth bars together, if they have a lead at the half?

Gorgoroth will also be a different opponent. Talent-wise it's hard to say whether they are better than Rohan, but they definitely play a different style. The Barrow-Downs has proven they can play against a skilled-teamed, but ultimately one that will play you fairly and with respect. Gorgoroth will not be the same. As wolves it was almost impossible for anyone to match their ferocity. Have they lost too much of that ferocity? We will find out the answer in this match. That answer is no, the Barrow-Downs will win 2-1.

Gorgoroth will want to turn this match into a drunken bar-fight. But let me tell you, I would pick the phantom, Nogrod, Gwatch, skip, Nerwen, Mira, and Eomerwarg in a drunken bar-fight before I pick anyone on Gorgoroth's defense.

skip spence

03-15-2010, 01:53 PM

At the Gladden Fields last night Minas Arnor faced Galadriel’s Lorien – the last chance for each team to get match practice ahead of the Arda Cup. Lorien came out on top with a 2-1 victory, but if it wasn't for a masterful performance from the Lady between the Posts, a spirited Minas Anor could well have won this.

In a closely fought first half where goal-scoring chances were kept to a premium, Lorien took into the lead through Amdir after nice build up play by Celeborn. When Haldir scored Lorien’s second early in the second half victory seemed certain for the Elves and Galadriel ordered her team to consolidate the lead by taking no chances and getting numbers behind the ball. But this passivity only gave Minas Anor an opportunity to gain the upper hand of their opponents, and with her team pegged back deep it took some Galadriel heroics to save the day. In the 72nd minute however the legendary shot-stopper had to capitalize when Boromir I smashed the ball into the roof of the net from close range which made for a tense finish. Minas Anor now poured forward in wave after wave of attacks and up front for Lorien, lone striker Celeborn looked increasingly forlorn, chasing shadows and seeing very little of the ball. In the last minute of normal time, Boromir I beat Nimrodel on the left and hit a crisp, curling shot from the edge of the area that looked certain to hit the top corner. His team-mates were already on their way to congratulate him with arms raised in the air before realizing to their astonishment that Galadriel had made the save, flying through the air at full stretch like a Balrog and palming the ball away at the last fraction of a second.

When asked about her performance during the post-match press conference Galadriel answered succinctly: “I make saves. That is what I do.” Celeborn however was keen to add that the Lorien attack was in need of improvements in order for the team to compete at this level, but he was quickly interrupted by star goal-tender Galadriel, who excusing her husband said: “Celeborn is wise, but he doesn’t quite understand the subtleties of this game. I do have a plan to win, but it must not be revealed yet.”

Yesterday’s friendlies:

Lorien 2-1 Minas Anor
tot shots 9-13
on target 5-7
GOALS:
*39, 1-0 Amdir (Celeborn)
*51, 2-0 Haldir (Rumil)
*72, 2-1 Boromir I (Nazgul #4)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Lorien- Rumil, Nimrodel
*Minas Anor- Siriondil, Dervorin

Gondor 1-2 Mithrim
tot shots 11-12
on target 4-5
GOALS:
*43, 0-1 Aradan (Morwen)
*62, 0-2 Hurin (Beleg)
*77, 1-2 Eldacar (Beruthiel)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Gondor- Folcred, Hyarmendacil
*Mithrim- Curufin, Aradan, Androg

Havens 1-1 Vinyamar
tot shots 10-9
on target 4-4
GOALS:
*65, 1-0 Tar Minastir (Earendil)
*84, 1-1 Egalmoth (Voronwe)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Havens- Tar Aldarion, Ar Gimilzor
*Vinyamar- Galdor

Ithilien 0-1 Wold
tot shots 8-7
on target 3-3
GOALS:
*68, 0-1 Treebeard (Lightfoot)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Ithilien- Beregond, Mablung
*Wold- Aldor, Elfwine, Quickbeam

the phantom

03-15-2010, 08:31 PM

MESPN News

The second of the four rounds of friendlies was in full swing today, and each team involved was doing all that they could to prepare themselves for the tournament. Valimar and Misty Mts both focused on defense, and for the most part found success, though part of their success may have been sloppy play by the offense. The match was extremely rough, with Misty Mts starting the blood flowing and the more tempermental members of Valimar retaliating.

Numenor and Nargothrond also played a low-scoring affair, but in a much less violent manner. Utumno and Rivendell ended at 1-0 too. Thangorodrim on the other hand came out swinging against Norbury and connected three times before Norbury managed to pep things up and make a counter.

Misty Mts 0-1 Valimar
tot shots 6-9
on target 2-3
GOALS:
*57, 0-1 Arien (Yavanna)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Misty Mts- Landroval, Tom, Bert, Great Goblin, Gwaihir
*Valimar- Pallando, Arien, Eonwe, Alatar, Tulkas

Nargothrond 0-1 Numenor
tot shots 6-11
on target 3-5
GOALS:
*30, 0-1 Ar Adunakhor (Tar Palantir)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Nargothrond- Guillen, Mablung
*Numenor- Tar Ancalimon

Norbury 1-3 Thangorodrim
tot shots 9-15
on target 4-8
GOALS:
*16, 0-1 Ancalagon (DBane)
*39, 0-2 Scatha (Ulfast)
*55, 0-3 DBane (Glaurung)
*81, 1-3 Aranarth (Argeleb)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Norbury- Valandil
*Thangorodrim- Drauglin, Ancalagon, Uldor, Ulfast

Rivendell 0-1 Utumno
tot shots 5-13
on target 2-6
GOALS:
*68, 0-1 Melkor (Telvildo)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Rivendell- Elladen, Thorin
*Utumno- Thuringwethil, Balrog #1

Boromir88

03-15-2010, 09:18 PM

The match fans were anticipating, Barrow-Downs vs. Gorgoroth, only disappointed in one way, there was no clear winner. Fans got to see some well-played football, and both teams made adjustments trying to gain an advantage.

In the first half, Nogrod and wilwa were unable to do anything against Gorgoroth's aggressive defense. Some would shake their heads in disgust and call Gorgoroth's defense "dirty," but I'd disagree. The tackles I'd call dirty, are ones that come from behind, because you could seriously injure a player that way. However, in the 1st half Gorgoroth's defense played spectacular, keeping the Barrow-Downs FWs in front of them, and making it difficult to get any quality shots. Most of Gorgoroth's yellow cards were picked up at mid-field on just silly tackles, or in Gollum's case, grabbing Fea's arm and trying to bite off the band of stirling silver on her finger.

In the 2nd half, the Barrow-Downs clearly figured out how to best attack Gorgoroth's defenses, and began to take control of the match. It was only a matter of time before they scored in the 60th minute it happened on a delicately placed cross from wilwa, to the far-post where Nogrod was there to put it in. Nazgul #1 protested that Nogrod was offsides, but the ref would hear none of it, and replay proves Nog timed the offsides trap perfectly.

Gorgoroth was not going to concede defeat easily, Castamir stepped up the fury of Gorgoroth's attacks, but the BD defense held firm. But, It was clear Castamir was not going to accept a defeat, and the Barrow-Downs' were unable to keep possession in Gorgoroth's half for long. The defense could not buy a break to regroup themselves and in the 81st minute it cost them, when Castamir sent in a rocket to the top cross-bar that Eomerwarg had no chance to save.

The match was even and after the difficult 80+ minutes both teams played, they were content to keep the score 1-1. When they face eachother again, in group play, it will not be the same story.

Barrow-Downs 1-1 Gorgoroth
tot shots 12-11
on target 5-5
GOALS:
*60, 1-0 Nogrod (Wilwa)
*81, 1-1 Castamir (King Dead)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Barrow-Downs- Nerwen
*Gorgoroth- Gollum, Angamaite, Gorbag, King Dead

Aman 2-0 Bywater
tot shots 10-10
on target 4-4
GOALS:
*38, 1-0 Ar Pharazon (Nahar)
*65, 2-0 Earwen (Turgon)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Aman- Irmo, Orome
*Bywater- Fatty, Ferny, Saruman

Barad-Dur 1-1 Gelion
tot shots 12-7
on target 5-3
GOALS:
*57, 0-1 Beren (Haldad)
*76, 1-1 Isildur (Sauron)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Barad-Dur- Nazgul #7, Anarion, Fellbeast
*Gelion- Beren, Caranthir

Beleriand 0-2 Tirion
tot shots 6-12
on target 2-6
GOALS:
*24, 0-1 Mahtan (Finwe)
*49, 0-2 Ingwe (Nerdanel)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Beleriand- Handir, Imlach
*Tirion- Orodreth, Amras

Nogrod

03-16-2010, 12:34 PM

Much has been discussed pre-tournament about Tom Bombadill's interest - or the possible lack of it - to the game. Many speculators have thought the lengtht of his attention-span would correlate strongly with the succes and failure of the whole team. Today's match seemed like proving the point.

Bombadil opened the scoring already at the 8th minute blasting a powerful shot in from forty meters. After that his interest seemed to wane and Eithel Sirion went even and past the hosts before the half-time. In the lockers the home team had clearly awakened their star, and on the 4th minute of the second half Bombadil made fool of the entire defence of Eithel Sirion only to gallantly not score himself but giving Strider a chance to hammer the ball into an empty net.

Sadly for Breelanders, after the equaliser Tom went away to his inner spaces, purportedly composing a new lullaby for lilies and dafodills, and the team had to manage the rest of the game without his active participation.

Eithel Sirion won eventually 4-2.

But to be fair to both sides: Breeland was not bad without old Tom and especially the look of Eithel Sirion was a lot better than in the first game against Doriath. If that diesel-engine of talent and experience slowly starts gathering speed and momentum they might go far in the tournament indeed.

Breeland 2-4 Eithel Sirion
tot shots 11-19
on target 5-10
GOALS:
*8, 1-0 Bombadil (Roheryn)
*20, 1-1 Fingon (Gwindor)
*35, 1-2 Gwindor (Nienor)
*49, 2-2 Strider (Bombadil)
*61, 2-3 Hador (Gwindor)
*78, 2-4 Angrod (Galdor)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Breeland- River-Woman, Halbarad
*Eithel Sirion- Galdor, Gundor, Bregor

On other matches Eorl led Rohan to victory over Dale more or less single-handedly, and in front of rejoicing fangirls Legolas was the key to Pelennor's win over a somewhat slipshod Doriath-team (ten shots but only two on target!).

On the fourth match Gondolin continued it's impressive pre-season run beating Dol Guldur 4-1. There sure is scoring-talent in that team: eight goals in just two matches! But how will their defence hold when they will inevitably face some more stout forwards than those they have met thus far? Now that is the question anyone betting in the games would like to know an answer to...

Dale 2-3 Rohan
tot shots 11-18
on target 6-9
GOALS:
*13, 1-0 Thranduil (Dain)
*22, 1-1 Eorl
*44, 1-2 Cirion (Frumgar)
*65, 2-2 Smaug (Girion)
*83, 2-3 Eorl (Eomer)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Dale- Dain, Thror, Bard, Smaug
*Rohan- Helm, Firefoot

Dol Guldur 1-4 Gondolin
tot shots 9-18
on target 4-9
GOALS:
*7, 0-1 Fingolfin (Eol)
*17, 0-2 Aredhel (Glorfindel)
*29, 0-3 Eol (Asfaloth)
*60, 1-3 Witch King (Khamul)
*71, 1-4 Glorfindel (Eol)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Dol Guldur- Beorn, Tomnoddy, Bolg, Thrain, Khamul
*Gondolin- Asfaloth, Fingolfin

Doriath 1-2 Pelennor
tot shots 10-16
on target 2-8
GOALS:
*38, 0-1 Eowyn (Legolas)
*64, 0-2 Legolas (Duinhir)
*85, 1-2 Haleth (Haldir)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Doriath- Saeros, Elured, Algund
*Pelennor- Snowmane, Gimli, Gothmog II

Nogrod

03-16-2010, 03:38 PM

AKM exclusive "hottest drafts corner" is here!

The AKM editors have been following the matches with calculators in hand and here will be the hottest drafts to any phantasy-league gamers after two rounds of friendly matches.

Pay heed to the statistics, but note also the following disclaimer by the AKM:
The AKM will not be responsible for any choices phantasy-league players make on the grounds of the AKM's lists. The numbers are based on two friendlies only and in the friendlies not all players might have played full-strength (-effort), different sides have had different opponents: others have had easier games others tougher ones, and the team-play may lock in later with some teams and earlier with others, some players only rise up to a real occasion... etc.

But without further ado, here are the hottest deals right now with their phantasy-point performance thus far (in alphabetical order whilst at the same phantasy-points)!

So the players with 10 pts. or more after two games...

Goalkeepers: (actual saves percentage in brackets)

12 pts.
Hama of Wold (100%)

10 pts.
**Huan of Mithrim (86%)
Rôg of Vinyamar (86%)
Shelob of Gorgoroth (87%)
*Tar Atanamir of Numenor (87%)

Defenders:

14pts.
*Treebeard of Wold

11 pts.
Amrod of Tirion
Asfaloth of Gondolin
*Glaurung of Thangorodrim
Lightfoot of Wold

10 pts.
*Angrod of Eithel Sirion

Midfielders:

16pts.
**Durin's Bane of Thangorodrim

14pts.
*Eöl of Gondolin

12 pts.
Glorfindel of Gondolin
Gwindor of Eithel Sirion
Ingwë of Tirion

11 pts.
*Hador of Eithel Sirion

10pts.
*Gil-Galad of Barad-Dûr
*Khamul of Dol Guldur

Forwards:

11pts.
*Eärendil of Havens
Legolas of Pelennor

10 pts.
*Bombadil of Breeland
Eomer of Rohan
Fingolfin of Gondolin
**Sauron of Barad-Dûr
Wilwa of Barrow-Downs

Nogrod

03-16-2010, 08:17 PM

The Arda Kicker Magazine has been looking at the first two rounds of the friendlies and gives you it's take on the situation right now.

Group A

Aman
Winning Bywater was a must. Otherwise Aman would have been just rabble as Bywater is one of the lousiest teams in the competition. The draw with Misty Mts. wasn’t a good show either as that team takes all the cards – and seeing Misty Mts. making it through the group-stage would be a miracle indeed. So not bad, not good. Ar Pharazôn looks like he’s too lonely in the attack: without quality players like Sauron and the several Tars he has used to play with he just feels lonely out there and may need to humble in front of more talented teams. Bad move for him indeed –like reaching to Aman was in the first place? The midfielders will need to raise up to occasion or it will be “bye-bye” for Aman in the first qualifying round – unless Nienna makes a heroic effort on the goal (which is not impossible). They will proceed from the group-phase to be sure, as number ones. So lousy is the group that we can grant it.
(continuing to the play-offs)

Beleriand
Now why was this team formed in the first place? They have nothing but to lose. With that line-up one has no chance in a league as competitive as this. Okay, Halmir is a decent goalie but that’s it. He can’t save it all by himself. Now what these guys need is an effort in general and shots towards the goal in particular. Five shots on goal in two matches is just not going to be enough to face any decent team.
(falling off after the group-phase)

Ithilien
The rangers with their newlyfound aids can keep the losses at the minimum and they’re actually pretty good in defending. But that will not be enough for the play-offs. Losing 1-0 is losing. And that’s what they will face unless Faramir, Frodo and Beregond do not upgrade their game by a clear margin. The threat is that the team will make not even accomplish one goal in the tournament. To be fair though, they have had strong defences against them in the first two friendlies and they have a chance of beating Beleriand in the group-phase.
(falling off after the group-phase)

Vinyamar
Even if they just have two draws from the friendlies they seem to be the other decent team in the group. That is not saying their forwards (Tuor, Penlod) or attacking midfielders (Duilin, Idril) would get any free passes: they have been totally anemic thus far! A tight defence will not help if you don’t score and Rôg can’t hold it indefinitively. They are better than Ithilien though, not to speak of Beleriand. So a second place in the group.
(continuing to the play-offs)

Group B

Barad-Dûr
The good news are that both Gil-Galad and Isildur seem to have made themselves comfortable playing alongside Sauron. The bad news is that papa-Elendil walks in the shadows and most of Sauron’s aids seem to wander there too. The Mouth makes a decent goalkeeper but not an Arda Cup –winning one. Unless Elendil and the minions of Sauron rise up to the occasion Barad-Dûr will be left into the group stage. That is not to say that the trio Sauron, Gil-Galad & Isildur will not pose a major problem to any opposing team. And we know how well Sauron can play when he puts his effort to it: not only by way of scoring himself but making his comrades to shine…
(possibly going through)

Barrow-Downs
One could argue they’ve had two hard matches, but to be honest they haven’t. If they’re looking towards the arda Cup finals they need to do a lot better than this. Two draws, with Rohan and Gorgoroth, are not the marks of a possible champion this year. Only Wilwa and Nogrod (and Sally) have raised to their level thus far. Eomer’s goaling has been terrible, the phantom and Fea have totally disappeared (together?) and Nerwen is on -1 in phantasy points… Now this team needs some firing up. Otherwise they don’t mae it to the next round.
(possibly going through)

Breeland
They have lost both of their friendlies and everything seems to rely on whether Tom Bombadill is interested to play or not. Yeah, Strider does his best, but he seems to be a lonely rider here. Fex. the Old Man Willow is the second lousiest goalie thus far in the tournament (with save-percentages only Oropher of Dol Guldur is worse), most othersw are just well under the average. Unless Tom Bombadil awakens to some heroism, Strider manages to whip off the others and Old Man Willow pulls himself together the team is doomed. It is doomed.
(falling off after the group-phase)

Gorgoroth
Probably the most solid team in this group… which doesn’t say much. Despite them taking a huge number of cards, their defences seem to hold – and Shelob is one of the most intimidating goalies of this tournament. Castamir is deadly effective on the front but he will need some aids if the team will wish to continue from the first round of the play-offs.
(continuing to the play-offs)

Group C

Mithrim
Even if Turín is hiding flying low at the moment Mithrim is more or less 100% safe to qualify. They have one of the best goalies (Huan), a solid defence, capable midfield and dashing forwards. While Turín has been in the shadows, Hurín, Beleg and Aradan have risen to the occasion. They haven’t been flashing to be sure – and some fans seem to be bothered by it – but they have shown very solid game thus far and it’s hard to see them not going forwards. But how far? That’s the question. Surely not only the fans waited more from the trio Hurín, Turín and Beleg. Only time will tell…
(continuing to the play-offs)

Nargothrond
They have lost two games only 0-1 but still one can’t betray one’s feeling of disappointment. Somehow this team just doesn’t seem to work. The defence is okay (not spectacular or great, but okay), but the midfield is so empty and Mablung as alone striker just looks homeless there. Now we can say their opponents have been tough and that is probably right – they lost to mighty Numenor only 1-0! But if the Nargothrond team wishes to qualify, not to talk of getting themselves further in the tournament, a lots of things need to happen. The midfield is their weak spot: from the five midfielders two have -1 pts. and three have no points at all.
(falling off after the group-phase)

Norbury
All the due respect to the mighty descendants in the north but please, this is football. One of the most pathetic teams in the tournament. Thangorodrim and Havens are both good teams and that will burst up their performance of losing only in small numbers (if 3-1 can be called small numbers). Arvedui does his best in the goal but if the team cannot score or the defence deflect the shots, then his efforts are in vain.
(falling off after the group-phase)

Pelennor
Well it all depends on how good the favourites Utumno really is and how bad Doriath is in turn. Losing and winning 2-1 to those teams makes it hard to rank the team as Utumno doesn’t look that solid right now and Doriath looks like big-time losers. King Theoden has clearly underperformed thus far and only Legolas has risen to the occasion. But with the aid of his fangirls he might lead them into the second round at least. I wouls require an awakening of Eowyn, Imrahil and the whole midfield to carry them further though.
(continuing to the play-offs)

Group D

Dale
One of the great disappointments of this tournament. Somehow they just don’t seem to be able to pull their act together. They’ve had two tough matches to be sure but so many cards talk of confusion and the lack of a game-plan. The discussion around Mr. Moneybags is right into the spot of things. Where’s the flare of Smaug or Thranduil from last year, where’s the solidity of Bard’s midfield? Oropher is a quality goalie but behind a weak defence even he looks bad.
(falling off after the group-phase)

Eithel Sirion
One of the few positive surprises – if it was a surprise at all. They were no pre-elected favourites but now it looks like they could go a long way in this tournament. Doriath and Breeland are no real measures to any competitive team, but they have nevertheless cleared them easily and confidently. And that promises good for the future. If Fingon and Maedhros find their form Eithel Sirion wil be hard to beat but unless they do the team is vulnerable in the drop-off games. But it’s hard to see them not qualifying to the next round anyway.
(continuing to the play-offs)

Gelion
The black horse of the group. Dior has organised a solid defence in front of him but saldy it seems only Beren is able to score. Unless he gets help from others it will be bye-bye to Gelion, but if the team comes together they might go forwards. It would be tough for them in the first drop-out round though and few would bet on their behalf there.
(might go through)

Rohan
No one can say Rohan isn’t trying their best. The shots reign down on the opponent’s goal from wherever they can shoot. Cirion, Helm, Eomer and Eorl have proved to be a terror of the opposing side for a reason. The bad thing is that the defences are not so mighty. They played a wildcard trying to copy the succes of the Edoras team last year by appointing horses to their backline but it hasn’t worked out yet: four goals allowed in two matches tells the story clear enough. It might start to work though – as has been seen momentarily already – and anyway the team has quality enough to go forwards in front of team Gelion.
(continuing to the play-offs, probably)

Group E

Misty Mountains
They’ve really had it tough in the friendlies and their performance has been better than the numbers tell. But that doesn’t make away the fact that they are a) much too mediocre team to go forwards for long in the tournament, and b) they are too card-ready to be any decent bet for a phantasy-game player. A serious re-birth is needed if they’re going to fight for a place in the final four – or eight. The trolls need to step up also on the scoring board and Gwaihir should be ashamed of itself.
(falling off after the group-phase)

Numenor
A lot has been said about the team Armenelos breaking down and taking on a new name – even if most of the players are the same. But the loss of forwards / attacking midfielders like Ar Pharazôn, Sauron and Tar Minastir is bound to make a difference. And it is seen in the quality of the shots thus far. The former trio would never had ended up with a mediocre 14,5% scoring percentage from the overall shots they made. The magic is gone, the sovereignity is gone. But on the other hand, even if they are not winning every match with at least two goal's difference, they are winning and the defences work as well as they did last year. And Tar Atanamir is one of the best goalies of the tournament this year as well (continuing with the astonishing 87% saving ratio he had for the whole tournament last year). They will go far, but how far?
(continuing to the play-offs)

Rivendell
How many times people have asked whether it was time for Elrond to step down – and how many years in concerto have they seen him coming to tend the goal of his team with quality? It’s nothing new this year. They have faced Gelion (draw) and Utumno (0-1) so it has been a tough ordeal thus far. But somehow it feels like the team Rivendell is struggling this year. Their performance has been a good one but still they seem to lack the fire and passion for the game. They’re old and they’re experienced but maybe the critics are right: ones like Bilbo and Elrond should just retire for their own sake? And they do have a serious lack of effective strikers (sorry Boromir II)…
(falling off after the group-phase)

Utumno
One of the favourites to win the tournament hasn’t been as dominating as many of the fans would have liked. It would be a miracle if they would not qualify, but are they the favourites to win the whole tournament? Looking at the numbers they are one of the best teams and their defence especially looks like a solid thing indeed. But where’s the flare of Gondolin? Where’s the evil talent of Thangorodrim? Where’s the cool professionalism of the Mithrim? Thus far it looks like Utumno has played it safe and easy. Ungoliant has shown how great a goalie it is, the defence collects a host of phantasy points in every game, but something is still missing; the magic that would make them the champions this year. They have time though.
(continuing to the play-offs)

Group F

Bywater
After the first round of the friendlies many were thinking of giving their sympathy to the Bywater team with all the little hobbits, a nice Saruman, Gandalf and Shadowfax reunited. But to advance in the tournament they need to do more than gather sympathy-points. Their draw with Beleriand looked good in the beginning but losing to Aman straightforwardly 2-0 put the fans back to the square one. It will take a lot from this team to qualify to the next round. Facing Thangorodrim and Valimar the task looks insurmountable indeed – and even Lorien might be too tough for them.
(falling off after the group-phase)

Lorien
Competes seriously for the second place in the group even if they are placed the underdogs by the betting agencies. Galadriel leads the team with a firm grip and she knows how to make the males play – even if they don’t understand it themselves. A little more efficiency from the forwards and Rivendell could be through this group. But that’s a big if.
(has chances to continue to the play-offs)

Thangorodrim
The reunion of the dragons has just scattered the adversaries and sent a shiver into all of the ME. And the re-emergence of the Durin’s Bane (absolute phantasy-point leader) then? Now here’s the team to beat. They have a maximum talent at every position; Carcaroth on goal, Glaurung on defence, Durin’s Bane in the midfield and Scatha & Ancalagon in the offence. Who could stop them? Not anyone on the group – unless Valimar really stands up for it, which is not believable.
(continuing to the play-offs)

Valimar
The mightiest of all are back – but not with a vengeance as it is a team of Manwë. Now how will they tip-toe themsleves this year between the honour in football and being gracious gods ready to to let the little ones to prevail – like mothers and fathers playing with their children? That is the question all Arda is asking. They have politely won their two friendlies by just one goal to nil. Would that be their new strategy after last years bad performance: just winning it nicely leaving the other side a space for being proud of themselves? What if they win all their matches 1-0?
(continuing to the play-offs)

Group G

Doriath
One of the major disappointments thus far. Even with a talented team they have been the sack every team has been throwing around as they wish. Can they rise up from the two first matches? Melian hasn’t been up to her level quite yet and all the other parts of the team have messed around even worse. Any chances?
(falling off after the group-phase)

Gondolin
A pre-tournament favourite that has really stood up the challenge. Eight goals in two games, 36 shots in two games (goal percent 22,2, second highest after Thangorodrim’s 23,3) Superb performance on a wide front. The only thing bothering the fans is the goal-keeping. Huor’s saves percentage is only 60% and that’s not even the average but less. So how will they manage with more forceful / talented / wittier forwards later on? Can Thorondor and his mates rise up to the occasion then? Will the White City fall or prevail?
(continuing to the play-offs)

Gondor
They have suffered one of the hardest friendly-games programme anyone has had so far; they’ve played Numenor and Mithrim – and they have escaped with one goal losses both times (1-2 to be exact). So even if they have lost both their first games one should allow them more credit. It’s hard to say whether their defences are as bad as the statistics tell you, or whether their opponents have been such great teams. They’ll fight for the place in the play-offs with Wold.
(has chances to continue to the play-offs)

Wold
The greatest defence on ME? The idea of putting the ents in charge of the defence was masterful. And not only that, but putting Hama in the goal was another piece of ingeniunity as he has gathered the minimum of three saves in both games they have played. No one has scored against them yet. Let’s see how the spell will work in the actual tournament. But to make it further in the tournament, Quickbeam & co. need to start scoring as well.
(probably going through)

Group H

Dol Guldur
One of the major questionmarks thus far. The Witch King and Khamul have played well but the others have just fallen short against really tough opposition (Thangorodrim, Gondolin). So Havens and Minas Anor will have tough times with them even if they have lost their two first friendlies. Oropher is actually a quality keeper, but the defences need to step up a bit in the future if the team is wishing to go forwards. Anyway the team is not so bad as the numbers indicate.
(has chances to continue to the play-offs)

Havens
A solid performance but against weaker sides. Midfield is the questionmark here. Eärendil and Tar Minastir know how to score and the defence lead by Olwë on the goal should stand for comparison to any other team… but the midfield is clearly inferior unless some characters start to show their qualities.
(has good chances to continue to the play-offs)

Minas Anor
These guys have never really got their game to work thus far. Losing to Mithrim 2-0 is not such a big deal but losing Lorien 1-2 is. If one thinks of getting forwards from the group-phase that is. Echtelion II does what he can in the goal but it clearly seems the team is without a clear leader and a clear unified goal.
(falling off after the group-phase)

Tirion
With the frontline of Miriel, Feänor, Finwë, and Nerdanel everyone thought Tirion would just walk over any adversaries they faced. They actually did that to both Lorien and Beleriand but somehow one thinks something is missing here. In two games Miriel has one goal, Feänor has one pass, Finwë and Nerdanel have one pass as well. It is great to have Ingwë with two goals and Mahtan with one… but still one wonders how that quartet has only made one goal and three passes in two games (and the whole team making only four compared to Gondolin’s eight goals or Thangorodrim’s seven goals). No one questions the talent and skills of Feänor or Miriel; they have been the top scorers the last two years, but is there something in the dynamics of the team as they finally play together – or is it just laziness in regard to friendlies? But whoever makes the goals, Tirion wil go further, probably a lot further.
(continuing to the play-offs)

Boromir88

03-17-2010, 03:28 PM

TTN's Round 3 Friendlies

AKM has put together a thorough assessment of the 32 teams up to this point, and their statistical analysis is without question the best a football fan will find. I would be careful about being mis-led by some of the teams performances in the friendlies thus far, however. For example, I think AKM has over-valued The Wold's defense. They've played Vinyamar and Ithilien so far, let's face it, neither of those have showed any promising capability to score. They end the friendlies against Nargothrond and Misty Mountains. After 2 games, the 4 teams the Wold has/will play in the friendlies has put up a pathetic 2 goals (a combined goal-percentage of 3.3%!!). We won't know how good this Ent-defense truly is until the start of the tournament when they have Gondolin and Gondor in their group. We've all seen Gondolin's scoring ability. Gondor does not have the offensive skill of Gondolin, by any means, but they have a lot of talent up front, and also have been able to score against the two already proven solid defenses in Numenor and Mithrim.

We can get into more examples like this at another time, because the purpose now is to preview the Round 3 friendlies. I am merely sending a word of caution to phantasy owners, before jumping on the Wold's (or any player's) bandwagon look at who they've played first, and then look at who they will play. The Wold may be playing well simply because they match up better against a team like Ithilien, playing a team like Gondolin is a much different and far greater challenge.

Without further ado, let's preview the upcoming friendlies...

Aman vs. Minas Anor

Aman hasn't had too hard of a test yet, and if they want to be taken as serious competitors in the tournament they will have to take care of Minas Anor as they took care of Bywater. Aman's first big test will come in the 4th friendly against Gondolin. Most of their top phantasy scorers are defensive players, which shows this team will rely on defense to win. We know Ar Pharazon's ability, but Finarfin is inconsistant and Orome will have to play a lot better than what he's shown so far.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): DF-Turgon, GK-Nienna (8)

I would say Minas Anor has just looked lazy so far. Yes they had Mithrim in the first round, but if they gave up 2 goals to Lorien. The offensive power of Group H (Dol Guldur, Havens, Tirion) will eat them alive, if the defense doesn't improve. Against Aman, the best they can hope for is a draw, and that only if Aman decides to play like they did against the Misty Mountains.
*Top phantasy scorer: GK-Ecthelion II (6)

Aman wins 1-0

Barad-dur vs. Dale

Barad-dur has been hit and miss so far, there are some signs of very dangerous team, but also signs that it could fall apart and not make it out of their group. We know their potential at greatness, which Sauron brings with him, but they haven't been playing as a complete team yet. It's almost like Sauron, Gil Galad, and Isildur are the only guys who decide to show up, and the rest just expect them to do it alone. Dale shouldn't put up much of a fight, their real test will come in their next match against Eithel Sirion.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): FW-Sauron, MF-Gil Galad (10)

Dale is dangerously close to completely falling apart. The problem isn't going to be Smaug and Thranduil, both will get their fair share of goals. You see they've given up 7 goals, and may immediately blame Brand's goal-keeping (63% save percentage). However, let's take a closer look at the numbers. In 2 games, Brand has seen 36 shots, and 19 of them on target which he had to try to save. Brand has had to make a save on 52% of the shots! You can't expect your Keeper to shut out a game when he sees 18 shots, 9-10 on target every game. One might say "well they did play Gondolin." But even Rohan tore apart Dale's defense. Not to knock Rohan's capable attack but their numbers against the Barrow-Downs were significantly lower (10 shots, 4 on target) compared to the carving they did against Dale (18 shots, 9 on target). I tip my hat to Brand for playing with the most pathetic defense I have ever seen. If they don't fix it fast, this team is toast.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): GK-Brand (8)

Barad-dur wins 3-1

Barrow-Downs vs. Gondolin

The Barrow-Downs has played good teams, but not a top-tier team yet, and now they will get one in Gondolin. The biggest problem I'm seeing is their inability to hold a lead. I wouldn't chalk it up to believing once in the lead they feel "we've got this game won," it just looks like there is no consistancy. There are times where the attack looks unstoppable for 10-15 minutes, and then 30-40 minutes where they can't do anything. BD fans are also unsure of what type of Keeper they have in the Warg. He was much improved against Gorgoroth, saving 4 of 5, but they're not far removed from Rohan where he stopped only 2 of 4. If he reverts back to that save percentage, against Gondolin, this will be a massacre.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): FW- Wilwa (10)

I do expect Gondolin's offensive explosion to go down slightly, because of the Barrow-Downs' cunning defensive strategy. At times it looked like they had 14-15 players on the field because of how they swarm to the ball, but again the inconsistancy because other times it was like they just left the field in the middle of play to go to the popular bookstore Elrond's & Sons. Ultimately, Gondolin's offensive numbers will likely not drop enough to make this a competive match.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): MF-Eol (14)

Gondolin wins 3-0.

Beleriand vs. Rivendell

Beleriand's attack is non-existant, but that typically happens when you want to play a conservative possession game. The defense is pretty good, but I guess the idea of trying to get a 1-0 lead and then Marach locking down, keeping possession is still too risky strategy. Beleriand seems to play for a 0-0 draw, which means not only do they find themselves on the losing end often, but makes them terribly boring.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): GK-Halmir (6)

Rivendell's offense is statistically better, but really there is no significant difference. Beleriand's had 5 shots on target, Rivendell 6. Rivendell has created more chances (15) than Beleriand (12), but unable to turn those chances into more goals. It's hard enough for anyone to get 1 goal against Elrond, forget about Beleriand scoring. The question will be, is Rivendell even capable of getting a goal in this match?
*Top phantasy scorer(s): GK-Elrond (8)

Rivendell wins 1-0.

Breeland vs. Havens

Bree will have no trouble scoring in any of their matches. Their problem is plain and simple, Old Man Willow. You will hear Bree fans grumble about Bombadil only playing 10% of the time, or the poor defense, but they've accepted these facts about the team for many years. When it comes down to it, Breelanders don't want a Rivendell team that will try to squeak out a 1-0 victory, they want to see goals. Every year, Bombadil gives that to the fans, and each year they know their defense is under a lot of pressure because of the risky offensive strategy. They live with it, but they're not going to want to live with Old Man Willow on the team much longer. I'll go back to my point about Brand. Both Willow and Brand have given up 7 goals, but Brand has seen more shots and has had to save more shots compared to OMW's atrocious 56% save-percentage.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): FW-Bombadil (10)

This will be an interesting match for the Havens, and rather important for their defense. They haven't been tested by a strong attack yet, and Bree will certainly give them one. It's going to be an important test because they will face killer offenses in their group, so if they can do an effective enough job at containing Bree's constant attack, Olwe may just have put together a playoff-caliber team. One thing we do know, they will score against OMW, and we are sure to see a lot of goals in this one.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): FW-Earendil (11)

Draw 3-3

Bywater vs. Pelennor

A lot of uncertainty surrounds Bywater so far, and fans don't know whether to be optimistic or start hoping for next year. I think Shadowfax and the 2 Nazgul have solidified the defense. They've only allowed 7 shots on target in 2 games, but Cotton is just as terrible as Bree's Tree, only saving 4. Of course Bywater has played Beleriand and Aman, so far, neither have much of a threatening attack. Let's see how their defense holds against Pelennor. Gandalf will be fine and get his points, but Bandobras has been a contributing goal-scorer in previous tournaments. He's going to have to start stepping up his game.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): DF-Shadowfax (5)

Pelennor's played well, but since there are question marks to how much effort Utumno put into their match and whether Doriath is really that bad, than Pelennor's impressive performance may be deceptive. Theoden was heroic at GK for Edoras last year, but the old king's skills might be diminishing. I don't think we'll know any more about them after the outcome of this match, because we don't know the type of team there is in Bywater. Pelennor's good morale should be able to carry them past the shaken, and uncertain Bywater.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): FW- Legolas (11)

Pelennor wins 2-1

Dol Guldur vs. Gondor

The Witch-King's going to want to lead his troops against his hated enemies, but Dol Guldur's had a bit of a slow start. You might look at their opponents so far, Thangorodrim and Gondolin, and say "those are great teams!" While that is true, I'm not sure the move to a different fortress was the wisest decision for the Wiki. The Wiki has become too arrogant from Minas Morgul's performance last year. He had The Mouth as GK, who is not a great keeper, but was certainly better than Oropher. Also, he had Castamir and his pirates, plus Beruthiel, which created a down-right scary offense. Now Khamul has joined the Wiki, but are opponents going to look at Bolg and Radagast with the same fear they would if it were Castamir and Beruthiel? Probably not.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): MF-Khamul (10)

I don't think Gondor's defensive numbers are as bad as AKM would lead you to think. The defense has held up strong to the capable attacks of Numenor and Mithrim. Numenor had 10 shots, 5 on target, Mithrim 12 shots, 5 on target. Gondor has forced most shots off-target, leaving Romendacil to only have to save 10 of the total 22 shots (45%). The weak-link has been Romendacil who is only saving it 60% of the time. He will have to improve on that percentage if Gondor wants to make the jump from playing competitively to winning.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): FW-Eldacar (7)

Draw 2-2

Doriath vs. Numenor

Doesn't get any easier for Doriath in the friendlies. Thingol and Haleth are getting off shots, but Doriath's total shots to on target percentage is not terrible, it just makes football enthusiasts sick. 29.4%!! Honestly, there's a better chance the ball winds up in the seats, than in the opposing GK hands (Correct readers, I didn't say "in the back of the goal" for a reason). This must be Thingol's "new" offensive strategy to relieve pressure off Melian? Or maybe he's a nice chap who thinks fans want to leave with a souvenir from him? Best start putting it in the net, Thingol, or giving 'em a signed jersey. You don't want to supply fans with any more easily thrown objects than what they already have avaiable, or you'll find out why soccer balls were banned from use in dodgeball.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): GK-Melian (6)

Numenor's winning, but this is something I must agree with AKM about, there's something missing. I don't mean the obvious loss of offensive-talent that happened in the off-season, because the Numenoreans are still going to get a lot of shots and it's not like goals are going to be hard to come by, like with Ithilien. Maybe it's simply Numenor is not dominating like last year? Yes, the tournament hasn't begun yet, maybe they aren't playing at full-ability, but there seems to be no fire. It's not uncommon for a team to be content with their Championship win the previous year, and thus not have the same drive or focus, in the next.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): GK- Tar Atanamir (10)

Still, Doriath is THAT bad. Numenor wins 1-0.

~~~~

The previews for the other 8 matches will be released later. :)

Boromir88

03-18-2010, 12:07 PM

Eithel Sirion vs. Mithrim

Promises to be an exciting match and I hope these two meet far in the playoffs so we can really see both at their best.

Eithel Sirion has looked strong in their first 2 friendlies, despite playing two weak teams. What's impressed me about both wins is the flexibility, showing they can play shut out football defeating Doriath 2-0, but also score lots of goals when playing a more offensively capable team like Bree (4-2). It was against Bree, but I did not expect to see that type of goal-scoring ability, coming into the match against Mithrim with a solid 20%.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): MF-Gwindor (12)

Mithrim's competition so far hasn't been much better than Eithel Sirion's, so just as much as they are a true test for the tower, this will a true test for Mithrim. Huan at GK should be strong, as usual, but it will depend on whether Turin decides if this match means anything. Turin is at his best when there is a lot at stake, and this is how he carried Dor-Lomin to the quarter-finals last year. However, when the match is not all that important, Turin doesn't show up in the stats, which is probably why he only has 1 assist, in the friendlies.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): GK-Huan (10)

Eithel Sirion wins 2-1.

Gelion vs. Lorien

For a new team Gelion is raising a few eyebrows, people are seeing the potential of a good team that will not be easy to run-over. So far, however, Gelion hasn't shown they can win, only play even. The defense is well organized, only allowing 9 shots on target in 2 games, and Dior with a solid 78% saves. However, Gelion is relying too much on Beren for the offense. If they can't find someone else to score, Beren isn't a dominant enough goal-scorer to handle the defensive pressure he will be under.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): GK-Dior (8)

I must admit at being surprised by Lorien's 2-1 victory over Minas Anor. I could have over-estimated the Stewards' strength this year, or maybe Celeborn has finally decided to run things his way on the offense, no matter how much yelling Galadriel is doing? Celeborn was asked if this would cause tension in their long-standing marriage: "We're Elves, not Men. We passionately fall in love, wed, and fulfill the only reason to get married...have a kid. We've been sleeping in separate tarans for 8,000 years, but she still won't leave me. You think hot shot elves and gruff dwarves are the only ones who try to get with her, and when they fail I say nothing just smirk as if to say, yep...she's with me. I think it's my silver hair, even after all these years she finds it irresistable." Do we have a new look Lorien, or is Galadriel going to tighten her grip even more?
*Top phantasy scorer(s): GK-Galadriel (6)

Draw 1-1.

Gorgoroth vs. Misty Mountains

Does anyone see a blood bath? Everyone notes the violence when sticking Orcs and Dwarves together, it's just as violence when it's Orcs against Orcs.

Gorgoroth has a bit better defensive strategy, as they've shown in both their matches. They still pick up the cards, and make aggressive tackles, but are quicker, have better endurance, and don't get beat often. Not to mention Shelob who has been one of the better GK thus far. Both goals have come from Castamir so far, but I wouldn't worry much about who else can score. If opponents start paying too much attention to shutting down Castamir, one of his grandsons, or the King, could make them pay. Earnur will have to do better though.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): GK-Shelob (10)

The Misty Mountains haven't been playing all that awful, but they still just don't look good. This is the type of diversity that kills a team, because they have no strong leader who will bring everyone together. The Wold's diversity works, because even Uruks find it difficult to hate a wise, compassionate, totally huggable tree like Treebeard. It would be like hating your grandpa. The Misty Mountains don't have that type of leader, and therefor it's a team that isn't in sync and just doesn't work. They're playing respectable, but it will fall apart soon enough.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): GK- The Watcher (6)

Gorgoroth wins 1-0.

Ithilien vs. Thangorodrim

Ithilien's just as anemic on offense as Beleriand, only mustering 5 shots on target in 2 games. They have played Valimar and the Wold, so we'll see if their chances improve against Thangorodrim. Faramir is the only one who can score, but with this talent around him, he's an average FW at best. He's got a strong and accurate boot, but not great speed. He's going to miss his brother, or uncle as another striker, because Faramir's main weapon as his stealthy ability to slip by defenders unnoticed. As the lone FW, lone scoring threat, scoring is going to be impossible to come by. Somewhat of a shame too, because the defense is pretty talented.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): GK-Mumak (6)

Thangorodrim will find it more difficult to score, since they haven't played a defense as stout as Ithilien's yet. However, they will have the same strategy...attack, attack, attack. Ithilien may get a goal if Thangorodrim exposes itself to a counter, but their defense will be under a barage of shots. It's not good enough to keep Durin's Bane, who seems well at home now, and Thangorodrim off the score board.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): MF-Durin's Bane (16)

Thangorodrim wins 2-0.

Nargothrond vs. The Wold

We've seen Nargothrond's good defense, but so far nothing from the offense. Finrod needs to open up the game, or his team will become just as dull as Beleriand hoping for a 0-0 game. Nargothrond's always had a strong defense, but the loss of Glaurung was a major blow to the team. It's not like they lit up the score, but goals were much easier to come by than they are now. Also, the plain fear in players' eyes when they played Nargothrond, because of Glaurung, is gone. The defense is still good, but there is no one on this team that will put fear into their opponents.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): GK-Beor (6)

Hama, and the defense is likely to get another shut out, but it still won't prove anything about their defense other than they can keep anemic offenses off the board. I like what Treebeard has done with the team, and bringing in the winning mind-set from Mirkwood, but even if they win 1-0 again, there will still be lots of uncertainty.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): DF-Treebeard (14)

Draw 0-0.

Norbury vs. Rohan

This will be Norbury's shot to prove they are better than what we've seen so far. Havens and Thangorodrim were certainly tough matches, but defensively they look only slightly better than Dale. Plus their offense hasn't been any better, as they can only get meaningless goals at the end of matches. If they come out and get a lead early, watch out Norbury will be back, but if they continue to only decide to press forward after the other team has completely pulled back to defend, Norbury's success in the tournament won't be any different than how they're playing right now.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): FW-Araphor, FW-Aranarth, GK-Arvedui (4)

Rohan has looked pretty strong so far, but beating Norbury won't prove much. It's a game they are expected to win, and so if they do...congradulations. If they lose, than we begin to question how good they are. It's a pretty bad position to be in, because it's almost like and Ok-lose situation. You either did what you were supposed to, or failed. Rohan's last friendly match against Dol Guldur should be an interesting one, as it's almost like the Round of 16 rematch from last year, but not again.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): FW-Eomer (10)

Rohan wins 3-2.

Tirion vs. Vinyamar

Tirion will finally have their first true defensive test, as Vinyamar will be the best defense they will be up against for quite a while. Even the Tirion Terrors will face a mighty challenge against Ulmo and his vassals defense. Aule has yet to surrender a goal, but he's only had to save 4 shots, as they were playing Lorien and Beleriand. Should be a similar story for Aule in this match, have to save 2-3 shots all match which will go easily handled. We won't know if Aule can hold together the defense until group play.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): MF-Ingwe (12)

Ulmo will keep it close, but much like several other teams, are finding it very difficult to score. They mustered one against the Havens, but nothing much to brag about since the tall Gondolin lords were up against their weaker cousins. At least defensively they'll prove that even with the addition of Feanor, Tirion's offense can be held in check.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): GK-Rog (10)

Tirion wins 1-0.

Utumno vs. Valimar

Wooh, this is probably going to be the most exciting match, and not one based on the final score (as it will probably be very low-scoring) but simply by the level of play.

If anything wakes Melkor out of a slumber, it is going against the Valar in any sport. He didn't seem to mind playing for them last year, but nothing restirs the blood of old feuds like a soccer match. You can bet him and Tulkas will be battling all 90 minutes, and Melkor will be trying to goad him into a rash and stupid foul. If Utumno can score two, the match is more than likely over, and Utumno's critics will be silenced. But scoring 2 on now the Manwe-led Valar defense, phew, that's even beyond Melkor's ability.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): MF- Telvildo, GK-Ungoliant (8)

If anything gets the Valar to throw away the generosity, and courtesy, they show to other opponents it's the chance to beat a team with Melkor and his enemies. Varda has said she wants to guard Melkor all match, because she thinks she can and has the cooler head over Tulkas. Tulkas tried to appeal to Manwe just by saying: "Melkor's mine." but Manwe sided with his wife. However, don't be surprised if Manwe changes his mind during the match, if Utumno takes the early lead.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): DF- Manwe, DF- Vana, GK- Namo (8)

Draw 1-1.

Nogrod

03-19-2010, 02:37 PM

In one of the most anticipated games of the third round of friendlies, the Barrow-Downs took on their guest - the flaring Gondolin team - at their home venue late on Thursday evening. And what a game it was!

From the very beginning it was clear it was not going to be a walk in the park for the Gondolin team. Quite the contrary. It was not only the home-audience who thought that the Downers’ leading goal in the end of the first period was well earned indeed. The ‘Downs just outwitted, outran and outplayed their opponents with wit and pure willpower on the first period. Maybe the Gondolin team was not ready for the game, didn’t anticipate such an intensive play from the hometeam, or they had had a big party the previous evening, but whatever it was they were on the receiving side for the first 45 minutes.

Gondolin came to the second period with new energy-levels and took the control of the game finally leading to a well deserved equaliser about halfway to the period. After the Gondolin equaliser it seemed for a while both teams were content with the draw and the intensity of the game fell considerably.

But the phantom and Fea had decided otherwise. The AKM had noted that the two had been invisible thus far. Whether that comment had spiced them up or not, they surely weren’t invisible in this game. After a stunning display of cunning and sheer virtuosity the two outplayed the whole Gondolin defence and finally got face to face with Huor. Talk about crowd-pleasers!

The result should give a lot of food for thought to any phantasy-league player indeed.

Barrow-Downs 2-1 Gondolin
tot shots 14-15
on target 7-7
GOALS:
*38, 1-0 Nogrod (Phantom)
*64, 1-1 Maeglin (Aredhel)
*82, 2-1 Phantom (Fea)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Barrow-Downs- Gwath, Wilwa
*Gondolin- Salgant, Fingolfin

In another spectator-friendly game Barad-Dûr Took an early two goal lead and then more or less concentrated on dribbling and nice tricks, giving Smaug a chance to capitalise and bring the Dale team even. Seeing the game was not over yet, Sauron beat his team to claim the victory with some very beautiful football.

To those who had suspected his inspiration to play with Sauron (AKM included) Elendil sent a clear message with his two goals. It seems Barad-Dûr is gearing up – just like a team where Sauron is involved would do.

On other games Aman took a a win over Minas Anor but in no way was it a convincing performance. Aman will most probably qualify from their group but not because of the flare of their game but because of the low quality of their opponents. Minas Anor on the other hand will be in deep trouble in their own group unless a miracle takes place…

The game between Beleriand and Rivendell was plain boring "kicking of the ball" around the field for ninety minutes. With these performances both teams are heading for an early relegation. Sad to say that, but it is true.

Barad-Dûr 4-2 Dale
tot shots 20-9
on target 11-5
GOALS:
*8, 1-0 Elendil (Nazgul #6)
*19, 2-0 Fellbeast (Nazgul #7)
*40, 2-1 Smaug (Thranduil)
*53, 2-2 Smaug (Girion)
*65, 3-2 Sauron (Gil-galad)
*81, 4-2 Elendil (Nazgul #7)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Barad-Dur- Anarion, Isildur
*Dale- Nain, Carc, Moneybags

Aman 1-0 Minas Anor
tot shots 10-9
on target 5-3
GOALS:
*67, 1-0 Orome (Earwen)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Aman- Nahar, Vaire
*Minas Anor- Nazgul #4, Calimehtar, Falastur

Beleriand 0-1 Rivendell
tot shots 7-9
on target 3-4
GOALS:
*57, 0-1 Boromir II (Arwen)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Beleriand- Magor, Mim, Manthor
*Rivendell- Arahael, Celebrian

the phantom

03-19-2010, 06:57 PM

The friendly between Mithrim and Eithel Sirion was a good contest, with both sides showing some good skill and teamwork. Mithrim saw more time with the ball on their shoes and got off some fine blasts, but Maglor was just on top of it stopping all but one try. At the other end Eithel made the most of their possessions, with the veterans up front knowing how to avoid a wasted chance and showing nice timing. It looked certain to end as a 1-1 tie, but with under five minutes Maedhros showed up his brothers and the others on the Mithrim defense, taking it in solo and sending it over to Fingon for the easy chip at the end.

Both sides seemed happy with the result, as it was obvious that the opponent had been on their game and yet had not taken the game over. And while they had not played lazy at all, neither team had worn itself down at all. "This was really a great game for everyone involved," said Hurin after the contest. "The teams and fans all get along well, so it was really just a nice chance to get together and make sure we were tournament ready. I hope to see them again in the playoffs!"

Gelion and Lorien had a similar sort of match, only with both defenses looking much more on form than the offenses facing them. In the end it was Galadriel able to stop one more shot than the other keeper, and so giving Lorien the win. "There are always things to fix," commented Galadriel following the match, "But the most important thing is coming out ahead on the scoreboard. If we can do this during the tournament, I'll be happy."

Gorgoroth and Misty Mts played a violent and at times dirty contest where the refs decided part way through just to let things go, as if they had called everything both teams would've been sent off the pitch. Castamir and friends showed a bit more polish on the offensive end than the opposing forwards and midfielders, and that proved to provide the one goal margin. In the aftermath of the bloodbath, head tournament official and referee Boromir the 88th gave a firm warning to both sides. "We let it slide today so as to allow you to get your practice in, but come tournament time we will not be so slow to pull out cards."

Ithilien had no luck following up their previous quality defensive performances, as the dragons and balrog up front for Thangorodrim were simply too much to handle when giving only friendly-level effort. After building their lead Thang surprisingly pulled back and tried some Ithilien-type defense, but found themselves completely unsuited for it and gave up a goal and nearly another before the match ended. "Now I know why we never play that style," laughed Ancalagon afterwards. "We just wanted to try it for fun."

Eithel Sirion 2-1 Mithrim
tot shots 11-14
on target 5-7
GOALS:
*20, 0-1 Turin (Hurin)
*58, 1-1 Gwindor (Hador)
*86, 2-1 Fingon (Maedhros)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Eithel Sirion- Gwindor, Gundor
*Mithrim- Gelmir, Aradan

Gelion 0-1 Lorien
tot shots 8-6
on target 3-3
GOALS:
*74, 0-1 Celeborn (Haldir)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Gelion- Haldad, Amlach, Caranthir
*Lorien- Finglas, Amdir, Nimrodel

Gorgoroth 2-1 Misty Mts
tot shots 12-9
on target 6-4
GOALS:
*15, 1-0 Earnur (Grishnakh)
*31, 1-1 Azog (Gwaihir)
*44, 2-1 Castamir (Angamaite)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Gorgoroth- Grishnakh, Gollum, Gorbag, Earnur, Angamaite
*Misty Mts- Durin, Azog, William, Tom, Great Goblin, Bert

Ithilien 1-3 Thangorodrim
tot shots 5-21
on target 2-9
GOALS:
*22, 0-1 Scatha (DBane)
*40, 0-2 Ulwarth (Ulfang)
*63, 0-3 DBane (Ancalagon)
*79, 1-3 Faramir (Frodo)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Ithilien- Damrod, Samwise, Bergil
*Thangorodrim- Ulfast, Uldor, Glaurung

Boromir88

03-21-2010, 11:56 AM

Utumno and Valimar was one of the most anticipated matches not only in Round 3, but of the entire friendlies. Would the loss of Melkor lead to an even earlier exit, for Valimar, from the Arda Cup than last year? Were Melkor's soccer skills quickly diminishing as he spends them on his servants? If this match provided accurate answers, than it appears Melkor's gamble will not pay off.

It looked like Utumno's equalizer within the first 10 minutes of the 2nd was going to push them onto a win, because those types of goals can be just as demoralizing as giving up one right before the break. However, Manwe was not shaken, his defense shut down Utumno the rest of the game and Varda made Melkor look like he belonged in the D-league.

The game was coming to a close, and it looked like it would end a 1-1 draw, as most experts predicted. However, to the surprise of everyone watching Eonwe decided his Lord's defensive efforts all match deserved a much greater reward than a mere draw. He received a pass from Manwe and with great haste flew down the left side of the field. The Balrogs, not expecting this type of aggressive move, were taken completely by surprise. Spiritted on by Eonwe, Arien and Tulkas broke towards Utumno's goal with majesty and power. Eonwe hit a rocket that was directed straight at Ungoliant. Fans who saw Eonwe's eyes said it looked like he wanted to blast it straight thru the spider's monstrous form, but Tulkas re-directed the shot with a wicked header. Ungoliant had no chance, it was 2-1 Valimar!

Valimar supporters broke out in grand applause and joyous songs. They have never seen their team, when Manwe was leading, make a play that aggressive, that late in a match before. And the fans wanted to make sure Manwe knew that's the football they wanted to see from Valimar.

Utumno 1-2 Valimar
tot shots 11-11
on target 5-5
GOALS:
*38, 0-1, Arien (Varda)
*53, 1-1, Gothmog (Thuringwethil)
*87, 1-2, Tulkas (Eonwe)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Utumno- Gothmog, Balrog #2, Balrog #3
*Valimar- Ilmare, Pallando, Yavanna

In other matches of the day Hama's perfect save percentage stays in tact as he stopped all 5 of Nargothrond's shots on goal. Grima gets an early goal in the 2nd to keep Wold undefeated thru 3 friendlies.

Norbury got the first goal of their match against Rohan, near the end of the 1st. However, Rohan's spirited attack awoke in the 2nd, and they were able to handle Norbury with relative ease.

Feanor got his 1st goal of the friendlies to get an equalizer, and Tirion avoided complete embarrassment. Despite only 3 draws so far, Vinyamar is confident they can seriously challenge Aman for 1st in Group A, because of ther suffocating defense.

Nargothrond 0-1 Wold
tot shots 12-6
on target 5-2
GOALS:
*68, 0-1 Grima (Theodred)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Nargothrond- Barahir, Baranor
*Wold- Treebeard, Grima

Norbury 1-2 Rohan
tot shots 10-15
on target 5-7
GOALS:
*41, 1-0 Valandil (Araphor)
*66, 1-1 Helm (Eorl)
*84, 1-2 Felarof (Merry)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Norbury- Arveleg, Tarcil
*Rohan- Frumgar, Hallas, Eomer

Tirion 1-1 Vinyamar
tot shots 11-8
on target 5-4
GOALS:
*27, 0-1, Penlod (Idril)
*65, 1-1, Feanor (Miriel)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Tirion- Indis, Feanor, Mahtan
*Vinyamar- Osse, Salmar

skip spence

03-21-2010, 03:33 PM

The Arda Cup draws closer by the day and last night’s friendlies proved a tasty hor'dourve to whet the appetite ahead of the main meal. One of the major draws of the tournament is Breeland superstar Tom Bombadil, and judging by his performance last night, he will not fail to entertain at the big stage. At kick-off however, Bombadil was once again missing. The River-Woman said he’d gone looking for his cow who’d gone astray, and that was that. Nob took Bombadil’s place in the starting line-up, but without their talismanic striker, Breeland was struggling to keep up with their skillful opponents from the Havens, who went into the halftime break one goal up, and it could easily have been worse for Bree if it wasn’t for a few decent saves from the Old Man Willow. He will take heart from that.

Only minutes ahead of the second half kick-off, Bombadil suddenly returned, and as soon as he came on to the field Breeland looked a whole new team and more fluid in attack than a student's Friday night diet. After only minutes on the field Bombadil himself had equalized with a fine left-footed volley, and soon after that he hit the post after a flamboyant solo run. The undaunted Havens struck back though with a fine Tar Aldarion header, but Breeland continued to surge forward and looked threatening every time they gained possession of the ball. Bombadil was again instrumental as the Breelanders evened the score a second time. Whistling like a zoo-store full of canary-birds, he held up the ball in his own half, fending off several challenges before finding Halbarad in his stride with a sweeping 70-yard ball, and the ranger’s early low cross was directed into the net by Strider. The Havens was to have the last say though as Eärendil took advantage of some sloppy Breeland defending and beat Old Man Willow with a well placed shot. Perhaps the creaky old tree should have done better with that effort.

Results from tonight's friendlies:

Breeland 2-3 Havens
tot shots 16-18
on target 7-9
GOALS:
*31, 0-1 Tar Minastir (Cirdan)
*49, 1-1 Bombadil (Barrow-Wight)
*56, 1-2 Tar Aldarion (Uinen)
*67, 2-2 Strider (Halbarad)
*80, 2-3 Earendil
YELLOW CARDS:
*Breeland- Strider, Harry
*Havens- Lindo, Uinen, Eriol

Bywater 2-2 Pelennor
tot shots 14-8
on target 7-4
GOALS:
*32, 1-0 Bandobras (Gandalf)
*48, 2-0 Gildor (Saruman)
*73, 2-1 Imrahil (Eowyn)
*83, 2-2 Gothmog II (Duinhir)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Bywater- Saruman, Nazgul #3
*Pelennor- Eowyn, Duinhir, Forlong

Dol Guldur 2-2 Gondor
tot shots 18-14
on target 7-6
GOALS:
*26, 0-1 Mardil (Beruthiel)
*42, 0-2 Hyarmendacil (Mardil)
*70, 1-2 Bolg (Witch King)
*81, 2-2 Beorn (Grimbeorn)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Dol Guldur- Grimbeorn, Attercop, Thrain
*Gondor- Ondoher, Fastred, Ostoher

Doriath 0-2 Numenor
tot shots 4-15
on target 1-8
GOALS:
*55, 0-1 Tar Telperien (Tar Miriel)
*63, 0-2 Elros (Tar Palantir)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Doriath- Daeron, Haldir, Haleth, Algund
*Numenor- Ar Adunakhor, Tar Cirytan

Boromir88

03-22-2010, 01:24 PM

TTN - Round 4 Preview

The very last round of friendlies, and the predictions will be significantly shorter, as most teams will be looking ahead to the Arda Cup and not concentrate on winning their final friendly. If a team isn't prepared for the tournament at this point, the last friendly won't be too helpful. Teams who've had a strong showing, will be conserving and making minor refinements. Where Doriath and Nargothrond are probably just hoping to get the nightmare over, and prove their worth when it matters.

Aman vs. Gondolin

Has Gondolin been figured out already or was it simply over-rated because they finally played a quality defense? Scoring 4 goals against Dale and Dol Guldur each, but only getting 1 against the Barrow-Downs. Aman plays a similar team-minded defense like the Barrow-Downs, and are probably better athletes, so expect Gondolin's offensive numbers to further decline. Aman is more efficient scoring (14.3%) than the Barrow-Downs (13.2%), but doesn't create nearly as many chances, 28 to BDs 38.

Draw 1-1.

Barad-dur vs. Eithel Sirion

Eithel Sirion proved they are a serious championship contender with a good 2-1 win against Mithrim. However, I also think Barad-dur proved their quality against Dale. Yes, it was against Dale, but not only was it a convincing 3-1 win, Barad-dur proved Sauron, Islidur, and Gil Galad weren't the only football players on the team. Since, both teams should be pleased with their performance in the friendlies, they will both relax and step back in this match. A shame really, because if the game meant something, this would be a most exciting match-up. Let's hope they meet in the tournament, eh?

Eithel Sirion wins 2-1.

Barrow-Downs vs. Numenor

Numenor hasn't really played any great competition in the friendlies and that could come back to hurt them in a highly competitive Group E. The good news is the Barrow-Downs will likely be one of the few teams who will bring their A-game. They play with a competitive tenacity and work-ethic, each and every game, that hasn't been seen in Arda before. The scary thing is, the Barrow-Downs has the stamina to do this, and still come into the tournament fully-rested. The Barrow-Downs will bring their best and if Numenor isn't ready, don't be surprised if the lose. However, Numenor's defense is always prepared and looks to be just as dominating as last year.

Numenor wins 1-0.

Beleriand vs. Lorien

Lorien will likely pick up their 3rd win in the friendlies, but who have they beaten? They've been playing above expectations, especially on goal-scoring (a flat 15%), but they've had a very weak friendly schedule (Tirion, Minas Anor, Gelion, and Beleriand). Out of those 4, Tirion is the only one strongly-favored to make it to the playoffs, with Gelion having an out-side chance if they can get some scoring. And they did absolutely nothing against the one playoff-looking team they did play, losing 2-0.

Lorien wins 1-0.

Breeland vs. Minas Anor

Both teams are haplessly 0-3 in friendlies, so the good news is fans should be treated to an entertaining match, as Bree and Anor will be looking for a win to give them a boost of optimism in the tournament. However, let's face the facts, whoever does win will have a very difficult up-hill battle to make it out of group play and whoever loses will have trouble just avoiding the cellar. And if it ends in a draw? They're both in the cellar.

Bree wins 3-2.

Bywater vs. Vinyamar

Shadowfax and Bywater's D really stifled Pelennor's strong attack, but again Cotton proved he is an inept goal-keeper. Seriously I'd rather place an ancient tree in the middle of the goal if I were Bywater, because at least then you are making your opponents strike the ball with a bit of accuracy. He takes poor angles, is easily faked, dives the wrong way. It's a joke, and a pity, because Bywater has a good defense. Vinyamar though has a better defense (probably because they have a better GK), allowing only 1 goal to Havens and Tirion each.

Vinyamar wins 1-0.

Dale vs. Gorgoroth

Completely opposite from Bywater. Dale's got a good goal-keeper, but a pathetic defense. 6 of their players are in negative points because of how many cards they pick up (that is double than the Misty Mountains!!) At least the Misty Mountains make it worth all the cards, by how badly they can bruise you up. Thru 3 games Brand has faced 30 shots on target (the next closest is OMW, 25). You know what the league average is thru 3 games? Halve-it! Could you imagine how good Bywater would be with Brand and how terrible Dale would be with Cotton?

Gorgoroth wins 2-1.

Dol Guldur vs. Rohan

The Witch-King's hatred against Rohan is only topped by his hatred for Gondor. It was the wench Eowyn and her little side-kick Merry whom killed him on the Pelennor. Eowyn has departed from Rohan, but it makes no difference to the Wiki, and besides Merry has returned to Rohan. This will be another rather exciting match as the teams are just natural enemies, which should guarantee a hard fought game. Plus there's still a lot to be seen from whether Rohan's new defensive players...erm horses...are up to the challenge yet.

Draw 2-2.

Doriath vs. Rivendell

Not much to say here. Doriath won't score, because of Elrond. Rivendell will eek out a 1-0 victory, but there won't be any great excitement. If it's 0-0 at the half, I would be surprised if anyone is left in the stadium to watch the 2nd. Unfortunately, TTN reporters must sit thru it. :rolleyes:

Rivendell wins 1-0.

Gelion vs. Mithrim

There has been no indication that Mithrim will run away with the 2010 Arda Cup. While definitely a good team, they are not a juggernaut. They are too dependant on their FWs for scoring and as I said earlier, if they can't score their defense is not used to facing a lot of pressure. Gelion won't be much of a scoring threat, but don't be surprised if Mithrim's own offensive woes continue, currently sitting at a woeful 12%. For the talent, and money, Mithrim has invested this year, that is unacceptable.

Mithrim wins 1-0

Gondor vs. Pelennor

Should be one of those games that are a joy to watch. Respectful but also some well-played football. If either one makes it out of their group, they can go on a cinderella Mirkwood-like run. I would not be surprised by that at all.

Gondor wins 2-1.

Havens vs. Ithilien

Defensively, Ithillien should match up better against the Havens than the mighty Thangorodrim. However, the Havens can pretty much score against anyone, where Ithilien can't. I think Ithilien will find it much harder to score against the fleet-footed Elves than the often-times overly aggressive Thangorodrim team.

Havens wins 2-0.

Misty Mountains vs. Wold

Hama will remain perfect, but I repeat we won't know anything more about the Wold's defense. They've played 4 teams who have the scoring potential of a wet blanket, as well as 4 teams who are completely winless so far. Vinyamar's managed 3 draws and Misty Mountains 1, that's it. They've played nobody, so don't get too high on their chances to advance yet.

Wold wins 1-0.

Nargothrond vs. Valimar

Nargothrond's not going to score, that's not remotely difficult to predict. What is, is whether Valimar will make this a completely boring match, by holding possession and conserving for the tournament, or if they will try for a 1-0 win. If Valimar does decide they want to win, they will because Nargothrond's defense isn't good enough to stop them. If not, it ends a draw.

Draw 0-0.

Norbury vs. Tirion

Norbury has had perhaps the toughest schedule during the friendlies, which if they aren't too demoralized may prove their benefit in Group D, which has a vastly depleted Nargothrond team and the unknown, untested Pelennor. The Havens looks like a playoff caliber team, and Rohan's got a reasonable chance, and we know barring unpredictable collapse, Thangorodrim and Tirion are serious playoff contenders. The defenses (and Arvedui) have held up better than Dale, plus they've scored in all their matches. Norbury will leave the friendlies winless, but don't think they will get run-over in group-play.

Tirion wins 2-1.

Thangorodrim vs. Utumno

This will be interesting, because of the story at the beginning of the year when Melkor did not return to Thangorodrim and actually stole many of their players when starting up Utumno. However, those ill-feelings are likely a thing of the past, since the play of Durin's Bane and the 3-dragons, for Thangorodrim has been spectacular. Melkor will likely try to flex his muscles, to show his underlings while he's not there he is still their Master. After Thangorodrim last victory, when Uldor was asked about their upcoming match against Utumno: "We're rather glad Melkor decided not to come back. Everyone knows Durin's Bane, Glaurung, and Scatha would have never agreed to join the team if he did. And we are much better off with them than with Melkor."

Draw 2-2.

Boromir88

03-27-2010, 06:39 PM

The Barrow-Downs leaves the friendlies on a high note, with a solid 2-0 victory over Numenor. Numenor might not have been playing at their best level, looking ahead to the friendlies, but the shock was Tar Atanamir. Numenor fans can't remember the last game Tar Atanamir surrendered 2 goals, as he only saved 3 shots. No one wanted to comment for Numenor after the game.

Not the same for The Barrow-Downs: "We started a little slow, but ended strong with two wins against playoff teams." said Nogrod. "I would not be surprised if we see Gondolin or Numenor again. It may just be the friendlies, but we are undefeated in 4 matches, we're ready to play anyone, and there will be a great celebration tonight in Bree!"

You read that correctly, the Barrow-Downs forward said a party in Bree. Rumors are circulating that the finalists for host of Group B are Gorgoroth and The Barrow-Downs.

Barrow-Downs 2-0 Numenor
tot shots 12-11
on target 5-4
GOALS:
*51, 1-0 Fea (Skip)
*70, 2-0 Wilwa (Phantom)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Barrow-Downs- Phantom, Mira, Skip
*Numenor- Ar Zimrathan, Tar Miriel, Elros

In the other matches of the day, there were two draws, and Eithel Sirion defeated Barad-dur convincingly, 3-1. Barad-dur did not ease up on their shots, as Sauron kept pressing, but Maglor held firm, where Maedhros and Fingon made The Mouth look like a deer caught in headlights.

The pair of 1-1 games were relatively boring. Gondolin knowing their offense looked to be in full sync in the first two games, has spent their last two working to improve the defense.

Aman 1-1 Gondolin
tot shots 12-11
on target 6-5
GOALS:
*62, 0-1 Fingolfin (Maeglin)
*76, 1-1 Ar Pharazon (Finarfin)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Aman- Ar Pharazon, Vaire
*Gondolin- Ecthelion, Salgant

Barad-Dur 1-3 Eithel Sirion
tot shots 15-12
on target 6-6
GOALS:
*18, 0-1 Maedhros (Fingon)
*34, 0-2 Hador (Gwindor)
*57, 1-2 Isildur (Sauron)
*75, 1-3 Maedhros (Fingon)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Barad-Dur- Gil-galad, Isildur, Nazgul #5, Elendil
*Eithel Sirion- Angrod, Aegnor, Fingon

Beleriand 1-1 Lorien
tot shots 11-11
on target 5-5
GOALS:
*23, 0-1 Fladrif (Fimbrethil)
*69, 1-1 Imlach (Bregolas)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Beleriand- Marach, Hathol
*Lorien- Amroth, Finglas, Haldir

skip spence

03-29-2010, 09:50 AM

The King of the Dead is Gorgoroth perhaps most talked about signing. While no-one has doubted the striker's ability to put the fear into the opposing defence there has been question-marks regarding his ability to actually make physical contact with the ball, given his uncertain connection with the material world. With last night's well taken brace of goals these uncertainties can be wiped out. It was plain to see that the ghostly hit-man made good contact with the ball all night.

The match against Dale finished 2-2, but although it was nominally called a friendly, there was little friendliness on the pitch. Both teams saw a man sent off after some extraordinarily violent tackles, and Shagrat was lucky not to see red too after producing a scimitar in the closing minutes of the game and threatening to give Thranduil "a shave". The ref only gave the hot-headed Orc a yellow card though, perhaps in fear of getting on the end of the same treatment.

Arda Cup is officially launching an investigation regarding the disciplinary actions of both teams. The result of the inventigation should be presented ahead of the main tournament

Results from last night's friendlies:

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Breeland 3-2 Minas Anor
tot shots 16-10
on target 8-5
GOALS:
*27, 0-1 Falastur (Boromir I)
*37, 1-1 Barrow-Wight (Strider)
*44, 2-1 Barrow-Wight (Bombadil)
*70, 3-1 Roheryn (Goldberry)
*82, 3-2 Denethor II (Nazgul #4)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Breeland- Halbarad, Barrow-Wight, Lumpkin
*Minas Anor- Earnil II, Golasgil

Bywater 0-0 Vinyamar
tot shots 6-10
on target 2-4
YELLOW CARDS:
*Bywater- Maggot
*Vinyamar- Egalmoth, Duilin

Dale 2-2 Gorgoroth
tot shots 9-14
on target 5-7
GOALS:
*43, 1-0 Girion (Bard)
*55, 1-1 King Dead (Castamir)
*68, 2-1 Smaug (Thranduil)
*79, 2-2 King Dead (Gollum)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Dale- Thranduil, Roac, Bard, Thror, Moneybags
*Gorgoroth- Castamir, Grishnakh, Gollum, Shagrat
RED CARDS:
*Dale- Bard (50, second yellow)
*Gorgoroth- Grishnakh (66, second yellow)

Dol Guldur 3-3 Rohan
tot shots 19-10
on target 9-5
GOALS:
*36, 1-0 Radagast (Bolg)
*41, 1-1 Helm (Cirion)
*58, 2-1 Witch King
*70, 2-2 Eorl (Eomer)
*78, 3-2 Grimbeorn (Radagast)
*87, 3-3 Eomer (Eorl)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Dol Guldur- Grimbeorn, Thrain, Galion
*Rohan- Hallas

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the phantom

03-29-2010, 01:53 PM

Friendlies wrapped up today, leaving fans to hope or fret based upon the results of the four warm-up matches. Tirion picked up win number three after falling behind Norbury, Wold continued their defensive dominance 1-0, and Valimar finished with four wins after edging Nargothrond. The highly anticipated Utumno-Thangorodrim match was surprisingly tame. There may be some bad blood there, but apparently not to the point that the teams were willing to risk injury or fatigue going into the tournament. For the most part there did seem to be more coasting in general in this final set of matches, so far as physicality and intensity goes. To prove it, Misty Mts actually restrained themselves to only four yellow cards.

Doriath 0-0 Rivendell
tot shots 9-10
on target 3-5
YELLOW CARDS:
*Doriath- Saeros, Thingol, Elurin
*Rivendell- Thorin, Elrohir

Gelion 0-2 Mithrim
tot shots 7-12
on target 3-6
GOALS:
*22, 0-1 Curufin (Hurin)
*49, 0-2 Turin (Beleg)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Gelion- Bereg, Amlach
*Mithrim- Turin, Gelmir

Gondor 2-2 Pelennor
tot shots 14-9
on target 7-4
GOALS:
*15, 0-1 Gimli (Snowmane)
*43, 1-1 Beruthiel (Ostoher)
*55, 1-2 Legolas (Eowyn)
*74, 2-2 Hyarmendacil (Mardil)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Gondor- Beruthiel, Folcred
*Pelennor- Windfola, Snowmane

Havens 2-1 Ithilien
tot shots 12-12
on target 5-5
GOALS:
*53, 1-0 Tar Minastir (Earendil)
*62, 2-0 Cirdan (Uinen)
*86, 2-1 Faramir (Anborn)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Havens- Tar Minastir
*Ithilien- Mablung, Anborn

Misty Mts 0-1 Wold
tot shots 6-10
on target 2-3
GOALS:
*58, 0-1 Quickbeam (Ugluk)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Misty Mts- Meneldor, William, Azog, Great Goblin
*Wold- Ugluk, Lightfoot, Beechbone

Nargothrond 1-2 Valimar
tot shots 9-10
on target 3-4
GOALS:
*39, 1-0 Finrod (Finduilas)
*51, 1-1 Eonwe (Arien)
*65, 1-2 Tulkas (Ilmare)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Nargothrond- Boron, Arminas
*Valimar- Vana, Yavanna

Norbury 1-2 Tirion
tot shots 8-12
on target 3-5
GOALS:
*16, 1-0 Araphor (Malbeth)
*40, 1-1 Finwe (Feanor)
*74, 1-2 Miriel (Nerdanel)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Norbury- Valandur
*Tirion- Finwe, Amras

Thangorodrim 2-2 Utumno
tot shots 9-15
on target 4-7
GOALS:
*21, 1-0 Scatha (DBane)
*38, 1-1 Balrog #4 (Balrog #3)
*62, 2-1 Ancalagon (Scatha)
*81, 2-2 Gothmog (Melkor)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Thangorodrim- Ulfang, DBane, Gorlim
*Utumno- Balrog #1, Telvildo, Melkor

Nogrod

03-29-2010, 02:59 PM

AKM provides it's readers with the statistics on every tournament. Here will be the total standings after friendlies.

Reading instructions.

After the name of the team there are:
- points taken from the friendlies (a win = 3pts., a draw = 1pt.)
- wins - draws - losses
- the total of goals made - goals conceded
- the goal difference, + or - something
- the total of shots made (on target) - shots against (on target)
- group (from A-H)
- shooting effectivity percentage (how many shots made make a goal - counted from all shots, not only of those on target)
- goalie's saving percentage

NB. These are only statistics from the friendlies. Some teams had harder opposition during the friendlies and others had easier ones. Stay online to read more from the AKM's group by group analysis of the teams and their prospects.

1. Eithel Sirion 12 4-0-0 11-4 +7 53(27) – 47(21) D
20,8% 81%

2. Valimar 12 4-0-0 6-2 +4 40(16) – 31(12) F
15% 73,3%

3. Thangorodr. 10 3-1-0 12-5 +7 60(29) – 49(21) F
20% 76,2%

4. Tirion 10 3-1-0 7-2 +5 49(23) – 27(11) H
14,3% 81,8%

5. Havens 10 3-1-0 8-5 +3 53(25) – 44(19) H
15,1% 73,7%

6. Wold 10 3-1-0 3-0 +3 29(11) – 35(14) G
10,3% 100%

7. Mithrim 9 3-0-1 7-3 +4 54(26) – 34(15) C
13% 80

8. Numenor 9 3-0-1 5-3 +2 47(22) – 31(14) E
10,6% 78,6%

9. BarrowDowns 8 2-2-0 7-4 +3 50(22) – 47(20) B
14% 80%

10. Aman 8 2-2-0 5-2 +3 40(19) – 40(15) A
12,5% 86,7%

11. Rohan 8 2-2-0 10-8 +2 53(25) – 52(25) D
18,9% 68%

12. Gorgoroth 8 2-2-0 6-4 +2 44(21) – 37(17) B
13,6% 76,5%

13. Gondolin 7 2-1-1 10-5 +5 62(31) – 38(18) G
16,1% 72,2

14. Barad-Dûr 7 2-1-1 9-8 +1 59(28) – 43(21) B
15,3% 61,9%

15. Utumno 7 2-1-1 6-5 +1 52(25) – 35(16) E
11,5% 68,8%

16. Lorien 7 2-1-1 4-4 0 31(15) – 46(22) F
12,9% 81,8%

17. Pelennor 5 1-2-1 7-7 0 43(21) – 51(21) C
16,3% 66,7%

18. Rivendell 5 1-2-1 2-2 0 34(15) – 39(17) E
5,9% 88,2%

19. Vinyamar 4 0-4-0 2-2 0 36(16) – 33(14) A
5,6% 85,7%

20. Bywater 3 0-3-1 3-5 -2 41(18) – 34(15) F
7,3% 66,7%

21. Breeland 3 1-0-3 9-12 -3 58(29) – 59(30) B
17,3% 60%

22. Gondor 2 0-2-2 6-8 -2 48(22) – 49(21) G
12,5% 61,9%

23. Beleriand 2 0-2-2 2-5 -2 30(13) – 43(20) A
6,7% 75%

24. Gelion 2 0-2-2 2-5 -3 32(14) – 40(18) D
6,3% 72,2%

25. Dol Guldur 2 0-2-2 8-13 -5 64(28) – 57(28) H
12,5% 53,6%

26. Misty Mts. 1 0-1-3 2-5 -3 31(11) – 39(16) E
6,5% 68,8%

27. Doriath 1 0-1-3 1-6 -5 30(9) – 52(27) G
3,3% 77,8%

28. Dale 1 0-1-3 6-13 -7 32(17) – 70(37) D
18,8% 64,9%

29. Nargothr. 0 0-0-4 1-5 -4 34(14) – 34(14) C
2,9% 64,3%

30. Norbury 0 0-0-4 4-9 -5 34(15) – 55(27) C
11,8% 66,7%

31. Minas Anor 0 0-0-4 3-8 -5 38(18) – 51(26) H
7,9% 69,2%

32. Ithilien 0 0-0-4 2-7 -5 30(12) – 50(21) A
6,7% 66,7%

Nogrod

03-30-2010, 03:27 PM

NB. The number in brackets after the name of the team and their wins-draws-losses is their statistical standing after the friendlies.

Group A

The teams of group A had serious goal-scoring issues during the friendlies. Three of the teams managed to only score twice in four games and the statistics leaders of the group, Aman, only scored five goals. On the flip-side of the coin Aman and Vinyamar claim some of the best goal-tending of the friendlies and their defences have been pretty effective in not giving the opposing side too many chances to score in the first place.

Looking at the stats from the friendlies Ithilien looks like the worst team there is from all the 32 teams, but if one considers the opponents they have faced thus far the picture will change. No one team has faced such opponents thus far (Norbury comes near): Valimar (2nd in ranking), Thangorodrim (3rd), Havens (5th) and Wold (6th)! So a wise gamer would not put it past captain Faramir’s team to show their qualities with easier opponents they face on the group phase.

Aman 2-2-0 (10th.)

Aman might still be the favourites of the group but that is not an uncontested place. They beat weaker opponents (Bywater and Minas Anor) but had to settle with a draw against Misty Mts. To their honour one must say they also took a draw from the mighty Gondolin – although the sceptics remind us that Gondolin is no more what it used to be, the mighty Gondolin, despite their comfortable wins against weaker sides.

Nienna has proved to be a quality keeper and with the saving-percentage of 86,7% she has been the third best goalie of this year’s set up thus far. The question is whether the Aman defences will hold later against some more quality-forwards and whether Nienna can keep up with her saving percentage against them. The Valier and Turgon have been comfortable in the backlines, but they have had it more or less easy most of the time and have not been truly tested yet.

Also it has to be admitted that Ar-Pharazôn has been far from his flare and the Noldorin prince has not been able to feed him with passes – or be available to his passes – like Ar Pharazôn has used to in the Armenelos team. A lot depends on whether “the Golden” gets inspired and connects with “the Golden Hair”, or whether the rest of the midfield can wake up to support their lonely striker-genius.

There were some shared games the teams from group A played and looking at the results from them gives one some confidence that Aman will go through to the next phase though: both Vinyamar and Beleriand played a draw against Bywater but Aman won them comfortably 2-0.

AKM prediction: advancing to the next round.

Beleriand 0-2-2 (23rd.)

They managed to draw with Lorien and that is not a bad performance, but then again Lorien isn’t a team that feasts with goals anyway. Losing to Tirion is no disgrace but drawing with Bywater might be.

It may be that Beleriand is not so bad a team the stats say, but it is hard to believe in their chances of getting forwards from the group phase. The lord of the Haladin is an average goalkeeper at his best who might be spirited against orcs but they will face none in group A.

Basically the whole team has been a disappointment. The defences let the opponents to shoot on target a way too often, the midfield is just armless (legless?) and Marach has not shown any leadership thus far. Whatever their future will be, the AKM strongly advises not to choose players from Beleriand to any phantasy-team: Halmir would have gathered 12 phantasy points in four matches (3 per game on average) but the next best players would have gathered only 4 points (1 per game), old Hathol making a disgraceful -2 phantasy points.

Comparing to the other teams in the group they played level with Vinyamar with both teams having a draw with Bywater (Aman beat them 2-0), but they lost to Tirion 0-2 while Vinyamar forced Tirion to a draw.

AKM prediction: not advancing to the next round.

Ithilien 0-0-4 (32nd.)

Looking at the stats after the friendlies Ithilien is the worst team of all: they have lost all their matches and are having a -5 goal difference with the least goals made. But appearances maybe misleading as they’ve had the strongest opposition any team has had during the friendlies. So AKM will call Ithilien the black horse of the group A.

But for them to rise to the occasion they need to stop hiding in the bushes and become the soldiers of Minas Tirith facing their opponents openly. Thus far only Faramir has taken care of coming forwards and scoring (he has made both of their goals), and the Mumakîl has been left quite alone as the last lock of the defences. Be it his strangeness to the defenders or not, but the defence needs to gather around their goalie if they want to make it through the group phase.

To downplay their chances one has to note though that Ithilien lost to both Wold and Havens while Vinyamar forced those very same teams to a draw. So that would give an edge to Vinyamar over Ithilien.

AKM prediction: might be the black horse of the group but needs to show their qualities first.

Vinyamar 0-4-0 (19th.)

The “draw-specialists” have forced quite mighty teams into a draw – but they had to contend themselves with a draw with Bywater as well. So do they have what it takes to actually win a game? In the group phase draws will not carry them forwards.

Rog “the strongest of Noldor” from the House of the Hammer of Wrath has been the fourth best goalie thus far and looking at the adversaries the team has played, the opposition will be easier in the group phase. So beware! Scoring against Vinyamar will be hard indeed as also the defence of a vala, maiar and the tall man has been just superb. Bywater only managed two shots on goal against Vinyamar while they got four on Aman and five on Beleriand (not to speak that Bywater managed 10 shots total on Aman, 11 on Beleriand but only 6 on Vinyamar).

So there will be no easy goals against Vinyamar. But can they score themselves to win games? The forwards and the attacking midfielders have been walking in the shadows thus far and need to come forwards to the light for Vinyamar to go further in the tournament. Many people look forward to Idril to take more responsibility, but everyone wonders what is it with Tuor; if others have been wandering in the shadows thus far then Tuor has been probing in total darkness.

It will be interesting to see how far a great defence will do; but playing a draw with Tirion (fourth in the overall friendlies), Havens (fifth) and Wold (sixth) is something the other teams should be aware of. This team is hard to beat!

AKM prediction: advancing to the next round.

Group B

If group A had some serious scoring problems during the friendlies, then group B is the opposite of it. With all the scoring talent group B is the top of the pops with the four teams producing a staggering 31 goals in four matches, making it about two goals on average in every match they played (group A teams made about ½ goals per match).

Many also thought that group B would be the “death-group” and in many senses of the expression it still is, but looking at the confidence with which the Barrow-Downs have beaten both Gondolin and Numenor there can be but one favourite to this group leaving all others to contest for the second place. Barad-Dûr and Gorgoroth have faced more or less easy opponents and haven’t made an impression, Breeland has had it tougher, but isn’t looking like a winning team either. So which of the three will go forwards?

Barad-Dûr 2-1-1 (14th.)

The sceptics say that Barad-Dûr’s programme in the friendlies was an easy one and thus they’re not as competitive as the numbers would indicate. Faced with one tougher side (Eithel Sirion) they were beaten quite easily 1-3.

On a good day Barad-Dûr surely can score goals. In four matches they have produced nine goals making the average 2,25 / match. But the problem is that they have bad days as well. On two games they have been left into one goal scored. A better sign is that the responsibility of scoring is spread quite evenly: Elendil, Gil-Galad, Isildur and Sauron have all scored twice. So if one is not in top shape one day the others can score the deciders. Barad-Dûr is not depending on a single player with scoring.

But they are allowing their opponents way too many goals. Their defences are just too slow for any fast-paced attack and the Mouth is not a goalie with whom one would win tournaments. Their only hope on that front is that Gorgoroth’stats on defence are too good as they have not played too many tough opponents and that the Breeland team continues performing even worst in their defence.

It would be premature to write Barad-Dûr off from the next round anyway. Even if Sauron has scored twice and assisted three goals he has not been the artist and architect he was last year. But one should never underestimate a side with Sauron on board.

AKM prediction: fights for a place in the next round.

Barrow-Downs 2-2-0 (9th.)

The Barrow-Downs’ metamorphosis into a human team has been a success so far. The team is confident and is playing top-quality football right now. After two initial draws with some pretty good sides (Rohan 11th, Gorgoroth 12th) they really started to rock’n’roll. The wins over Gondolin and Numenor showed what they are cabable of. Had not the two giants fallen to BD they would be claiming some of the overall top-seats after the friendlies (Gondolin would be in top-six and Numenor in top-three).

Like Barad-Dûr, Barrow-Downs has effective players able to decide games on a large front: Wilwa and Nogrod have both scored twice, but also tp, Sally and Fea have scored when the forwards have been marked out of the game.

After the disaster in the opening game (four shots on target and two goals allowed) Eomerwarg has found his true nature and has climbed in the goalie stats claiming the eighth place at present. If his fury and self-confidence keeps building up with this momentum he will be very hard to get past in the later stages of the tournament.

They’ve had one of the most challenging programme so far and are confidently claiming two wins and two draws, with a rising performance-curve. It’s hard to see them not qualifying from group B.

AKM prediction: advancing to the next round.

Breeland 1-0-3 (21st.)

Breeland lost to Barad-Dûr in the friendlies and have only managed to win Minas Anor, the second worst team after the friendlies. They have conceded third most goals of all the teams and Old Man Willow is the second worst goalie statwise. So no hope for Breeland?

Actually it’s not that simple. If Bombadil happens to be interested, if it’s misty enough for the Barrow-Wight to play, if Strider gets support from others… those three can probably outscore any opponent in this tournament even if their own defences are leaking big time. Thus far they have orchestrated nine goals in four games which is impressive, but is it enough? HOw could they solidify their defences?

It’s hard to predict a qualifying place to Breeland but it is not impossible either. Friendlies are always friendlies and real games are real games.

AKM prediction: not advancing to the next round, unless getting a motivation boost.

Gorgoroth 2-2-0 (12th.)

Of the runners-up of this group Gorgoroth has not impressed with their scoring but they have much more solid defences than their closest contenders Barad-Dûr. Although AKM seriously suggests any phantasy-player willing to invest on Gorgoroth-players would first check the ratio they are picking up cards as it seems that for any points gained they lose some from the cards taken.

What the sceptics said of Barad-Dûr also aplies to Gorgoroth: their friendlies programme was more or less easy. But they wrestled a draw from the Barrow-Downs, and that’s no little feat looking at the friendlies now.

There are many questionmarks however. How is Eärnur faring with his captors? In four games he has managed only one goal and two yellow cards. The team needs him, playing for the team and not just standing in the field feeling sour. Also the King of the Dead arose only in the last game. Was that just a spark that went off or is he actually awakening? Could Gollum play more Smeagolish as to avoid all the cards he’s picking up and to concentrate more on aiding the team? Can the Usurper carry the team alone if others do not raise to the occasion? Do their card-fast defences hold against attacks from the Breeland trio, or from Sauron, Isildur, Gil-Galad and Elendil?

AKM prediction: fights for a place in the next round.

Group C

Many thought group C would be a walk in the park to the astonishingly strong looking team of Mithrim. No one was ready to bet on the old Arnorians from Norbury, and so the second place was thought to be battled out between Finrod Felagund’s Nargothrond and the stout fighters of the Pelennor Fields led by Theoden king. But after the friendlies many an eyebrow has been raised and the situation looks more curly than it did before them.

Mithrim has not played the extraordinary game everyone thought they would play and Pelennor doesn’t look like it should belong to the group of sixteen best teams of the tournamnet. Nargothrond has had some real issues with scoring but Norbury, even with having problems keeping their goal clean, actually look like a potential qualifiers. This will be a hard group to predict, after Mithrim that is.

Mithrim 3-0-1 (7th.)

Mithrim lost to Eithel Sirion 0-1 but ES has played very convincing football thus far and it was only a friendly match. So nothing to get worried about. They beat the weaker opponents more or less confidently. Hurín has gathered 2+2, Turín 2+1 and Beleg 1+2 in four games. Huan is in the top ten of the goalies thus far. So everything’s looking good?

Well no it isn’t. Everyone anticipated flare and artistic brilliance from this team. Everyone presumed the team would dominate the field with ease. That hasn’t happened. It kind of feels their game has just not yet locked into place. They have now three matches to do that.

Huan has been excellent in standing between the posts as long as the opponents have been weaker sides and the quality of the shots less than remarkable. But against Eithel Sirion he allowed two goals from just five shots on target. Mithrim enthusiasts should cross their fingers it was just an accident and not something telling about Huan’s present condition.

With two shut-outs Mithrim’s defence looks pretty good (especially phantasy-pointwise) and Curufin’s sharp runs forward have already produced one goal. But their opponents have been rather weak – except Eithel Sirion – so it is hard to say how they will fare in the qualifiers – where they will of course go.

But the flare of Hurín, Beleg and Turín is the thing all the fans are missing. Or is it just the unreasonable expectations laid on them?

Be what it may, Mithrim will advance to the next round, but facing either Valimar or Thangorodrim in the first qualifying match-up will be the moment of truth to team Mithrim. It’s clear they need to be better then than they are now.

AKM prediction: advancing to the next round.

Nargothrond 0-0-4 (29th.)

Let’s face the facts: Nargothrond has lost every game they have played. Statistically their opponents have been among the twelve best and they have lost every match with just one goal. But that also tels one, that they most probably are not among the twelve best in this tournament. Groupwise Nargothrond still has chances to qualify if they can just step up their attack, especially the accuracy of their shots.

That would mean that Finrod should become the great founder and king he is – and the borrowed striker Mablung should start playing and not only pick up cards, and Barahir should come to rescue of the “friend of men” once again and not just deal the ball to and fro in the midfield while the enemy swirls around. They have faced tough teams, but honestly, they have only scored one goal! Most importantly, the effectivity of the shots is what is missing. Getting in only one shot from 34 shots taken is just a depressing stat (2,9% efficiency, the worst of all teams: compare it to the 20+% of the leading teams!).

Nargothrond’s defences are not bad. Led by the silverhand Celebrimbor they have allowed the opposing team just 1,25 goals on average / game. But allowing even that the forwards should come up with at least two goals a game – and that is what is missing right now.

Although some sceptics say that Beor is finally catching up with his nickname and is really being too old to this tournament. With a saving percentage of 64,3% he has been so far the fifth weakest goalie of all. So the defences need to be alert.

Can Finrod Felagund rally his troops around him? That’s the question.

AKM prediction: fights for a place in the next round.

Norbury 0-0-4 (30th.)

There weren’t too many people willing to bet on Norbury before the friendlies, and just looking at the numbers it looks like no sane person would do that now either. But there is a big “but”. If Nargothrond has had strong opponents during the friendlies then Norbury has had, if possible, even a bit stronger teams against it. And even if their goal-difference is one goal worse than Nargothrond’s their scoring effectivity and goal-keeping have been better overall.

Norbury’s attack revolves around Araphor and Malbeth – and they are both doing good work. But more is needed if they are to get through the group phase.

Also their defences need to step up and change the gear. So far they have conceded at least two goals in every game they have played, and even if Arvedui seems to be a better goalie his reputation allows him, he can’t pick all the balls coming his way (27 shots on goal in four games would be a challenge to any goalie).

If they get their game into form against a lot weaker opponents than which they faced in the friendlies there’s no reason to not believe they have their chances of qualifying. But it wil be close.

AKM prediction: fights for a place in the next round.

Pelennor 1-2-1 (17th.)

There were some hopes that this mötley crew of third age heroes led by king Theoden could challenge the elder generations of men, the elves, the beasts and the undying folk. But that hope should be buried now. Pelennor will not challenge any top team in this tournament, how much Legolas fan-girls might wail over it.

They just don’t have it.

Pulling a draw with Gondor is not a bad thing in itself and would point towards them being able to challenge earlier generations. Being able to do the same with Bywater is no less a feat, or winning the pathetic Doriath… but is that enough to put them into top 16? No it’s not.

But the AKM is not yet ready to write them off from qualifying from the group either. With the support of fangirls and the young male-audiences, Legolas and Eowyn might just do the trick as they have done so far. The teams Pelennor has faced in the friendlies have been a class weaker than those Nargothrond and Norbury have faced but unlike the two teams, Pelennor has scored some goals and that might give them an edge of confidence.

It will be close.

AKM prediction: probably not advancing to the next round, but has a slight chance to qualify.

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Stay online for more tomorrow!

Boromir88

03-30-2010, 08:15 PM

The friendlies have concluded and the Arda Cup is now in full swing. The Two Towers Network will give analysis on all 8 groups and the best phantasy insight you will ever find. It was rather difficult predicting the friendly matches, because you can't tell how teams will decide to perform during exhibitions. But, now the teams are tournament ready, and I am too. Let the games begin!

GROUP A - completely defense-focused from all the teams, so this is going to be a difficult group to predict, as 1 goal will likely be good enough to win the match (or at least force a draw). Each match is going to be a battle, and it's going to be more about what defense doesn't have a lapse to give the opposing offense a quality chance to score.

Aman- Coming into group play Aman is looking like the favorite to win the group, according to most betting agencies. It's true their friendly schedule wasn't very difficult, but the modest 12.5% scoring is double everyone else in the group, and defensively they are arguably the best. The thing I like about the offense is the steady efficiency, they're not flashy, but you know what you're going to see each match. Other teams like Barad Dur have more dangerous attacks, but are totally unreliable. Aman doesn't create many chances, but they're quality chances and it's got a machine-like efficiency. Because of this (backed by a strong defense) Aman are the favorites to take first. They will have trouble advancing far beyond group play. I can see possibly getting into the quarter-finals, but not much farther.
*Top phantasy scorer(s)- GK-Nienna (18)

Beleriand- Could beat Ithilien but that will be a difficult task, and an even harder one will be faced when going against Vinyamar. TTN agrees with AKM that they may not look as bad as the experts are making them sound, but they haven't show much promise to be able to score, and defensively they are a few notches below both Aman and Vinyamar. They've allowed 2 less goals than Ithilien, but the offenses they faced in the friendlies can not be compared to what Ithilien was up against. Simply because of the fact that Ithilien's and Vinyamar's offenses are just as dreadfully unreliable, Beleriand has a small chance to snatch 2nd, but if they make it out of the group, they won't make it past their first playoff game.
*Top phantasy scorer(s)- GK-Halmir (14)

Ithilien- Pretty much the same story as Beleriand. That is they could beat Beleriand, but it will be hard to get past Aman and Vinyamar. The bigger upside to Ithilien (over Beleriand) is they faced 3 high-powered offenses in the friendlies (Valimar - 15%, Thangorodrim - 20%, Havens - 15.1%) and the sneaky Ranger defense held up pretty good. It only allowed one more shot on target than Beleriand. The question mark remains to be the Mumak at goal. It's shown to be able to stand up well to powerful blasts, but when opposing FWs get in close, it's a bit of a clutz and doesn't handle the shot well...often being unable to adjust or allowing the ball to eek through the legs. Have a moderately better chance to snatch 2nd, but again if they make it out, they will be a first round exit in the playoffs.
*Top phantasy scorer(s)- GK- Mumakil (12)

Vinyamar- Have an outside shot at taking 1st place, but really that's Aman's to lose. Defensively they are arguable better than Aman, but really there's no significant difference between them. The edge, defensively, is slightly in Vinyamar's favour, as they held Tirion and Havens to 1 goal a piece. However, offensively, they've been as much of a threat as Ithilien and Beleriand would be. And they weren't exactly playing defenses as good as the ones they will meet in this group. They are going to be the favorites for 2nd, and it will be there's to lose, but if they rely too much on their defense to hold, Ithilien or Beleriand could steal it. If they make it out of group play, they won't make it past the first round.
*Top phantasy scorer(s)- GK- Rog (18)

Predicted Group Standings:
1. Aman
2. Vinyamar
3. Beleriand
4. Ithilien

Boromir88

03-30-2010, 10:40 PM

GROUP B- The most difficult of the 8 groups to call, but I might add, not the deepest. There are groups that will be more competitive because the talent of the teams are better, but I'm seriously contemplating copping out and giving all the teams a 25% chance of finishing 1st, 25% of 2nd...etc. Anyone can win and that means anyone's championship hopes can be dashed early by finishing 3rd or 4th. The winner of this group will be the team who will surprise us with something we haven't seen yet.

Barad Dur- The team with the biggest budget of the group, which by default means they are going to be the favorites, but way too many question marks to put strong faith as the favorites. If they don't get 1st, there will probably be some loud grumblings from Mordor fans, but if they are eliminated from group play you can bet all of Barad-dur will be unleashed in rage. The upside is they can score, in the group only Breeland had a better goal percentage, and that's not a bad thing to say. And while their friendly schedule wasn't all that challenging, it was tougher than their fellows from across the plain. They beat Bree, but this is a whole new game, whole new monster, don't be surprised with a different result. The biggest concern with Barad Dur is which team is going to show up? Because they really have the talent to make a long run in the playoffs, but also be a terrible flop and finish 4th.
*Top phantasy scorer(s)- **FW- Sauron (17)

Barrow Downs- After the exhibitions they are quickly rising in popularity and may be picked the favorites by more than a few loners in the football world. It's hard to find a weakness in their overall solid statistics during, especially with Eomerwarg stopping the shots he has been after the bad first game. I will say my primary concern with the Barrow Downs is the giant slayer syndrome. They seem to play more to the level of their competition, and not the best of their ability each and every game. That is, they get fired up to beat the giants (such as Gondolin and Numenor) but then play down to Rohan and Gorgoroth. This is not to knock Rohan and Gorgoroth, but if the Downs can beat the giants, they should have beaten Rohan and Gorgoroth. So the draws with those two are a little concerning. With that said, it's hard to discount the stats, they have a better chance than the rest of taking one of the top 2 spots.
*Top phantasy scorer(s)- GK- Eomerwarg (16)

Breeland- The defense will be their un-doing, plain as that. The 30 shots on target was far more than any of the other goalies in the group had to face, and OMW's percentage is nothing to brag about. You can't count them completely out, because of Bombadil. However, you also have to put less faith in their chance to advance...because of Bombadil. This is a group where every game will be of dire importance to win. To most players that is enough to get them to play their best every game, but not Bombadil. A pity, because he is a fabulous player to watch, and Bree fans love him for it, but there will be lots of moments where Bombadil will simply not play, and Bree can't afford it when he does.
*Top phantasy scorer(s)- *FW- Bombadil (17)

Gorgoroth- This is a difficult team to firm a solid conclusion about, because they went undefeated in the friendlies, yet their statistics are pretty mediocre. Their 6 goals were the fewest of the group, and they also created the fewest chances. Now, defensively they allowed the fewest shots on target, but the amount of cards they pick up is going to be a problem. Plus it seems like when playing skilled FWs, Shelob isn't as dominant as she might think she is, giving up 2 goals to Dale in their last match. And Shelob will be up against stronger FWs when facing the teams in their group. While able to get goals themselves, they aren't going to be able to outscore a Barad-dur team on it's full game, let alone Breeland. If one Barad Dur doesn't make it out, can you imagine the chaos in Mordor if neither of their teams make it! :eek:
*Top phantasy scorer(s)- GK- Shelob (16)

Predicted Group Standings:
1. Barad Dur
2. Barrow Downs
3. Breeland
4. Gorgorth
(Haha, alphabetical order)

Boromir88

04-01-2010, 05:36 AM

GROUP C- It looks like the sure lock for 1st is Mithrim. 2nd will be up for grabs between the other three. It will be a tight race, but not particularly exciting since they are not great teams, more mediocrely even.

Mithrim- There is no reason to believe Mithrim will not sweep the group, even if some would call their friendly performance disappointing. I can't see anyone being serious challengers to Mithrim. The excitement and true test for Mithrim to prove themselves will be in the first playoff game. TTN is projecting Mithrim will play either Valimar or Thangordrim in the first playoff, and either one of those teams will make for a great match up. The winner will quickly shoot up as the favorites to take home the Arda Cup.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): **GK-Huan (18)

Nargothrond- historically Nargothrond has not only made, but been tough competitors, in the playoffs. This is the first year TTN thinks it is more likely Nargothrond will miss out. There is history and experience working for Nargothrond, but they are vastly depleted in talent from previous tournaments. The good news, for any fan of the sport, is Finrod will never allow his guys to quit, so all of their matches will be close down to the last minutes. However, when I look at Nargothrond's line-up, I think of veteran finesse pitchers in baseball. They're solid players, because of their knowledge and wisdom for the sport. However, you don't fear them, like you would facing a pitcher who can throw 102mph. When you look at Nargothrond's line-up, everyone knows their talent, but there is no Feanor, there is no one an opponent will fear. They are a good team, but ultimately a beatable one, and Norbury and Pelennor know it.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): GK- Beor (8)

Norbury- I like Norbury's chances to finish 2nd better than Nargothrond and Pelennor. Their friendly schedule was brutal. Tirion and Thangorodrim are heavy semi-final favorites and have some of the best odds to win the championship. While the Havens and Rohan have high hopes and look like playoff-caliber teams too, Nargothrond and Pelennor don't. In most other groups, Norbury would have a tough time advancing. They match up well against a careful, mistake-free Nargothrond, because Norbury stresses the same but has a clear edge scoring. It is going to be against Pelennor where Norbury will have the most trouble. Their defense allowed 27 shots on target, while their offense got 15. Pelennor loves to attack, Norbury's D will be hard-pressed.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): FW- Araphor (11)

Pelennor- It's going to be a peculiar situation, because the match against Norbury is one that Pelennor could easily win. However, they don't match up well against the much sturdier defenses of Mithrim and Nargothrond. Even with a win over Norbury, in a freak way, Norbury could still finish above them(depending on if Norbury can best Nargothrond). The key match will be against Nargothrond. If they get at least a draw, and with a win over Norbury, you have to like their chances of advancing
*Top phantasy scorer(s): FW- Legolas (15)

Predicted Group Standings
1. Mithrim
2. Norbury
3. Pelennor
4. Nargothrond

GROUP D- Kind of like Group C, where it should be replatively easy for Eithel Sirion to win the group, and the battle for 2nd will close between the other 3 teams. However, the Group D teams look all around stronger than Group C.

Dale- Dale had a rought start to the friendlies, and looked to be in utter shambles, but has gotten more consideration by surprisingly posting an 18.8% goal-percentage. But the combined skill of Smaug and Thranduil will not be enough for Dale to advance. Over half their team finished the friendlies with negative phantasy points. With the amount of cards the defense picks up, as well as allowing the most shots on target (37), they can't advance. At least fans will be treated to some great goals.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): FW- Smaug (15)

Eithel Sirion- Have proven themselves on both offense and defense. While not the strongest defense in the tournament, no one in this group should give them too much of a problem. The thing that strikes me the most about Eithel Sirion is the even spread of talent, they define a complete team. Only Bregor had no phantasy points, and 7 players ended with 10+. Expect to see a drop in that output, but having 1 or 2 players from Sirion on your phantasy teams would be a wise move.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): *MF- Hador (21)

Gelion- They could be too tough defensively for Dale and Rohan, but I doubt their ability to score enough to win. They allowed the fewest shots on target, but Dior also conceded at least 1 goal a match. If that trend continues, Gelion isn't good enough to get 2 goals and win. And draws won't be enough to sneak by in this group, the other teams are too good offensively to not pick up wins against eachother.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): GK- Dior (12)

Rohan- There are many questions about their defense. Offensively they will be fine, they had as many chances as Eithel Sirion, and only 1 less goal. They also gave up 8 goals though, and the only great offensive power-house they played was Dol Guldur. They'll be confident having defeated Dale earlier, and despite the sub-par defense it still should be good enough to hold Gelion to 1-goal. Also, of the three, I give them the best chance at a surprise knock-off of Eithel Sirion. Their offensive outputs are virtually even, but their entire defense has downgraded from last year. Even at GK, Theoden is performing better for Pelennor than Fram is for Rohan.
*Top phantasy scorer(s): FW- Eorl (18)

Predicted Group Standings
1. Eithel Sirion
2. Rohan
3. Gelion
4. Dale

the phantom

04-01-2010, 10:28 AM

If you're having trouble coming up with your team or making predictions, this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOU8GIRUd_g) may help you.

If you have trouble understanding it, I'd be happy to give a more detailed explanation (unless someone else beats me to it).

the phantom

04-02-2010, 10:12 AM

(Sorry about the link. It was April Fool's Day and I couldn't resist. :p)

Using friendlies to predict the course of a tournament is a tricky business. One never knows precisely what the teams are aiming for during their run-throughs and what they are holding back as a strategy. In addition, a team can look rather off pre-tournament and suddenly find chemistry during group play. With that said (and thus our behinds completely covered) here is the after-friendly breakdown by MESPN’s football blogging team, featuring their best and most vague guesses as to what's going on.

Aman- They showed the ability to hang tough with the rough teams and run with the quick teams. They were very sound fundamentally, though undoubtedly they will have to kick up the effort a notch once the matches mean more. A decent round of friendlies for them overall, but not statistically dominant by any means, so there shouldn’t be any overconfidence there.

Barad-Dur- The offense appears to be, for the most part, primed and ready to go, and captain Sauron says that the sub-par defensive performance was partly due to all focus being on bringing the offense together. Also, it appears that their plus one scoring margin does not accurately reflect that shot margin they enjoyed against their foes, so their prospects are likely to average out to a better level.

Barrow-Downs- They began things with a couple of ho-hum ties in which they appeared content just to get a bit of practice in, but in the last couple games they turned things up a bit, making sure that they’re ready to go full speed into the tournament. The fact that they weren’t merely dominated athletically by Gondolin and Numenor is promising, though we’ll have to see if they are able to raise their game as many levels as the other elite teams when it counts.

Beleriand- They played in a similar manner to what they will in the tournament, and demonstrated the ability to keep matches close against all foes, though they only managed to scrape out two ties. Once they up the intensity and speed for the tournament, they will perhaps be better able to translate their efforts into victories, so long as their execution remains constant.

Breeland- They played in a rather loose and relaxed manner in the friendlies, but that is the way they prefer to play anyway, so in group play we can expect more of the same from the offense, but who knows if the defense will be able to rise to the occasion. Captain Strider says that they will, and that friendlies was merely “fun-time” for the team. “We’ve been training hard and needed a break from the grind.”

Bywater- In playing some rather gifted athletic teams, Bywater impressed by staying even with them for the most part. The Hobbits in particular were much improved (this year’s Ent-draught is said to be a special new formula), and the Nazgul, Wizards, horse, and elf were as good as ever. Though they were outscored, they actually outshot their opponents, and the shots weren’t poor, and so they hope to see the numbers average out to their favor all on their own.

Dale- They experienced many problems in their friendlies. Their talent is fine, but they seem disjointed- unable to piece together their talent. How best to take advantage of Roac and Carc’s aerial abilities on defense? How to get the ball up to the forwards more efficiently? These are the questions that must be answered for Dale to find success. Most of all they have to cut down on the amount of shots they allow at their goal.

Dol Guldur- They were certainly unable to withstand the skill and speed of Gondolin in that second round, but other than that they held their own with everyone, outshooting Rohan, Gondor, and Thangorodrim. Since attack is what they plan to do, I’d say they’re ready to play in tournament form, particularly when you consider that Oropher’s save percentage has surely bottomed out. I mean, it can’t get worse, right?

Doriath- Things would be much worse for Doriath if not for Melian making twenty-one saves, which partly masked the problems their defense had. Their offensive problems were obvious, and they need to figure out a way to do something on that end- anything at all to provide some balance, even if it’s only holding onto the ball and denying their opponents.

Eithel Sirion- Overall solid work on their way to sweeping their friendlies. This team proved it has top of the line talent, but Maedhros and Fingon told their team last night that “Talent alone cannot win once everyone is playing with full effort and strategy.” So, while their fans should feel quite pleased and looking forward to making a run in this tournament, the team captains are guarding against overconfidence.

Gelion- They proved that they know how to play some smart defense, holding Barad-Dur, Rivendell, and Lorien to one goal. Now in group play we just have to wait and see if they’re able to put it in the net more with their counter going full speed. Captain Beren: “We will look to utilize the element of surprise with sudden counters, so obviously it wouldn’t do to give everyone a feel for it early on in the friendlies.”

Gondolin- In the first two games they proved that they have the athleticism and skill to run away with a game when the stakes aren’t high, and that seemed to be enough for them. In the games against Barrow-Downs and Aman they elected not to ramp up their attack to counter those more cohesive defenses, but rather focus on keeping the score low and saving energy for the groups. We’ll see if that strategy pays off, or if they lose their edge.

Gondor- All in all they played even with everyone, upping their game somewhat for the better teams and relaxing when possible. They seem to have gelled early and felt comfortable using the friendlies as a mere practice- making sure they were prepared for the skill they’d see from their competitors.

Gorgoroth- They showed some very tough defense for the majority of their matches, and the other teams in their group are going to experience some soreness win or lose. The only problem is, they’re getting carded right and left, and if they up the intensity for group play, will that mean even more cards? They’d better show some control there.

Havens- They played some good ball during the course of friendlies, and showed the ability to come out ahead in low and high-scoring affairs. Given the teams they played their defense was not exactly stellar, however it must be pointed out that they were always holding the lead and were perhaps content to let the other side take their shot at the scoreboard.

Ithilien- They kept the game at one goal difference gainst Valimar, Havens, and Wold, so nicely done there, except for the fact that losing by one goal doesn’t gain points. Though perhaps all this new team cared about was gaining confidence, and showing themselves they could compete while saving their best effort and tricks for group play. We’ll see.

Lorien- Overall decent play from Lorien, but they had better be ready to show more on offense once group play starts, though it’s true that they did what was necessary for the most part against defensive oriented teams. Galadriel was as solid as ever, so she’ll be pleased with that end. Celeborn needs more looks on the other end though if they plan to keep even against shot-happy teams. Galadriel can only save so many.

Minas Anor- They didn’t let any of their opponents run and hide on them, but the fact remains that they were statistically beaten and they need to do something different to start picking up points in the standings. Their shot selection was not good, which is probably the primary problem that needs to be addressed.

Misty Mts- They proved to be as violent as advertised, and didn’t let anyone get away from them, suffering three single goal losses and forging a tie. If other teams wear down before they do, it is then a promising style for later rounds especially. Though of course there is the problem of cards- it’s difficult to win when you’re one man short.

Mithrim- It was a nice warm-up for them, going up against several good teams and coming out ahead on the stat sheet every time. Once things get more serious, expect Turin and Beleg to turn up the heat like usual. They’ve worked together so much that they never have to worry about using friendlies to get rid of rust, and elected to rest for the most part during friendlies.

Nargothrond- Don’t jump off a cliff yet, Nargothrond fans. While they may have finished with no victories or ties, they were competitive in every contest and were even on the stat sheet at the end of friendlies. So while they certainly aren’t in a position to feel accomplished, they are poised to compete, and with an increase in efficiency can do just that.

Norbury- There’s no getting around the fact that Norbury lost their games and was beaten statistically to boot, but the die-hards aren’t panicking at this point, as Norbury was visibly playing with low energy and effort. It is quite usual for these lads to play according to the moment, rising to the occasion when necessary, particularly with late game heroics. This is a very frustrating team for a prognosticator to deal with.

Numenor- Opening with three solid wins, Numenor certainly showed that they hadn’t lost everything from last year, but their final game against Barrow-Downs wasn’t the way to end. Perhaps the critics are right when they say they’re missing the necessary flair this year. They look like they’ll have some success, but to go far they’ll have to find that edge.

Pelennor- They started off looking promising, but those last couple of ties with Bywater and Gondor were perhaps a bit lucky, as Theoden had to face more and tougher shots than his comrade on the other end of the pitch. He showed last year he’s up for a challenge, but the defense needs to protect him better.

Rivendell- Elrond was at it again, saving 15 of 17 shots he saw. But while allowing two goals in four games may look promising, the fact remains that the defense did not do a good enough job in getting the ball up into the other half of the field. And when they did, the possession game of the offense was off, and they weren’t able to secure the best shots. That needs to change if they want to advance deep.

Rohan- They had promising friendlies overall, showing that they were working well together and hanging around athletically with everyone they faced. The real downside was the way they finished, with Dol Guldur really able to be effective against their defense. They were lucky to get the tie in that one, and they’ll need to step it up in group play.

Thangorodrim- Up until Utumno no one was able to bother Thangordrim’s offense much, as they pretty well held it when they wanted and went where they wanted, and with finishers like they have naturally that led to goals. Always running out to three goal leads, there was never any reason for the defense to do their best, so we’ll have to see how they do when called upon.

Tirion- They played a rather curious round of friendlies. Successful (three wins and a tie), but not at all in the style expected. They kept their explosive offense reigned in, and instead played as if holding a three goal lead at all times, focusing on defense and holding the ball. They allowed fewer shots on their goal than any other team. Captain Feanor: “We expect to find ourselves ahead a lot, so we wanted to work on holding a lead. We’ll let loose with our offense once group play begins. No reason to waste energy now.”

Utumno- It definitely appeared as if Utumno was conserving their energy for group play, coasting along on their top-notch talent through the friendlies, content with a couple close wins and a tie. Knowing full well that Valimar could very likely be a playoff opponent, Utumno really went into a shell for that game, showing as little as possible to their foes. That’s a good strategy so long as Utumno is able to turn it on and play well full speed once it’s time.

Valimar- Their defense was suffocating and the offense was efficient, but we already knew they were savvy, experienced, and athletically capable (which translates to friendly wins). The question is, will they still be that effective once everyone is going all out against them? Will they find some fire? They never had to exert themselves, so their first major test in group play will tell much more about them.

Vinyamar- They played extremely conservatively and without any sort of life, almost as if wanting to fast forward to group play. With the talent they have and their style, it’s not completely surprising that even playing like that they managed not to lose, but not losing isn’t good enough once the tournament begins. They’d better be able to kick it up at this stage.

Wold- Despite picking up three wins and a tie, Wold shouldn’t get too comfortable. They had the fortune of playing exclusively against ineffective or apathetic offenses, and actually got out-shot by three of their four opponents. So while they were a pleasant surprise in not making errors and playing cohesively and with good spirit, they still need to improve to make a run.

Boromir88

04-02-2010, 01:34 PM

*note: I seemed to have left my stat sheet on my laptop which I will not have access too all weekend. Therefor, I will not be able to give the teams top phantasy scorers of the friendlies for the final 4 groups. My apologies to all those loyal phantasy readers. :)

These two groups are the deepest and will be the most competive of the tournament. 6 teams have great talent and reasonable chances of making the playoffs. The other 2 are no slouches either, they are just unfortunate to get the tough draw. There will be no "sure and easy" wins in these groups

GROUP E

Misty Mountains- Their best weapon is physicality which can wear down and bruise their opponents. The problem isn't just running the risk of having players sent off with cards, but I can't see a hard-hitting defense being very effective against the teams in this group. The hardy Numenoreans are difficult to wear down and then there's Utumno, who's front line players will scare even the trolls. It may work to their advantage against Rivendell, but Elrond's teams are always composed and don't get drawn into making silly mistakes, like being coaxed into a foul. And as far as the defenses they'll be up against? They should consider getting 1-goal in 3 games a success.

Numenor- The previous 2 years the Numenoreans have put together some of the best tournament teams. I'm just not seeing the same fate this year. Tar Atanamir struggled in Numenor's last friendly, but I wouldn't worry about that. He'd be a fine GK for phantasy teams, as always, and still relatively cheap. They're lacking the scoring threat this year, especially when they will have to be up against the defenses of Rivendell and Utumno. And to be frank, if the Misty Mountains keeps all 11-players on the field they won't be easy for anyone to score on. Maybe starting the tournament will give the spark that turns into the brush-fire the Numenoreans will need, because right now they look like wet logs. :rolleyes:

Rivendell- I'm going against the grain and saying Rivendell gets in instead of Numenor. Simply because of the defense, and the masterful goal-tending of Elrond. I would not be surprised if he doesn't concede a goal in any of these matches. What I noticed as a problem in the friendlies, is the defense played a little more open than usual. They are one of the best team-oriented defenses...great communicators and cover well for eachother, but they are not the best athletically. I do think Elrond will fix this, by tightening up his formation, which will limit the space, and metaphorically choke opposing offenses. The bigger question will be scoring. They don't have enough to go far in the tournament, but there is enough (with an impeccable defense) to get into the playoffs. The key player will be Arwen, who surprised everyone with impressive offensive numbers last year. What makes a player great though is being able to repeat, which she will have to do for Rivendell.

Utumno- A bit of a lackluster friendly, but Melkor didn't seem to interested or concerned about winning. He will be in the tournament, this is why he started up his own team in Utumno. We can safely assume Melkor will be one of the best MFers, as always, even with his lazy friendly workout. The balrog defense is just as physical as the Misty Mountains but they avoid the cards because they play wiser. They are masters of disguising dirty tackles, because they don't just go ramming into people with their shoulders. I expect Utumno to sweep the group, but they will not be easy wins by any means, which could be their ultimate demise in the tournament. Melkor's teams have a long history of starting out like an unstoppable category-5 hurricane but quickly diminish to a tropical storm by the time it reaches land.

Predicted Group Standings
1. Utumno
2. Rivendell
3. Numenor
4. Misty Mountains

GROUP F

Bywater- Shadowfax was a great addition to that defense, which greatly limitted opponents scoring opportunities. And if they keep getting more scoring chances than their opponents they're a nice upset pick. I can see them matching up well against Lorien and Valimar. The reason I have them being eliminated though is their shaky GK Cotton. Thangorodrim and Valimar have FWs who can not only blast the ball off their foot with authority, but put wicked movement on it when they have to. I don't see Cotton being good enough to stand up to those kind of shots, no matter how few chances he'll face because of a great defense.

Lorien- I must admit they've performed better than I expected in the friendlies, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Still, they're not going to get into a high scoring match with anyone. And defensively, while being good, I would not pick them as a Top-5 defense, they may not even be Top-10. Galadriel is a very good goal-tender, but she's slightly overrated, because you just don't think of her as a top-notch goalie. For instance, yes, I would take the more expensive Huan and Elrond in a heartbeat. But I would also take Tar Atanamir, Mandos, and Melian over Galadriel, and you can get them for the same cost.

Thangorodrim- Between Thangorodrim and Valimar you can pretty much flip them. However, while I think Valimar has a greater chance to win the group, I think Thangorodrim has an overall better chance of advancing. So, if they don't finish first, they'll likely wind up second, because they are that much better than Lorien and Bywater. Where Valimar, if they don't finish first, have a bigger chance to be upset by Bywater or Lorien simply because of their conservative style. Thangorodrim is the complete opposite, which does leave their defense vulnerable. However, it's hard for teams to exploit that vulnerability because their FWs and attacking-MFs always have the ball, and always push forward. For why I have them finishing 2nd though, see Valimar. :D

Valimar- We saw a different Manwe team than usual. You usually see a dreadfully conservative and terrible belief that they don't have to play, because if Eru wills it they will win, and if not they won't. However, we saw a different will in their match against Utumno, the will to win. They should have that same fire against Melkor's servants in Thangorodrim. The question is how do they play against Bywater and Lorien? We are hearing a different tune out of Valimar than usual though. Manwe said in Valimar's last press conference: "No. We still believe in the will of Eru. However, in the off-season we learned a valuable lesson from a brave and courageous hobbit. He had fate on his side, but did not sit comfortably and kick back at home, waiting for the Ring to levitate to Mordor and destroy itself. He acted and in doing so, made his own fortune. You have to, and if it is by Eru's fate we win, then we will."

Predicted Group Standings
1. Valimar
2. Thangorodrim
3. Bywater
4. Lorien

Nogrod

04-02-2010, 03:21 PM

Due to a minor controversy and the strike of the AKM staff’s following thereafter we, the editorial board, have been left alone to make the stories – and you know how pathetic that can be. We decided to be frank with the matter.

It all began with Ugr Nogrendale’s paid visit to Minas Tirith to eat and drink with the Barrow-Downs team on the expense of the AKM – and the rumours that were sparked thereafter about free champagne running after the interview between him and the ‘Downers, the different paid luxuries not suitable to be detailed in any family-friendly site, travelling in the first class with unauthorised company criss-sross Minas Tirith etc…

As a result of these accusations of Gonzo journalism Hunter S. Thompson style, Mr. Nogrendale is banned form reporting for now. Sadly the other journalists are refusing to work unless they receive the same benefits he seem to have been enjoying. At this global economic situation the AKM has no other chance but to continue reporting the Arda Cup with editorial board’s efforts only. Whether it be good or bad will be up to you readers.

So soon to follow, there wil be the AKM editorial board’s look at the group-phase.

But first of all we need to deal with MESPN networks’ comments on teams doing their own stuff during the friendlies and thus the friendlies not being a reliable meter to value the teams. And our comment is that of an agreement: just think how Gondolin played two matches with a full swing and then fell down, how Barrow-Downs suddenly turned an excellent team after two initial half-hearted draws, how Tirion’s forwards seem to have been saving themselves, how about if the Breelander trio is just not concerned with friendlies? Et cetera…

But there is one statistic that normally doesn’t lie. And that is the goalie’s performance. It would take a lot of nerve and intentional fooling for the goalie to admit a goal when s/he had a chance to save it. So we will read the keeper-stats as they are. Otherwise we’re looking at the general performance and for the best explanations for the games to result the way they did.

Nogrod

04-02-2010, 03:46 PM

Group D

Whatever the motivation of any team in the friendlies, Eithel Sirion has been an impressive team. Maglor’s saving percent of 81% is first class and their scoring percentage of 20,8% is simply the best there is thus far. Every team in this tournament shoud be afraid of the quintet: Maedhros, Fingon, Hador, Gwindor and Nienor. They really know how to put the ball in the back of the net.

In the same vein we have no faith in the Dale team to make it through the group play. MESPN entertained the idea how to take advantage of Roac’s and Carc’s aerial abilities. Well we can answer that: by making them attacking midfielders or forwards. But that clearly is too late a call. Smaug has an astonishing finishing precentage in the attack but he can’t outscore the opponents alone.

Dale’s probem isn’t diminished by the fact that Gelion has been quite effective in the defence – at least compared to them. But Gelion hasn’t celebrated with goals in turn.

So maybe it will be Rohan to qualify in front of the two? Their defences do not look that solid even with the horses there, but then again statwise a lot of it is due to their terrible performance against Dol Guldur – and they wil not meet another team of that caliber in this group (Eithel Sirion excepted).

Group E

It is hard to say which of these teams would earn to go through. In most other groups both Misty Mountains and Rivendell would have their chances – and they do it even in this group. But the chances aren’t that great in the end.

We can see Utumno checking their game in the first two matches and then putting on a sordino – their draw with Thangorodrim raises eyebrows especially. And what MESPN said: it looks believable they were not willing to show all their tricks in a friendly match against their real enemies. So a clear qualifier.

It will be hard to bring down the team of Numenor. Yes there’s not the flair of last year with all the mighty forwards gone, the defence doesn’t seem to have the magic they had last year and Tar Atanamir’s saving percentage is almost 10 points lower it was last year etc. but they’ve been consistent and easy and the bad numbers are mainly due to their last game against the Barrow-Downs. Take that game out and you have a strong candidate for the quarterfinals.

Misty Mountains has taken 20 yellow cards in four matches which makes five cards per game on average. Thus far Tom, Bert, William and the Great Goblin have all picked up three cards each. If that is the way they play “friendly” games, how will they play when they fight for the win for real! Intimidating the adversary to force them to do mistakes is one thing, taking foolish cards and thus free-kicks, penalties or a disadvantage in numbers is another thing. It seems they haven’t quite got that.

Elrond has been thus far the best goalie in the friendlies (after Hama of Wold who we don’t count). The problem for rivendell though is that their adversaries have been more or less easier teams and their attack has been quite pathetic. Even if Numenor has played a bit under the expectations, they still outscore Rivendell easily.

Group F

On the first glance it looks pretty simple with this group: Thangorodrim and Valimar will qualify and Lorien and Bywater will fall behind. And even if we might end up with that prediction we’d warn peole not to take that for granted.

Now Valimar has been annoyingly effective winning all their matches with one goal – like they were polite enough not to win the games with a larger margin. But actually, Utumno being left aside, they have not faced any really strong ME opponents. The AKM has always been against the West meddling with the affairs of the ME and so the readers might interpret our sentiments in accordance to that.

Thangorodrim has been steadfast and effective. It’s very hard to see them not qualifying from this group. With Durin’s Bane, Scatha and Ancalagon in the lead it’s hard to see how the opponents could deal with them. Now the draw with Utumno was a questionmark and felt like a premeditated deal but who knows? Anyway if there should be one team we’d predict to go forwards for a bet it would be Thangorodrim: Carcaroth is still a quality keeper and they have a deadly efficient attack.

So the challengers then. As MESPN says, Bywater has been able to outshoot their opponents – except Vinyamar. The hobbits are agile and the two wizards surely create a threat to anyone opposing them. But so far it just doesn’t seem to work. Despite their nice words both Gandalf and Saruman seem like unconnected spots of talent surrounded by hobbits dashing here and there with no clear view of the bigger picture. Shadofax can hold the defences with the Nazgul just as long but Cotton at the goal is no strength for the team – to be polite with it.

Lorien then? Galadriel is as good as anyone thought she would be and thus scoring against them will be hard – but not that hard. Tirion broke their defences once and for all and there is no reason to believe any other team of that quality would not be able to do the same. We don’t want to take sides in the issue of the balance of gender but Celeborn really should have a word with Galadriel. This way they will end up in the group phase.

Group G

If Gondolin is not going to qualify and Doriath is, the head-editor of the AKM will eat his hat. So the name of the game is, which of the two: Gondor or Wold will join Gondolin in the next stage.

Hama has kept the Wold goal unviolated for four matches and that should count for something. Finrod Felagund has tried him, Azog and Gwaihir have tried him, Faramir has tried him, Tuor and Penlod have tried him… to no effect. No one has been able to put the ball behind Hama thus far. So is he the best goalie so far? Well, he will face Fingolfin, Aredhel and Maeglin. Does anyone think he has a chance there? No offence to Finrod (whom the AKM still regards as one of the greatest) but Hama has not been tested yet. He will also face Quickbeam, Treebeard and Grima, he will face Haleth, Haldir and Thingol, and Hyermendacil Eldacar and Mardil, and that’s at least as dangerous as those he has met already. So no chances for Wold to win the group and even their second place is challenged indeed.

The first challenge to Wold comes from Gondor. They are not a team filled with household celebrities as goes to the starting line-up but they have played confidently and every connoisseur knows their merits. Romendacil at the goal could be their Achilles’ heel but then again Wold isn’t the scoring team.

That would give a chance to Doriath, if they had their attack in form – which they haven’t. They have faced good teams to be sure but getting only nine shots on goal in four games is just unforgivable.

Gondolin made two sovereign appearances and then clearly let themselves to take it easier. Now the question is, whether that kind of intentional lowering down the game before the real thing can be harmful or not. That’s a question the sports-psychologists argue over and over. But it’s hard to see Gondolin not qualifying from this group anyway. What comes after that is another issue.

Group H

Once again a group that has a clear favourite and leaves two teams to fight for the second place. It would be a miracle if Tirion would not qualify and there are only those betting against all odds who see Minas Anor to qualify with a glorious sum of money in their greedy but bad-sighted eyes. But the game between Havens and Dol Guldur is wide open for anyone to bet.

Dol Guldur sure has one of the worst defences of the whole tournament: all their defenders ended up with minus phantasy points after the friendlies and Oropher’s saving percentage was the worst of all (53,6%). But one should never underestimate the Witch King or Khamûl. And they have some mighty aids with Radagast, Bolg, Beorn and Grimbeorn. So even if their defences leak big time they are able to score back.

Havens hasn’t been exactly the best defencive team either even if their record is a bit better – but then again their opponents during the friendlies were not that challenging if one compares them to the teams Dol Guldur had to play against. But Haves has a quality forward-team as well. Tar Minastir, Eärendil and Cirdan should be taken seriously by any team opposing them.

As said earlier, Minas Anor has been just invisible. There’s little talent, there’s little flair, there’s little of anything. To their excuse one could say they have faced mighty opposition thus far, but it won’t get any easier with the teams in their group.

Tirion then will march to the next round with relative ease. If what Fëanor said in the MESPN interview is correct, one should bet even more heavily on them. If they really played concentrating on the defence (and one can see that from the shots on target against them) their fans should not be worried. With Miriel, Nerdanel, Finwë and Fëanor himself leading the offence they really should perform some quality scoring – well not just some, a lot of it – when they are unleashed to really attack.

Boromir88

04-04-2010, 01:35 AM

GROUP G- Gondolin is a shoe in for first, I can't see any one in this group beating them. If Doriath's odds are 1,000,000/1 go for it, if not, don't bet money on them to advance. Leaving 2nd to be battled between Gondor and Wold.

Doriath- I can't imagine them being as bad as they were in the friendlies, because they did hit rock bottom. They were out-shot by 22, and 2/3rds of Doriath's were off-target. I refuse to believe they will be that bad in tourney. Having said that, they're still not going to be good enough to advance. I don't think they'll leave empty handed though, it's not out of the question they win a draw against Gondor or Wold. I think skill-wise the Elves will be able to keep it pretty even against the mortals, and conglomeration of Orcs and trees. Plus you have to wonder if the Wold has enough ability to score on Melian. So, I predict a better performance for Doriath (seriously, just showing up on the pitch should do it) but still not good enough.

Gondolin- The only team that could be a bit of trouble is Gondor. Gondor has shown they can play even against the more-talented teams, but none of these teams can match Gondolin's skill. That is, as long as Gondolin decides now is the occassion to start playing and not slack off as they did in the last 2 friendlies. Over-confidence after seeing who their competition is in this group could be their stumbling block. The games are played for a reason, Gondolin found that out last year as heavy favourites only to miss the playoffs.

Gondor- I can't put my boys above Wold, simply because there is nothing about this team that makes them dominating. They play competive, that's all. The only team they'll out shoot is Wold, but will they turn that into multiple goals against Hama? They play respectable, they're not going to get run over by anyone, but they're also not going to run over anyone. And when someone says "You played respectable" that really means "You played better than what I thought, but you still lost." That's what you see from Gondor. They don't dominate, and you have to, to win.

Wold- Offense is going to be a big concern. Eomund did nothing in the friendlies, and way too much of their offense were produced by the defenders! Quickbeam showed some ability, he'll have to do more with Eomund though, because you can't rely on your defenders to do the scoring for you game-in and game-out. And their defense will be tested by quality FWs (even against Doriath - I am baffled by what Thingol's problem has been) for the first time. I like them for 2nd because Treebeard's brought the Mirkwood spirit with him. They won't make it as far as Mirkwood, but if you want to know how you resolve conflicts between several vastly different peoples, hire Treebeard.

Predicted Group Standings
1. Gondolin
2. Wold
3. Gondor
4. Doriath

GROUP H- In an ironic way, as offensively-geared this group is, it will come down to what defense is the least in-effective. The teams here can score on even the best defense, I wonder what they'll be capable of against eachother? For those of you who like smart 1-0 games, watch Group A. For me, I'll be watching this group with great interest.

Dol Guldur- For Mirkwood Oropher was not that bad of a goalie. It was their offense which provided the main spark getting to the semis, but Oropher made several spectacular saves which allowed them to upset Tuna and Valimar. I wonder what changed in a year? Part of the problem could be the newly added spiders on defense. Oropher had a mighty Ent and Radagast, the master of hues, on defense. (Aside: Radagast moved to FW because the Arda Cup committee said he would no longer be able to change colors, or distract players with butterflies as a defender. Since they specificed defender, he thinks he will still be able to at a different position). Where was I? Oh right, Oropher was behind a better defense last year, which in turn made him an adequate GK, now...not so much. They'll clearly score, but so can Tirion, Havens, and don't be shocked in the mighty Boromir I seeks revenge against the King who killed him.

Havens- I think Olwe finally has the right players, formation, and strategy to get his team over the hump, into the playoffs. I think they are also legitimate challengers ot the clear favorites, Tirion. Both drew with Vinyamar, so these nimble Elves while getting slaughtered for fighting the mightily-clad Noldor with sticks and cloth, have shown it won't be the same this year in football. With that said, I still expect another kin-slaying as Tirion runs through this group fairly easy. You got to love a team who can build a comfortable 2-goal lead. Sure Tirion can get a goal whenever they need one, but so can these guys.

Minas Anor- Rough draw for them, but I don't know if I'd like their chances even if they were in another group. The stewards historically provide strong competition and prove tough to break, but I think this team lost too much with the departure of Aragorn. They lost a bonified leader, and you just can't replace him with anyone. I see them easily losing all 3 matches, but I do think will give Dol Guldur their toughest game. Possibly, even manage a draw. Nothing brings out the best play in teams like a good and bloody heated rivalry.

Tirion- Will more than likely sweep, because not only are they the best offensive team, but in this group, they probably have the best defense. We'll definitely see opponents' shots increase, simply because of the caliber of the offenses they'll be playing. However, expect a big spike in their own shots as well. Feanor's remarks to MESPN are interesting, and if I may add, very wise. He made a rather ingenious decision to shore up the defense and prepare them for what they will be up against in this group. I think that will have a huge payoff, as Tirion looks to the championship.

Predicted Group Standings
1. Tirion
2. Havens
3. Dol Guldur
4. Minas Anor

Nogrod

04-04-2010, 04:52 PM

The AKM comes forwards with the team qualifying bettings from the official MESPN Online Betting Industry Inc..

So how has the ME football community bet on the games thus far? Find it out from here and check your bets against the others!

First the group phase: so who is qualifying, who’s first, who’s second?

The percentages are: coming first – coming second – not qualifying

A
Aman 50% - 10% - 40%
Vinyamar 40% - 60% - 0%
Ithilien 10% - 30% - 60%
Beleriand 0% - 0% - 100%

B
Barad-Dûr 60% - 20% - 20%
‘Downs 40% - 40% - 20%
Gorgoroth 30% - 0% - 70%
Breeland 0% - 10% - 90%

C
Mithrim 60% - 30% - 10%
Pelennor 20% - 20% - 60%
Norbury 10% - 30% - 60%
Nargothrond 10% - 20% - 70%

D
Eithel Sirion 90% - 10% - 0%
Rohan 0% - 60% - 40%
Gelion 10% - 20% - 70%
Dale 0% - 10% - 90%

E
Utumno 60% - 30% - 10%
Numenor 30% - 50% - 20%
Rivendell 0% - 20% - 80%
Misty Mts. 10% - 0% - 90%

F
Thangorodr. 60% - 30% -10%
Valimar 30% - 40% - 30%
Bywater 10% - 20% - 70%
Lorien 0% - 10% - 90%

G
Gondolin 90% - 0% - 0%
Wold 0% - 60% - 40%
Gondor 10% - 20% - 70%
Doriath 0% - 20% - 80%

H
Tirion 80% - 0% - 0%
Havens 10% - 40% - 50%
Dol Guldur 10% - 30% - 60%
Minas Anor 0% - 20% - 80%

Results on other betting…

Most goals

30% of the betting goes for Fëanor making the most goals. Sauron and Túrin get 20% and Maedhros, Scatha and Tar Minastir have a 10% following each. There sure are a lot of plausible candidates left, not to talk of possible wild cards.

Most assists

This a lot more contested category. Only Nerdanel manages to pick 20% of the betting. Other candidates that have been bet on are: Beorn, Eowyn, Eöl, Ingwë, Melkor, Nienna, Sauron and the phantom.

To win

For the overal win of the tournament there is an interesting tie between four teams: Barrow-Downs, Mithrim, Tirion and Utumno have all gotten 20% of the betting thus far. Gondolin and Thangorodrim have received 10%. With six teams being bet on winning one might think the winner is already there, but watch it…

Betting on the most total phantasy points scored:

Keepers

With the keepers the betting has been overwhelming for Huan. He has gotten 50% of the bets. With a 10% share there are Elrond, Maglor, Melian, Nienna and Shelob. Huan is a quality keeper but clearly overrated. Any risk-taker could now capitalize with picking an unbet goalie.

Defenders

With defenders it’s basically the mirror-image of the goalie-betting. Only Curufin has managed to gather 20% of the bets as yet. All the other players bet have only 10% behind them, namely: Asfaloth, Balrog #4, Glaurung, Nessa, Shadowfax, skip spence, Tar Telperion and Treebeard.

Midfielders

With midfielders one gets an interesting picture. Melkor rules with 40% of the beting but Durin’s Bane challenges him with 30%. That is a tough race. But there are others to be sure. Those bet on already are Elros, Hador and Sally. Pretty good picks everyone of them. And there are a host of competitive challengers out and about.

Forwards

Not perhaps unexpectedly Fëanor leads the betting with 40% of betters relying on him. Túrin is a good second with 20% of the betting behind him. Other players to have been bet on are Maedhros, Miriel, Nerdanel and Wilwa.

the phantom

04-05-2010, 01:40 PM

GROUP A
Beleriand vs Ithilien
Aman vs Vinyamar

GROUP B
Barad-Dur vs Barrow-Downs
Breeland vs Gorgoroth

GROUP C
Mithrim vs Pelennor
Nargothrond vs Norbury

GROUP D
Dale vs Rohan
Eithel Sirion vs Gelion

GROUP E
Numenor vs Rivendell
Misty Mts vs Utumno

GROUP F
Bywater vs Thangorodrim
Lorien vs Valimar

GROUP G
Gondolin vs Wold
Doriath vs Gondor

GROUP H
Dol Guldur vs Tirion
Havens vs Minas Anor

Nogrod

04-07-2010, 06:24 AM

Group C at Amon Sûl

The MEFA authorities offered Fornost Erain – familiarly called The Deadmen’s Dike – to host group C. The Arthedain were pleased for the honour but as the rebuilding of Norbury was still far from accomplished they asked to host the games at Amon Sûl instead. The fully rebuilt tower laid a majestic backdrop to the stadium they built on its feet.

The Weathertop-Arena was not the most grand or lavish venue there was, but it was dashingly modern while it’s architecture honoured the surroundings and the great tower of Amon Sûl. From far away it looked like the stadium was embedded into the hillside, being a part of it.

The most expensive suites at the tower offered some real glamour for the spectators able to finance such lodgings – and a great view to the game from individual balconies. As a bonus the spectators would be shown live-coverage from all the matches going on at other locations via the restored palantir of Amon Sûl.

Before the first games the mood was congenial even if all the fans were naturally looking forwards to their team’s performance and somewhat nervous about their chances. After all the quality of the players in every team was astonishing: noble kings, great warriors, marvellous beasts…

No one seemed to question Mithrim’s first place in the group. But who was going to be the second qualifier? The home fans were convincend the northener’s would claim it, but it would be tough for the hosts.

Fornost Post managed to pick Curufin from after Mithrim’s last practise-session to share a few thoughts on the competition.

Fornost post: Most people are betting heavily on your team to qualify as number one from this group. How do you see your position and who are your toughest competitors?

Curufin: Well, we’ll take one match at the time. First we need to concentrate on winning Pelennor. They’re quite an offensive team but I believe that together with my bro and his hound we’ll keep them at bay.

Fornost Post: How about the home team? How do you see their chances?

Curufin: They say playing in front of your homecrowd gives you boost worth an additional player in the field. But as a team of expats we’re used to fighting on a strange soil... and shorthanded.

Fornost Post: Nargothrond has been a disappointment to many. How do you see their situation?

Curufin: They’ve given a good fight to every team they have met. One should never underestimate king Finrod – and my son will surely rise to the occasion come real matches.

Fornost Post: But which team of the other three will follow you to the qualifying rounds?

Curufin: Let’s play the games first, shall we? *heads away*

Fornost Post: Some people say that your forwards Túrin, Beleg and Húrin haven’t quite played to their level. Would you comment on that?

*Curufin is gone*

Group E at Goblin Town

Hithaeglir was offered to host group E of the Arda Cup this year on the basis that the other teams had already hosted so many events in the previous tournaments. The explanation was generally accepted but a few noticed that Utumno had only hosted games once before. Was Utumno played out in the cabinets? Happily Melkor and his crew didn’t feel like protesting. Actually Misty Mountains fit them just fine even if they didn’t comment on that in public: of the other venues Misty Mts. was by far the most hospitable to them – well they were created by Melkor in the first place - and now they could claim the right to host more important games later in the tournament. So who tricked whom?

After some tough negotiations between the different sides of the Misty Mountains team the venue was built, as a compromise, into the slopes of the High Pass near the entrance to the Goblin Town. They copied the idea from Rivendell’s new stadium built the year before and hew most of the seats straight into the mountain itself using a small valley as a base for the field. And they built it huge! There were reasons to believe this group would draw in a host of spectators from different races but still some wondered whether the organisators had overdone it. With a capacity of 110 000 spectators the new High Pass Stadium was one of the largest stadiums in the whole Middle Earth.

But a more pressing concern was keeping the peace during the games. With zillion goblins hosting eagles, dwarves, elves, numenorians and all the Melkor’s following it was clear the situation was explosive. Melkor had personally promised to take care of the order if any problems would arise but the MEFA authorities weren’t too convinced. It was only after a deal was reached that every team would take care of any rebel-rousers from their own followers the games were good to go.

Before the tournament the Great Goblin gave press conference to the media.

The AKM: What do you think of the security situation? There has been some rows already even before the games have started and all the tourists have poured in…

The Great Goblin: They’ve been minor skirmishes and they have been dealt with swiftly and efficiently. And that’s the way any disturbances will be dealt.

The AKM: What would you say to those who claim that your own team’s style of play is actually inspiring some of the violence? Looking at the number of cards your team…

GG: We have been treated wrongly by the referees. Football is a physical sport and that’s the game we play. Our eagles especially have been the victims of that misguided refereeing – who would have known in the earlier days I’d plea for the eagles… *laughs in the audience* Anyway. After Utumno’s balrogs are set loose you see what I mean with physical game and the referees just have to accept it.

The AKM: Are you suggesting that the referees will be intimidated to judge in the way that fits you and Utumno? Isn’t that quite bold?

GG: Next question please.

Boromir88

04-10-2010, 04:12 PM

Group B at Gorgoroth

The host for Group B was a heated and close race. The finalists were The Barrow-Downs and Gorgoroth, both making huge bids to be chosen as a host. The 'Downs had support from Butterbur, who offered the Prancing Pony up, to house all the teams'. "I've enjoyed the company of these blokes [The Downers]" praised Butterbur "They're not trouble-makers, 'cept for that warg don't care for him much, and I like that about 'em. They're going to be good fun to play."

The Barrow-Downs had hosted a playoff game for the TIG team a few years back, and once Bombadil sang the fog away, it proved to be a nice venue. So, with Butterbur's praise, and the overall support from Bree the Barrow-Downs were sure their site would be chosen to host. That would not be the case. And it angered many of the BD players: "I can't believe the officials will go with Gorgoroth." said an annoyed Skip "We already have a stadium here, we've got plenty of room, thanks to Butterbur, to accomodate all the teams and security would be cheap since there aren't too many problems in these parts until the night. It was a bad choice."

The committee decided Gorgoroth had offered a stronger bid. It was actually quite a late push, as Sauron believed one of his sites in Mordor would have easily been chosen. Bree was immediately out of the running, since they were group hosts last year, leaving a 67% chance for one of the Mordor teams. However, it seemed like the Barrow-Downs was getting an upper-hand and Sauron had to step up his efforts to bring the games to Mordor.

There were obvious questions about security, but Sauron cunningly answered those concerns by pointing out he was in complete control over all of his servants in Mordor, where there were many unchecked dark, sketchy figures that haunt the Barrow-Downs and cause several security issues. I think the selling point came from Sauron's threat to erupt Mount Doom who maintained he was taken out of context and made no such threat. "When I said the Hellmouth would be unleashed, I was speaking metaphorically, of the reaction all across Mordor, should it not host. What can I say? I'm a huge fan of Buffy."

Whatever the cause, Gorgoroth was chosen to host the Group B games. There were still other questions besides security, especially about constructing a quality stadium in the middle of a flat dessert plain. However, Gorgoroth seemed to rise to the challenge, by diverting waters from Nurnen to plenish the field. It truly looks like an oasis in the dessert. The stadium itself, is not very large, only seating 42,000. The stands are constructed from the same black stones that were used to build Barad Dur, but Gorgoroth had a problem trying to build the stands very high, fearing the foundation would collapse. The open plains (and fence that was constructed around the entire field) however have added a couple thousand standing room tickets which can be purchased for a cheap price.

The biggest question I have is, what if neither of the Mordor teams advance beyond group play? That is surely a good possibility. Will Breeland and the Barrow-Downs be able to leave Mordor all in one piece!?

Group G at Doriath

Group G was also a difficult host for the committee to choose. Would it be the new Wold team, who proposed to build a stadium next to the ancient Fangorn forest? Gondolin? They have a spectacular venue and always are great hosts. Perhaps Doriath, who offered a larger stadium as well as the best security? Gondor had a whole range of of fantastic locations, in it's realm to chose from. There were early rumors that the beautiful Swan-City of Dol Amroth would be building a stadium, but neither Amroth nor Imrahil (who played for different teams) would authorize it. So, Gondor fell out of contention as it could not settle on a precise location.

It quickly became a 2-team race, between Doriath and Wold, as Gondolin conceeded and will likely offer their stadium for later play-off rounds, as usual for them. Treebeard didn't like the idea of using wood from Fangorn to build the grand stands, so it looked like it would be Doriath. Doriath hosted in 2008, and already had a large venue (85,000+) that was built by Dwarven craftsman from Nogrod. All they needed was a few tune-ups and repairs. Also, Melian has a girdle around the entire stadium which will prevent anyone of evil-heart from entering the stadium. Though there isn't much concern for issues arising between the teams in this group. However, we do wonder how the Uruks from the Wold will be able to enter the pitch if anyone of evil-heart will not be allowed in. Treebeard has said though, his team proves Orcs can truly be redeemed if out of the influence of a heinous dark-lord for a while.

Expect large crowds for Doriath and Gondolin, but also substantial numbers for Gondor and Wold, because their fans travel well. Doriath's GK Melian, said spectators will be treated to a lot of exciting, respectful football from all the teams. She also, believes behind a strong home crowd her team's performance will be much improved in the tournament.

the phantom

04-10-2010, 07:06 PM

There is nothing the Noldor love more than a project, and so when the Arda Cup Committee announced that long-abandoned Vinyamar would be a group host, there was much rejoicing among the craftsmen of the Noldor.

Crews upon crews of stone-workers, smiths, and building-planners poured in, and due to time constraints a couple hundred dwarfs were brought in to assist. Half of them set to work repairing streets and lodgings, while the rest tackled the stadium.

There was already an arena built into the slopes of Mount Taras, but it was not large enough to handle an event of this magnitude. Through some creative engineering, such as building up onto the roofs of some of the neighboring buildings, they managed to expand capacity up to a respectable number. It couldn't hold the numbers of the larger Middle-Earth stadiums (Minas Tirith, Misty Mts, etc), but it was marvelously constructed, and boasted beautiful views of the meeting between Mount Taras and the sea.

Due to the fact that Vinyamar is no longer inhabited, the crowds that have arrived to watch the games are less lopsided for the host than in other venues. Vinyamar likely has the edge, but Beleriand has a large contingent as well, and a good number sailed in from Aman in recent days. The smallest representation is from Ithilien- about five thousand or so.

There is very little in the way of security concerns, as none of the four squads contain players with bad blood existing between them and others. To this point the fans have gotten on together as well as could be hoped for, and all are looking forward to the start of the matches, which most think will be defensive gems, given the makeup of this group.

the phantom

04-11-2010, 07:40 PM

No city can compare to the glory and splendor of Valimar, and many say the same about their grand stadium. The masonry, jewels, and lights are spectacular, and adding to the flavor are the trees and flowers incorporated in the design, as well as the many massive beautiful bells which are used to celebrate goals scored by the home side.

Quite a few merry hobbits made the trip to the havens and then on across the sea in support of their team, while a smaller group from Lorien made the journey as well. Those expecting a decent turnout from Thangorodrim were quite mistaken, as less than the expected number of men, orcs, or other creatures affiliated with the stronghold of evil were willing to make the trip. According to most, fear of the sea voyage as well as fear of imprisonment for their evil ways in Valinor were huge discouraging factors, despite the Valar promising safety and freedom to all guests.

Though perhaps these promises are indeed suspect, as there have been reports of several boats of Thangorodrim fans (particularly orcs) being turned away by harbor officials. In their defense, the coastal security agents insist that the only individuals turned away were "quite obviously not there for football, but to steal, riot, and perhaps worse".

But the fact remains that not a single orc in support of Thangorodrim has entered into the city at the present. A band of orcs from Minas Morgul who showed up to support the Nazgul playing for Bywater were let in without incident however, despite the folks at customs being forced to remove a couple tons of weaponry the orcs were trying to conceal and smuggle in with them.

Thangorodrim defender Glaurung believes this is evidence of clear favoritism from the hosts. "But no matter- we'll take care of business on the field, and no amount of fan support can deter us."

the phantom

04-12-2010, 08:17 PM

There was much food, drink, and merriment to be found upon the rock strewn sands at the foot of Mount Taras. Even unaffiliated football fans, such as the dwarves hired to prepare the city, were looking forward to play. “This group will play in a style we dwarves can appreciate!” said one. “Stubborn and tough, and very determined- or at least that is what their talk is, and their practices certainly don’t dispel their words.”

Men from nearby Beleriand seem to be finding it easy to root for not only the team that bears their name, but for Ithilien as well out of respect for Lord Faramir and the bearing of his team, as well as for Aman which features some impressive and gracious members of the Valar. And then there’s the squad from Vinyamar to root for, with fan-favorites Tuor and Ulmo. Their biggest cheers will be reserved for Beleriand of course.

The Elves have little trouble wishing well for the other teams as well, and several of the dwarves already intend to stick around to watch the group winner in the first round of the playoffs, no matter who it is. “We’re rooting for quality play to win, and for the group as a whole!”

And in the first match of the day, the dwarves were not disappointed with what they saw. It was a hard fought battle, with Ithilien doing a fine job of controlling possession. But this didn’t disappoint Beleriand, as they enjoyed being defensive aggressors, and nearly capitalized on turnovers twice in the first half. Mumakil, however, was up for it, and made Faramir’s decision to place him in goal look quite intelligent indeed.

In the second half it was more of the same, except Beleriand turned up the pressure even more in the opening minutes. It got them a couple cards, but nothing more, as Ithilien maintained their composure and mounted their best looking assault yet, ending with a nice placement by Faramir after beating the defense to the ball on a nice send-over from Beregond.

Ithilien then looked to lock down and preserve the lead, but that proved a mistake, as Beleriand was then able to find their stride on offense and build the attack up, culminating in a rocket from Marach in the 76th minute that simply could not be stopped.

As time ticked away Ithilien got things working again, but their best effort, a header off a corner, was turned away in the closing minutes, and the contest ended as a tie. Obviously both squads wanted a win, but without a doubt gaining one point in the standings is better than none.

Beleriand 1-1 Ithilien
tot shots: 8-11
on target: 4-6
GOALS:
*59, 0-1 Faramir (Beregond)
*76, 1-1 Marach (Hathol)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Beleriand- Handir, Bregolas, Imlach, Baragund
*Ithilien- Adrahil

After enjoying the tenacious competition and fundamentally sound teamwork in the first match, the crowds were prepared to experience euphoria from the night match, as these were the two teams most heavily bet upon to go forwards from group play- Aman and Vinyamar.

Ar Pharazon looked almost smug during warm-ups, perhaps feeling unstoppable with an Ainu defense behind him. On the other side of the pitch Vinyamar showed little emotion, though far more life was in their steps than was witnessed in the friendlies. Play was for real now, and every minute counted!

The first half resembled the oft repeated cliché “chess upon grass”, with both squads attempting to push the ball methodically upfield, but countered expertly by the opposing defense. Both tried a surprise long-ball now and then, and the Vinyamar fans were certainly worried by the speed of Orome, the finesse of Finarfin, and the power of Ar Pharazon, but Ulmo and company rose to meet each challenge and stave off the attack. On the other side Aman gasped a bit whenever Vinyamar got control in deep, as Idril and Duilin dished out cunning passes, and Tuor and Penlod provided large targets, but as on the other end, the defense held them off.

Finally in the 72nd minute the scoreboard was put to use, as Finarfin managed to get the better of his marks with some nifty footwork and ran free into the box. Rog committed to him, but Finarfin sent it nicely to Ar Pharazon who had positioned himself perfectly to take advantage and did not waste his opportunity.

Vinyamar however, was not content to go quietly, and the forwards worked harder than ever to gain the ball in Aman’s half and hold it until support closed in. In the 83rd minute they were afforded an opportunity on a corner, and Idril and Penlod teamed up perfectly to capitalize! It was tied!

Not surprisingly, no more goals were put up in the closing seconds of the defensive battle, and the match ended with each side leaving with a point in the standings, which meant that Group A as a whole was one massive tie.

Aman 1-1 Vinyamar
tot shots: 7-9
on target: 4-4
GOALS:
*72, 1-0 Ar Pharazon (Finarfin)
*83, 1-1 Penlod (Idril)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Aman- Nahar, Este
*Vinyamar-

the phantom

04-12-2010, 09:22 PM

It was a strongly partisan crowd that welcomed Bywater and Thangorodrim to the field for the opening match of group play, and the players from the Shire were in high spirits. Gandalf and Saruman waved in recognition of old Ainu buddies in the stands, the hobbits smiled enthusiastically at the crowd of their fellows who had made the trip to the blessed realm, and the Nazgul pair nodded graciously to the rowdy section of Minas Morgul orcs.

Thangorodrim stomped onto the pitch to a massive rumbling “Booooo!!”, but the dragons seemed to enjoy it, egging on the crowd with obscene tail gestures. The traitorous men playing for Thangorodrim, however, seemed put out not to have a section of their supporters there (or at least a section that could be heard), and Carcharoth sniffed the air in vain for the scent of packmates.

The crowd then fell into silence, only to renew their disapproval as Thangorodrim took the ball right off the bat and went down the field, scaring the keeper Cotton with a zinger off the tail of Ancalagon that barely missed over the top cross-bar. Bywater’s defense seemed to be less than what was expected, or perhaps Thangorodrim’s offense was too good, and they stayed in control the first ten minutes, with Bywater unable to gain possession or keep the ball away from the danger zone.

But how swiftly the tide turns! Nazgul #2 managed to poke the ball away from Durin’s Bane with a nice tackle, and Shadowfax swiftly sent it all the way down to the dashing forwards and Gandalf. They kept the run going with some neat passing, and Saruman finished with help from Gandalf and it was 1-0 Bywater!

Now with the lead Bywater’s defense was suddenly effective. The hobbit midfielders and Gildor outworked the Thangorodrim boys, while the Nazgul, Ferny, and Shadowfax stayed on top of the dragons and balrog, denying them the ball most of the time and forcing quick decisions from them. As halftime neared the trailing side showed a bit of frustration and poor body language and picked up a couple of silly cards, one of which nearly costing them another goal.

No one knows who spoke at halftime or what was said, but it obviously made a difference, as Thangorodrim started off much more focused, and their deadly skill netted a goal but two minutes in, off the boot of Durin’s Bane. Just a few minutes later he nearly scored again- Cotton made a brilliant grab in mid-flight to preserve the tie. But just as in the first half, Bywater countered swiftly when things were looking quite bad. Again it was a sudden pass by Shadowfax to an already breaking group at the front, this time including Gildor, and it was Gildor who took the shot. Carcharoth managed to block it, but couldn’t corrall the ball, and Gandalf finished the job from point blank range to push Bywater into the lead once again!

The stadium bells, normally reserved for goals from the home team, sounded loud and long as the arena occupants celebrated. Fed by the energy perhaps, Bywater pressed the attack now, and Thangorodrim could barely deny them. In the 68th minute it looked certain Bywater would take a 3-1 lead when Saruman pounced on a ricochet and Carcharoth had no hope of being involved, but Drauglin came from nowhere with a massive leap and helped his keeper out by heading the effort away.

As desperation mounted for Thangorodrim, Ulwarth took too large a risk on a tackle and was shown his second yellow. He complained loudly to the ref that there was minimal contact, but the end result did not change and he was tossed from the game, leaving Bywater with a one-man advantage. The stadium erupted as it never had, for now with under twenty minutes and with an extra man, the upset seemed likely rather than just a happy hope. Bywater held the ball with precision for most of the next few minutes, but in the end Durin’s Bane could not be contained, as he stole the ball away on a slightly errant pass and worked it in all by himself, passing off to Scatha last second for the easy chip in.

The fans were absolutely deflated by the short-handed goal, and they feared the worst in the closing seconds of the game, but Bywater refused to roll over, and they finished off the match without allowing another threat. As the final was announced, the fans shook off their disappointment and applauded the Bywater squad heartily for their effort, and admitted that Thangorodrim leaving without the expected three-points from a win, but rather with the single point for the tie, was as good as they had hoped for when the match had started.

Bywater 2-2 Thangorodrim
tot shots 11-16
on target 6-8
GOALS:
*11, 1-0 Saruman (Gandalf)
*47, 1-1 Durin’s Bane (Ulfang)
*56, 2-1 Gandalf (Gildor)
*82, 2-2 Scatha (Durin’s Bane)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Bywater- Ferny, Fatty, Saruman
*Thangorodrim- Ulfang, Drauglin, Gorlim, Ulwarth, Scatha, Uldor
RED CARDS:
*Thangorodrim- Ulwarth (73, second yellow)

The result of the first game was a delightful surprise for the Valimar fans, and as the second match kicked off they were hoping to receive the cherry on top, so to speak, capping off a perfect day of football.

Long story short- they got it. Valimar was called by one columnist “annoyingly efficient” in their round of friendlies, and it was perhaps no different this night, as they played nearly mistake free, and just showed a bit of an edge over the opponents everywhere on the field. The first half they felt out the opposition and established their game, and in the second half they turned up the gas until they had secured a two goal lead, at which time Manwe called off the troops and elected to sit on the lead, which as everyone knows Valimar is quite good at.

As the denizens of Valimar made their way to their homes, they cast about in their memories for a better start to group play in recent years, and could not come up with anything.

Lorien 0-2 Valimar
tot shots 9-15
on target 4-8
GOALS:
*54, 0-1 Eonwe (Varda)
*65, 0-2 Tulkas (Manwe)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Lorien- Rumil, Orophin
*Valimar- Tulkas

Nogrod

04-13-2010, 01:31 PM

Mighty Mithrim rips Pelennor to pieces!

There had been great anticipation for the games to begin and when the day finally arose, sun shining from the clear skies, the excitement could be felt everywhere in Amon Sûl. The crowds packed the stadium full in no time as the gates were opened. There was an air of great sporting celebration all around Amon Sûl. Unlike in some other venues in the past tournaments the afternoon match was also sold-out as everyone wished to see the heroes’ performances. It wasn’t everyday you got to see men like Húrin, Túrin, Theoden or Imrahil in action, not talking of Huan, or elves like Curufin, Celegorm, Beleg or Legolas.

The opening game at the Weathertop-Arena was a slaughter plain and simple. Veni, Vidi, Vici; The Mithrim team came, saw and conquered with a virtuoso performance bulleting itself to the top of any phanatasy-gamers’ list of predictions. The crowd enjoyed some magical football and astonishing teamplay in both defence and offence, from one team. Pelennor was reduced to shambles on every area of the gameplay.

Pelennor’s feared offence was shattered by the solid and tough defence of Mithrim led by Fëanor’s sons Curufin and Celegorm who even plotted a goal later in the game. Those two have not received their stars from nothing! And whatever was not cleared by the defences, Huan picked up comfortably. It was clear the whole team was playing the shut-out for him.

Mithrim’s midfield commanded the pace of the game with the same ease and showed some sovereign control of the ball, and when the forwards got the ball it made the Pelennor-fans shiver, for a reason.

The most remarkable feature in Mithrim’s performance was undoubtedly it’s teamplay. Pelennor earned a reputation as a really offencive team during the friendlies, but against Mithrim their quite aggressive shooting average of 13/5 per game was reduced to 5/2. Comparing that to Mithrim’s ratio of 20/12 just tells the whole story of that game. Also seven different players made their name to the scoreboard and that should tell the future opponents something about the width of their team's cababilities.

Mithrim 4-0 Pelennor
tot shots 20-5
on target 12-2
GOALS:
*6, 1-0 Turin (Hurin)
*22, 2-0 Morwen (Androg)
*33, 3-0 Hurin (Beleg)
*57, 4-0 Celegorm (Curufin)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Mithrim- Gelmir
*Pelennor- Duinhir, Forlong, Windfola, Gothmog II

High-hopes of the hometeam fans shattered!

Everyone knew the second qualifying place from group C would be up for grabs to any team showing themselves worth it. Pelennor got such a beating in the hands (feet?) of the Mithrim team that the winner of the evening’s game would make a serious move towards qualifying. So the stakes for the game were high and that was clearly seen in the performance of both teams.

The home-crowd supported their team with high spirits in the beginning but as both teams played it very carefully indeed, concentrating on avoiding mistakes, the tension fell considerably after the first ten-twenty minutes. Towards the end of the first period Nargothrond got the upper hand and started rolling the ball against the Norbury defences with gusto, but with no result.

One would have thought the home team to come back to the field quite spirited after the intermission, but that was not the case. On the contrary, nine minutes into the second period Nargothrond’s pressure finally bore fruit: Celebrimbor’s free kick hit the post and the High Princess of Noldor wrestled the rebound to herself from between the Norbury defences putting the ball into the net giving Arvedui no chance to react.

With the lead Nargothrond drew back just a little which can be aftwerwards judged as a mistake from their part. The change was not great but little by little the home team started to win one-on-ones and took more of the possession. It was a classical lesson of football; lose 10% of your energy and awarenenss and you lose 50% of your performance. And slowly also the home crowd awakened to cheer for their team. The tables had been turned and the home team was fervently going for the equaliser while the Nargothrond team just concentrated on damage control.

And what a mighty roar there was when Araphor finally scored the equaliser five minutes before the final whistle! The homefans went just mad! The northeners had once again risen to the occasion when it was needed! The hopes of the home team were rekindled! But it didn’t take long the laughter and joy turned into the realisation that a draw wouldn’t help them too much in this hard-fought battle over qualifying.

Nargothrond 1-1 Norbury
tot shots 12-9
on target 7-4
GOALS:
*54, 1-0 Finduilas (Celebrimbor)
*85, 1-1 Araphor (Malbeth)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Nargothrond- Celebrimbor, Boron, Arminas
*Norbury- Argeleb, Tarcil

So second place, anybody's game. Mithrim dominating the group comfortably. That's day 1 from Amon Sûl in a nutshell.

skip spence

04-13-2010, 02:28 PM

On the green fields of Ard-Galen, right next to the point where the mighty Sirion springs from its source of many noisy mountain streams falling from the higher reaches of Ered Wethrin, the fair Stadium of Eithel Sirion had been erected long ago by the crafty Noldor. In springtime this was an ideal site for football and excitement was at its fullest. From inside the stadium, the players on the pitch could look up and descry the impregnable stone walls of Barad Eithel high above the level ground and much loftier still the ice-capped peaks of the Mountains of Shadow. From the walls and pinnacles of that the great fortress and from the stadium the blue and silver banners of the home team fluttered in the breeze under clear blue skies.

Eithel Sirion was the big favourite to win this group with their proved and awe-inspiring wealth of talent, athleticism and experience. The home crowd was therefore in a buoyant mood ahead of the opening matches of group, believing their team to be vastly superior to their opponents Gelion and well able to steamroll them in a feast of goals and entertainment.

Game 1 of Group D: Dale vs Rohan
Before the hosts were to enter, Dale was up against Rohan in the opening match of group D. Rohan was a team who according to captain Eorl the Young felt right at home up here in the North with the wide and flat fields of green grass, with the majestic mountains in sight with its clear streams of cool, crisp water. "I feel like I've come home, or maybe, like I've been here before" Eorl explained for an appreciative local paper. And as the game got underway, the feeling was almost as if this was a home game for the Rohirrim, because the neutral crowd had gotten right behind the noble horsemen and was now cheerfully spurring them on to attack, something which quickly forced Dale to rely on rare counter-attacks as the sole offensive threat.

The audience was to witness a wonderfully entertaining match with plenty of goals, goal scoring opportunities and fiery tackles. Rohan took the lead several times and throughout the game, the neutrals always had the feeling that the Rohirrim was one number to big for the Wilderland team who appeared to be lacking in organization and team-spirit. Still Dale managed to peg the Rohirrim back twice which speaks volumes of the quality some of their players do possess. Thranduil and Smaug in particular showed some jaw-dropping individual flare but like the rest of the team seemed to have trouble communicating with each other on the field. More so, Dale’s appalling disciplinary record from the friendlies continued with another ugly dismissal and four bookings.

Yet, when Smaug made it 2-2 in the 68th minute with a powerful shot it was anyone’s game, and had Thranduil’s free kick moments later gone in instead of clipping the post, we might have been discussing this game in a very different tone. As it was, Rohan got their well deserved winner with ten minutes left of the clock and got three very useful points on the board. The crowd exploded in a deafening cheer as Eomers well-struck free-kick found Eorl, who climbing high above his marker at the far post headed home for his second goal of the night. Man of the Match Eorl was very good tonight.

Dale 2-3 Rohan
tot shots 8-15
on target 4-8
GOALS:
*30, 0-1 Eorl (Cirion)
*39, 1-1 Thranduil (Carc)
*61, 1-2 Cirion (Helm)
*68, 2-2 Smaug (Thranduil)
*79, 2-3 Eorl (Eomer)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Dale- Carc, Roac, Moneybags, Dain
*Rohan- Frumgar, Helm
RED CARDS:
*Dale- Roac (72, second yellow)

Game 2 of Group B: Eithel Sirion vs. Gelion
Later that evening the moment finally arrived, the moment the brave soldiers posted at Eithel Sirion had waited for throughout the long and cold winter. It was now time for the proud hosts to enter the field for their first match of the Arda Cup and they were accompanied by a blissful home crowd singing songs as fair as were they sung by the Ainur themselves. No one gave Geilion any hope of containing their famous counterparts and the home supporters had already fixed their plans of how to celebrate the easy victory to come. However, as the game progressed it became clear that Gelion – not a bad side by any means - had read a wholly different script and was in no intention to give this up easily. Gelion played a very tight and aggressive defensive game, putting stress on the Eithel Sirion players whenever possible yet keeping many men behind the ball at all times. And just as the home crowd grew started to lose steam, Gelion took a shock lead and silenced them completely. Luthien broke away on the left and crossed for Haldad who headed home from ten yards. The crowd was stunned and so was Eithel Sirion. For the remainder of the first half they pushed and pushed but always with the same result, always there was a toe or a body or three to stop them at the last minute, and well into the second half Gelion’s lead stood.

When Eithel Sirion finally did equalize, it was with a good sprinkling of luck and the neutrals in the stadium felt sorry for Gelion at that point. Aegnor took a speculative shot from well outside the area and mi**** it completely, but it became a perfect pass for Hador instead who collected and finished with ease right in front of goal. The relieved home crowd broke out in a thunderous roar while Hador grabbed the ball from the back of the net and quickly brought it back to the mid circle. Only a win was good enough now.

If Hadors goal was mainly the result of luck, Maedros winner was pure quality. The one-handed genius collected a Fingon pass on the edge of the area, turned on a nickel and sent an unstoppable rocket beyond the reach of Dior in the Gelion goal. Now the crowd’s belief in their heroes was restored and three points were in the bag as Gelion’s energy-intensive play had begun to take its toll. But some still pointed out that Gelion had given Eithel Sirion real trouble tonight and could well have won with better luck. This was far from a championship-winning performance from the hosts.

Eithel Sirion 2-1 Gelion
tot shots 10-5
on target 5-2
GOALS:
*34, 0-1 Haldad (Luthien)
*62, 1-1 Hador (Aegnor)
*75, 2-1 Maedhros (Fingon)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Eithel Sirion- Aegnor, Nienor, Gwindor
*Gelion- Azaghal, Amlach, Denethor, Lenwe

So, summarizing the night, the question-mark whether Dale had managed to galvanize and unite their squad ahead of the tournament still stand underlined after their less than impressive team-performance tonight. Dale will have to get their act together quickly or start packing to go home.

With three points in the bag Rohan has a good chance of advancing but can not afford to underestimate Gelion which will be their key opponent and an interesting team to follow in the matches to come. Opponents of Dale must also beware, because on a good day they can bang in several goals despite disciplinary issues. Dale of couse also have Smaug who can put the fear in any defence.

Eithel Sirion did not impress much tonight but that will likely not bother them at this point. Three points in the bag is priceless for the hosts and they can relax more now and focus on improving their performance as the tournament progresses.

Boromir88

04-13-2010, 05:17 PM

Gorgoroth had constructed a rather small stadium, and since the East doesn't get to see many Arda Cup matches, tickets sold quickly, prices skied through the roof as there were sure to be big crowds of support for both Mordor teams. The orcs had to be more select in what team they supported, and which matches they should go and watch. The wealthier Numenoreans had the luxury of watching both Barad Dur and Gorgoroth to support Sauron and Castamir, respectively.

It was no secret that Bree and the Barrow-Downs did not like how the tickets were alotted. Gorgoroth and Barad Dur fans would be allowed 20,000 tickets if their team was playing, where the Barrow-Downs and Bree were only alotted 10,000 per match their team was playing in. Then 6,000 each went to the clubs who were not playing in the current match. Standing room tickets were sold at the Black Gate hours before the game began, insuring Gorgoroth (and their brethren from Barad Dur) would get a massive advantage in fan support.

Sauron didn't see an issue: "There has been a long-standing bias against Eastern teams in this tournament. Mordor has a large, untapped fan-base and it's about time the West accepts us. I'm here now, and things are going to be run a little differently then in the past. My servants, coming to the stadium, are going to see some quality football, not treat it as an assassination attempt for petty revenge. This is what my team symbolizes this year, giving fans Arda Cup football, petty violence will not be tolerated."

In all fairness, we can't see anything wrong in any of Sauron's stated points. In fact, he has banned all weapons from the stadium. Before, in Mordor there were issues with enforcing the weapon ban, but not so this year. Sauron has fixed his Eye on the Gates and anyone trying to sneak in a weapon of any kind will immediately drop to the ground in searing agony. What a great atmosphere for football, wouldn't you say?

~~~~~
Match 1: Barad Dur vs. Barrow-Downs
At game-time it was clear with the eruption of applause for the Barad Dur team, that 3/4ths of the stadium was there to support them. However, the Barrow-Downs were not daunted, for when they entered the field, many long time supporters, now in human form, came and were just as loud as ever. Greenie, Agan, Lommy, and Rune were spotted. In fact, Agan was dressed in full wolf garb to support her keeper: "I'm glad they still have a warg on the team. I don't think I'd like them if Eomer wasn't on."

And right before they were ready to start play, Nogrod said to his team: "Look sharp today fellas, we're playing in the presense of the King." They turned to the stands and saw Aragorn, sitting in the front, next to him his faithful steed. It didn't matter that he was probably there just to scout future opponents, the King had actually shown up to watch them play!

The Barrow-Downs team came out with full energy, pushing an attack, trying to look for an early goal that would take the crowd factor quickly out of the game. However, Barad Dur's defense also showed up ready to play, and it was difficult to break. The Barrow-Downs had to ease up on pressure, as this was a marathon, not a sprint. What was the point in over-exerting yourself for 1-goal when you wouldn't have the energy to maintain the lead? They backed off slightly and focused on not allowing the ball anywhere near Barad Dur's most dangerous player, Sauron.

The strategy worked well, until Barad Dur proved in the 20th minute it had other players who can hurt you if you don't pay close attention. It was Aragorn's many-greated grandfather who broke the 0-0 game. It didn't matter to the Orcs that this was the spited Elendil, he just scored for THEIR team. They blasted their horns and shook the stadium with applause. Aragorn was seen politely clapping the goal, and the Barrow-Downs remembered his ancestors played for Barad Dur. He was probably there to watch them!

When the first period began winding down, the Barrow-Downs decided to up their energy. They still had the game within reach, but getting down 2-goals before the half would be devastating. They desperately wanted an equalizer and they got it. Barad Dur's defense seemed focused and energized by the crowd, but when the phantom sent a nice pass to center field, Nogrod found a little extra energy in his tank. He beat his Nazgul defender to the ball and drove a shot straight past The Mouth to tie the game.

Both teams looked worn from a hard fought half and play got a little sloppy the last 5 minutes. However, they would have the half to rest and recover. As the Barrow-Downs was heading into the locker rooms, Aragorn stood up and applauded them off the field. He walked out of the grand stands, followed by Roheryn, no doubt to get prepared for their upcoming match. Bombadil was left in control of the team, so who knows what they were doing, other than knowing it wasn't soccer.

The story in the 2nd half was much like the first. The Downs' came out energized, trying to establish a lead, but Barad Dur's defense was on top form tonight. Every shot was draining, and it cost the Barrow-Downs as Sauron finally broke out and put his team up 2-1. The crowd was ecstatic, they were sure Barad Dur was a lock for 3 points now. Their defense was suffocating all day, and there was no way these Downers' would be able to break it.

You would have thought they would have learned from the 1st half, never understimate the determination of the Barrow-Downs, especially when the phantom has his head in the match. He got a much needed equalizer, assisted by the gracious wilwa, in the 79th minute. The crowd deflated, and despite Sauron's efforts to send their fans away with a good win, they were too exhausted. The hard fought battle would end 2-2, and both teams were thinking they let a win get away.

Barad-Dur 2-2 Barrow-Downs
tot shots 10-14
on target 6-7
GOALS:
*20, 1-0 Elendil (Anarion)
*38, 1-1 Nogrod (Phantom)
*62, 2-1 Sauron (Nazgul #7)
*79, 2-2 Phantom (Wilwa)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Barad-Dur- Fellbeast, Ohtar, Elendil
*Barrow-Downs- Gwath, Steve

Match 2: Breeland vs. Gorgoroth
If the 1st game was a sign of things to come, the 2nd game would confirm all the matches in this group would be a ferocious battle. The Orcs were anxious for a win after Barad Dur drew in the first game, and several from the Barrow-Downs team showed up to reciprocate Bree's support in their match.

Breeland came out ready and firing on all cylinders. For as Barad Dur's defense looked ready, Gorgoroth's looked the complete opposite. Bombadil was running circles around them, as if taunting them with the fact he could score whenever he wanted, he just did want to at the moment. Apparently he did in the 14th minute. Grishnakh tried to slide in to knock the ball away, but Bombadil chipped it and hopped over Grishnakh, like the billiards trick you see and gave Bree the early 1-0 lead.

The crowd died down, but it was only 1-goal, they all knew how terrible Bree's defenses were. They just needed to get possession away from Bombadil. That didn't matter much, because a short 11 minutes later it was Strider who gave Bree the 2-0 lead. The stadium was completely silent. Bree was in complete control of the game, and Gorgoroth couldn't even hold the ball long enough to get it ahead to their attackers to pressure the poor defense.

At the start of the second Gorgoroth fans were just hoping the game would not turn into a route. With the draw in the first game, they could afford a loss, but could not afford to lose by 3 of 4 goals. They needed to come back and at least keep it a close game. What they received was a surprise they could have only hoped for. Whether it was because Gorgoroth's defense tightened up and shut down Bombadil, or Bombadil truly was no where to be seen, no one seems to know. However, it was apparent that Shelob was turning aside all of Bree's shots, and Gorgoroth was able to finally get the ball to their game-changers.

Not long into the 2nd they cut the defecit in half with some clever trickery by Gollum. Butterbur came up to try to steal the ball, but Gollum cowered down in fear. Butterbur was moved to pity the wretched creature, until a cold smirk appeared in his face. Butterbur was confused, and Gollum easily passed the ball onto the unattended Earnur who beat the Old Willow relatively easy. It was 2-1, now and there was still plenty of time left.

Then Castamir and the Dead King went to work, they controlled the ball just as effectively as Bombadil and Strider did in the 1st half. Bree's defenses had no chance. It relied on the skill of their FWs to keep possession, but with no Bombadil, who apparently also took the Barrow Wight with him, Strider couldn't do everything on his own. When the game tied 2-2, not only did the pitch tremble from the cheers, but some would say even the Black Gate shook. It didn't matter that their team couldn't get another goal for 3 points. The tie was more than they could have asked for, and they were completely even with the other 3 teams in the group. Strider led his team off, heads hanging, knowing they let a great opportunity at 3 points and leading the group get away. How would they respond in their next match, and where was Bombadil? What could he have possibly found distracting in Mordor?

Breeland 2-2 Gorgoroth
tot shots: 15-8
on target: 8-4
GOALS:
*14, 1-0 Bombadil (Goldberry)
*25, 2-0 Strider (Halbarad)
*67, 2-1 Earnur (Gollum)
*81, 2-2 Castamir (King Dead)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Breeland- Halbarad, Lumpkin, Harry, Barrow-Wight
*Gorgoroth- Gorbag, Gollum, Shagrat, Earnur, Angamaite

Nogrod

04-14-2010, 05:16 PM

There were no major disturbances during the night before the games started at the lap of the Misty Mountains beside the entrance to the Goblin Town. One formerly unknown Balrog from the east had to be chained to the mountain by Melkor after he had started demolishing the mountainside in rage of not being invited to any team. That obviously happened after he had taken a good too many draughts of goblivodka. A few wandering eagles suggested whether they should go on picking his innards during the night but the MEFA authorities though that too brutal a punishment. Later it was indeed ruled that he should be rechained higher up to the mountain side so that he could watch the matches from there.

Otherwise it had been quite amiable. Only a several hundred patients had visited the local infirmary that night for cuts, concussions and bruises. Local authorities called it the level of a normal Friday-night, and it was just Wednesday. Part of the truth might have been that the Rivendell and Numenor fans were made to camp about a kilometre down the slope at a lower valley.

Goodies fight each other and both lose!

Unlike at some other venues, the great stadium of The High Pass was half empty in the afternoon game. The elven and Numenorian supporters (plus some random constituencies of Beornings and men living nearby) managed to fill only something like one tenth of the capacity. That was partly due to the goblins and other creatures of darkness being happier sipping their beer to get ready for the late night classic, but also because the bright sunshine outside annoyed them. Some claimed it was some elven craft and were ready to pick up arms but the authorities managed to keep the temperaments low with some free beer and the game took place in relative peace.

From the first kick the name of the game seemed quite obvious. Numenor was attacking and Rivendell relied on Elrond to take care of the rush against them. And even if the game settled down after the first twenty minutes the Numenorians still retained the control of the game. The few opportunities Rivendell got on the first half were generated merely from counter-attacks.

But just two minutes before the end of the first period, Arwen gave a splendid long pass from the midfield and behind the defensive lines of Numenor that had come forwards pretty high on the field – to Boromir in full speed. Tar Atanamir had no chances with the one-on-one against Boromir. The Imladris fans went just nuts with the undeserved goal – as the commentators put it. But no one denied the ingeniousness of Arwen or the killing precision of Boromir.

On the second half the Numenorians pressed even harder but the Rivendell defences held as much. And in the end it seemed Elrond was able to take any shot on target with relative ease. But even he could not save everything.

On 62nd minute Thorin took a second yellow card for biting Ar Adunakhor to the side while fighting for a header. Thorin being sent out, the Rivendell team had to play with one man disadvantage and Numenor was more than ready to capitalise on it. So ten minutes later, after some really high pressure on the undermanned Rivendell defences, Ar Adunakhor himself balanced the scoring sheet with a nice volley from a pass by Tar Palantir and the game was even.

Against all odds Rivendell managed to hold the Numenorian attacks in check for the last twenty minutes, mainly because of the great saves by Elrond, but also with the effective defence that didn’t let the opposing side into places where they could shoot in the first place.

When the final whistle was blown by the referee, the Rivendell team rushed to congratulate their keeper Elrond but the heads of the Numenorians were bent down. That about sums it up.

Numenor 1-1 Rivendell
tot shots 15-6
on target 8-3
GOALS:
*43, 0-1 Boromir II (Arwen)
*71, 1-1 Ar Adunakhor (Tar Palantir)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Numenor- Tar Ancalimon, Ar Adunakhor, Ar Zimrathan
*Rivendell- Boromir II, Thorin, Elrohir
RED CARDS:
*Rivendell- Thorin (62, second yellow)

Row over the refereeing: goodies beware!

If the High Pass Stadium was only 1/10 filled with the first match then it was filled 11/10 when the night-match took place. And it was a night-match indeed. As it fit both teams they had agreed that the game would start at 11 hours PM. At that time some heavy clouds had gathered over and above the stadium and with the beginning whistle a thunder broke out. Now there was some feeling! The goblins, the orcs, the older creatures of darkness were all chanting their songs of support – and every once in a while they all joined in the “national anthem” of Melkor Always look at the dark side of life. The few thousand elves and humans scattered around the pitch must have felt quite terrified. But what wouldn't one be prepared to face if there was top-quality football on offer?

The home team looked quite intimidating with the trolls and eagles marching / flying to the field. The crowd were awed by the entrance. But when team Utumno came into the stadium the spectators had a real feel of what it means to be intimidating. The Balrogs, Ungoliant, Tevildo, Thuringwethil, Tilion… and Melkor. It felt like they filled the whole playing field. The balrogs actually had to lean on each other to fit inside the perimeters of the field the referee required from them.

The crowds were cheering madly: they were just peeing honey. The home supporters were still hoping for a miracle but it was clear the other team was just ten sizes bigger, stronger, nastier, uglier and more evil they were. Maybe Azog could pass unnoticed behind the defences, maybe those petty dwarves could do it? Maybe the terrible eagles could challenge the Balrogs? The home crowds knew that was wishful thinking but it was the more dearer to them. And who cared? Melkor, the maker of the Misty Mountains, was here. The balrogs were here. It wouldn’t be so bad if the home team lost. Their targets were the goodie teams of Rivendell and Numenor and maybe Utumno could prepare their team to meet the goodies?

Well the home team surely was given a lecture. What they learned is then another thing.

Utumno was just so much better in everything they did. They defended more solidly, they controlled the ball more wisely, they didn’t need to foul to take the possession of the ball, they were able to build up organized attacks – and they were able to finish the attacks successfully.

Melkor was the heart and soul of their team, but Tilion rose to the occasion as well and was in the end selected as the game’s most valuable player with his goal and a pass. The 3-0 goal was a special proof of his craftsmanship. Tilion got the ball back from Melkor from the edge of the box and flipped it diagonally to the right while looking to the left where Gothmog was rushing towards the goal. That left open space for Tevildo to receive the pass and dribble Tom, the last defender around, to a coffee shop and score with a hammering shot the Watcher had no chance of picking up.

The three eagles of Misty Mountains got booked with a card and that spurred some controversy within the home crowds. The goblins would not love the eagles for sure, but as they were carded against the opposing team the feelings were quite mixed. It was clearly outrageous the eagles were carded for roughing just because they were flying players and had to fall down on their opponents from high above. What the Great Goblin had said in the press conference the day before seemed just have taken place there. And even if one can say the goblins are nasty and evil, they have a sense of honour and justice, especially a sense of injustice if it’s played against them. In the end they were furious.

In the post-game press meeting The Great Goblin was careful to put his words nicely not to offend Melkor who was attending the event from team Utumno, but he sure let his feelings out for the referees.

Not surprisingly Melkor actually more or less backed him and his accusations. “Football is a physical sport as my friend Goblin here says. The referees should not decide the outcomes of the games but the players. I’m considering a disclaimer if the line of the referees will be that sissy in the forthcoming matches. Just warning you…”

So it was no wonder the “good teams” were quite intimidated looking for the prospects of meeting the teams of Misty Mts. and Utumno under such a pressure to the refereeing. Melkor had once again proved his craftiness in the psychological warfare… and in the physical warfare as well. Who could stand up against team Utumno?

Misty Mountains 0-3 Utumno
tot shots 9-15
on target 4-7
GOALS:
*29, 0-1 Gothmog (Melkor)
*42, 0-2 Tilion (Thuringwethil)
*60, 0-3 Telvildo (Tilion)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Misty Mts- Gwaihir, Landroval, Meneldor, Bert
*Utumno- Balrog #2

To sum up, Utumno is showing some impressing football and they only got one booking. So whatever the general line in refereeing will be in the future games, they sure look like going to the next rounds with confidence. Numenor was more or less a disappointment, and all that talk of the losses to their team’s frontline being too much looked like being to the point. How many goals would Ar Pharazôn or Sauron made from the chances their forwards had? But a lot is also depending on Elrond’s personal effort. Today he was just plain magical. And what is Misty Mountain’s real level measured against the goodie teams? All that remains to be seen.

Boromir88

04-15-2010, 11:18 AM

Group G; Match 1: Gondolin vs. Wold
The stadium was a little over half capacity, and most were in support for Gondolin. The Doriathians were a rather withdrawn bunch who usually only made it to the stadium if their team was playing. There were actually more Gondorian fans in the crowd for the first match. They were the "neutrals," who simply wanted to enjoy a good soccer match before their team played later.

We're promised to see good respectful football from all the teams, and the few cards that were handed out in both matches today, reinforced this point. Although, both games as far as entertainment, really didn't deliver. It became clear the class of the group was Gondolin and none of the other teams could match up.

If there was concern for rust with the way Gondolin played it easy their last few friendlies, those were answered too. They dominated Wold from second 1 to second 5,400. And it seems like the Wold's defense benefitted in the friendlies, against teams who had little to no offensive capablities.

I don't want to beat up on Wold's defense too much, it was quite worthy of them to keep Gondolin off the scoreboard until there were under 12 minutes remaining in the half. Hama was under a barage of shots all day, and fortunately because of him, they only lost by 3! The real issue is what we knew about the Wold coming out of the friendlies, they needed to produce more of a scoring threat. They did not do it against Gondolin, and this greatly effected their defense. From the start they couldn't run with Gondolin's FWs, but once getting tired down from the constant pressure they were in real trouble. Huor was shouting orders for his team to pull back, because he had only seen 1 shot come his way all match, and was getting bored.

This was a tough game for the Wold to swallow, who had hopes that their defense was good enough to stop anyone and see them into the playoffs, but now they were in a mighty hole, and will anyone in this group be able to slow down a determined Gondolin team?

Gondolin 3-0 Wold
tot shots 17-5
on target 9-1
GOALS:
*33, 1-0 Fingolfin (Thorondor)
*49, 2-0 Glorfindel (Eol)
*62, 3-0 Aredhel (Ecthelion)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Gondolin- Ecthelion, Eol
*Wold- Aldor, Ugluk, Elfwine

Group G; Match 2: Doriath vs. Gondor
Where the 1st match wasn't much of a contest, spectators at least saw some good football skills from the Gondolin team. They can mesmerize and awe the audience. The shame is, the 1st match did not draw well, so the capacity crowd who showed up to watch Doriath play Gondor, saw a rather boring game.

Gondor, as predicted, played down to Doriath's level, and just did enough to win 1-0, picking up 3 points, but based on their performance they didn't seem worthy of the 3 points. Since Doriath, all-in-all, does have a lot of problems, mostly on the offensive side of the ball and Gondor couldn't dominate.

Thingol yet again was shut out, and yet again actually benefitted the other team more by picking up a yellow card. He claimed he was trying to get the ball to Haleth on the other side, but Beruthiel protested that he was hunting for her head, as the ball went zipping passed her face. Haleth was no where in the area, but Thingol's accuracy has been so dreadful it's feasible he actually didn't want to decapitate Beruthiel with the ball. Or it could have just been frustration for all of Doriath's problems.

Doriath 0-1 Gondor
tot shots 9-10
on target 3-4
GOALS:
*38, 0-1 Eldacar (Beruthiel)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Doriath- Thingol, Saeros
*Gondor- Ondoher

After Round 1 of Group G - Gondolin has the clear lead to taking first in the group. Neither Gondor nor Doriath showed an ability to compete with a Gondolin team that was fully prepared and on it's game. The Wold will have to win their final 2 games, but fortunately for them they got the giants in the group out of the way. They will still have a huge goal differential to make up, and since this offense, no matter who they're playing doesn't score a lot, that will be an even more difficult obstacle if they want to advance. Gondor's currently sitting in the driver's seat for 2nd, but I'm far from convinced they will finish in 2nd.

skip spence

04-15-2010, 12:29 PM

Group H at Dol Guldur

From their flet in Caras Galadhon Galadriel and Celeborn had begun to worry. Ever since Dol Guldur was granted the privilege to host group H of the Arda Cup a dark, misty Shadow had covered the hill in Southern Mirkwood across the great river. It was well known that that the Witch-King himself was present and the wise feared that the chief Nazgul was up to no good, despite fervent promises to the contrary. But at the day of the premiere, the Shadow lifted. And behold! now the naked hill once known as Amon Lanc was clean and fair again; and what more, the great gate of the stronghold was wide open and garlanded with flowers, the area surrounding the area was full of newly planted trees and fragrant, blossoming bushes and all the instruments of torture and mutilation were put away deep in hidden dungeons. The Witch-King needed to show some good will to get this chance, and the changes he enforced at this former Tower of Darkness – no doubt diametrically opposed to his personal preferences - is a testament to just how important this is for the Chief-Nazgul.

This untested Dol Guldur side was in for a challenge to advance from this very tough group, host though they were. Here was Tirion, one of the favourites to win the entire tournament, a side filled to the brim with legendary names such as Feanor of the Fiery Boot, Miriel and the highly revered Aule the Maker between the posts. Here was also another strong and predominantly Elvish team from the western Havens, well capable of beating anyone on a good day. Also present was the Tower of Guard, now under its old name, Minas Anor who sensationally had managed to sign one of the Nazgul right in front of the Witch-king’s nose or lack of.

Match 1: Havens vs Minas Anor
For the first match of the evening, Minas Anor, came out determined to prove they were no pushovers in this tough group. During the first half they worked harder than Mordorian Orcs under the whip and ran like Duracell bunnies on MDMA. The energetic Pippin was magnificent at left back and Minas Anor managed to contain the Seafarers from the West rather well until Tar Minastirs well struck shot from distance slipped inside Ecthelion’s right hand post. After that break-through goal the quality of the Havens started to wear down the resistance of the Tower of Guard. Minas Anor was struggling to get a hold of the ball and before they knew what hit them they were three goals down. Falastur managed to grab a consolation goal late in the game but Minas Anor was well beaten by a better side tonight.

Havens 3-1 Minas Anor
tot shots 16-9
on target 8-4
GOALS:
*32, 1-0 Tar Minastir (Cirdan)
*55, 2-0 Eärendil (Tar Minastir)
*68, 3-0 Tar Minastir (Elwing)
*84, 3-1 Falastur (Earnil II)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Havens- Ar Gimilzor, Uinen
*Minas Anor- Earnil II, Calimehtar

Match 2: Dol Guldur vs Tirion
The Dol Guldur faithful had been waiting for this moment with mixed feelings. On a positive note was the joy that the tournament finally had begun. Then again there was the anxiety of facing their mighty opponents from the far West, their most feared rivals, the proud and sublimely skilled Noldor of Tirion. But if the Dol Guldur players were afraid, their black captain showed no sign of it as he entered the stadium on his huge, black stallion, followed by the rest his multi-racial team. A Shadow once again fell on Amon Lanc, but it was quickly dispersed by a fresh breeze as Feanor and company came onto the pitch.

This match had been hyped up for long, but not even the dreamiest supporter could have hoped for a better game of football. The pace was breathtaking, the passing top-notch, the tackles hard but fair and both teams focused on the offensive side of the game. To the delight of the crowd Dol Guldur took an early lead as Bolg followed up on a rebound and toe-poked the ball past a stranded Aule. But Tirion lost none of its concentration and came roaring back with some fantastic attacking football and two well-worked goals. Most neutrals thought Dol Guldur was done in now, but a great goal by the Witch-King himself early in the second half brought the stadium to a boiling point. Throughout the rest of the match the two teams went at each other with a relish, exchanging chance after chance. This was to be Tirion’s match though, much thanks to nimble Miriel’s sharpness in the area and a couple of good saves from Aule. Set up by her beloved son Feanor she scored her second goal of the night to make it 3-2, and with 20 minutes to go she silenced the crowd by weaving her way into the penalty area and teeing up Nerdanel for an easy finish. For Dol Guldur there was no coming back now. As desperation grew some of the players fell back to their bad old ways and Attercop was lucky not to be sent off after sneaking up on Miriel in an apparent attempt to ensnare and poison her. Dol Guldur fans may take heart from the performance of their team tonight though. Although they were second best, it wasn't by much, and this Tirion side is very good indeed.

Dol Guldur 2-4 Tirion
tot shots 15-20
on target 8-11
GOALS:
*5, 1-0 Bolg (Khamul)
*29, 1-1 Finwe (Ingwe)
*41, 1-2 Miriel (Nerdanel)
*50, 2-2 Witch King (Radagast)
*57, 2-3 Miriel (Feanor)
*71, 2-4 Nerdanel (Miriel)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Dol Guldur- Attercop, Beorn, Tomnoddy
*Tirion- Amrod, Mahtan

Nogrod

04-16-2010, 05:58 PM

Our dedicated followers will be friendly with the concept of the “AKM stars” alloted to the players after every round of play. But this year the AKM has decided to change the system a bit to better serve the readers and to make it more interesting.

During the previous years the AKM has alloted a great number of stars with intervals of five, three and one, without too much of an explanation. This year the AKM will grant less stars and with tighter intervals (three, two and one) but it will make some points to explain their choices.

NB. The AKM stars have nothing to do with the MEFA star-system by which the players are ranked officially. Gandalf getting a star from the AKM doesn’t make Gandalf, a ** star player by the official MEFA recognition, into a *** star player in the line up for any phantasy player.

The AKM stars are only for the fun of it and partly helping the phantasy players to pick up their best teams (or to make it harder :rolleyes:).

So here we go…

The AKM stars round one of the group play.

Three stars

Elrond of Rivendell
The Rivendell defence did a full day’s work against Numenor but without Elrond they would have fallen. Elrond faced eight shots on goal and let in only one goal, giving him the greatest saving-percentage of the round, 87,5%.

Two stars

Miriel of Tirion
Feänor’s great mother shows once again why she is one of the best in this game: two goals and a great pass for her daughter-in-law to score tell the story. With her husband and son around there’s no stopping this granny!

Eorl of Rohan
Forth Eorlingas! The Eorl of Rohan showed his qualities in a tight match against Dale. Two goals in such a close match, and the leadership he produced for the win. Without him the Rohan team would have been in trouble against the nimble – even if disorganized – team Dale.

One star

Tar Minastir of Havens
The unstarred elf-friend more or less single-handedly sank the Minas Anor team and showed he is the number one in Havens leaving Eärendil and Cirdan in the supporting role. It is clear he has what it takes to decide games, but because of the inferiority of the opponent he will not get more than one star. He needs to deliver also against mightier opponents than the defence of Minas Anor.

Curufin of Mithrim
Celegorm of Mithrim
“Crafty and Fair” is exactly what these two sons of Fëanor are in the football-field. They organised a fair defence to shut out the feared Pelennor offence and had the leisure of crafting also a goal together. Any team would have these guys on their backlines, especially if they keep up in the same spirit.

Arvedui of Norbury
Nargothrond had been especially bad scorers looking at the friendlies, but as the real games started they came full forwards. Arvedui took six of the seven shots against his goal thus being the second best goalie of the round (with 85,7% saving). With a lesser goalie team Norbury would have lost to Nargothrond and thus would have needed to kiss good-bye to their hopes of advancing. But because of Arvedui, they stil have a chance.

Boromir88

04-17-2010, 12:18 AM

It's time to make my first match-up predictions of the tournament. No one can touch my near flawless record last year, not even MESPN or AKM. This year I will not fizzle out towards the end, and just wait until playoff times when I unleash my giant-slayer/slayee teams. :p First things first though, Round 2 of group play.

GROUP A
Aman vs Beleriand
Both matches from Round 1 ended in a 1-1 draw. All teams are still level and are in a no better position to advance than they were at the beginning. This actually works in Beleriand's favor as they will be the underdogs against Aman, but they are still very much in contention to advance out of the group. I still have to like Aman in this one, who has the better defense in limitting Vinyamar to fewer scoring chances than what Ithilien got against Beleriand. Also, the better, more proven, more consistant offensive talent led by Ar Pharazon.

Aman wins 1-0.

Ithilien vs Vinyamar
This will truly be an interesting game, if Vinyamar doesn't start upping their energy to take advantage and win games, this will end up just as another draw for them. Drawing may be enough to move Vinyamar to the next stage, seeing as they will play Beleriand in Round 3 and Ithilien will be up against Aman. However, do they really want to leave their playoff fate to the last Round? What if Aman takes care of business against Beleriand, is a sure lock for the playoffs, and doesn't commit a full effort towards their last match? See the problem, Vinyamar? Best take care of business this week and defeat Ithilien, because another draw will not put you in a good spot for Round 3. Too bad for them...

Draw 1-1.

GROUP B
Barrow-Downs vs Breeland
Interesting here because as in Group A, all teams are still completely level after Round 1. Is anyone in this group determined enough to battle for a win? I mean Breeland can honestly beat anyone of these 3 teams, but they won't because they depend on an unreliable player too much. And the trouble for the Barrow-downs is they couldn't get a lead in their first match against Barad Dur. So, if the same happens and Bree steps out to an early lead, then the 'Downs will be battling just to keep it close and hope to force another draw. The Barrow-Downs must score first, if they do they win, because this puts a lot of pressure on the defense and forces Breeland to have to battle back, which they are perfectly capable of doing if (and only if) Bombadil is in the game. The positive news is that there seems to have been a comradery that's grown between these two, since they're in a foreign land surrounded by Orcs and other wicked creations. Whoever wins, won't have to fear any sort of retaliation.

Barrow-Downs wins 3-2

Barad-Dur vs Gorgoroth
The tricky thing about calling this match is I can see some kind of pre-planned shenanigans where neither team commits full effort against eachother, in hopes that both Mordor teams advance to the playoffs. So, the result of the Bree-BD match could have an interesting effect on this match. If one team wins, then I don't think Sauron has a choice, he will have to step out to force subjection upon the "inferior" Mordor team. However, the "inferior" Mordor team will then try flex their own muscle to prove it is infact Barad Dur which is the previous team. If however, the 1st match ends in a draw, I won't be surprised if this one is some how manipulated to end in a draw. Although, Sauron has shown in the past, when it comes to the Arda Cup, he doesn't care about coddling his underlings, he will force them into submission.

Barad Dur wins 3-2.

GROUP C
Nargothrond vs Pelennor
We'll see if Pelennor can bounce back against a woeful 1st round performance. The good, Nargothrond's talent is no where near Mithrim's. The bad, they are still a very strong defensive team, and you can bet Finrod will look at how Mithrim was able to shut down Pelennor's attack and he will prepare Nargothrond to do the same. Since Nargothrond's not as good offensively, this won't be another 4-0 shelacking, but Pelennor will continue to struggle to score goals. A loss means Pelennor is automatically eliminated, they'll literally be fighting for survival and that may provide the spark Pelennor needs to bring out the best. Watch out Nargothrond.

Draw 1-1

Mithrim vs Norbury
I think Norbury will provide a slightly stiffer resistance to Mithrim then Pelennor did, because defensively Arvedui will not leave his team open to dangerous counter attacks. Also, he is a better GK then Theoden. However, as good as Araphor is (especially since he seems to play better as the match goes on), Norbury still isn't strong enough to crack 'The Fair and The Crafty' (Yes, I admit I enjoy the use by AKM, however since they didn't trade market, it's fair, and crafty gamesmanship to take it :p), nor beat Huan more than once.

Mithrim wins 3-1.

GROUP D
Gelion vs Rohan
This will be a highly important match. Assuming Eithel Sirion will do what they're supposed to and defeat Dale, the other team to advance out of the group will probably be determined in this match. Rohan will end against Eithel Sirion, so they will pull out all the stops in this match against Gelion. A win gives them 6 points and guaranteed advancement. Also, Gelion will not look at their final match against Dale as a "sure win" by any means. Dale will be a very dangerous foe for them, and Dior knows it. So, they will also view this match as a must win. This is setting up to be one of the most entertaining, and deciding, games of all the Round 2 games.

Rohan wins 2-1.

Dale vs Eithel Sirion
Not much more to add to these 2 teams then what's already been said. Smaug and Thranduil will get their goals, but the defense is hopeless. Eithel Sirion also proved in the friendlies they are just as capable of winning the high scoring affairs, as much as the low-tight games.

Eithel Sirion wins 4-2.

To be continued...Tomorrow :)

Boromir88

04-17-2010, 08:47 PM

GROUP E
Rivendell vs Utumno
Utumno won the friendly 1-0, and I think we're going to see the same result. Rivendell was a bit lucky to get the draw against Numenor, but there is nothing lucky about Elrond's GK ability. Still, offensively they won't be able to score on Ungoliant or the Balrog-loaded defense.

Utumno wins 1-0.

Misty Mts vs Numenor
The Misty Mountains has lots of problems scoring and defensively aren't good enough. This is exactly what Numenor needs to get back on track after a disappointing draw against Rivendell. Misty Mountains will not be able to wear down Numenor with hard tackles. However, Numenor better win convincingly because they will end group play against Utumno where Rivendell will be facing the whipping boys of the group.

Numenor wins 2-0.

GROUP F
Lorien vs Thangorodrim
Lorien will likely be able to muster 1 goal against Thangorodrim, but it's not going to be enough to best Thangorodrim. Especially since Thangorodrim is going to be angry coming off their draw against Bywater. It was once stated that Lorien would not fall unless Sauron himself came...well this is football and I think a host of dragons, balrogs, wolves, and evil men will do the trick.

Thangorodrim wins 3-1.

Bywater vs Valimar
This is going to be a hard one to predict, because Valimar could slack off, adoring the hobbit team, led by the beloved Gandalf too much. Although Valimar seems motivated in a way they've never been before. Bywater will be confident, won't be enough against Valimar who will beat the hobbits politely and turn their attention to their final match against the hated Thangorodrim.

Valimar wins 2-1.

GROUP G
Gondor vs Wold
Gondor didn't look that great against Doriath. However, the win against Doriath might be enough to advance Gondor. They will have to draw against Wold to all but stamp their way into the playoffs. A loss would make things interesting as Wold ends against Doriath and Gondor will be against the killers of the group, Gondolin. Wold's defense will have to step up in this match, because if Gondor scores 2, they won't win, and they will be eliminated. This will be a pretty good match as there is a lot at stake for both teams.

Gondor wins 1-0.

Doriath vs Gondolin
Actually the 2 teams to advance from this group may be completely decided at the end of Round 2. Doriath stands no chance. Sorry, but it's true. Gondolin gets another easy win, not only that but an easy path to taking 1st place.

Gondolin wins 3-0.

GROUP H
Havens vs Tirion
The 2 winners from Round 1 square off in Round 2. There will be lots of goals and lots of entertaining soccers. Now, both played Vinyamar in the friendlies and both drew 1-1. We know (and saw against Dol Guldur) that Feanor was holding back the offense during the friendlies. That will make Tirion the favorites to win and be locked in to advance. Not so fast...The Havens can score too, and I like the players that Olwe added to bolster his line-up. No defense is good enough to stop Tirion in this group, but offensively the Havens can definitely compete.

Draw 3-3.

Dol Guldur vs Minas Anor
Surprisingly enough, this is the match that I am most looking forward to seeing. Minas Anor will be at their best in taking on the Witch-King's team. If Dol Guldur doesn't take it seriously, if the Witch-King gets too boastful, Minas Anor will cause a lot of problems. You love rivalries like this, because it will be bloody and both teams will work themselves to complete exhaustion to get the win. Dol Guldur's defense is very shaky, but offensively they are good enough to keep the ball away from Minas Anor just barely to eek out a game-winning goal within the final 10 minutes.

Dol Guldur wins 3-2.

the phantom

04-19-2010, 11:27 PM

After the first round of games Group A was a mass tie at one point each, and so it was a two match sprint for the playoffs. Losing was not an option for any of the teams. The intensity of the fans was increased at this stage of course, but as every team was still in the running moods were still optimistic and there were no incidents of violence or even verbal hostilities (something the organizers did not take for granted after hearing tales about some of the other group play sites).

The crowds flocked to see the first match of the day, Aman versus Beleriand. Both teams had gained supporters due to their gritty first round performances, but Beleriand had the edge in numbers certainly, and as the match kicked off they appeared to have the edge on the field as well. They moved the ball around swiftly and accurately and put Aman’s defense to the test from the word go. Aman proved up to the challenge, but they appeared worried nonetheless, as having the ball that close to goal for any amount of time is bound to end badly no matter how well one denies good looks at the net.

And indeed their worries were justified when in the 25th minute Imlach boomed a prayer towards the mess in front of the goal- it somehow found its way through, catching the foot of Marach in the process, redirecting sideways and leaving Nienna with no chance to halt the effort. Beleriand had drawn first blood!

This early deficit seemed to energize Aman however, and they raised their effort to new heights, and slowly the tide was turned back and Beleriand found themselves under pressure. Aman was deliberate and selective with their offensive game, working for the best opportunity possible before striking. At the 35th minute Orome struck, and the score was tied, but no! Halmir made a grand leap and tipped the ball away off the post. But two minutes later Finarfin finally converted, but no again! Halmir made a miracle save, and even rolled up quickly enough to lunge and stop the rebound shot from Orome!

The Aman faithful stomped their feet in frustration. Their hopes simply couldn’t be stolen away by a hot goalie like this. But the more calm fans reassured their comrades, telling them there was still plenty of time left, and that these saves couldn’t continue for the entire second half. But in actuality Aman couldn’t be held off the scoreboard even in the first half, as with under three minutes left Beleriand had a slight lapse and Irmo was able to find Orome so open that Halmir had no chance of any miracle.

The Beleriand fans groaned, as they had so nearly weathered the first half storm, while the Aman fans sighed in relief. Tied at last. Now if they could just continue this level of play all would be well. But at the second half’s start it was Beleriand on the attack again. Things looked dangerous for a bit with Marach getting off two decent efforts from just outside the box, but both times the possible angles had been reduced by the defense and Nienna was able to position herself with relative ease. Beleriand seemed to deflate a bit, or perhaps they were merely tired from their constant effort, and Aman took control. At minute 67 Aman took the lead off of a fine corner hook-up between Earwen and Ar Pharazon, and that proved to be enough.

Aman got several more looks, but Halmir turned them all aside. Unfortunately his fine day was all for naught as Beleriand simply could not threaten the Aman goal again, and the team from the blessed realm trotted off the field as the point leaders in the group.

Aman 2-1 Beleriand
tot shots 12-9
on target 8-4
GOALS:
*25, 0-1 Marach (Imlach)
*43, 1-1 Orome (Irmo)
*67, 2-1 Ar Pharazon (Earwen)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Aman- Orome, Nessa, Nahar
*Beleriand- Mim, Hathol, Imlach

It was many of the same faces present when the second match kicked off in the early evening, except that perhaps a third of the men had been replaced by elves rooting for Vinyamar. Except for the men from Ithilien, the stadium was almost exclusively for the host side, and they were quite pleased with the match as they were treated to some stingy defense and well executed offense from the home team.

The competitors from Mount Taras were just flawless and intense, and Ithilien despite their tactics and toughness couldn’t make a dent, managing only two rather easily saved balls on goal throughout the match, and unable to hold possession for long enough to get anything going.

Vinyamar on the other hand controlled the ball and pace with precision, and slowly and surely built up to quality attempts on Mumakil in goal. Were the defense not so stiff, Vinyamar would have scored more than two, but two was more than enough for their defense. Tuor put the first one up one up and his love Idril added the second and due to the low amount of stoppage during the match the clock showed time over before the sun had completely set over the picturesque sea.

It was a perfect night to celebrate, and the folks in the stands applauded wildly as the standings after round two were shown, and Vinyamar stood tied with Aman with four points, but thanks to a better goal differential they topped the board.

Ithilien 0-2 Vinyamar
tot shots 6-13
on target 2-7
GOALS:
*38, 0-1 Tuor (Duilin)
*63, 0-2 Idril (Voronwe)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Ithilien- Frodo, Bergil
*Vinyamar- Osse

--------------Pts--GF--GA---GD
Vinyamar-----4----3----1---(+2)
Aman--------4----3----2---(+1)
Beleriand-----1----2----3---(-1)
Ithilien-------1----1----3---(-2)

ROUND 3 MATCHES
Aman vs Ithilien
Beleriand vs Vinyamar

Nogrod

04-20-2010, 03:35 PM

The home fans packed the early match as everyone wanted to see how the two other teams competing for the second qualifying position would fare against each other: with a win either team would make strong claim for that place. The northeners were especially afraid of Pelennor’s victory as that would put the hometeam in a clear disadvantage. Nargothrond win would leave everything to their own hands (feet). There was a lot at stake this day.

An undecider indeed!

There were all the ingredients of a classic there for the afternoon game. The stakes were high as the winner would take a remarkful leap towards qualifying and both teams would kiss their dreams of advancing a goodbuy if they lost. Also both teams had now a chance to show their qualities as on the first round of the games Pelennor had been plain overrun by the class above Mithrim and Nargothrond had been shut off from making a good game because of the enthusiastic defence of the hometeam. And of course there was the issue of being the elders and the younger generation of heroes…

And on many standards it was an entertaining game: both teams went for the possession of the ball and neither withdrew their game in general; there were four goals in the match and some really beautiful saves and attempts at the goal, not to talk of some nice developments and tricks. But it still never turned into a classic.

Legolas providede the fangirls a cause to scream their throats out with an early goal – and some of them and their friends seemed to realise that lord Imrahil was quite hot too. King Felagund’s equaliser in the end of the period was earned but not in any way flashing. Earned after some hard work that is. Pelennor came to the second half with some added spirit and managed to score early again but the longer the game went on the clearer it seemed that Nargothrond would eventually come equal – and they did it roughly ten minutes before the final whistle.

It was clear neither team wished to risk losing - even Nargothrond’s pressing on the second period hadn’t been a full-blown attack but always building the attacks carefully from the defence onwards - and so the last ten minutes were more or less careful passing of the ball from both sides leaving the spectators with a kind of an anti-climax.

Nargothrond 2-2 Pelennor
tot shots 13-11
on target 7-5
GOALS:
*14, 0-1 Legolas (Imrahil)
*42, 1-1 Finrod (Finduilas)
*56, 1-2 Grimbold (Duinhir)
*78, 2-2 Mablung (Finrod)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Nargothrond- Baranor, Guillen
*Pelennor- Grimbold, Snowmane, Windfola

An issue of work-ethics.

The hometeam supporters had realised the meaning of the earlier draw quite clearly. Some of them even got into the idea that the draw between the two would somehow mean their own team had better chances in the game against Mithrim. And in a sense they were right as the fanatic home-support beat the team Norbury into it’s clearly best performance thus far.

The match itself was quite straightforwards. After the initial burst of the full crowd-encouraged hometeam, Mithrim started to set the pace of the game resulting with a nice header by Beleg behind Arvedui on the 33rd minute. And Mithrim controlled the game for the rest of the period even if Norbury team clearly wished to fight back. On the second half it seemed Mithrim was more or less happy with the game and Norbury managed to make some counter-attacks finally resulting in an equaliser.

If Celegorm and Curufin had been praised for their play in the first game, in the beginning of the second half they were playing just sloppy leaving Araphor totally free in the middle as they thought already of going forwards when Gelmir had taken the possession of the ball. But Argeleb cut the pass from Gelmir and sent Araphor one-on-one with Huan. And it was 1-1. The homecrowd went totally nuts with equaliser.

Mithrim found work-ethics enough to lay pressure on Norbury’s brave defences and they really made Arvedui sweat in between his posts. It is a remarkable fact that they made three of their total of seven shots on goal during that ten minute period after the equaliser… and it was no surprise Túrin made a goal with the last one, a fiery volley from around the penalty spot.

The homecrowds were pleased with the performance of their own team and they were now certain they woud beat Pelennor in the last match to qualify. But the independent observers were raising their eybrows at team Mithrim’s performance. It sure is a sign of a good team that they can win games even with a half-effort, but how does that kind of playing style fit the pace of a tournament? If they allow themselves to play half-hearted in one game – and possibly in the next as well as now they are the winners of the group already – how would they stand to occasion when the real games begin? Also there was some discussion of Túrin’s temper to always do things alone. It was an old story but suddenly it was rekindled after the match as he clearly tried himself quite a many times when passing would have been a better option – and maybe the final numbers would have been different as well?

And then there was the third party thinking whether Norbury's defences were actually just very good...

Mithrim 2-1 Norbury
tot shots 13-8
on target 7-4
GOALS:
*33, 1-0 Beleg (Turin)
*65, 1-1 Araphor (Argeleb)
*77, 2-1 Turin (Hurin)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Mithrim- Androg, Morwen
*Norbury- Aranarth, Arveleg

Mithrim ...........6......6-1 .....+5
Nargothrond....2......3-3......+-0
Norbury ..........1......2-3.......-1
Pelennor..........1......2-6........-4

Mithrim will face the second best team from group F in the qualifying round however they fare against Nargothrond. The winner of the Norbury – Pelennor match will qualify to the next round unless Mithrim isn’t interested enough in winning their game. A draw between Norbury and Pelennor will not do to either team.

Last matches:
Nargothrond – Mithrim
Norbury - Pelennor

the phantom

04-21-2010, 12:58 PM

After the first round of play, host Valimar sat atop the group with three points. Behind them was Thangordrim and Bywater thanks to their first round tie, a match that had absolutely thrilled the crowd at the grand stadium. And on the subject of the crowd- the controversy continues.

Beasts & Monsters Weekly released a report early this morning stating the following- “Yesterday at nightfall a group of three dragons attempted to fly in to Valimar intent upon attending Thangorodrim’s match. But rather than being allowed to land, they were greeted by a squadron of giant eagles when they were still over the sea. The exact details of the encounter are unknown, but several boat occupants reported seeing spouts of flame and hearing roars and screeches for several minutes, with periodic booming splashes of heavy objects falling into the sea.”

At a press conference this morning tournament organizers from Valimar initially denied that any sort of incident occurred, but when several dead eagles and a dead dragon washed up on the beach later in the morning, their story suddenly changed. “In fact three dragons did attempt to invade this land last night, but a squad of eagles was sent to halt the dastardly attack they were planning. According to our sources they planned to burn down the stadium and set alight the dwellings of the opposing teams.”

Friends and family of the dragons have strongly denied these allegations, pointing out that they have receipts proving the three purchased tickets for the match today- tickets that now are certain to be bought up by Valimar residents who will most certainly not support Thangorodrim.

Thangorodrim’s captain Glaurung: “When we’ve hosted things at Angband in the past, I admit there may have been a few dealings that weren’t completely honest, but this is ridiculous! They aren’t being underhanded and cheating- they’re outright banning all of our fans from watching, and even killing some of them! Something must be done about this!”

Angry Thangorodrim fans have been complaining endlessly during the past week, but their efforts are perhaps wasted as none of them seem certain who to complain to, or about, and no one seems to want to help them. “We’re all being told different things,” said Mortakh, an orc football enthusiast from Angband. “I was told that the government of Valinor was behind these blockades and such, but my friend was informed that Arda Cup security was responsible, and another friend was told it was the Valimar Tournament Organizing Committee, while yet another friend was told to complain to the boosters on the Valimar Bid Committee!”

But the truth of these matters aside, the end result is simply that Thangorodrim had the entire stadium against them in the first match, and again in today’s match against Lorien. While Thangodorim may have been somewhat rattled in their first match, perhaps they got used to it, as today they played much better against Lorien, and the fences of the elves and ents could not keep the dragon forwards off the board. Scatha netted a goal and Ancalagon bookended the game with two scoring strikes. The stadium tried to buoy up the obviously discouraged Lorien side throughout the second half, but even after they put up their lone goal they just never looked like they were in it. The crowds filed out quietly, hoping the night match would give them reason to cheer again.

Lorien 1-3 Thangorodrim
tot shots 8-15
on target 3-8
GOALS:
*16, 0-1 Ancalagon (Scatha)
*37, 0-2 Scatha (Ulfast)
*58, 1-2 Amdir (Celeborn)
*77, 1-3 Ancalagon (Durin’s Bane)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Lorien- Fladrif, Nimrodel
*Thangorodrim- Ulfast, Drauglin, Ulfang

While Valimar certainly received the largest ovation of the day, Bywater was a close second, having gained a spot in the hearts of the Ainu and Elves of Valinor during their gritty first round tie. Admittedly their tie was made partly possible by the cards picked up by Thangorodrim, as well as Thangorodrim’s susceptibility to counter-attacks- two weaknesses that Valimar did not share.

Bywater found their every move blocked by the organized and athletic home side, and while Bywater’s defense was certainly stiff, they couldn’t restrain completely the talent of Valimar, and at minute 22 Eonwe put it past for the early lead. The rest of the half Valimar protected their lead with frustrating efficiency, and they picked up where they left off in the second.

A few fans were frustrated by the seeming lack of killer instinct, and believed it was foolish not to go after another goal, while others had in mind goal differential and the like, and wished to see as narrow a win as possible so as to make things more difficult on Thangorodrim in the final round. With around twenty minutes left it seemed an unspoken agreement was reached on the pitch, and Bywater toned down their efforts to equalize and Valimar graciously refused to push their advantage.

Perhaps Bywater believed Valimar was simply too good on the day and wished to save their legs for the final match? As far as Valimar’s lack of attack, was it Manwe’s overly passive influence showing through on the team, or was it a calculated effort to hold back their full game for their hated rivals from Thangorodrim? Reasoning aside, it was a polite but unexciting match to watch, and the crowds left the stadium more pleased with the results than with the play they had witnessed.

Bywater 0-1 Valimar
tot shots 4-9
on target 2-4
GOALS:
*22, 0-1 Eonwe (Yavanna)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Bywater- Gildor, Nazgul #2, Nazgul #3
*Valimar- Pallando, Alatar

------------------Pts---GF---GA----GD
Valimar-----------6-----3-----0-----(+3)
Thangorodrim-----4-----5-----3-----(+2)
Bywater----------1-----2-----3-----(-1)
Lorien------------0-----1-----5-----(-4)

ROUND 3 MATCHES
Bywater vs Lorien
Thangorodrim vs Valimar

skip spence

04-21-2010, 01:40 PM

At Eithel Sirion the party continued with a another two exiting games.

Match 3: Gelion vs. Rohan
First up tonight was Gelion vs. Rohan, a massive game for both teams. Gelion had impressed in their opening match against hosts Eithel Sirion, taking the lead and holding on to it well into the second half while playing some tight, tactical but also aggressive football. However, goals from Hador and Maedhros had meant that all the good work in the end proved in vain for the woodland side. Rohan on the other hand had a won their opening match against Dale and were looking to secure a spot in the second round with another win. Gelion could simply not afford to lose. Confidence was high in both camps ahead of the match. “I will not leave here empty-handed”, spoke Gelion forward Beren the Empty-handed. Eorl the Young of Rohan promised more goals from his boots. “I feel sharp and could have had a hat-trick against Dale. Perhaps it is time for one now?” the blond, star striker told a reporter.

As the game got underway it quickly became apparent that goals weren’t going to come easy for Eorl or for anyone else. Gelion had not changed their game-plan from the opening match. Once again they played a tight and aggressive defensive game, with all eleven men working hard to deny their opponents any space or time with the ball, thus snuffing out most attacking threats in its bud. And just like the match against Eithel Sirion they took a first half lead on a quick break. Wing-back Luthien stole the ball from Eorl and burst forward, playing in Amlach in the middle who in turn saw Beren sprinting away. The midfielder timed his through-ball to perfection, thus releasing Beren on a one-on-one with Fram and making a mockery of the Rohan off-side trap. The striker rounded the Rohan keeper and slotted into the empty net before celebrating the goal with luscious Luthien in almost x-rated fashion. None of the other Gelion players dared come close and many heads in the conservative crowd turned away.

In the second half Rohan rallied and went looking for a leveler, urged on by the sympathetic crowd. Yet it remained desperately hard to break down the Gelion defenses, led by the ever impressive Luthien Tinuvel. Helm, Eorl and Eomer did have a few half-chances, but the Rohirrim struggled to create clear-cut opportunities although they gained more and more of the ball-possession as the game progressed. Time was beginning to tick away all too fast for Rohan and towards the end Gelion was closer to a second than Rohan to a leveler as Beren hit the crossbar with a dipping shot in the dying minutes. 1-0 it finished and the Gelion players embraced each other with a determined look in their eyes. They knew this was a huge result for them but also that they had work left to do. The Rohirrim hung their heads low, eyes vacant, and left the stadium in silence.

Gelion 1-0 Rohan
tot shots 8-9
on target 4-3
GOALS:
*21, 1-0 Beren (Amlach)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Gelion- Bereg, Haldar
*Rohan- Hallas, Firefoot, Eomer, Helm

Match 4: Dale vs. Eithel Sirion
In the evening match hosts Eithel Sirion was looking to add another three points on the board in front of their enthusiastic supporters. Their opponents Dale were in for a difficult challenge getting something from this match, and were probably well pleased with the earlier result which meant that they’d still be in contention for second round play even in the unfortunate event of a loss.

In order to surprise his all-star opponents Mayor Moneybags had made an all together unexpected tactical move. Seeing how his defense was struggling to contain Rohan the other night, and fearing that Eithel Sirion would prove an even tougher nut to crack, he’d moved Smaug down to the back-line. Smaug, wearing a black armband in support of his kinsman who fell, did not look happy with this decision. But although the great dragon is not a specialized defender, he certainly can put the fear into opponents, and in the early parts of the game the move seemed to be working rather well. The Eithel Sirion attackers ever so often found themselves staring straight down the gaping jaws of the dragon and lost control of the ball in a gasp of dread and horror. Yet, despite the unnerving presence of Smaug in the back line, Eithel Sirion was to take the lead. Fingon got away from his marker with the ball at his feet, tunneled Roac easily, and burst forward, looking certain to go all the way. Then, suddenly, Smaug stood in his way. And Fingon looked up without fear only to stare straight into the dragon’s big enchanting eyes and as he did he stopped dead with his arms hanging limply by his side. For a moment every player on the pitch stopped to watch the showdown, while the ball slowly trickled past the preoccupied dragon. But Gwindor did not only watch but reacted, and quickly rushed forward and passed the ball to a completely unmarked Nienor, who knocked the ball past a furious Brand who thought play had seized. Only when the ref showed Smaug a yellow card and threatened with worse did the dragon release Fingon, who looked bewildered and distraught. The dragon made a gesture to the referee as if to say "what did I do?" and smoke issued from his nostrils.

Within minutes Fingon the Brave recovered, and when he did he was the best player on the pitch. In the 30th minute his deft cross found Maedhros and the eldest son of Feanor scored Eithel Sirion’s second with a lovely volley. By now Smaug had returned to the front line, but as mighty though he be, there was little he could do to stop Eithel Sirion now, who knocked the ball around with confidence in front of their blissful home crowd. Fittingly it was man of the match Fingon who hit the last nail in the Dale coffin with a placed shot in the second half. In the stands the singing now reached epic proportions and in their glee the people could no longer descry the ominous twin peaks of the Thangorodrim in the distant North. Yet there they were, as ever.

Dale 0-3 Eithel Sirion
tot shots 7-17
on target 3-9
GOALS:
*19, 0-1 Nienor (Gwindor)
*30, 0-2 Maedhros (Fingon)
*62, 0-3 Fingon (Hador)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Dale- Smaug, Nain, Roac, Thror
*Eithel Sirion- Hador, Galdor, Gundor

Standings Group D
Eithel Sirion 2-0-0 5-1 6
Rohan 1-0-1 3-3 3
Gelion 1-0-1 2-2 3
Dale 0-0-2 2-6 0

Comments:
Nothing is decided in group D, except that Dale no longer can win the group. Dale still has a mathematical chance of advancement but will must beat Gelion comprehensively in their last match and are also reliant on Eithel Sirion defeating Rohan. Eithel Sirion needs only a point against Rohan to secure a spot in the knock-out stages.

Boromir88

04-21-2010, 06:04 PM

Match 3: Barrow-Downs vs. Breeland
The Gorgoroth officials may be regretting not allowing more BD or Bree supporters to purchase tickets, because the stadium was looking pretty empty. There wasn't much more than 20,000 who showed up, all being fans of the two teams playing. Some Numenoreans came to watch Strider, but their number was only a few hundred. The real story is not an orc, troll, or beast ensnared was in sight. Here we are in the middle of Mordor, and no Mordorian creature could be seen.

At the nearby popular pub, The Iron Teeth, Snaga told a reporter for The Carchost: "The brotherhood between these outlanders is nauseating. They've been stinkin' up our favorite bars for weeks with their merry songs and dancing. If this hadn't become such a police-state before the games me and a few trusty lads would 'ave booted 'em out long ago." It appears the locals will all be hiding underground, pre-gaming for the much more anticipated Barad Dur and Gorgoroth match later.

In the match at hand, it was a lop-sided affair. The Barrow-Downs were not slowed by Bree at all. No one seems to be able to answer what Bree's problems were this game, but overall they looked sloppy. Even attacking, they couldn't build anything, as when was the last time we saw Bree only muster 7 shots all game? Defensively, they were beyond poor, it was an outright lazy effort. They gave the Barrow-Downs countless amounts of free throw-ins by not chasing down the ball.

Midway through the second, you can tell Bree was out of it, by the look on their captain's face. I wouldn't say Strider was frustrated, that's not his character, but he definitely looked tired, and almost defeated. And on The Downs' side, the phantom seemed to think his play against Barad Dur rewarded him this game off as he mingled with admirers. But his efforts weren't required in this game. It looks like Breeland has rejected Strider's leadership and would rather return to the former ways under Bombadil.

There was some controversy after the game when Fea was given player of the game honors. She definitely had an impact on the game, but most believed Nogrod, with a goal and pass, or Steve for his pass and defensive efforts in shutting down Bree were more deserving. After the match, all Fea would say about the honor was: "I get all of my skills from watching the movie Bend it like Beckham on loop. And I think the poster of that Tony guy that I have hanging above my bed talks to me in my dreams and gives me tips on how to win all things sports related."

Barrow-Downs 3-1 Breeland
tot shots 15-7
on target 8-4
GOALS:
*36, 1-0 Nerwen (Fea)
*54, 2-0 Nogrod (Steve)
*71, 3-0 Wilwa (Nogrod)
*80, 3-1 Barrow-Wight (Roheryn)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Barrow-Downs- Fea
*Breeland- Strider, Harry

Match 4: Barad Dur vs. Gorgoroth
If there was a problem with filling the stadium for the 1st match, there wasn't one for this match. At least 10,000 Mordorians were turned away at the gates, because they had completely maxed out capacity. In fact, between the games, Gorgoroth's building crews hastily constructed stands at the ends of the field, to try and accommadate more people. They, of course, were not built to code so fortunately there were no accidents with the stands collapsing.

There were more than 50,000 crammed into the Gorgoroth stadium. And since the Orcs in the stands, had been restrained all week from fighting with the foreign teams, it seemed like they were drunk and ready to take it out on eachother.

"Who does Sauron think he is?" complained Radbug. "He thinks he can come back to Mordor and declare himself Lord now that he won some shiny trophy? And not only that but mock us by harbouring our greatest enemies? It's a slap in the face to any loyal Mordorian!"

"You will hold your toungue when speaking about the Great Eye!" shouted Ufthak, sitting a few rows below. "Sauron will bring us something we've never had to Mordor before! He will make us winners!"

"Ha. What has Sauron ever won for us!? Ever!"

There were many more spats and petty fights like this throughout the match, but Mordor has seemed to crack down on security than in the past. All fights were isolated between a few intoxicated orcs and easily dealth with by being booted out of the stadium. They were definitely drunk in Gorgoroth, but ready to watch a good game, between teams they can claim both were theirs.

And what a game it was, through about 2/3rds of it. The two teams from Mordor traded shots, their goalies traded key saves. The quality of play was dead even, which also showed on the scoreboard in the 59th minute when Castamir and King Dead hooked up for a goal in the 2nd straight match. Only this time it was Castamir with the assist and King Dead banging it in.

Then suddenly, and rather unexplainably, Barad Dur's attitude change. Sauron knew if he wanted match up to Barrow-Downs win earlier he had to beat the "other" Mordor team. When he began flexing his dominance over Gorgoroth his servants and the rest of his team followed. As just when Gorgoroth got their crucial equalizer, Shelob gave up on a shot she definitely should have saved, off the boot of the 7th Nazgul which put Barad Dur back with a 1-goal advantage.

This did not stop Sauron from attacking, because Barad Dur would need another goal to stay even with the Barrow-Downs win. The goal in the 85th minute, orchestrated by Sauron, finished by Elendil, was not only crucial, but proved great football can even bring together the oldest enemies.

As disappointed as Gorgoroth's supporters were with the end, they still left relatively in good spirits. That is to say, they only tipped over a few trash cans and might have knocked out a few innocent bystanders. For they realized one of their teams was in great position to advance, and also take 1st in the group, but their other team still had an outside chance to advance if they could just beat those hated 'Downers in the final match.

Barad-Dur 3-1 Gorgoroth
tot shots 13-11
on target 7-5
GOALS:
*39, 1-0 Isildur (Gil-Galad)
*59, 1-1 King Dead (Castamir)
*67, 2-1 Naz #7 (Fellbeast)
*85, 3-1 Elendil (Sauron)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Barad-Dur- Naz #5, Isildur, Elendil
*Gorgoroth- Sangahyando, Earnur, Grishnakh, Angamaite

Group B Standings
Barad Dur 1-1-0, 4, (+2)
Barrow-Downs 1-1-0, 4, (+2)
Breeland 0-1-1, 1, (-2)
Gorgoroth 0-1-1, 1, (-2)

Final Matches: Barad Dur vs. Breeland, Barrow-Downs vs. Gorgoroth.

Group is still open to anyone, but Breeland and Gorgoroth have a tough climb to advance. They must not only win, but win by more than 2 goals. Both BD's assure advancing with just a draw, but should go all-out as 1st is still completely up for grabs. There is even a possibility, because of the way the matches have mirrored eachother, we get a 4-way tie at the end! Drama and tension in Gorgoroth!

Nogrod

04-22-2010, 05:43 PM

***Breaking News!***

The MEFA authorities gave an official press release in the afternoon before the games at Goblin Town informing the referees of the tournament, as well as the general public, that the flying players should not be judged with “exactly the same standards” the “land-maneuvering players” were judged, and admitted the line might have had been a “little unfair”. But, they were fast to add, the strict line on violence and brutal use of force would be maintained and that the decision of calling for “some application of the rule-book” with the flying players didn’t mean any free pass to any other players to exercise any more force than had been allowed thus far.

The critical journalists noticed both the politics behind the issue and the vague phrasings of the statement immediately and started sharpening their pens. Melkor generously thanked the authorities for their wisdom with the decision: “I admit being one of the sources who with no personal gain in mind have been suggesting this kind of a ruling only for fairness’ sake, for the rights of all teams to play their best football to the fullest enjoyment of the audiences.”

The AKM: “But Mr. Melkor, aren’t you being a bit dishonest here? I mean you have a full line of Balrogs defending your goal… so aren’t you just preparing some looser rules for them in the later matches?”

Melkor: “Now what do my Balrog’s have to do with this?”

The AKM: “Well Balrog’s do have wings, don’t they?”

Melkor (bursts in laughter): “A-ha, you’re that clever? (more laughter) But seriously, do you really think you can fool the Master of Deception into betraying an answer to that question with your seemingly innocent follow-up? (more laughter) You must think of something cleverer human…”

A dispute rekindled or a preplanned strategy? A lot of questions left unexplained.

The venue was almost full in the afternoon match. The goblins were enthusiastic to see Utumno hacking Rivendell to pieces, a feat they had never quite managed themselves. But from the starting whistle it was clear this would be no butchery. The Rivendell team put it’s best on the field from the very beginning and somehow it felt that Utumno hadn’t quite foreseen that but were sluggish at best in the first half of the first period. Slowly but irresistibly like a tidal wave they turned the game against the Rivendell side, but then there was the magic Elrond saving those shots the defences were forced to allow on target. It was 0-0 on the half-time and the goblin-crowds were confused.

Everyone thought the teams would change gear for the second half but nothing like that happened. The second half was like a duplicate of the first… up to the 70th minute.

Now some had it that Melkor was pulling a stunt. Utumno team was not aggressive but still two Balrogs took cards – like they were ordered to do it. And Melkor showed no sign of frustration even if his side was not beating the air out of their opponents. But then Tilion tok the reins, clearly frustrated, and started to make a difference. He made fools of the Rivendell dfences using other Utumno players as his wall where to pass and get the ball back. And finally he masterplanned and executed the first goal with Gothmog.

The crowds were just overjoyed with the new twist of the game and the whole team Utumno started playing with the ever-rising suport from the audience. And finally Melkor himself helped setting up another goal for Tilion and getting a huge applause form the crowds. But the steersman ran around the field jubilating his third goal in the tournament and the crowds went just nuts for him! Tilion was the crowd’s favourite. Melkor was seen to only nod cordially to him after the game ended… So were the old wounds opening once again? Was there a rift inside team Utumno?

Well, these questions puzzled the cognoscenti. The goblins were having their fun with Rivendell’s backbone broken in just fifteen minutes. How they hoped they could do the same in the last game!

Rivendell 0-2 Utumno
tot shots 8-18
on target 2-9
GOALS:
*70, 0-1 Tilion (Gothmog)
*84, 0-2 Tilion (Melkor)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Rivendell- Bilbo, Arahael
*Utumno- Balrog #1, Balrog #3

Joy, fear and loathing at the High Pass Arena!

So the home-fans were quite upbeat after the first game of the day and the stadium was exploding with chants, drums, shouts and every noise imaginable as the late game began. Even the proud Numenorian’s in the audience felt they were the underhanded side this time amidst the noise and high spirits, and honestly saying, after not so great a first game in their back (sure there had been Elrond to beat their numerous chances but still).

A few early roughish tackles by the eagles that were not called of or carded raised the temperature in the stadium into new heights. Now the home-fans were sure they would have all it took to beat the nasty human kings and queens. And even if Tar Miriel totally fooled the trolls on the defence and made it 1-0 to the visitors after half an hour’s play, the homecrowds were ignoring it as an accident only to enhance the beauty of the victory to come.

But those looking at the game without the goblin-glasses saw something completely different. There was something of the old and mighty Numenorian game back in the field. The orgnisation, the control, the skill, the team-play. The Numenorians showed again something of the old effectivity and creepy dominance of the game. And this time they capitulated on it with two nice goals never giving the home team an actual chance to come level with them or to challenge them for the win.

It took a short while after the referee blew his whistle to end the game for the homecrowds to realise their team had lost their chances to qualify for good. And that did it. They started ripping down the benches of the stadium and charged on every non-goblin group in the audience they could lay their hands on. It took some remarkable co-operation of Melkor and his Balrogs aided by the great Eagles to ensure a safe passage out of the stadium for the non-goblin spectators and teams.

The first reports raised the death-toll to about 3000 of which non-Goblin Towners the number could be as high as 200. Both the Numenoreans and the Rivendellians immediately filed an official complaint to the MEFA over the hosts inability to control the supporters of their team. A neutral exmination-board has been already called for. Whether MEFA will allow such a body to investigate the incident is another thing. Stay tuned for more information…

Misty Mts 0-2 Numenor
tot shots 8-14
on target 3-7
GOALS:
*33, 0-1 Tar Miriel (Elros)
*65, 0-2 Ar Adunakhor (Tar Telperien)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Misty Mts- Bert, Landroval, Great Goblin, William
*Numenor- Tar Miriel, Ar Zimrathan

Utumno.......6........5-0......+5
Numenor.....4........3-1......+2
Rivendell.....1........1-3......-2
Misty Mts....0........0-5......-5

Utumno is the most likely winner of the group and a safe qualifier in any case. Whether they wish to win or be the second is then a totally another question… and after today’s match it’s even harder to see what Melkor is up to (which might just be the tactics). Numenor is basically looking good now but as Rivendell plays against a beaten hometeam – possibly under some penalties the least of them being forced to play to an empty stadium, or what’s left of it – it’s no telling how it will turn out.

Last matches:
Utumno – Numenor
Misty Mountains – Rivendell

Boromir88

04-23-2010, 11:13 AM

Match 3: Gondor vs. Wold
Unlike the first match of Round 1, Menegroth's stadium was packed to see Gondor and Wold. The locals in Doriath had become fond of the several Ents on Wold's team, and many of the higher Elves and Men were interested to watch the two from far away Middle-earth play. There was a lot resting on the shoulders of both teams today. A win for Gondor would virtually stamp a spot in the playoffs, while Wold would be fighting to keep their hopes alive. Doriath fans were cheering for Wold, because a win for them would mean they could lose to Gondolin and still have hope for the playoffs. If Gondor won today, than Doriath would have to beat Gondolin to stay in, and that's something most Doriathians didn't think their team could accomplish. This was a huge match, as reflected in the capacity crowd, and none of the neutral spectators were disappointed in what they saw on this beautiful day.

The first 10 minutes were pretty slow and uneventful as both teams tried to test the defenses, but nothing materialized. It would soon change however, and Wold would take Gondor by surprise. Usually Wold doesn't try to sustain attacks for long periods of time, however the importance of this match made Wold change their strategy. They needed a win to stay alive, and they began building constant pressure against Gondor's defenses. It paid off in the 20th minute, as two former servants of Saruman put Wold up 1-0.

The cunning of Grima and Ugluk caused Romendacil to make a big mistake at goal. Grima was pushing forward, and faked a shot which committed Romendacil to the right. Instead of taking the shot, Grima dropped it off to Ugluk who rushed in behind Grima and took a shot to the left side. Having been faked out by Grima, Romendacil dove the wrong way and looked foolish. The stadium erupted in applause, as it was a well designed scheme by Grima and Ugluk, but a win for Wold meant Doriath wouldn't have to do the impossible, and beat Gondolin, to keep playoff hopes alive.

However, it was bad news for Wold, as Romendacil proved his honour. He was not demoralized in the least bit. Some Keepers will completely self-destruct after giving a goal and being so easily fooled. Not Romendacil, it just made him more, alert, more ready, he put that goal behind him and stepped up in a big way for Gondor.

When the 2nd half began, Gondor really began stepping up their efforts on offense. They knew they were good enough to crack Wold's defenses and beat Hama. They did not want to lose today, and be in a must-win situation against Gondolin in the final round. This is where Wold fans might question Treebeard's strategy. He started focusing on protecting the 1-goal lead instead of sticking to what worked in the 1st half. Yes, Wold had a lead, but their 0-3 loss to Gondolin meant they also had a big goal differential to make up, and winning by 1-goal may not be enough. Treebeard seemed to want to absorb any pressure from Gondor, and then try a few counterattacks when the opportunity presented itself.

The problem is, this was a most un-wise strategy to try against a team like Gondor. Mardil, Eldacar, Beruthiel, Hyarmendacil, these names are no slouches when it comes to scoring goals. If you sit back and try to absorb their attacks, they will find a way to break it. And they did in 61st minute, with yet another display of fabulous teamwork between Mardil and Eldacar. It was all even, the crowd was at the edge of their seats, and there would only be more spectacular football to come.

Wold now tried to get back to what worked in their first goal, building and sustaining pressure. However, this time Gondor's defenses were more ready to handle it, and Romendacil was simply brilliant. Quickbeam launched a distance shot, but it was curving towards the upper-right corner, and certainly looked like it was perfectly place to go in. Romendacil though timed the jump perfectly and knocked it over the cross-bar. Wold would get a corner-kick, but it was a spectacular save on a ball that Quickbeam thought he placed out of the Keeper of Gondor's reach. Wold couldn't make their corner count either, as Romendacil jumped out to snatch the ball before it dangerously found the head of foot of a Wold player.

The game was winding down and it looked like it would end as a draw, which fans would have been perfectly happy with, since they had been watching some fabulous football. However, the end was perhaps the greatest end enthusiasts in Doriath have ever been treated too. There was under 5 minutes to go, Gondor was on the attack. Like the stealth and agility of a cat Beruthiel got past her marker and took a clear shot. But Hama dove in making a truly fabulous save! Lo he couldn't control it! The rebound got away from him, and Hyarmendacil smartly followed behind Beruthiel to easily knock it passed a helpless Hama, who was still on the ground after a great effort in stopping Beruthiel's shot. Gondor was now on top 2-1, with under 5 minutes until end, and Wold couldn't regather themselves to push for an equalizer. Wold were dis-heartened, their playoff hopes were dashed, and after getting out to a 1-0 lead.

Gondor was all but in, a Gondolin win or tie against Doriath would insure their spot, which also disheartened the Doriath supporters. However, they still cheered both teams off the field, because there was no doubt Gondor deserved this win. The sad part is, Wold also deserved to win, by how they played, but it was not to be. The clear deciding difference in this match was the goal keeping. Hama mad big saves for his team, but Romendacil was just a fraction better by being able to stop 1 more.

Gondor 2-1 Wold
tot shots 12-14
on target 6-6
GOALS:
*20, 0-1 Ugluk (Grima)
*61, 1-1 Mardil (Eldacar)
*85, 2-1 Hyarmendacil (Beruthiel)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Gondor- Ostoher, Hyarmendacil
*Wold- Lightfoot, Eomund

Match 4: Doriath vs. Gondolin
There was a tense, somber, mood in Doriath for the 2nd match. The home team had to win now to avoid elimination, and the team they had to beat was the dreaded Gondolin.

The 1st half was scoreless, but it wasn't a complete bore to the crowd. Although compared to the first match, it may have seemed that way. Doriath's defense was ready and able to stand up to Gondolin's attack, but Gondolin didn't seem all that interested to score. Particularly Eol who just looked like he was toying with Doriath's defense. And soon, the Doriath crowd would begin booing everytime Eol touched the ball. Eol seemed to love the attention, as he would gain possession, mess around for a minute or two, and then harmlessly pass it back behind him to one of defenders. Everytime the boos became stronger and louder.

But, in the 2nd, Gondolin finally decided to stop toying around and they got two quick goals within the first 10 minutes. On Eol's goal in the 49th minute, you couldn't hear anything besides a booming BOOOO! We are unsure if the cause was Doriath's play so far in the match, or if it was because Eol scored. My guess, it was both. It was even said, the boos echoed so loudly through Menegroth's 1,000 caves, they could even be heard from the forest of Brethil.

Gondolin was rather amusing to watch in this match, they were like a Komodo dragon. You know they can seriously rip you apart within minutes, but prefer just to give you a little bite delivering a deadly bacteria that prevents the blood from clotting. Then stalk you and taunt you for weeks, as they wait around for you to slowly bleed out, dying in agony before enjoying a delicious meal.

Doriath 0-2 Gondolin
tot shots 7-11
on target 3-5
GOALS:
*49, 0-1 Eol (Glorfindel)
*55, 0-2 Maeglin (Aredhel)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Doriath- Daeron, Nimloth, Saeros
*Gondolin- Rochallor, Salgant

Group G Standings
Gondolin 2-0-0, 6, (+5)
Gondor 2-0-0, 6, (+2)
Doriath 0-0-2, 0, (-3)
Wold 0-0-2, 0, (-4)

Final Matches: Gondolin vs. Gondor, Doriath vs. Wold

Gondolin and Gondor have already advanced to the playoffs. All that needs to be decided is who gets first place, which will be determined in their match of the final round. Gondolin gets 1st with a win or tie (due to their edge in goal differential), Gondor has to win to finish first. Doriath and Wold will be playing for nothing but pride and hope they can go home with some kind of consolation.

skip spence

04-24-2010, 06:19 AM

Match 3 of Group H: Havens vs. Sirion
At Dol Guldur the second round of the group stage was concluded last night. In the early game the Havens faced off against Tirion in what promised to be a wonderful matchup between two sides that really put an emphasis on beautiful in the beautiful game. And for the neutrals, the game lived up to all the the wildest dreams any football fan may have had. For the coaches the game probably resembled their nightmares rather, because during the first part of the match each team seemed content to commit as much as 7 or 8 players on full attack, thus giving their opponents ample space to counter-attack when the ball was turned over.

With the quality and pace of the attackers on the pitch, this meant plenty of goals. Havens took an early lead but in a frantic first half the initiative went back and forth quicker than a pinball, and the crowd barely had time to settle down before another one was scored. Already in the 33rd minute Miriel scored her third goal of the tournament, and the fifth of the match, thus giving Tirion the lead for the first time. This lead they held on to into the halftime recess, and early in the second half Mahtan the Smith made it four with a deflected shot that fooled an unlucky Olwe. The Havens tried to come back but Tirion had begun to control this match now, with Ingwe and Mahtan dominating on the central midfield and the defenders behind them gathered to take care of anything that came their way. This was to be Tirion’s day and as the full time whistle sounded the Aman side celebrated their second consecutive 4-2 victory.

Havens 2-4 Tirion
tot shots 14-19
on target 7-10
GOALS:
*6, 1-0 Uinen (Ar Gimilzor)
*12, 1-1 Finwe (Nerdanel)
*19, 2-1 Tar Minastir (Earendil)
*25, 2-2 Feanor (Finwe)
*33, 2-3 Miriel (Nerdanel)
*51, 2-4 Mahtan (Finwe)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Havens- Eriol, Lindo, Tar Aldarion, Amandil
*Tirion- Amras, Orodreth

Match 3 of Group H: Dol Guldur vs. Minas Anor
This was a huge match for the hosts as they’d lost to Tirion in the opening match. Minas Anor was arguably the weakest side in this group and a win really would be required for them to have a realistic chance of advancing to the knock-out stages. The crowd was confident. Dol Guldur had given Tirion a real run for its money and Minas Anor would not stand in their way now. But what they got was a cold shower. Already in the 8th minute Minas Anor took a shock lead and almost inevitably it was Naz #4 who scored against his former team-mates. The Nazgul did not celebrate the goal in front of his old fans but still the crowd booed him any time he got the ball.

Soon it got worse for Dol Guldur. Attercop was penalized for entangling Boromir in its web just outside the penalty area, and on the subsequent free-kick Minas Anor went two up to the dismay of the home crowd. Oropher could not hold a bouncing Siriondil shot and Boromir smashed the rebound into the roof of the net.

Minas Anor now seemed determined to defend their lead and did so with aplomb. Although Dol Guldur dominated in terms of ball possession they could not get into any good shooting positions and grew more and more desperate as time ran away from them. Minas Anor defended bravely and most attacking moves of Dol Guldur broke against the wall of flesh that they put up. With 20 minutes to go some Dol Guldur fans had already began to leave their seats and file for the exits. But suddenly, when all seemed lost, Beorn pulled a goal back out of nothing. On what looked like a harmless cross as he showed incredible strength to shake off a couple of defenders and make contact with a header that looped over Ecthelion and into the net.

Now the crowd woke up and so did the rest of the Dol Guldur players. Minas Anor defended desperately, all eleven men falling back into the lap of Ecthelion, but they had their backs against the wall now. Soon Dol Guldur was level to the delight of the crowd as Bolg took advantage of a chaotic situation in the penalty area to bundle home.

The last ten minutes of the game were highly dramatic. Dol Guldur pushed furiously for a winner but a desperate Minas Anor rose up once again and looked very dangerous on the break. The two teams exchanged goal scoring opportunities and the crowd went from heaven to hell and back again in an emotional rollercoaster. And there was to be a winner. Dol Guldur captain The Witch-King had had fairly quiet game by his standards but with three minutes left of the match he met a Radagast cross with his unseen forehead and directed the the winner past Echthelion. The crowd exploded in a roar that could be as far as Caras Galadhon in Lorien. Their heroes had come back from the dead tonight.

Dol Guldur 3-2 Minas Anor
tot shots 16-16
on target 9-8
GOALS:
*8, 0-1 Naz #4 (Boromir I)
*24, 0-2 Boromir I (Siriondil)
*71, 1-2 Beorn (Galion)
*80, 2-2 Bolg (Grimbeorn)
*87, 3-2 Witch King (Radagast)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Dol Guldur- Tomnoddy, Attercop
*Minas Anor- Dervorin, Falastur

Standings GROUP H:
Tirion (6 pts, +4 gd)
Havens (3 pts, 0 gd)
Dol Guldur (3 pts, -1 gd)
Minas Anor (0 pts, -3 gd)

the phantom

04-24-2010, 11:45 AM

Who still has hopes of advancing? Who has already locked up their spot in the playoffs? Those are the questions we'll take a look at here in this third round preview.

GROUP A
Vinyamar (4 pts, +2 gd)
Aman (4 pts, +1 gd)
Beleriand (1 pt, -1 gd)
Ithilien (1 pt, -2 gd)

Aman vs Ithilien
Beleriand vs Vinyamar

Everyone is still in the running here. Vinyamar clinches with a tie, win, or even by losing by only one goal. Aman clinches with a win or tie, but could still back in with a loss. Beleriand must win, and to clinch outright must win by two goals. Ithilien must win, and can only be certain by winning by three goals.

GROUP B
Barad-Dur (4 pts, +2 gd)
Barrow-Downs (4 pts, +2 gd)
Breeland (1 pt, -2 gd)
Gorgoroth (1 pt, -2 gd)

Barad-Dur vs Breeland
Barrow-Downs vs Gorgoroth

Everyone still has hope in this group. Barad-Dur and Barrow-Downs can both clinch with a win, tie, or loss by one goal. To clinch outright Breeland and Gorgoroth need to win by three goals, though they could possibly advance with only a two-goal margin.

GROUP C
Mithrim (6 pts, +5 gd)
Nargothrond (2 pts, 0 gd)
Norbury (1 pt, -1 gd)
Pelennor (1 pt, -4 gd)

Mithrim vs Nargothrond
Norbury vs Pelennor

Mithrim has already clinched the playoffs plus the top spot in the group. Second is up for grabs. Nargothrond clinches with a win, but can get in with a tie if the other match ties. Norbury and Pelennor can get in with a win coupled with a Nargothrond tie or loss. Norbury could advance with a tie plus a Nargothrond loss.

GROUP D
Eithel Sirion (6 pts, +4 gd)
Gelion (3 pts, 0 gd)
Rohan (3 pts, 0 gd)
Dale (0 pts, -4 gd)

Dale vs Gelion
Eithel Sirion vs Rohan

Everyone is still alive here. Eithel Sirion can clinch with a win, tie, or 1 goal loss. They also clinch with a Dale victory or tie. Rohan is in with a two goal win, or with a one goal win coupled with a Gelion tie or loss, or a tie coupled with a Gelion loss. Gelion clinches with a win plus a Rohan tie or loss. They also clinch with a tie and a Rohan loss. If both should win, the best goal differential would advance. If that's equal, the most number of goals scored advances. If that is equal as well, Gelion advances due to their win against Rohan. Dale has no way to clinch, but can advance with a two goal win over Gelion paired with a Rohan loss to Eithel Sirion by three goals.

GROUP E
Utumno (6 pts, +5 gd)
Numenor (4 pts, +2 gd)
Rivendell (1 pt, -2 gd)
Misty Mts (0 pts, -5 gd)

Numenor vs Utumno
Misty Mts vs Rivendell

Utumno is already in the playoffs, and clinches the top spot with a win or tie. Numenor clinches the top spot with a win, and a playoff spot with a tie. A loss or tie by Rivendell also clinches the spot for Numenor. Should Rivendell win by one goal, Numenor could still advance so long as they do not lose by more than three goals. Should Rivendell win by two, Numenor would want to keep their match within two as well. Rivendell can advance if they win and Numenor loses, and the goal differential adds up to 4 or more. Misty Mts is out of contention.

GROUP F
Valimar (6 pts, +3 gd)
Thangorodrim (4 pts, +2 gd)
Bywater (1 pt, -1 gd)
Lorien (0 pts, -4 gd)

Bywater vs Lorien
Thangorodrim vs Valimar

Valimar is into the playoffs, and gains the top spot with a win or tie. Thangorodrim gains the top spot with a win, and the second spot with a tie. They can still advance with a loss if Bywater ties or loses. With a Bywater 1 goal win Thangorodrim could still advance with a loss by 1 or 2 goals. Bywater can gain the second spot with a win plus a Thangorodrim loss with the goal differentials adding up to three goals or more. Lorien is out of contention.

GROUP G
Gondolin (6 pts, +5 gd)
Gondor (6 pts, +2 gd)
Doriath (0 pts, -3 gd)
Wold (0 pts, -4 gd)

Gondolin vs Gondor
Doriath vs Wold

Gondolin and Gondor will be in the playoffs, Doriath and Wold will not be. The only thing up for grabs is the top spot, which Gondolin gains with a win or tie. Gondor gets it with a win.

GROUP H
Tirion (6 pts, +4 gd)
Havens (3 pts, 0 gd)
Dol Guldur (3 pts, -1 gd)
Minas Anor (0 pts, -3 gd)

Minas Anor vs Tirion
Dol Guldur vs Havens

Tirion is into the playoffs, and claims the top spot with a win or tie, or with a close loss combined with a small margin of victory in the other match. Havens advances with a win or tie. Dol Guldur advances with a win. Minas Anor is out.

Nogrod

04-27-2010, 09:13 AM

and some speculation about the play off pairs.

Part I

Group A

Aman vs Ithilien
Beleriand vs Vinyamar

Ithilien and Beleriand have theoretical chances of qualifying. Depending of the result of the other game they both could qualify with a two goal win (Ithilien might need a three goal win though). The AKM notifies their chances but bets heavily on Aman and Vinyamar to qualify.

The reason for that is not only that Aman and Vinyamar have shown themselves to be better teams overall than their two contenders in group A, but they both will also have a strong incentive to win their group. That incentive is Tirion which the runner up of group A will most probably face in the first play-off round. At the moment Vinyamar boasts +1 better goal difference. So watch out Aman attacking relentlessly against Ithilien.

The problem for the winner of this group is that neither Haves or Dol Guldur will be an easy opponent. But it is clear either team could go to the field against either one thinking there is a game to be played. Tirion is just on the next level for both Aman and Vinyamar.

Because of Vinyamar’s superior defence and goal-keeping the AKM predicts Vinyamar to win the group and Aman finishing as the runners up. Thus Vinyamar would meet either Havens or Dol Guldur in the first qualifying game, and Aman would meet Tirion.

Group H

Minas Anor vs Tirion
Dol Guldur vs Havens

Tirion is basically the winner of the group already and faces the weakest team of the group in it’s final game of the group phase. And it’s hard to see team led by Fëanor to have an attitude problem! So they will probably go with full steam also in this more or less insignificant match just for the sake of their pride and honour. Tiron has scored four goals in both of their earlier games against Havens and Dol Guldur so it’s quite comfortable to predict they will not score less than four against Minas Anor (a free tip to phantasy players: Tirion forwards + attacking midfielders bring you points!).

The game between Dol Guldur and Havens will be a thriller. The winner qualifies and the loser is left into the group-stage. If they draw, Havens will qualify with better goal difference.

Looking at the stats it seems that both teams are more or less as active attackers (H 30 shots, DG 31 shots) and their overall scoring percentages are basically the same (H 16,7%, DG 16,1%). Oropher on Dol Guldur goal has slightly better saving percentage (68,4%) than his counterpart Olwë on Havens’ goal (64,3%), but the Havens’ defence is superior in not letting the opponent to shoot. And that difference: 28(14) shots towards Havens vs. 36(19) against Dol Guldur, looks to be the most decisive one making the AKM to bet slightly in favour of Havens qualifying. But it’s clear Dol Guldur is a mighty opponent and has all the chances to qualify as well.

So the AKM predicts Tirion to win the group with three clear wins and then Havens going against Vinyamar. But it is possible Dol Guldur takes the second seat and qualifies instead of Havens. It wil be one of the most interesting matches of the last round.

-----*****-----

Group B

Barad-Dur vs Breeland
Barrow-Downs vs Gorgoroth

Barad-Dûr and the Barrow-Downs draw their game and won their second game 3-1. So their basic statistics are identical. Both teams would like to win the group so they need to play with full steam also in the last game even if they have more or less secured their places of qualifying. No one would like to start their play-offs with meeting Gondolin (the most likely opponent for the runner up). So they will do their best to win the group.

Like in group A, Breeland and Gorgoroth have theoretical chances of qualifying but that would call for mighty wins (at least three goal wins) which the AKM holds very improbable indeed.

Looking at the probabilities then. Barad Dûr is one of the most effective scorers of the tournament and they face Breeland where Old Man Willow’s saving percentage (58,3%) is the weakest of the tournament by a margin (no other goalie has an under 62% average). On the other game the Barrow-Downs is one of the most active attackers and even if their scoring isn’t as effective as with Barad Dûr, they are one of the best there as well. Gorgoroth on the contrary is one of the teams that lets the opponent to shoot the most. So the "effective against the worst goalie" or the "most active shooters against the team that lets the opponent to shoot"?

It’s hard to name a favourite to win the group but it is easy to say that the two BD’s will face the two Gondo’s in the qualifiers.

Group G

Gondolin vs Gondor
Doriath vs Wold

This group is already packed. Gondolin and Gondor will qualify and they only need to play out which team wins the group to face possibly a slightly weaker side in the first round of play offs. Doriath and Wold will play for honour only.

Both Gondolin and Gondor have showed their qualities as strong teams but Gondolin seems to have the edge on every area you can build statistics from. Gondolin’s goal difference is 5-0 while Gondor has 3-1; Gondolin’s overall scoring percentage (goals / shots overall) is 17,9% while Gondor has 13,6%; Gondolin’s accuracy with shooting (shots overall / on target) is 50% while Gondor has 45,5%; Gondolin attacks ie. shoots more with 28(14) thus far while Gondor has shot 22(10) times; Gondolin defends better ie. has allowed less shots 12(4) against it while Gondor has allowed 23(9); and Huor’s saving percentage is pure 100% while Romendacil’s is a very good 88,9% (best goalie of those who have allowed a goal).

Especially the difference in the defence looks like an important one: letting the opponent to shoot half of the shots Gondor has allowed speaks good of Gondolin defences and makes it the AKM favourite to win group G.

Part II to come...

Nogrod

04-27-2010, 11:02 AM

and some speculation about the play off pairs.

Part II

Group C

Mithrim vs Nargothrond
Norbury vs Pelennor

Mithrim has already secured their top position in group C and will face Thangorodrim or Bywater in the play offs. So the last round is all about who will face Valimar… an opportunity neither Nargothrond, Norbury or Pelennor would like to face. But no can do as that is their only route forwards, even if it looks like a dead end.

Now the first question is whether Mithrim could be too satisfied with their game thus far and don’t feel the need to make a 100% performance. Then again looking at the line up of the team Mithrim with Huan, Curufin, Húrin, Túrin, Beleg… one doesn’t look at a line of players who’d quit the effort. That would spell trouble for Natgothrond.

Some nasty tongues though have speculated whether Mithrim would give away the game against Nargothrond just to help their relatives, friends and ancestors to qualify. The AKM feels the need to point out these rumours exist and be done with them. It’s hard to see team Mithrim with such foul play in mind.

So actually the hometeam Norbury looks the strongest candidate at the moment to go forwards to face Valimar on the next phase. Pelennor has clearly been a disappointment and if Norbury manages to beat them they will be more than close to qualifying, especially if Mithrim plays for real against Nargothrond. Looking at the stats, beating Nargothond should be more or less a walk in the park for them.

Group F

Bywater vs Lorien
Thangorodrim vs Valimar

Valimar has secured their qualifying but will probably not be looking forwards meeting Mithrim this early in the tournament. So it would be in their interest to secure the pole position of the group. A draw would be enough for them. But there have been some speculations also whether they would like to destroy the chances of Thangorodrim and play with full steam to help Bywater as much as they could.

But there is another side to the issue as well. Even if Thangorodrim were forced into a draw with Bywater they surely claim one of the best attacking force and talent in the whole group and Valimar surely haven’t been tested that way so far. Although there are increasing rumours the Valar are just toying with the tournament, winning easily when they wish but not so much as to offend any goodies.

Anyway, breaking the Valimar defences will be the key to any Thangorodrim success. With Durin’s Bane, Scatha and Ancalagon one would think they could at least challenge the card-ready defenders Pallando and Alatar. But will Manwë and Vana still prove a too big a challenge?

On the other match everyone expects Bywater to win and so does the AKM. Lorien’s stats are just downright horrible and even Galadriel has played quite poorly. A lot dependes on how Gandalf and Saruman can beat up their game. There is not much of an offencive threat facing them from Lorien.

But whether it is Bywater or Thangorodrim to qualify, they will face Mithrim in the first play off match and it would take a miracle for either team to make it.

-----*****-----

Group D

Dale vs Gelion
Eithel Sirion vs Rohan

In theory everyone but Dale have chances to win the group. In practise Eithel Sirion will take the group and Gelion will be the runners up. There are two small “buts” there though; if Dale makes a surprise awakening in a situation they have no chances of qualifying and beat Gelion against all odds, or if Eithel Sirion suddenly loses to Rohan more than Gelion beats Dale... But one can see the prospects aren’t too promising.

And anyway, Eithel Sirion has been a very solid team thus far and they would never let Rohan win the game endangering their top position and thus opening the possibility of facing Utumno on the next round. So with a win over the pathetic Dale team Gelion should be through – to most probably face Utumno and leave the tournament.

Group E

Numenor vs Utumno
Misty Mts vs Rivendell

With all the stats one can produce Misty Mountains have been the losers of the group. But it has not been only their weakness. The other three teams have just been pure iron. Misty Mts lost to Utumno 3-0 and to Numenor 2-0. But can Rivendell rise up to occasion? They have been a hard nut to crack mainly because of Elrond’s goaltending but can they score when it is needed? And they would need to score more than one goal. With only 7,1% efficiency of scoring and only 5 shots on goal in two matches it looks pretty improbable they could produce the nmber of goals needed.

Also Numenor has shown some awakening signs, so even if they lose to Utumno they will probably not lose in that big numbers as to give Rivendell a chance to beat the goal differences (Numenor +2, Rivendell -2). But whichever team makes it to qualify will have a tough ride ahead facing Eithel Sirion in the first play off game.

Numenor may beat Utumno to be sure, but at the moment it is not the most probable scenario. Losing players like Ar Pharazôn, Sauron and Tar Minastir still shows in inefficiency of scoring. Defencive-wise Numenor has not been as flashing it was last year but it still is one of the best in the whole tournament.

If they can choose, Utumno will rather face Gelion or Rohan than the trimmed team of Eithel Sirion led by Maedhros and Fingon so they should have an incentive at least to draw the game. Naturally, a draw would be enough for Numenor to qualify as well... but winning Utumno would put them in the top position and thus avoid meeting Eithel Sirion in turn. It will be an interesting match between the two!

Nogrod

04-27-2010, 11:22 AM

After looking at the group phase very closely the AKM will publish it's official prediction into the first play-off pairs.

A1 Vinyamar – H2 Havens (Dol Guldur?)
B1 BD/BD – G2 Gondor

C1 Mithrim – F2 Thangorodrim / Bywater
D1 Eithel Sirion – E2 Numenor (Rivendell?)

E1 Utumno – D2 Gelion
F1 Valimar – C2 Norbury

G1 Gondolin – B2 BD/BD
H1 Tirion – A2 Aman

Some terrific games ahead!

Utumno - Valimar!
Gondolin - Tirion!

What a waste of championship potential! :smokin:

Nogrod

04-27-2010, 12:18 PM

The AKM editor happened to bumb into Nogrod in the pub Hadanka and managed to make a few questions to the team Barrow-Downs captain and score-leader.

The AKM: How are you looking forwards to the last match against Gorgoroth?

Nogrod: Well, we should win, but winning is not enough tomorrow. We should win it big time. It will be a question of life and death... well almost.

The AKM: How so? You will be qualifying anyway?

Nogrod: Yeah, but winning this group will mean facing first Gondor, then teams like Vinyamar, Havens or Dol Guldur and getting a really tough team against us only in the semis... But being the runner up we'd face first Gondolin, then Tirion and if we made it, in the semis it would be Utumno or Valimar... You see the difference in the program?

The AKM: Well, now that you say so. Um... How about if you beat Gorgoroth less than Barad-Dûr does with Breeland?

Nogrod: We'll just kick *ss with the biggies then. But it will be so much harder that way... the margins at the top are slim so one never knows... but really, there is the hard road and the easy road.

The AKM: How do you think you have performed thus far in the tournament?

Nogrod: Hmm... Barad-Dûr is a tough team with Sauron, Gil-Galad, Elendil, Isildur and the lot. Still I'm not quite happy with our game against them. If you let the opponent to claim the lead two times in a game it's just running for the equaliser. I think we got the hold of a more relaxed offencive game with Bree and we need to keep up that spirit against Gorgoroth, even if the homeside fans will make it an inferno to play in. We just need to win at least one goal better than Dûr does.

The AKM: Are you happy with your own performance?

Nogrod: It has been okay... but not more than okay. Two goals and an assist in two games is quite nice but we still need to get our teamplay into form. The phantom and wilwa do good but we need to get especially Sally and Nerwen into the game as well.

The AKM: Your prediction on the outcomes of the next matches?

Nogrod: Sorry, I have a beer to drink...

the phantom

04-27-2010, 01:14 PM

Players with THREE goals-

FW- Tilion (Utumno)
FW- Tar Minastir (Havens)
FW- *Miriel (Tirion)

Players with THREE assists-

MF- *Nerdanel (Tirion)

Players with double digit Phantasy points-
15

FW- *Miriel (Tirion)
FW- Tar Minastir (Havens)
FW- Tilion (Utumno)

14

MF- *Nerdanel (Tirion)
FW- Finwe (Tirion)

12

DF- *Celegorm (Mithrim)

11

DF- **Manwe (Valimar)
DF- *Thorondor (Gondolin)
MF- **Durin's Bane (Thangorodrim)
FW- **Turin (Mithrim)
FW- Nogrod (Barrow-Downs)

10

GK- **Elrond (Rivendell)
GK- *Ungoliant (Utumno)
GK- *Namo (Valimar)
GK- Huor (Gondolin)
GK- Romendacil (Gondor)
MF- Glorfindel (Gondolin)
FW- *Scatha (Thangorodrim)
FW- Fingon (Eithel Sirion)
FW- Hurin (Mithrim)

Nogrod

04-27-2010, 04:27 PM

The AKM didn't find as many as flashing performances on round two as it found on round one and thus it will not hand out as many stars it did on the previous round.

But that doesn't mean there weren't great deeds done on round two. So to cut the crap here are...

The AKM stars round two of the group play.

Three stars

Tilion of Utumno
He alone was able to open the last lock of Rivendell defence, namely Elrond. He turned the 0-0 game into 2-0 win for Utumno more or less by himself with his two goals at the last twenty minutes really whipping up his team to play.

Two stars

Finwë of Tirion
In the game of the open doors Finwë was the key factor for Tirion outscoring Havens: with his one goal and two assists he was clearly the elf of the match. Rising to occasion ahead of Miriel, Fëanor and Nerdanel is a feat as such and worth two stars. When the wife, the son and the daughter-in-law hesitate, the patriarch needs to show the way...

One star

Ancalagon the Black of Thangorodrim
After all the row over dead dragons and other unhospitabilities brought forwards by the organising committee of the games in Valimar - and the pressure of the homecrowds - Ancalagon really rose to his stature and was the prime force defeating Lorien with his two goals and making Thangorodrim a real candidate for qualifying in the hostile soil. If the AKM would hand out half points it would give one to Scatha for being the right hand dragon...

Romendacil of Gondor
Getting five shots out of six makes Romendacil the best goalie of the round and a key factor in Gondor topping Wold in a match that gave Gondor an opportunity to qualify and basically sent Wold back home.

The AKM stars after two games:

Three stars
Elrond of Rivendell
Tilion of Utumno

Two stars
Eorl of Rohan
Finwë of Tirion
Miriel of Tirion

One star
Ancalagon the Black of Thangoodrim
Arvedui of Norbury
Curufin of Mithrim
Celegorm of Mithrim
Romendacil of Gondor
Tar Minastir of Havens

A note to all the followers of the AKM stars!

Some people always whine about this and that. And the AKM knows that a player making a goal and assisting another in one game is a great player, like is the goalie who takes three shots and lets none behind. But that is not enough to claim an AKM star. Sorry lads.

The AKM looks for the real treats and hands out stars accordingly. The AKM is not looking after good performances but to exceptionally good ones.

A few times during the tournament the AKM will hand out special stars for something like "overall achivement" - like to those forwards or midfielders who systematically score and assist in every game, or those defenders who systematically force a shut out, or those goalies who always take those three shots without letting one in.

First time for that update is after the last round of the group play.

Boromir88

04-28-2010, 08:35 AM

I would say that those friendly matches were a great warm-up as last week I called 13 of the games correctly (including the draw between Nargothrond and Pelennor). Out of the 3 I got wrong, I had predicted draws which didn't happen for 2 matches. Leaving the only winner I called wrong was Rohan, as Gelion got a deserved 1-0 win by playing lights out defense. My calling the correct score is still not quite up to last year's standards, but it will be soon enough.

It's true that some of the teams I've predicted to advance to the playoffs, like Wold have already been eliminated. I did not see them getting manhandled by Gondolin. As well as others, such as Rivendell, who are still mathematically in, but will have to have a lot go their way to jump Numenor. However, I do like taking calculated risks, and those were some risky choices. I ask for you to stay tuned and read my "Giant-slayers" article when the playoffs begins, as I will look to identify who has the potential to go on a Mirkwood-like run, and knocking off some tourney Giants.

GROUP A
Aman vs. Ithilien-
There is still a lot for Aman to play for so they should not slack off. They came out cold against Beleriand and had to comeback to win, but this also means they have the potential to comeback from games they get behind early in. Also, Ithilien isn't going to be an opponent which will run away with a 2 or 3-goal lead. How they match up, Nienna's been the better goalie, also helped by the fact that she's pllaying behind a better defense. Aman has also created more scoring chances, and has a major edge in goal percentage, 15.8% to Ithilien's poor 5.9%

Aman wins 1-0

Beleriand vs. Vinyamar-
First place is Vinyamar's to lose, but it's not like they have a lot of room to slack off. It's a slim margin, and Aman is playing statistically the weakest team in the group. Halmir has so far been the 2nd best goalie of the group, but he's playing behind the worst defense. Beleriand's defense has allowed more shots on goal (14) than any other team in the group, and that is more than double of what Vinyamar's allowed (6). In order to keep this game close, Halmir will have to continue to play at the level he's been playing at for Beleriand to have any reasonable chance. Vinyamar's scoring percentage is a little lower than Aman's, but they've created 22, compared to Aman's 19. They will keep this consistancy against Beleriand, and defensively Ulmo really has his team playing at a high-level.

Vinyamar wins 2-0.

GROUP B
Barad Dur vs. Breeland-
Barad Dur won the friendly 3-2, but funny enough Breeland was actually trying harder back then than they are now! All of Mordor should be out to watch both matches today, as their teams are going up against the despised foreigners, and there's a lot at stake in the group still. However, out of the 2 games, Bombadil's only played 1/2 of one so far, so in true Bombadil fashion, I expect him to show up for at least a-half today and give Barad Dur a mighty headache. A rather minor inconveniance though, as he will disappear for the rest when Sauron and his guys will then be able to take control.

Barad Dur wins 3-2.

Barrow-Downs vs. Gorgoroth-
Their friendly ended in a 1-1 tie, and it was a rather hard fought battle. It'll be interesting to see how this one is called, as will the ref be willing to hand out the yellows in the middle of Mordor, in a match when the host team needs a win for a shot to advance? Big game for both teams and I wouldn't be surprised if someone is sent off the field before the end (and likely someone from Gorgoroth). Shagrat described BDs defense as being "Spider fodder," but for being such a pack of rabble they have really shut down some good offenses, where Gorgoroth has struggled to create their own chances. The only ones who seem to be working well together are Castamir and King Dead, which won't be enough.

Barrow-Downs wins 2-1.

GROUP C
Mithrim vs. Nargothrond-
With first already wrapped up it's likely Mithrim will not be playing at their highest level. Phantasy owners may want to pick up some players from Mithrim now, while there are still unlimitted trades. Since, they will not only be in the playoffs, but they will really start turning it up for the playoffs. We agree with AKM that they aren't rotten enough to tank the game to try and get Nargothrond into the playoffs, and even with a less than full effort Mithrim should win relatively easily, as I can't foresee Nargothrond giving much of a problem to Mithrim's defense.

Mithrim wins 2-0.

Norbury vs. Pelennor-
This is going to be a fabulous match to witness at the ancient Amon Sul stadium. If Nargothrond loses (or even ties) both teams will be all out to get a victory. We should so some fabulous goals and great football. With their backs against the walls after the embarassment against Mithrim, Pelennor stepped up big to get a draw against Nargothrond. Though now, a draw will do them no good, they are in a must win situation. In some ways the stats are heavily skewed to favor Norbury, since Pelennor was routed by Mithrim. Make no mistake, Norbury will be seeing the Pelennor side that tied Nargothrond. They will attack ceaselessly and Arvedui will have to be dynamite at Keeper. However, that's been the biggest difference, the goalies, Arvedui has played much better than Theoden. Against Nargothrond he faced the same shots against Theoden, but gave up 1 less goal, that is a small but significant difference. The only question is does Araphor and Norbury have enough in the tank to score three against Pelennor, because that's what it will take to win this one?

Draw 2-2.

GROUP D
Dale vs. Gelion-
Gelion has been quite a surprise defensively, I knew they were good, but weren't anticipating them being this good. They put a great Eithel Sirion on team on the ropes, and completely shut down a Rohan team that we know can put up high scores. Dale is still mathematically in it, and because of that Smaug isn't going to give up, but talent-wise they just can't win this one. Their scoring percentage of 13.3% is even lower than Gelion's 15.4%, and that is something I would have never predicted. As far as defense, Gelion is leagues apart from Dale. I don't think they attack enough to be able to score 2 goals (even against Dale's defense, because Brand is a a solid goalie if he had better help from his defense). This means that Dale can push for a draw, but if Rohan couldn't muster a goal, I don't think even the mighty Smaug can.

Gelion wins 1-0.

Eithel Sirion vs. Rohan
Eithel Sirion has pretty much wrapped up 1st place, they would need to completely tank the match to lose it. Rohan will be needing a win to jump Gelion in the standings. Simple, Rohan will come to win, Eithel Sirion will come to not tank away first and keep it close, so it has the makings of a potential upset. However, if Eithel Sirion does lose, it won't mean anything towards their chances of having a deep run in the playoffs. Whethey they get Numenor or Rivendell in the playoffs is yet to be decided, but whoever it is will make for a great Round of 16 match.

Eithel Sirion wins 2-1.

Boromir88

04-28-2010, 02:07 PM

GROUP E
Numenor vs. Utumno-
Utumno will be playing their best to stay in first, and also because there shouldn't be much love with Numenor. They've been able to blank Misty Mountains and Rivendell, but Numenor does provide a bit more offensive power. Numenor's 10.3% scoring percentage however is far from intimidating and a big drop-off from last year. Defensively, the Numenoreans have been just as stout as Utumno, but Tar Atanamir has conceded a goal where Ungoliant's been perfect.

Utumno wins 1-0.

Misty Mountains vs. Rivendell-
Misty Mountains will probably leave the tournament without a goal but their defense has actually allowed opponents fewer chances than Rivendell. The only reason Rivendell is still in the playoff picture is because of Elrond. Also Rivendell has created fewer scoring chances than Misty Mountains. Despite the numbers being slightly in Misty's favor, Rivendell is still the superior team and I would be shocked if they don't win. The key difference is the Watcher does too much watching at goal, and not enough saving.

Rivendell wins 1-0.

GROUP F
Bywater vs. Lorien-
Lorien's in an interesting position, since they've already been eliminated from the playoffs they could tank the game to give Bywater the chance to leap frog Thangorodrim. For all the teams in this group despise that one, but to think games would be intentionally rigged by the teams, playing politics with sports, is sickening. Bywater's defense is pretty strong, but Cotton isn't a shutdown goalie and will probably concede 1 goal as usual. Although Bywater will get plenty of chances to test Galadriel, who has been playing less than advertised throughout the tourney.

Bywater wins 2-1.

Thangorodrim vs. Valimar-
For as much as AKM has tried to build up controversy with Valimar trying to get Bywater into the playoffs, they are forgetting the simple fact that Thangorodrim is a darn good team. They certainly are not going to allow the Valar to roll right over them and hand 2nd place to Bywater, as if their fate is already written. Having said that, Valimar is motivated this year in a way that we've never seen, and no one wants to go up against angry, motivated Valar. I can see this game possibly ending in a draw with how much Thangorodrim presses, but in Valimar, I can't see Manwe's defense giving up 2-goals. 1 will be hard enough for Thangorodrim to come by.

Valimar wins 2-1.

GROUP G
Gondolin vs. Gondor-
Gondolin will continue being the class of the group because they still have a much desired 1st place to win. Also, I don't think Gondolin will mess around with Gondor, as they did against Doriath. Gondor's going to be stiff competition, and I think well see a close (or even tied game) for 60-70 minutes. Then Gondolin's superiority and stamina will finally wear them down. For the teams who advance out of Group B, I would not want to play either one of these guys right now.

Gondolin wins 3-1.

Doriath vs. Wold-
Game means absolutely nothing, and I think we are more likely going to see a friendly-style type of game, since there is respect between both teams. Both teams will want to leave on some type of high-note, so it might end in a tie. However, Doriath hasn't been able to score period, when was the last match they did get a goal?

Wold wins 1-0.

GROUP H
Minas Anor vs. Tirion-
Minas Anor had a great chance to stun the host crowd and boot them from the playoffs, but they fell apart at the end. I haven't seen a team collapse that bad in the last 10 minutes...ever! Perhaps Minas Anor has too much pride to give up compmletely, but I can't imagine anyone bouncing back with a strong performance after that devastating loss. Tirion is Tirion, and they are also in, as well as most likely in first place. Since they are virtually a lock for first, I imagine Feanor will call off the full-out attack and pretty much work on the defensive side of the ball. They won't score more than 3 goals in this one, but it would be most un-wise not to have one of their FWs or attacking MFs on your phantasy teams come playoff time.

Tirion wins 2-0.

Dol Guldur vs. Havens-
This is going to be the highlight match of Round 3. Can the Witch-King, on his 3rd different team in as many years advance them to the playoffs? Or has Olwe finally put together the winning formula to advance his team for the first time? I can say for certain that no lead is safe when you're playing Dol Guldur. The Havens will jump out to a lead, but they can't just pull back and take a barage of shots like Minas Anor did, and expect to win. The good news is, Havens are more dangerous on offense than Minas Anor and will be willing to attack more. Once falling behind, Dol Guldur will find it much more difficult to take the lead, not because they won't be able to score on Olwe, but they will have a hard time stopping Tar Minastir and company themselves!

Havens wins 4-2.

the phantom

04-30-2010, 11:16 AM

Heading into the final round of group play at Vinyamar, the extremely diverse crowds were feeling quite excited. All the teams were still alive, which is more than could be said of several other groups. “This is the way I like things!” commented one of the many construction dwarves who had stuck around for the games. “They’ll all be giving it their best effort on the final day!”

If the prediction of the dwarf proved to be true, then most believed Aman and host Vinyamar would advance, as they had looked more impressive in their first two matches. But Beleriand and Ithilien fans still kept their spirits high, knowing that a break here or there paired with continued stellar play from their side could beat the oddsmakers.

The first teams to play, Aman and Ithilien, were greeted enthusiastically by the packed stadium when they entered the field of play. The announcers thanked the fans for their participation on behalf of the Arda Cup Committee, noting that several venues had consistently failed to sell out the matches not involving the host side.

In the opening minutes of play it was clear that it would be another group A battle, as both sides played mistake free and really got after it on the defensive half. Aman managed a couple of contested shots, and Ithilien tried a couple quick strikes off of the counter, but the looks simply weren’t good enough to get past keepers like Mumakil and Nienna.

Finally as halftime approached Aman started looking more dangerous on offense, as their amazing skill up front finally wore down the solid team defense of Ithilien. Ar Pharazon gained the best look yet, but he unexpectedly held it, and it was clear why when he touched a pass across to Orome who had slipped in from the side unmarked against the overwhelmed back line. The pass was beautifully placed, barely squeezing past three defenders on the way to the charging Vala, and Orome was perfect from point blank for the 1-0 lead.

With their backs against the wall, Faramir and company found new life in the second half and turned away the advances of Aman, though they were still unable to crack the defense of Aman. But fortune smiled upon Ithilien, and in minute 61 they were granted a golden opportunity when Vaire was sent off. It appeared on replay that Vaire’s crushing of Beregond was the result of falling off balance, but the fact remained that the ref saw Vaire come down on the head of Beregond and put him on the ground and then come down on his back.

Ithilien went to it with renewed vigor, and Faramir was barely denied off a rebound, but after that Turgon fired up the defense to rise above their setback and Aman kicked up their energy and concentration to undiscovered heights and firmly took control of the pitch over the final minutes.

The Ithilien supporters were disappointed, but cheered for their team when they left the field, as they had put forth a fine effort against the lords from over the sea. Ar Pharazon was unusually humble and gracious after the match, declaring to reporters that, “We really had a narrow escape there, and I feel fortunate to be able to return to the playoffs. It was an honor to have played against so many resilient and competitive foes in this group, and I feel this experience has prepared us well.”

Aman 1-0 Ithilien
tot shots 12-9
on target 5-4
GOALS:
*38, 1-0 Orome (Ar Pharazon)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Aman- Vaire, Irmo
*Ithilien- Anborn, Adrahil, Bergil
RED CARDS:
*Aman- Vaire (61, second yellow)

The volume reached the highest level yet when the two teams with the largest followings, Beleriand and Vinyamar, charged onto the pitch for their game. The final match of group play would decide who would advance with Aman, and in what position. A win for Vinyamar would gain them the top spot, a tie or one goal loss would yield the second spot, while a two goal win by Beleriand would grant them the second spot.

In pregame interviews Beleriand sounded as if they were up for the task, but as the play on the field rolled along it was soon clear that Ulmo and his friends on the back line were having none of it, completely shutting down the attack of Beleriand. In the midfield and higher Vinyamar looked good as well, with their players passing and dribbling flawlessly, and making Halmir sweat between the posts.

In minute 24 the goal was breached by a beautifully placed snipe from Egalmoth, and the crowd exploded as if the playoffs had been clinched, knowing that a 3-0 run by Beleriand against the defense of Vinyamar was extremely unlikely. Not only was it unlikely- it was proved to be impossible, as Rog and the defenders arrayed in front of him were unshakable for the rest of the half. In fact the next score to occur was again by the home team in minute 67, this time courtesy of the tall Egalmoth, who rose above the defense to nod in a lovely cross from Duilin.

With a 2-0 lead in hand and one of the toughest defenses in the Arda Cup, their place atop the group was assured, and the fans began celebrating early, feeling grateful indeed for the top spot and thus avoiding having to start the playoffs on the road against the terrifying offense of Tirion. The clock ran down to zero, and the crowds streamed out to find their favorite sports bar, where they hoped to catch the tail end of some of the other matches. Bringing the games to Vinyamar had been a great decision indeed!

Beleriand 0-2 Vinyamar
tot shots 6-11
on target 2-5
GOALS:
*24, 0-1 Egalmoth (Tuor)
*67, 0-2 Penlod (Duilin)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Beleriand- Belegund, Mim, Magor
*Vinyamar- Egalmoth, Osse

GROUP A FINAL STANDINGS
Vinyamar (7 pts, +4 gd, 5-1)
Aman (7 pts, +2 gd, 4-2)
Beleriand (1 pt, -3 gd, 2-5)
Ithilien (1 pt, -3 gd, 1-4)

Nogrod

04-30-2010, 12:49 PM

It was the day of truth and the arena at Amon Sûl was buzzing with anticipation. The hometeam fans had been shopping Mithrim fan-items to support the unrivalled number ones of the group - and to ensure they would play with full steam. It was the one hope the homecrowds shared: Nargothrond had to lose. But all that was just a prelude to the late game where the second qualifier would be finally decided. Even if it had been a civilised and well-behaved sporting festival, mainly among good people and elves, some Legolas fan-girls were clearly uneasy in the middle of the bellowing homecrowds two times their height, three times their weight, ten times their voice and thousand times their number.

It’s the tactics, stupid!

The game between Mithrim and Nargothrond started with easy pace even if the crowds were demanding goals from Mithrim the first minute onwards. But Nargothrond’s defences were solid like they had been the whole tournament; statswise they actually had kept their defence better than Norbury – even if the hometeam’s image was that of a tough defence. On the other end Felagund and Mablung were constant dangers to Mithrim defences with their smart runs to which mainly Celebrimbor and Finduilas tried to address their long passes with Barahir running in the middle threatening with a second wave of attack. So even Mithrim had to be on their toes and not just go for an all-out attacking mode. To the bewilderment of the homecrowds the first period ended goalless and Mithrim had actually gathered three yellow cards against Nargothrond’s one!

Even if some of the most hasty homeside fans started biting their nails, team Mithrim came to the second half looking quite confident indeed. And it was soon clear to everyone why it was so. First of all, even if they had let Nargothrond to be the more active side on the first half they had actually forced them to shoot from unfavourable positions and letting them only one shot on goal (although they had to take a few cards for that)! So even if it looked like Nargothrond was in command it was actually Mithrim who controlled the situation (shots on goal on first period went 2-1 to Mithrim!). Secondly, their pace had been slow for a reason: they had let the Nargorthrond team to run to and fro through the field the first 45 minutes. Now Mithrim started adding some legs to their game. Nargothrond players managed to run after them the first ten minutes as they had been resting during the interval but it was clear they were getting really exhausted and alarmingly soon from their point of view.

With the increased speed and stamina Mithrim produced the Nargothrond midfielders and defenders started getting more and more late with their calls resulting in numerous free kicks and break-frees. On the 58th minute Túrin slipped from the defenders and with a beautifully timed pass Beleg sent the ball to him into full speed behind the scandalously collapsed offside-trap. It was 1-0 and the homecrowds went just wild. And there was more to come.

Beleg himself hit the crossbar on 63rd minute, Húrin fired a rocket from a free kick just a hair’s width outside the post and Beor made a spectacular save on Curufin’s perfect header from a corner kick. Only 14 minutes from the first goal Túrin hammered it in the second time, now with a nice passing-play between Beleg and Aradan that totally broke the Baran – Arminas defence line. With twenty minutes to go the result was clear to everyone: Mithrim was leading 2-0 and they were the team with energy left. The crowds were overjoyed and Mithrim had shown once again they had what it takes to play both wisely and effectively. The rest was merely passing the ball amiably as it was clear Mithrim didn’t want to humiliate their friends, ancestors and relatives, and Nargothrond didn’t wish to test Mithrim’s good will…

Mithrim 2-0 Nargothrond
tot shots 12-8
on target 6-2
GOALS:
*58, 1-0 Turin (Beleg)
*72, 2-0 Turin (Aradan)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Mithrim- Morwen, Annael, Celegorm, Turin
*Nargothrond- Baran, Mablung, Baranor

30 voices over 30000 silence.

So it was the game the homecrowds had been waiting for and the set-up was just delicious. Nargothrond had lost 0-2 which meant that a draw would be enough for the hometeam to qualify due to best goal difference (Nargothrond was now on -2 and Norbury on -1 – Pelennor being on -4).

The first minutes of the game were quite careful playing with both teams merely testing each others tactics and looking for possible weaknesses on the others’ game-plan. The crowd chanted and bellowed creating quite an atmosphere – but in the end it seemed to make the home team more nervous than strengthening it.

After some half hour of play Grimbold made a nice throw-in reaching Eowyn’s head. She passed the ball via the ground past Malvegil who was reaching higher up for the ball – and Legolas made his trademark dive tipping the ball behind Arvedui as he passed the ball denying the laws of physics.

With all the anticipation and the height of the expectations the sudden goal silenced the whole crowd – except the thirty Legolas fan girls who screamed their lungs out only to realise they were giving up the only sound in the full stadium. Their screaming ended up as soon and swiftly as it emerged. There was a total silence. During the rest of the first half one could actually hear the silence of the homecrowd while Pelennor was almost nearer another goal than the homeside was for an equaliser. It was a nervous quietness the small Pelennor fan section didn’t dare to break but with an occasional song which were disheartened by even more active silence by the overwhelming homecrowd.

But Norbury came back after the interval. There was a mark of determination in the northeners’ eyes and they sealed their backlines effectively. There was no room for Pelennor to manouver anymore. And as the time and space were getting limited the Pelennor started fouling as they had no other medicine for the new situation. Meanwhile Norbury stepped up their attack and made the ball to do the most work. And that worked!

Fifteen minutes to the second period the Norbury defences shut off a Pelennor offence with driving Duinhir into a dead end between two defenders from where the old king Valandur made a long pass forwards which was ingeniously headed 45 degrees to the other forward direction by Amlaith of Arthedain thus sending Valandil running free the left side of the field. With a powerful shot from the corner of the box the “child king” left Theoden gaping for air. The stadium burst into a storm with the equaliser. It was as near an inferno any goodies could make!

There was still an half an hour of the game left and with Nargothrond’s loss Pelennor had chances as well: a win would be their qualifying ticket. And they pressed on with Norbury pushing their efforts back time and time again. With the clock ticking Pelennor’s efforts became more and more desperate. They had it in their own hands but they would have to win. So they went for the all or nothing – not surprisingly for that team said some commentators – but this time it didn’t pay them back. On the contrary.

Just seven minutes before the final whistle Eowyn lost the ball trying to go past two defenders and Norbury launched a quick counter attack. Seeing it was all or nothing, Legolas took a twenty-meter slide to tackle Araphor. Being terribly late he hit Araphor to the heels. The Norbury captain rolled around the ground and wailed in pain. It was a miracle the referee didn’t show Legolas a straight red. The crowds protested mightily for no card being shown but it was a free kick to the home team from forty meters.

Araphor had been carried outside the field by the medics so it was Valandil who set himself to give the free-kick (interestingly no one called him a “splitter” this time). Valandil was running towards the ball and all the Pelennor defences rushed forwards (against the rules, as always, before the kicker actually hits the ball) to cover for the angle of the shot when suddenly the first chieftain Aranarth, who had been just standing two meters away from the ball, hands on his hips and looking backwards like he was not of importance in the situation, took a leap and flicked the ball via the ground beside the forthcoming wall of defenders before Valandil had a chance to hit the ball. And the prophet Malbeth was running his legs out to get it and boomed a massive rocket to the upper right corner of the goal from twenty-five meters leaving Theoden no chance to save it as his attention had been in a different direction.

One can not describe the burst of joy of the crowds with words. The people went just crazy. The calm northeners were screaming and bellowing, hugging anyone in their sights, they were crying for joy, they were jumping up and down the benches… and they were singing! And it seemed the players were quite moved from that reaction as well… so much as the Norbury coach was seen tightening his lips fearing the joy would meddle the game of the last minutes.

But Norbury held the last minutes even if Pelennor made it’s best to come even and then hopefully go past them. But Norbury, in the end, succeeded by defending.

Norbury 2-1 Pelennor
tot shots 11-10
on target 5-4
GOALS:
*35, 0-1 Legolas (Eowyn)
*62, 1-1 Valandil (Amlaith)
*83, 2-1 Malbeth (Aranarth)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Norbury- Amlaith, Valandil
*Pelennor- Grimbold, Imrahil, Gimli, Windfola, Snowmane

Final results, group C:
Mithrim 8-1 9pts.
Norbury 4-4 4pts.
Nargothrond 3-5 2pts.
Pelennor 3-8 1pts.

skip spence

05-01-2010, 05:08 AM

Match 5: Dale vs. Gelion:
One of the surprise teams of the tournament so far has been Gelion. This woodland folk had long been loath to travel and to compete out on the open field on the big stage, which had been interpreted as a weakness by most pundits. But when they finally had made the trip out of the deep forests Gelion turned out to be a tight and tactically astute unit, who played to its strengths and proved very hard to break down. Dale on the other hand had been disappointing. Although the team did not lack attacking threats, the players had acted disjointed on the pitch and the leadership qualities of Major Moneybags had been questioned. Still they had a chance of advancing to the second round with a win, if Eithel Sirion also won their game against Rohan.

There had been speculations whether Gelion would try to play more offensively against an arguably weaker Dale side. Soon it became apparent this wasn’t going to happen. The woodland team came out playing the same game they had played before in the tourney, defending aggressively with many men behind the ball and launching quick counter attacks when given the chance. And just like the first two matches it paid off with a first half lead as Denethor slipped in Beren who finished with a low drive past Brand, his second goal of Arda Cup. Dale looked dejected as their last hope was slipping between their fingers while Gelion now were content to defend their lead.

In the second half the match followed the same pattern. Dale grew more and more desperate as the clock ticked on but they couldn’t find space behind the miserly Gelion defense, where Caranthir admirably took care of the threat of the great dragon Smaug. Yet Smaug wasn’t to be denied for the entire match. In the 64th minute Dale won a corner-kick and Girion whipped a ball towards the first post where Smaug outmuscled Caranthir and nodded the ball past Dior for a rather undeserved equalizer.

Now the momentum was with Dale who pushed for a winner. Gelion defended deeper and deeper and Dale was allowed to knock the ball around with ease until they came into the last third of the pitch. When the Dale players heard that Eithel Sirion where beating Rohan at this point, motivation soared and the players really started to gel together for the first time this year. And if it wasn’t for a betrayal they might well have won this match.

What happened was that with 10 minutes left of the clock Major Moneybags suddenly went missing. In the confusion that followed Dale didn’t even make a substitution and thus finished the game with ten men. The Dale players looked baffled at each other. Where was their captain? He had abandoned ship when it mattered the most and the team may had lost the chance to win this game because of it. At the final whistle Smaug went looking for the missing leader straight away, the fires burning hot within him, but he could not locate the Lakeman. When the dragon was told that all the team’s equipment, gold and jewelry was missing too his terrible roar could be heard all across Beleriand. Some say it lingers still in the high passes of the Shadowy Mountains.

Dale 1-1 Gelion
tot shots 11-11
on target 5-5
GOALS:
*26, 0-1 Beren (Denethor)
*64, 1-1 Smaug (Girion)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Dale- Moneybags, Bard, Roac
*Gelion- Azaghal, Amlach

Match 6: Eithel Sirion vs. Rohan:
The supporters and players of Rohan were in for a nervy evening. Although they came into the third round holding on to the second qualification spot in group D, they knew they could ill-afford to lose against a strong host team from Eithel Sirion, which despite two victories still needed a result tonight to be guaranteed a passage to the knock-out stages.

And in the sold-out stadium both teams looked determined to win this match. The first half was played at a very high level but goal scoring opportunities where kept to a premium thanks to solid defending on both ends of the field. The team play tonight was admirable on both ends and what decided this match was the individual brilliance of the Eithel Sirion stars. The home team took the lead after a beastly shot by Hador. The Edain was foolishly allowed space some 40 yards out and he absolutely wellied the ball, sending it screaming though the air before hitting the crossbar and bouncing down just inside the line. Initially there was some confusion as to whether the ball had crossed the line or not but the goal was given. It is said that the crossbar is still rattling.

Rohan gave a good account of themselves tonight but after another wonder-goal by Eithel Sirion early in the second half the uphill struggle proved too hard. Maedhros picked up the ball just inside the offensive half, went on a slalom run with the ball glued to his feet before curling a shot past Fram from just outside the penalty area.

Eithel Sirion were comfortable now and the home crowd cheered on every completed pass, and there were to be many cheers. Rohan did not see much of the ball and was in the end beaten quite comfortably. At the final whistle the Eithel Sirion players honoured their opponents by appreciatively clapping their hands, but that was small comfort for the horsemen, who now could start packing their bags and return empty-handed to their own distant lands, along with Dale. For Gelion and Eithel Sirion the adventure continued.

Eithel Sirion 2-0 Rohan
tot shots 15-10
on target 8-5
GOALS:
*29, 1-0 Hador (Maedhros)
*51, 2-0 Maedhros (Fingon)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Eithel Sirion- Galdor, Nienor, Angrod
*Rohan- Helm, Hallas, Stybba

Final Standings, Group D:
Eithel Sirion 3-0-0 7-1 9 Q
Gelion 1-1-1 3-3 4 Q
Rohan 1-0-2 3-5 3
Dale 0-1-2 3-7 1

Nogrod

05-03-2010, 07:28 AM

The organisers weren’t given an easy time after the latest eruption of violence. The MEFA authorities were quite unanimous with it: the last games would be played for an empty stadium. The disaster of the last round was just out of bounds. Even Mordor had managed to host games in somewhat decent manner last year.

But everyone knew a game played without an audience was just not a game of football. Finally the MEFA authorities accepted the pledge of Melkor who personally promised to take care of the games (so against their former ruling of letting the security to him, AKM notes). He said he had “no problem in squeezing ten thousand goblins into liquid if needs be”, and he would threaten the crowds with that if they wouldn’t behave. The fact that the home team had been relegated already was also in favour of the decision. There wouldn’t be such crowds and the crowd-control might be easier. With an added promise from the Great Goblin that he would have tenfold guards patrolling outside the stadium and securing the camp of the visiting fans down the slopes of the mountain while the games took place, the MEFA finally agreed the games to go on, open to public.

A showcase of human fighting spirit!

To the surprise of the MEFA and the organisers the stadium got almost half-filled on the first game with Utumno against Numenor. The goodies – as had been seen – could only fill a tenth of the arena but clearly Melkor and Utumno draw a host of goblins and other creatures to the stands and away from the beer tanks. So the magic of football had lured even goblins!

To the disappointment of the homecrowd Utumno did not beat Numenor with their left hand. On the contrary. The Numenorians put up a stiff fight exhancing offense for offense and offering tight defence for tight defence. It also seemed that the mighty Balrogs or even Melkor himself had not the intimidating effect on the humans playing against them some goblins might have hoped for. It was a tight game.

A lot has been discussed about Numeror’s scoring-problem but this time one could say it was not only that which kept them goalless. The Utumno defence is one of the most formidable ones in the whole tournament and Ungoliant is turning out to be one of the best goalies this year. But Numenor defences led by the charismatic Tar-Telperion showed their abilities as well shutting Utumno offences more often than not to the midfield.

But luckily for Utumno, there was Tilion once again. This guy really rocks the arenas! Aided by the ingenious game-eye of Melkor, Tilion had a chance to finish the game at the 70th minute and he was not to miss! Melkor got the fast turn-around ball from one of the Balrogs downstairs and sped forwards like he was trying to break free with his superior speed. Three of the lowest Numenor defenders ran wild after him trying to corner him off as it clearly looked Melkor was dashing for the goal… But what did Melkor do when he reached the ball first? He suddenly stopped and passed the ball into the middle between the defenders, straight into where Tilion was rushing forwards in full speed following the captain. Tar Telperion had been shadowing Tilion and almost managed to nick the ball to herself but Tilion fooled her big time with a dribble that left the audience just voiceless! And so Tilion was released one on one with Tar Atanamir who was then given no chance.

So the crowds got what they wanted as Utumno beat Numenor, but Numenor also showed that if it was to qualify their opponents should not under-estimate them. It was the only team that had given Utumno a tough time.

Numenor 0-1 Utumno
tot shots 10-12
on target 4-5
GOALS:
*70, 0-1 Tilion (Melkor)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Numenor- Tar Meneldur, Tar Cirytan
*Utumno- Tilion, Balrog #2

A lesson on emotion-control

The spectators in the stadium who had watched the first game mostly remained and against the general anticipation the arena filled for the game of the hometeam even if they had been relegated already. Most of them seemed to now hold dear the thought that their age-old enemies of Rivendell should not qualify either – especially as many agreed that Numenor had given a tough fight to Utumno and thus should earn their place in the qualifiers ten times before the nasty Imladris. And clearly many had just thought it would be more fun at the arena than at the strongly policed bars outside anyway. And sure it was a match between their own - even if the team were not that much their own (like eagles and the dwarves) – against the nasty elves.

Now Rivendell would have to win and win big to qualify and therefore the audiences were comfortably interested: that would just not do! There was a reason to flare up for the game, even if they knew Melkor would be a maia of his word and none thought of running a riot to test him. There was actually a special seat for Melkor in the middle of the main stand from where he was watching the match surrounded by his six Balrogs (and the forgotten eastern Balrog who had been nailed to the mountainside on the first day) and Ungoliant. A threat enough for the goblin-crowd to behave especially as they knew Thuringwethil, Tevildo and Tilion were also lurking around to act on any signs of violence.

The game itself was a thriller. The hometeam dominated the first half an hour supported by their fanatic homecrowds but somehow Rivendell defences and lord Elrond frustrated their efforts. On 35th minute Rivendell got quite an innocewnt-looking free-kick from more than forty meters. No one anticipated a straight shot, but Boromir made a rocket and hit the post. The nimble Arwen managed to get the ball before the trolls but didn’t shoot – like Landroval thought flying to cover the shot – but she passed it backwards to Arahael who shot from the bottom of his heart. And Rivendell was leading 1-0! After the goal Rivendell really pushed but the half-time intervened. They were now two goals away from qualifying and they knew that too well.

What actually happened in the beginning of the second half will be a subject of speculation for a long time to come. But what looks clear is that both the trolls and the goblins had decided to test Thorin’s temper. That was no hard task. Five minutes into the second half Thorin was in rage; after biting Tom to his ankle he wrestled the Goblin King down and tried to strangle him. It was a straight red card. No question about that. Tom was given a yellow card from unsportsmanlike conduct on the same occasion as the referee had heard him taunting Thorin with a remark that Thorin would play better if bagged and jellied first.

The tactics played out beautifully for the home team. Down one dwarf Rivendell was now attacking with a lot higher risk, but they had to attack. And so it befell that on 75th. minute Azog ended a fast counter-attack with a nice goal. It was the first goal on the tournament for the hometeam and the celebrations were accordingly wild. And as it actually broke the backbone of the Rivendell team (they’d had to score three goals in fifteen minutes to qualify) it was a magical moment of joy to the homeside fans. What a way to finish the tournamnet!

The hometeam didn’t qualify. It was never even near it. But how satisfying it was that they, with their cunning more than footballing skills, had made sure the Rivendell team didn’t qualify either.

Misty Mts 1-1 Rivendell
tot shots 10-11
on target 5-5
GOALS:
*35, 0-1 Arahael (Arwen)
*75, 1-1 Azog (Narvi)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Misty Mts- Meneldor, Narvi, Gwaihir, Tom, Durin
*Rivendell- Elrohir, Boromir II
RED CARDS:
*Rivendell- Thorin (50, straight red)

Final results, group E.
Utumno 6-0 9pts
Numenor 3-2 4pts.
Rivendell 2-4 2pts.
Misty Mts. 1-6 1pts.

Boromir88

05-03-2010, 09:38 AM

The matches at Gorgoroth Stadium were completely sold out within an hour. The Mordor teams were playing the outlanders and depending upon certain circumstances 1st place was still anyone's for the taking. Although coming into the day the overall belief was Barad Dur and Barrow-Downs would advance to the playoffs since they would have to have meltdowns against their opponents to not qualify.

Match 5: Barad Dur vs. Breeland
In the afternoon match, the Orcs and sinister creatures, who packed the stadium and easily outnumbered the Bree supporters. The orcs were rowdy, loud, and extremely arrogant since Barad Dur had tied Barrow-Downs, and Barrow Downs took care of Bree 3-1. In fact, Breeland has looked lost, and out of place, on the pitch. "This is in the bag, as a win for the Great Eye" rumbled the crowd.

However, as it often is with Bree teams, once you overlook them and think the unathletic bums will be a cake walk they will give you a bunch of fits. It's frustratingly difficult to figure out Bree, because the team complains how they always rely too much on Bombadil. But when Bombadil does show up to play the rest of the team does nothing and expect Bombadil to win it all alone. It was much of the same story today.

In the first period the Bombadil and Barrow-wight duo dominated the playing field. In fact, as we were mere minutes from the half-time whistle the crowd was pleasantly surprised to see the score was tied 1-1. They couldn't remember Barad Dur ever gaining possession let alone scoring a goal, that is how dominating the B & B Bree Boys had been. The orcs actually became a bit hopeful, if Barad-Dur could withstand that onslaught and still leave the first period tied they could easily win with a well-played 2nd period.

However, with mere minutes remaining to break, Bree would grab the lead again, driving a dagger into the hopes of Barad Dur fans. Who other than Bombadil and the B-W striking again to put Bree up by 1-goal right as the half whistle blew. Now the mood in the stadium wasn't about surviving the 1st tied and winning it in the 2nd, but hoping for a draw or at least a 1-goal loss, since Bree would need to win by 2 goals to knock Barad Dur out.

When the teams were heading to the locker room, the reporters flocked to Bombadil as no one had seen him for weeks.
"Tell us how big that last goal was for your team Tom?"
"Hey ho. Merry Dol! Talk to el Capitan-o!"
"That was spectacular footwork. We have never seen anyone handle the ball with such skill and ease before. Will we see more of that in the 2nd?"
"Hey-do. Razzly-Dazzly Tom. Game over Bombadillo! Merry dol."
"Are you guaranteeing a Bree victory!?"
But Bombadil did not answer, he just walked away. The reporters tried to follow, but the Barrow-Wight who had been at Tom's side the entire time gave an icy-cold stare, and the flock of reporters dropped to the ground in terror. That did not prevent the Gorgoroth score-board operators from flashing on the board "Bombadil guarantees it's game over for Barad Dur!" The Barad Dur friendly crowd was worked into a frenzy because of that message, when in all likelyhood Tom just meant that the game was over for him!

It didn't matter to them what Bombadil actually meant by "Game Over," when Bree stepped onto the field at the start of the 2nd the stadium shook with anger. Bottles and scraps of meat were thrown at them. Jeers of "Arrogant pigs!" were shouted and "What is Bree but a place for the ignorant round men to lie in the mud with dogs!" Stadium crew were finding it very difficult to try and keep the field clear of trash and other objects. The situation was getting dangerous and the head ref was threatening to cancel the match which would disqualify Barad Dur. It wasn't necessary as when Sauron walked onto the pitch, the place fell silent.

He walked towards the side line and picked up a bottle which was still half-full of orc-draught. Sauron handed it to an orc in the front row saying: "What a waste of your $5 drink." The horde of Orcs burst out in wicked laughter and Sauron gave the officials enough time to clear off the field, so they could actually begin play. Instead of spending their energy hurting Barad Dur by rioting, they focused on helping their team in traditional orc fashion - mocking and taunting the opponent.

Captain Strider would try to make you believe that his team's performance wasn't effected by the constant taunting of the crowd, but it probably was. At least on offense they were unable to do anything. And it certainly effected the Barad Dur defenses who began playing inspired and fed off the crowd's energy. Roheryn kept Bree's defense together much better than their previous match, but in the end without Bree being able to muster quality attacks, their defense had no hope. They could not hold out indefinitely against a team which had several 2nd age heroes AND Sauron on offense.

When Sauron got the go-ahead goal in the 81st minute the crowd went berserk. They knew right then Barad Dur was going to win. And how fitting it was that Sauron would score the final goal for his team in group play. Barad Dur might have been fortunate to survive the B&B onslaught in the first, but they certainly deserved this win by how they came out and played in the 2nd. One Mordor team was in, now for the other.

Barad-Dur 3-2 Breeland
tot shots 16-15
on target 8-8
GOALS:
*17, 0-1 Bombadil (Barrow-Wight)
*36, 1-1 Gil-Galad (Naz #7)
*44, 1-2 Bombadil (Barrow-Wight)
*69, 2-2 Isildur (Sauron)
*81, 3-2 Sauron (Isildur)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Barad-Dur- Isildur, Elendil, Fellbeast
*Breeland- Lumpkin, Roheryn

Match 6: Barrow-Downs vs. Gorgoroth
Coming after Barad Dur's win, the Gorgoroth crowd was confident (and drunk). They would point out how they tied this team during the friendlies, and Castamir would continue to win as he did for Minas Morgul and Umbar in the previous tournaments. However, the thing about this other BD team, is it just seems like nothing gets under their skin. Even in a hostile land, and wondering where the hazy brown overcast suddenly came from, they were not dismayed. They could draw or afford to lose by 1-goal and still advance, but something tells me 2nd place wouldn't be good enough for the Barrow Downs. They wanted blood tonight.

It didn't take long for Barrow-Downs to jump out to a lead, but it did come from an unlikely player. Usually preferring to play balanced and not the hyper-aggressive style they did as wolves the defenders don't venture too far up field. However, BD had an early corner, and since they were playing for the win, wanted to take advantage. Phantom would take the corner, but he did not launch it into the box, instead he just passed it on to sally, who quickly sent it to Skip who was about 10 meters outside the penalty area. What were they doing? It looked like Skip was trying to find the tall form of Nogrod, but Gorgoroth's defense looked just as confused, as they packed the box. But Skip had a lane to shoot the ball through, and since no one came out to challenge, he had the time to get off a great shot, putting it just beyond the reach of Shelob. The giant spider may have reacted a bit slowly, not picking up the ball well, and not expecting the shot, but it was still a fine piece of striking, squeezing the ball through an open lane and into the back of the net.

The Gorgoroth crowd was stunned, they didn't seem to realize how or what just happened. All they knew is their team was already down 1-0 within the first 15 minutes. Even up 1-0 Barrow-Downs did not stop pressing the attack. They wanted 1st place, which meant they needed a 2-goal victory or they needed to score more goals. Besides their defense had been suffocating Gorgoroth's attack all day so far. Although, this rather new aggressive style from the Barrow-Downs cost them mere minutes before the break.

All day BD was trying to take advantage of Nogrod's height over the smaller orc defenders for Gorgoroth. However, this time Nazgul #1 anticipated the pass and quickly delivered the ball up-field to King Dead. Gorgoroth was on the counter, and it was finished by none other than Castamir, who had his 3rd goal in as many matches. Eomerwarg didn't have a chance, but BD's defense would not be dis-heartened.

They had only allowed Gorgoroth 2 shots on target in the 1st. Their defense was completely suffocating, but in the attempt to actually finish at the top of the group, they were out of formation and out-manned. Or to put it in yeomen terms for the readers who don't closely follow football, they got caught with their pants down. It wouldn't happen again.

In the 2nd Barrow-Downs began taking it to Gorgoroth, but also Skip kept his defense back to make sure Gorgoroth couldn't start another counter, which they were so proficient at creating. Also, the true ingenuinty of the 'Downers was clearly seen in the 2nd period. It was as if the entire 1st half was to make Nogrod a diversion. The orc-loaded defense of Gorgoroth, were primed to believe BD would continue trying to take advantage of Nogrod's height. So, they focused on stopping him, but completely forgot that wilwa was just as dangerous, because of her elegant and graceful footwork with the ball.

Before Gorgoroth could make the adjustment wilwa banged a shot off the post, and Nogrod was able to clean up the rebound putting Barrow-Downs back on top by a goal. Then in the 70th minute, she's involved again, only this time wilwa broke past 2 defenders. Phantom delivered a sharp pass, and it was perfectly placed for her. Wilwa didn't have to make any uncomfortable adjustment to try to get off an awkward shot, she just had to re-direct the ball's path, knocking it past Shelob. And again 5 minutes later, wilwa nearly got a 2nd goal, but Shelob made a good save and gobbled the shot up.

They were so prepared in the 2nd to stop Nogrod, before Gorgoroth knew it, wilwa beat them with a pass and a goal, and they the home crowd was now down 3-1, and could have easily been 4-1.

With the 2-goal lead, and with around 15 minutes of game left, the Barrow-Downs focused on protecting their lead, as it would mean they clinch 1st in Group B. Yet again another display of wise strategy, because as seen in the 1st, Gorgoroth's are experts at counter-attacks. However they couldn't just turn on the burners like Dol Guldur or Gondolin could. They needed to build pressure and tire out the opposing defense, before being able to take advantage. With how well-rested, and prepared BD's defense was from having an easy 2nd period (courtesy of wilwa and company), they easily rose to the challenge; getting a solid 3-1 victory as well as 1st place.

Fortunately one team from Mordor advanced, or I doubt even Sauron would have the control to calm the whole anger of Mordor, like he did in the afternoon match. The 'Downers were confident, because group winners hold big rewards. They could now return to Tyrn Gorthad Stadium and play in front of a friendly, passionate home crowd for their first playoff match. Also, this means they get the 2nd place finisher of Group G, which is yet to be determined, but most experts say it will be Gondor and not the feared juggernauts of Gondolin.

Barrow-Downs 3-1 Gorgoroth
tot shots 12-8
on target 6-4
GOALS:
*13, 1-0 Skip (Sally)
*42, 1-1 Castamir (Angamaite)
*55, 2-1 Nogrod (Wilwa)
*70, 3-1 Wilwa (Phantom)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Barrow-Downs- Nerwen, Sally
*Gorgoroth- Gollum, Gorbag, Earnur, Grishnakh

Group B Standings
Barrow-Downs 2-1-0, 7, (+4) Q
Barad Dur 2-1-0, 7, (+3) Q
Breeland 0-1-2, 1, (-3)
Gorgoroth 0-1-2, 1, (-4)

the phantom

05-03-2010, 12:55 PM

Tensions between the Thangorodrim players and the players and fans of the other teams were high headed into the final pair of games. With none of their fans being allowed to attend, and alleged incidents of their fans actually being slain, Thangorodrim definitely had the “us against the world” attitude going, and the paranoia to go along with it.

“It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Lorien threw their match against Bywater, losing purposefully by as large a margin as possible so as to force us out,” said Durin’s Bane before Thangorodrim’s final practice before the big match against the host, Valimar. His teammates agreed wholeheartedly, and expressed their belief that the only way into the playoffs was to defeat Valimar and take the top spot, or at the worst tie Valimar.

“We have to take this into our own hands!” roared Ancalagon. “If our fate is left to others, we will surely be cheated! With Lorien already eliminated, surely they will conspire against us and roll over for Bywater.”

As the opening game kicked off, the Thangorodrim players watched as they were seemingly proved right. In only the 11th minute Galadriel let one past and it was 1-0 Bywater. To be fair it was a tough shot from an extremely close position, so if anyone from the Lorien side was to blame, it would be the defenders for being disorganized and not accounting properly for Bandobras.

For a time Lorien showed some life on offense and made a go of attacking, but Bywater disrupted time and time again and soon had it down on the other end. At minute 28 Lorien tried to get a quick counter going, but Fatty got a foot on the outlet pass, sending it over to Maggot, who immediately sent a ball high at the far corner over a napping Galadriel who had not recovered in time from the possession change, and it was 2-0.

The hobbits and Nazgul-supporting orcs in the crowd began singing. This was the start they were looking for! If Bywater could just keep it up, surely they would advance, as Thangorodrim would find it tough to defeat the mighty home team! But Bywater did not keep it up, as for the rest of the half they looked rather spent and pulled back and defended, conserving energy for the second half push.

And the push came indeed. The opening 20 minutes of the second half was frantic, as Bywater gave it their all to push the goal margin, but Lorien betrayed no sign of giving up and pushed back wave after wave of attackers. Finally the Bywater attack started losing steam and the game moved to the midfield, and eventually to Bywater’s half. Lorien saw their best chances yet in the final 15, but Cotton turned them away and the match ended at 2-0. A couple of the Thangorodrim players interviewed before leaving to prepare for their match thought that perhaps they had misjudged the depths of the conspiracy, but the dragons remained adamant. “That was a nice little charade we just witnessed,” commented Scatha. “They played just enough to avoid looking suspicious. But no matter- we’re about to take care of business.”

Bywater 2-0 Lorien
tot shots 10-7
on target 5-3
GOALS:
*11, 1-0 Bandobras (Maggot)
*28, 2-0 Maggot (Fatty)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Bywater- Saruman, Ferny
*Lorien- Celeborn, Rumil, Orophin

The final match between Thangorodrim and Valimar was one of the most highly anticipated group play matches in recent history. It was receiving quite a lot of discussion even around other hosting sites. Heroes versus villains, beauty versus horror, defense and execution versus attack and fury!

There was no question that Thangorodrim would be bringing their top game, as they were tied in points with Bywater and their playoff berth was not secured. But everyone wondered how Valimar would play. They were already guaranteed to advance, so would they truly go all out at this stage? Why not hold energy and strategy back for the playoffs?

On the other hand, perhaps they wished to stick it to their old foes and eliminate Thangorodrim? And maybe it was worth the extra effort to secure the top seed and thus avoid going on the road to play an extremely impressive Mithrim squad? But gaining the top spot would also put them on the same half of the bracket as Utumno, Gondolin, and Tirion. Was that a factor? Soon enough though, all the questions were answered.

When they made their entrance, Thangorodrim was met with booing the likes of which had never been heard before in the blessed realm. It actually seemed to cause an earthquake. Even the dragons looked somewhat intimidated, as they skipped their usual taunting of the crowd, perhaps fearing that the 100,000 plus spectators would rush them, and even dragons can’t overcome numbers like that, particularly with such a great number of Ainu included in the crowd.

But the booing disappeared instantly when Manwe marched out at the head of his team. The crowd screamed and rang their handheld bells in union with the giant stadium bells as the home team encouraged the clamor with great vigor. Eonwe pumped his fists, Tulkas leaped up and down, Alatar and Pallando removed their jerseys and waved them, and Arien climbed the goalposts and burst into glorious flames! Even Manwe and Varda motioned to the crowd to increase the volume! This was not the typical Vala-led team of years past.

The game kicked off and it was clear that the energy and enthusiasm from Valimar had not been a mere show. They took it to Thangorodrim with speed and energy that stunned the evil men and monsters, and before ten minutes was up Valimar scored on a ringing header by Arien off of a Varda corner. But rather than frighten them, the early deficit seemed to wake Thangorodrim up, perhaps reminding them of the odds stacked against them and arousing their wrath.

The baddies stormed back with all their might and it was the host’s turn to be put on the heels. Valimar had certainly not seen anything like this attack before. Manwe and the defenders battled desperately, and Namo twice made spectacular saves when the defense failed, but Thangorodrim was not to be denied forever. At minute 20 the two dragons up front created a lot of contact and put several defenders on the ground and managed a free shot at the goal which there was no hope of saving. Scatha lifted up his head and sent a plume of flame into the air to celebrate his score, while the spectators booed more loudly than ever, thinking that at least one of the dragons should have been carded.

But Thangorodrim, perhaps realizing they had pushed their luck with the violent play, settled down into a more cunning game, and for the rest of the half they had the mastery, playing intelligently on defense and executing on offense, culminating in a strike by the other dragon forward, Ancalagon, off of a nice assist by Durin’s Bane. Thangorodrim made their way to halftime with their heads high while Valimar looked a bit shocked and tired. The crowd was completely out of it.

When the teams trotted out for the second half, Thangorodrim looked the same, but Valimar now looked grim and determined. Word was that Gandalf and Saruman from the Bywater team (who had tied Thangorodrim in the opening round) had been in the locker room and had spoken passionately, encouraging Valimar to not only win for themselves, but win for Bywater so that they could get into the playoffs.

Whatever the truth of it was, Valimar looked to be a different team from the very start. There was no panic in their steps, nor did they try to force the action. They now kicked with purpose and confidence, and Thangorodrim was unable to counter this new level of execution and concentration. Only 8 minutes into the new half the herald Eonwe announced Valimar’s return with the equalizer off a nice feed from Arien, and the crowd was back in it.

Again and again Thangorodrim tried to mount a charge, but now Valimar was meeting them head on and attacking in turn, and the baddies reverted to their earlier more violent methods. In minute 62 the decision was proved to be bad indeed as Ulwarth was caught tossing in punches to the back while bodying up on defense against Tulkas. He and nearby Durin’s Bane complained loudly that Tulkas had been throwing elbows back at Ulwarth and that he was only retaliating, but this had not been seen by the ref.

The crowd sang and rang their bells, seeing this send-off as a possible death-blow to Thangorodrim. Unlike the last time they had been presented with a challenge, Thangorodrim did not rise to the challenge, but rather looked panicky. Valimar built up the attack against them little by little. Tulkas and Eonwe were looking quite mighty, and Varda was completely in control of things and looking sharp, but the best in this match was Arien, who seemed out to prove that she was the true flame on this field, not the Balrog nor the dragons. And in minute 74 Arien was proved the best as she let loose a booming kick that actually caught fire and burned a hole right through the net!

Carcharoth howled his protest to the refs, saying that he couldn’t attempt to save it due to the fire, and that such things were clearly outlawed, but the refs took one look at Arien (she was perched on the posts yet again, shining brightly and sending spouts of flame into the sky) and didn’t dare rule against her revealed in all her fearful splendour.

Livid about the ruling, Glaurung made it his job to shut Arien down at that point, but when he got over and tried to defend she charged straight into his tail and went flipping into the air as if she’d been launched by a trebuchet. The refs immediately showed Glaurung a red card, and the bells of Valimar rang more loudly than ever, and the crowds broke out in singing. Scatha nearly got sent off too as he heatedly took issue with Arien’s trickery. But it was pointless to protest. With the whole stadium and the refs on the side of Valimar, plus missing Glaurung and Ulwarth- the match was over.

To the delight of the fans Valimar was not content to hold their one goal lead, but continued attacking, and in minute 84 Arien got on the scoring sheet yet again as she sent a perfect ball to Tulkas who beat the undermanned defense for a 4-2 lead. Amid the roar that arose from the stadium in that moment, the hollering of the hobbit section could be picked out, as Bywater now had a better goal differential than Thangorodrim to clinch the second playoff spot! Thangorodrim tried to reclaim the lost goal in the final seconds, but Valimar was far too solid and the game ended at 4-2 in favor of the hosts. Thangorodrim was eliminated!

Thangorodrim 2-4 Valimar
tot shots 14-15
on target 7-8
GOALS:
*7, 0-1 Arien (Varda)
*20, 1-1 Scatha (Ancalagon)
*39, 2-1 Ancalagon (Durin’s Bane)
*53, 2-2 Eonwe (Arien)
*74, 2-3 Arien (Eonwe)
*84, 2-4 Tulkas (Arien)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Thangorodrim- Scatha, Ulwarth, Gorlim, Ulfang
*Valimar- Pallando, Tulkas, Yavanna, Vana
RED CARDS:
*Thangorodrim- Ulwarth (62, second yellow) Glaurung (78, straight red)

GROUP F FINAL STANDINGS
Valimar (9 pts, +5, 7-2)
Bywater (4 pts, +1, 4-3)
Thangorodrim (4 pts, +0, 7-7)
Lorien (0 pts, -6, 1-7)

skip spence

05-04-2010, 02:25 PM

While the other group H match between Dol Guldur and the Havens was highly anticipated, the encounter between goal-hungry Tirion out of Aman and Minas Anor attracted less hype. After all, Tirion was already qualified for the second round, and Minas Anor had been eliminated. Many people, orcs, spiders and elves showed up nonetheless, and they were treated to a fine game of football.

Minas Anor was made up of proud Men who’d fight until the bitter to contain their illustrious opponents, but still it was plain to see that they lacked the motivation required to give Tirion a real challenge. The Aman side’s quick passing, flawless technique and flowing movement made the Gondorians chase shadows for the most part of the first half and the two goals Tirion did score was less than what the team deserved.

In the second half the Elves relaxed and became rather nonchalant, which could have cost them dearly against a better team. Minas Anor did pull one goal back as Feanor messed up an extravagant but completely needless spinning move just outside his own penalty area and gave Boromir a gift, but the Fiery one responded with a goal of his own later on, a nice solo effort which surely will feature in the Palantiri highlights of the Arda Cup. Tirion had made it into the second round with ease.

Minas Anor 1-3 Tirion
tot shots 8-17
on target 4-8
GOALS:
*5, 0-1 Finwe (Feanor)
*24, 0-2 Nerdanel (Miriel)
*51, 1-2 Boromir I (Naz #4)
*72, 1-3 Feanor (Nerdanel)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Minas Anor- Siriondil, Dervorin
*Tirion- Amrod, Amras

After the host team’s dramatic comeback win in the previous round the scene was set for a showdown against their age-old rivals from the Western Havens. Football fever had a firm grip on every resident of the Mirkwood stronghold, from the deepest dungeon under the hill to the loftiest tower overlooking the wide lands of Middle Earth. As kick-off approached, all and sundry showed up to support their team, sundry referring to the ticket-less spiders who had climbed the façade of the stadium and hung down from a piece of sting and to the countless vampire-bats fluttering high above this field of dreams. Each of them was donning the home team’s black and green colours and making a noise that made and earthquake seem timid.

Into this melting pot came the Havens but they looked undeterred and confident, joking and goofing around as if it were a training session. The Dol Guldur players, led by the imposing Witch-King, did not laugh. They knew that they could not afford to fall behind again and were determined not to let that happen this time around.

Yet so it did. Early on and completely out of the blue Havens took the lead, when the Numenorian seafarer Tar-Minastir struck a volley from way out that Oropher in the Dol Guldur goal could only watch as it looped over him and dipped under the crossbar.

Not much later it got even worse for the home team. Cirdan made space for himself on the left, tunneled each one of Attercop’s eight legs and whipped a cross into the box where Eärendil met the ball with an audacious flying header. Oropher did not even move as the ball whistled past him and into the top corner. The whole stadium fell silent, apart from the spirited but respectfully demure clapping of a small section of travelling Havens fan out of Lindon.

“Not again…” was written across the face of all the home supporters. Their beloved team had come back from the dead in the second round. But surely lightning cannot strike twice?

At this point some of the Dol Guldur players started to hang their heads low, but as soon as the Witch-King spotted weakness he gave the player in question an icy stare that came with a promise of something much worse after the game. Thus, Dol Guldur soldiered on, scrapping for every ball and finally getting the crowd behind them again.

However, goals weren’t forthcoming. All the attacking, apart from the occasional counter-attack, was now done by Dol Guldur. But the Havens was a weathered side of professionals who wasn’t going to make it easy for the Mirkwooders, and each time Dol Guldur came forward they were thwarted. As three quarters of the game had passed the crowd had all but resigned.

But just like in the previous game Dol Guldur were given a life-line when all seemed lost. Khamul advanced with the ball and the Havens defenders backed off, rather giving the Nazgul a chance to shoot from distance than passing the ball to a fellow. And what a mistake that was! Khamul drilled a rocket past Olwe from well over 35 yards out that got the crowd right back on its feet.

Once again the atmosphere was feverish as the home team now pushed furiously for more goals. And unbelievably an leveller came only a few minutes later, scored from close range by the Witch-King, who had lost his marker Eriol completely.

Dol Guldur had come back once against the odds once again, but a draw would not be enough for them to advance, and Havens knew this also. Now all ten outfielders was in the lap of Oropher, and the seafarers took every chance to waste Dol Guldur’s precious time.

Unfortunately for the Havens Eriol seemed to be suffering from the black breath at this point and could no longer follow the Witch-King as closely as he had done earlier on. And for this failure his team payed the ultimate price. An Attercop cross towards the far post was met unopposed by the chief Nazgul and he headed the ball across goal where Grimbeorn nodded home to complete another unbelievable comeback from Dol Guldur.

The Havens was shell-chocked as the Dol Guldur players celebrated the goal with the ecstatic fans. The stadium was a boiling sea of black and green, and wood-elves, Orcs and Spiders embraced each other as if they were long lost friends.

Now it was suddenly Havens who had to come forward and although they found it hard to change their game-plan at this point Cirdan got a glorious opportunity to put rain on the parade as he was allowed a free header deep into injury time. The crowd gasped for breath as the ball hit the crossbar and bounced down just outside the goal line. That was to be Havens last chance. The referee blew the full time whistle and Dol Guldur was through to the second round.

As the supporters filed out of the stadium they were in dreamland but neutrals agreed that each one of them looked at least five years older from the pain he or she had suffered before finally being delivered. Some of them actually left the stadium with a new hair colour: grey.

Dol Guldur 3-2 Havens
tot shots 12-9
on target 8-5
GOALS:
*7, 0-1 Tar Minastir (Earendil)
*20, 0-2 Earendil (Cirdan)
*70, 1-2 Khamul (Witch King)
*75, 2-2 Witch King (Bolg)
*86, 3-2 Grimbeorn (Witch King)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Dol Guldur- Galion, Beorn, Bolg
*Havens- Uinen, Eriol

Final Standings GROUP H:
Tirion 3-0-0 11-5 9pts Q
Dol Guldur 2-0-1 8-8 6pts Q
Havens 1-0-2 7-8 3 pts
Minas Anor 0-0-3 4-9 0pts

Boromir88

05-05-2010, 11:45 AM

Despite the qualifiers in this group already being known before the start of the matches, and the host's having been eliminated we are still expecting relatively big crowds for games where there wasn't much at stake. And both matches the crowds were simply desiring to continue seeing good games-manship and good football.

Match 5: Gondolin vs. Gondor
If this was a sign of how the 2nd match would draw than it was a good sign indeed as Menegroth was at near capacity. Tens of thousands of Gondolin fans made the trip to Doriath and were impressed by Gondolin's 2 shut out wins over Doriath and Wold. They were certainly more pleased with their team this year, than the debacle of last year. And while many would admit that Gondor would probably be toughest obstacle, they were expecting a solid victory from their team.

Only around 5,000 from Gondor had come to Doriath, simply because Gondor is such a vast, diverse land, and they have the biggest representation in the tournament (Ithilien, Pelennor, Minas Anor. As well as individual players like Boromir II who some Gondorians wanted to support for Rivendell). Long story short, the Gondor fans were spread to the ends of the Ea for the Arda Cup this year and Doriath was quite a distance. However, despite this, Wold fans came to the first match to support their fellow brothers. Also, the locals who normally were more neutral, vastly supported Gondor now, being fond of the "underdog" story and also hopefully just to stick it to Eol.

So, in truth, fan support was predicted to be heavily in favor for Gondolin, but at the start of the game it was virtually 50/50. In the minds of many in Doriath, Gondor had played well and earned their support. And if they could upset Gondolin the Great that would almost make up for Doriath's elimination.

The match seemed to be played more like one you would see from the Group A teams, which was kind of unexpected, but it was by no means boring. Gondolin fans were getting upset with their team through the first 30 minutes, as it seemed like they were trying to play a defensive-minded game today. Since, all they had to do was not lose and they'd remain in 1st place.

Gondor on the other hand had nothing to lose. It was simple for them, win and they take 1st, lose and they remain at 2nd. Since it was simpler, they were pushing the attack more than usual, and as much as Gondolin fans were grumbling about putting Gondor out of the match early before you give them opportunities to beat you, the fact is Gondor was forcing Gondolin to play good defense.

Good defense is something that isn't foreign to Gondolin, because that is exactly what they played. The great eagle and horses were on top form tonight, rarely letting anything passed them, and the playoff experienced goalie in Huor continued to be a wise signing for Gondolin. Their strategy also became clear during the later half of the 1st period. Win the battle of attrition by having the defense wear down Gondor's attackers and then allow the skill of their FWs to take over. For as worthy as Gondor's defenders were, I think everyone would agree Gondolin's skill at FW is going to be too difficult of a challenge for most defenses. However, Gondor was not an easy one to break, particularly Romendacil who seems to be a man on a mission to not let anything passed him after giving up that goal to Wold.

However, in the 41st minute he did not get help from Ondoher who made a regrettable mistake. Gondor's defense was finally starting to show signs of tiring. Eol chipped the ball beautifully over the defense and Fingolfin broke towards the goal. Ondoher was beat, and did what most anyone does after getting beat, react late and commit a foul. It wasn't a dirty foul and everyone was surprised to see the ref pull out a yellow, as Ondoher helped Fingolfin up and shook hands to assure there was no malicious intent. It was a foul nonetheless and having occurred inside the penalty box, Fingolfin was going to get a free penalty kick.

Romendacil did not look intimidated but he definitely looked puzzled, trying to figure out how Fingolfin was going to utilize this opportunity. Would he go for the risky blast to one of the corners or something safer? A free kick at this close of a range, not only must the goalie react quickly but guess correctly. Romendacil reacted fine, and while Fingolfin struck the ball well it wasn't at all placed beyond the GK's reach. Had Romendacil dove right he probably would have saved it, but he guessed wrong and dove left. It was 1-0 Gondolin.

Both teams went to break rather pleased with the effort so far. Gondolin had the lead, and Gondor wasn't being embarrassed by any means. There was still an entire 2nd to play, they just needed to find a way to beat Gondolin's roc[sic]-solid defense. Easier said then done, but perhaps resting and regrouping would provide the answers.

With the lead now, Gondolin seemed even less interested in pressing the attack than at the start of the game. Or maybe they were just trying to stick to what worked in the 1st. Play shut out defense, wear out Gondor's attackers, and then put the game in the hands of Maeglin and their FWs. This time though, Huor and the defense could not keep Gondor off the board. As proven time and again if you allow Gondor to keep pressing, they will find a way passed your defenses. In the 75th Eldacar did just that getting his 2nd goal of the tournament and assisted by the Good Steward.

Half the stadium gave a standing ovation for the goal. They couldn't believe Gondor just pulled even with the favorites and there was still over 20 minutes of play remaining! The other half, looked a combination of worried and frustrated. Worried because Gondor seemed to have the stronger will to win and frustrated that Gondolin did not. The fans might be expecting too much from their team though, because it's not like Gondolin was playing lazy and trying to lose. They wanted to win the group and bring at least one playoff game home to their fans. Gondor was truly and all around competitive opponent.

Also, their strategy to win the battle of attrition was working, Gondor had to work themselves to exhaustion just to get that equalizer, trying to get a 2nd against this defense was too difficult of a challenge. For the last 15 minutes, yet again, Gondolin's skill players took over and pressed into Gondor's half the field trying to take the lead again. Only this time, they couldn't get a 2nd against Romendacil who just continued to be stellar at saving goals. You could see too he was even frustrating Gondolin towards the end, as their shots became more wild and desperate. In fact, had it not been for Fingolfin's penalty kick, Gondor very well might have pulled off the upset in this one.

But as it stands, the draw means Gondolin gets to go home to play Barad Dur and Gondor would be heading to Tyrn Gorthad to face those dynamite 'Downers.

Gondolin 1-1 Gondor
tot shots 13-11
on target 6-5
GOALS:
*41, 1-0 Fingolfin
*75, 1-1 Eldacar (Mardil)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Gondolin- Thorondor
*Gondor- Beruthiel, Ondoher

Match 6: Doriath vs. Wold
Pretty much everyone from the first match stayed in Menegroth to watch Doriath and Wold play. The Gondor fans departed with much thanks to Doriath's hospitality and support, but since they trekked out to Doriath only to now have to head almost the entire way back to follow their team to the Barrow-Downs they decided to leave. Wold fans travelled just as far as Gondor, and since there was still a game to be played, they figured to make the best out of a long trip. And even though this game was meaningless, Melian still had a lot of sway over her realm. She guaranteed the Doriath fans they were going to see a spectacular performance and they would not be disappointed by the match tonight. She also allowed the Gondolin fans from the first match to stay at half-price. But some who didn't want to do that reported that Melian then made threats about her girdle still being up until the games were completely finished and forbade them from leaving.

Melian guaranteed and delivered, as the game could simply be called "The Melian show." Doriath could not get much accomplished offensively the entire game. It was actually Wold who went into the all out attack mode, outshooting Doriath by quite a bit. The Gondolin crowd which was forced to say grumbled about how Melian staged it this way just so she could show off and put on a performance for her admirers. With each save the Doriath fans went nuts, but her critics would roll their eyes because she was obviously reacting late on purpose to try and make the saves look more spectacular than what they really were. Whatever the case, you have to congradulate Melian on being able to fire up her fanbase in a game that meant nothing. (And when they had plenty of reason to be upset with the team's bad performance in the tournament!)

After getting up 2-0 early in the 2nd, none of the past performances seemed to matter to the Doriath crowd. This was great, just being ahead and on the winning side for once! Hama seemed to still be troubled by the loss to Gondor, because his defense played strong for him, but he was now really struggling. He had to stop a mere 4 shots on target, but only managed to come up with 2 of them.

When he gave up the 2nd, Quickbeam tried to lift his team up with a consolation goal, because his blast was a screaming liner. I think Quickbeam put all of built up rage from the 3 games into that one shot, because judging by the defeaning boom of the ball ripping through the air and tearing straight through the net, I think it broke the sound barrier. If you blinked, you missed it and Melian didn't even have time to stick up a hand. Not that Melian wanted to get in the way of that one anyway.

Doriath 2-1 Wold
tot shots 9-13
on target 4-7
GOALS:
*26, 1-0 Haldir (Nellas)
*52, 2-0 Haleth (Thingol)
*61, 2-1 Quickbeam (Eomund)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Doriath- Saeros, Haldir, Elurin
*Wold- Elfwine, Grima, Quickbeam

Group B Standings
Gondolin 2-1-0, 7 pts, (+5) Q
Gondor 2-1-0, 7 pts, (+2) Q
Doriath 1-0-2, 3 pts, (-2)
Wold 0-0-3, 0 pts, (-5)

Nogrod

05-05-2010, 03:41 PM

So here we go with the AKM stars from round three of the group-phase.

Three stars

Arien of Valimar
Arien’s stunning performance against Thangorodrim outshines the performances seen thus far in the tournament. Thangorodrim put Valimar into a tight spot and Arien can be said to be more than a key to Valimar beating Thangorodrim out of the tournament being involved in all of Valimar’s goals.

Two stars

The Witch King of Dol Guldur
He was the soul of his team bringing them back from 0-2 to Havens and qualifying. He really showed his leadership qualities this round.

Cotton of Bywater
She had to pick only three shots in the match against Lorien, but catching them all made it possible for Bywater to qualify. So even if she hadn’t have to face that many shots her saves were probably making the most difference on this round.

One star

Tom Bombadill of Bree
He showed once again that when he is interested in playing he’s stil one of the best players there are. His two goals were a sovereign performance. Sadly he can’t be made interested against his will to do more for his team.

Túrin of Mithrim
Túrin is getting into shape. His two goals sank Nargothrond and his self-confidence is clearly gearing up.

Melian of Doriath
The best goalie of the round with a very good 85,7%. Sadly her efforts were in vain in regards to qualifying. But she showed what the concept honour is about.

The AKM stars after the group phase:

Three stars
Arien of Valimar
Elrond of Rivendell
Tilion of Utumno

Two stars
Cotton of Bywater
Eorl of Rohan
Finwë of Tirion
Miriel of Tirion
The Witch King of Dol Guldur

One star
Ancalagon the Black of Thangoodrim
Arvedui of Norbury
Curufin of Mithrim
Celegorm of Mithrim
Melian of Doriath
Romendacil of Gondor
Tar Minastir of Havens
Tom Bombadill of Bree
Túrin of Mithrim

Some special stars to come in the next edition of the AKM stars. Stay online!

the phantom

05-05-2010, 04:11 PM

PHANTASY POINTS
22

MF *Nerdanel (Tirion)

19

FW Tar Minastir (Havens)

18

MF Arien (Valimar)
FW **Turin (Mithrim)
FW *Witch King (Dol Guldur)
FW *Miriel (Tirion)
FW Finwe (Tirion)
FW Tilion (Utumno)

16

GK *Ungoliant (Utumno)

15

DF *Celegorm (Mithrim)
FW Nogrod (Barrow-Downs)
FW Ancalagon (Thangorodrim)
FW Eonwe (Valimar)

14

GK **Elrond (Rivendell)
GK Nienna (Aman)
GK Cotton (Bywater)
GK Maglor (Eithel Sirion)
GK Huor (Gondolin)
GK Romendacil (Gondor)
MF **Durin’s Bane (Thangorodrim)
MF *Hador (Eithel Sirion)
FW **Sauron (Barad-Dur)
FW **Feanor (Tirion)
FW *Maedhros (Eithel Sirion)
FW *Earendil (Havens)
FW Wilwa (Barrow-Downs)

13

DF **Curufin (Mithrim)
FW *Scatha (Thangorodrim)
FW Fingon (Eithel Sirion)

12

GK **Huan (Mithrim)
GK *Melian (Doriath)
GK *Tar Atanamir (Numenor)
GK *Namo (Valimar)
GK Dior (Gelion)
GK Arvedui (Norbury)
GK Rog (Vinyamar)
DF **Balrog #4 (Utumno)
DF *Thorondor (Gondolin)
DF Aegnor (Eithel Sirion)
MF **Melkor (Utumno)
FW *Bombadil (Breeland)

11

DF **Tar Telperien (Numenor)
DF **Manwe (Valimar)
DF Balrog #1 (Utumno)
DF Balrog #3 (Utumno)
MF Nazgul #7 (Barad-Dur)
MF Phantom (Barrow-Downs)
FW Ar Pharazon (Aman)
FW Eldacar (Gondor)
FW Castamir (Gorgoroth)
FW Boromir I (Minas Anor)

10

GK Mouth (Barad-Dur)
GK Eomerwarg (Barrow-Downs)
GK Halmir (Beleriand)
GK Brand (Dale)
GK Oropher (Dol Guldur)
GK Olwe (Havens)
GK Mumakil (Ithilien)
GK Aule (Tirion)
DF **Ulmo (Vinyamar)
DF Skip (Barrow-Downs)
DF Asfaloth (Gondolin)
DF Balrog #2 (Utumno)
DF Galdor (Vinyamar)
DF Salmar (Vinyamar)
MF *Orome (Aman)
MF Glorfindel (Gondolin)
MF Tulkas (Valimar)
MF Idril (Vinyamar)
FW Isildur (Barad-Dur)
FW Bolg (Barad-Dur)
FW Hurin (Mithrim)
FW Beleg (Mithrim)

GOALS
4

FW **Turin (Mithrim)
FW Tilion (Utumno)
FW Tar Minastir (Havens)

3

FW *Bombadil (Breeland)
FW *Maedhros (Eithel Sirion)
FW *Scatha (Thangorodrim)
FW *Witch King (Dol Guldur)
FW *Miriel (Tirion)
FW Nogrod (Barrow-Downs)
FW Eonwe (Valimar)
FW Ancalagon (Thangorodrim)
FW Finwe (Tirion)

ASSISTS
4

MF *Nerdanel (Tirion)

3

MF **Melkor (Utumno)
MF **Durin’s Bane (Thangorodrim)
FW Fingon (Eithel Sirion)

Nogrod

05-06-2010, 03:35 PM

Reading instruction into the stats: After the team's name there are:
* the goal difference (scored - allowed)
* points gathered from the group phase
* total shots made (on target) - total shots allowed (on target)
* the goalie's saving percentage

A1 Vinyamar – H2 Dol Guldur
Vinyamar 5-1 7 33(16) – 19(8) 87,5%
Dol Guldur 8-8 6 43(25) – 45(24) 66,7%

Dol Guldur, one of the most attacking and most efficient teams of the tournament is facing Vinyamar which has the best defence with Rôg, one of the best goalies so far. So a thriller? It is clear Vinyamar hasn’t yet faced a team of Dol Guldur’s caliber and thus the stats might be a bit misleading. But sure it will not be a walk in the park to Dol Guldur either. The longer the Ulmo led defences can hold against the tidalwave (sic!) of the Witch King, Bolg and Khamûl the better chances they will have. Even if Dol Guldur defences have been quite vulnerable when looked at the statistics (actually one of the worst) one needs to remember they have been playing against teams like Tirion and Havens (compared to Ithilien and Beleriand faced by Vinyamar). So especially Penlod and Tuor need to step up their game if they wish to score. A big question also is whether Oropher can rise to the occasion. Thus far he has been a bit insecure and has the worst saving percentage of the qualified teams.

The AKM odds: Vinyamar 40% - Dol Guldur 60%

B1 BarrowDowns – G2 Gondor
B-Downs 8-4 7 41(21) – 25(14) 71,4%
Gondor 4-2 7 33(15) – 36(15) 86,7%

The Barrow-Downs really knows how to score and Romendacil of Gondor how to deny the efforts of the opposing team. So on the first look it seems like a game of BD forwards (and attacking midfield) against Romendacil. And a lot will depend on the outcome of that fight. Thus far Romendacil has let in one shot from 7-8 shots against him (Gondor has allowed five shots on target per game thus far), but the BD has needed less than three shots on target to score (and they’ve produced seven shots on goal per game on average). A factor against Gondor might be that they have gained their defensive stats against teams like Wold and Doriath, but to be fair one needs to add that BD’s former opposition of Breeland and Gorgoroth aren’t exactly the prime defending teams either. So there clearly is some air in both stats. Gondor’s draw with Gondolin (even if the outcome of the match was insignificant to both teams) is something on behalf of Gondor defences though. Eomerwarg’s mood is also a factor: when he plays it cool he can take practically every shot but when he has a bad day even easy shots may go in. On the other side Eldacar and Mardil need to find a new gear if Gondor wishes to win for one doesn’t win BD with one goal and it’s hard to see the BD to settle with anything less than two…

The AKM odds: BarrowDowns 70% - Gondor 30%

C1 Mithrim – F2 Bywater
Mithrim 8-1 9 45(25) – 21(8) 87,5%
Bywater 4-3 4 25(13) – 32(15) 80%

Unless Gandalf and Saruman start to use magic – and are allowed to do that – there should be no question about the winner of this match. The cynics say Bywater got this far only with the help of team Valimar who decided to win them only 1-0 and who then outscored Thangorodrim just enough to kick them out of the tournament and thus made Bywater to qualify. But in a game against Mithrim the Valar have no say – and Mithrim clearly is one of the safest bets to reach the finals (playing in this easier side as they are). Bywater is not a bad team and Cotton has stepped up her level as the tournament has gotten further. But looking at the power in the front of Mithrim’s attack with Húrin, Beleg and Túrin, or the defence organised by brothers Curufin and Celegorm, or the goal tended by Huan… it’s hard to see Bywater shaking the odds. And as said earlier, it’s also hard to see team Mithrim falling victim to vanity or pride, especially in a play-off situation.

The AKM odds: Mithrim 95% - Bywater 5%

D1 Eithel Sirion – E2 Numenor
Eithel Sirion 7-1 9 42(22) – 22(10) 90%
Numenor 3-2 4 39(19) – 26(11) 81,8%

This is one of the hardest matches to predict. Eithel Sirion was impressive in the friendlies (they beat Mithrim and Barad Dûr!) and they simply packed their group. But what is the worth of those friendlies now as the teams play it for real? How much does it tell of a team that they can beat teams like Dale, Rohan and Gelion? On the other hand it is clear Numenor has a scoring problem and enough has been talked about it. But they have been getting into shape during the tournament and their last game against the tough Utumno team coud be said to have given one a glimpse of what the team is cabable of, not to say that experience says one should never underestimate a Numenorian team as they seem to rise their level the higher the stakes are. Balancing the stats somewhat actually makes the quite even stats to look almost better for Numenor, except for the scoring-issue. But the great friendlies for Eithel Sirion also do count even if one can’t take them just like they are.

The AKM odds: Eithel Sirion 60% - Numenor 40%

E1 Utumno – D2 Gelion
Utumno 6-0 9 45(21) – 27(10) 100%
Gelion 3-3 4 24(11) – 30(13) 76,9%

Utumno boasts one of the most aggressive offence of the tournament and possibly the best goalie so far, not to mention that their defences have been one of the best overall to keep the shots out of the mark. And on top of mighty Melkor they have the sensational Tilion up front. Gelion in it’s part has won Rohan 1-0 and drawn with Dale 1-1. Gelion’s most remarkable feat has thus far being losing only 1-2 to Eithel Sirion, but that in the end reveals the whole problem with Gelion: they don’t score. Beren has scored twice but he carries the burden too much alone. Not that Utumno would have the most spread out scorer-line either, but as long as Tilion keeps up scoring more than one goal per game there should be no problem – and many commentators feel it’s just a question of time when Melkor, Gothmog, Tevildo and Thuringwethil start delivering alongside Tilion. If that was to happen Gelion would not have even a theoretical chance. And even without a massive awakening Utumno has good chances to score as Dior actually isn’t even near the best goalies around (76,9%). But the ball is round and if Gelion manages to frustrate Utumno’s game – and Tilion doesn’t deliver while no one else is able to jump into his shoes… well then Gelion has a chance. But it is a slight one.

The AKM odds: Utumno 90% - Gelion 10%

F1 Valimar – C2 Norbury
Valimar 7-2 9 39(20) – 27(13) 84,6%
Norbury 4-4 4 28(13) – 35(18) 77,8%

If the Mithrim – Bywater game seems like a predetermined one, then here is the second one where the outcome looks like more or less decided already. It could be said that group F probably wasn’t that tough a group some thought beforehand and thus Valimar wouldn’t be that sovereign a team, but then again Norbury’s barely leaving Nargothrond and Pelennor behind is not such a feat either. And looking at the possibilities to score: Norbury seems to have their game more or less solely in the feet of Araphor (2+0) and Malbeth (1+1), whereas Valimar has on top Eönwe (3+1), Arien (2+2), Tulkas (2+0), Varda (0+2) … Now the only chance Norbury could have is the much speculated possibility that Valimar is playing something like “a nice game” against all teams whose players they appreciate (and Norbury could be one of those) while playing with full swing against baddies. Now if it where that way there is a minuscule chance they let Norbury play even or just one goal behind to the late stages and then Norbury could capitalise. But it looks like a far-fetched scenario indeed. Being considerate to goodies is one thing and playing stupidly is another.

The AKM odds: Valimar 95% - Norbury 5%

G1 Gondolin – B2 Barad Dûr
Gondolin 6-1 7 41(20) – 23(9) 88,9%
Barad Dur 8-5 7 39(21) – 40(20) 75%

This must be one of the highlights of the first qualifying round – and one of the hardest to assess. The problem with Barad Dûr is clearly the defence: they let the opponents to shoot a lot (twice as many shots in the group-phase than Gondolin) and the Mouth isn’t at the level of a final-winning goalie unlike Huor who could be even that. But Barad Dûr counts on overscoring their opponents, and they sure have scored! Even if BD and Gondolin have shot more or less the equal numbers (both overall and on target) in the first three matches Barad Dûr’s efficiency in scoring is just on a class of it’s own. Their shooting efficiency is the only one over 20% in the whole tournament. The attacking quartet Elendil, Gil-Galad, Isildur and Sauron are a force in their own right and a nightmare to any defence. Also group B was a shooting gallery only topped by group H, so BD’s defensive stats may appear worse than they actually are. But then again Gondolin has been a solid side throughout the tournament: the defence led by Thorondor is one of the tightest of the whole tournament, especially when it comes to allowing shots on goal, Glorfindel and Echtelion can both defend and score, and the trio Fingolfin, Aredhel and Maeglin is a threat to any defence (although one must admit especially Maeglin has underperformed thus far), not to re-mention the grand goal-keeping by Huor. It is basically too hard to call.

The AKM odds: Gondolin 50% - Barad Dûr 50%

H1 Tirion – A2 Aman
Tirion 11-5 9 56(29) – 37(19) 73,7%
Aman 4-2 7 31(17) – 27(12) 83,3%

Unless Ar Pharazôn really starts performing miracles, maybe bringing Oromë and Finarfin with him, then it will be good-bye to the Aman team. And even in that case Nienna and her Turgon led Valier defence will face the fiercest hurricane they have met thus far. Playing against Ithilien, Beleriand and Vinyamar and getting through as the second team with 4-2 goal difference is from such a different planet than winning sovereignly a group with Dol Guldur, Havens and Minas Anor and ending up with a goal difference of 11-5! In Aman’s group A the total number of shots made in all six games was 113. In group H of Tirion it was 171! So Tirion has been in tight games, in the “group of death” so to speak, and brought it home securely, Aman has been in the probably weakest group of all and survived the second. And the greatest fear for Aman sure is the offensive line up of Tirion: Nerdanel (2+4), Miriel (3+2), Finwë (3+2), Fëanor (2+2) … beat that! Aman will sure give a fight and one never knows about the Valar so therefore the AKM will not offer 100-0 odds.

The AKM odds: Tirion 95% - Aman 5%

An AKM disclaimer.

The stats only tell how a team has fared against the teams in it’s group and the groups might have been very different in stature compared to each other. But it is also noteworthy that all the specualtion over the relative merits of different groups over each other really are just speculation. The AKM has tried to take that into account but will not compensate to any gambler betting on the games following the AKM’s analysis.

the phantom

05-07-2010, 07:58 PM

Each sports paper or magazine has a certain lense that they view things through, and thus there are many differing opinions to be found as to which teams will be moving on into the Arda Cup quarterfinals. Here are a couple of those views...

Monster Magazine
Ruharg the Red, dragon of the Withered Heath

Once you're at this stage it's obvious all the teams are quality, but who will have that extra something to push on towards a title? If you ask me, competitive fire and an extra bit of power will be the difference. Titles are won by those with no mercy who are willing to use the full scope of abilites to get a win. Two years ago it was the hound in goal, Huan, and a determined Feanor up front that led the way. Last year Armenelos would never have won without the ruthlessness and cunning of Sauron and Ar Pharazon.

What I'm saying is, you can write off the teams filled up with nice guys. Who made the Cinderella run last year, eh? It was Mirkwood, featuring a Nazgul and Scatha the dragon on the attack, and a defense led by the gritty Grimbeorn. If there's such a run this year, it will be made by a similar team.

Dol Guldur over Vinyamar

Are you kidding me? No way will Vinyamar be able to match the killer instinct of The Witch King, Bolg, Khamul, and the Bear-men.

Barrow-Downs over Gondor

I don't think either of these teams can go all the way. Barrow-Downs lost their chances of that when they decided not to be Werewolves. But a couple of them have at least carried over their flair, and the Warg keeper will come through for them.

Mithrim over Bywater

Saruman and the Nazgul have been kept on too short a leash by Gandalf to carry the day, while on the other side Huan is always solid in goal and Celegorm and Curufin know how to get things done on defense. And up front, who can deny that Turin has the attitude it takes to pull their team through?

Numenor over Eithel Sirion

The side from Numenor has certainly lost a lot of their swagger, sacrificing those go-getters Sauron, Ar Pharazon, and Tar Minastir for replacements that are high quality but lack that extra oomph and fire (Tar Palantir, Elros, Tar Miriel). But if you ask me, they have just enough of the old flame left in the form of Ar Adunakhor, Ar Zimrathan, and a couple others to get them through.

Utumno over Gelion

Surely I don't need to explain this. Balrogs, vampire, spider-queen, Melkor...

Valimar over Norbury

Neither of these teams is going to get past Utumno should they advance, but despite the presence of the annoyingly kind Manwe I think Arien, Tulkas, and the blue wizards bring enough passion to beat those ranger boys.

Gondolin over Barad-Dur

Now this may seem like a pick against my science, but let's look closer here. Sauron should never be doubted, and Isildur certainly has a bit of fire in him, but Gil-Galad and Elendil are bound to be dead weights to be pulled. On the other side, Maeglin is quite a schemer and was just clutch in last year's playoffs. Aredhel is strong willed and has an attitude certainly (as well as two years consecutive in the finals), and Fingolfin obviously has what it takes, riding alone to challenge Morgoth to a duel. And Eol- like father like son. Barad-Dur has more baddies, but not as big difference makers.

Tirion over Aman

Neither of these teams are to my liking, but I think in the end Feanor has just a bit more "it" quality than Ar Pharazon, and a supporting cast more likely to back him up and do what it takes to win. Whoever advances I'd take Barad-Dur or Gondolin over them.

*********************************
*********************************

Westernesse Weekly
Ar-Tar-Aradil of Numenor

The age of men has come, and the playoffs are bound to reflect that. Last year's win by Armenelos should be a hint to everyone- the younger race playing a beautiful team game will triumph over others. The elves can't take as much of a beating and rely too much on individuals, the monsters aren't strategic enough, and the dwarves and hobbits aren't big enough. The most serious threat would probably be from the Ainu, if they weren't stuck in their outdated ways. The only teams that can stand up to the top mortal talent are teams featuring Edain with other races mixed in here and there for situational flexibility.

Vinyamar over Dol Duldur

Dol Guldur is too uncontrolled and undisciplined to make it against Vinyamar, which features Tuor, Elves, and Ainu playing a very Westernesse style game.

Barrow-Downs over Gondor

Now this one is very tough to call, as both teams play the right way. I'll give the nod to Barrow-Downs due to past experience.

Mithrim over Bywater

This one won't be close, as the heroic men of the north playing alongside some good supporting Elves should be able to beat the hobbits in the air again and again.

Numenor over Eithel Sirion

This one has the makings of a great match, but I think the Numenoreans will be tougher down the stretch, and that their defense will be a touch more flawless. Combined with their experience from last year's title, this team will be difficult to knock out.

Utumno over Gelion

A tough one to call here, as I love the way Gelion plays, but the monsters of Utumno seem to be held in check by Melkor and made to play properly, and given that line of talent I think Gelion isn't quite up to the task, though I think they'll play them tougher than people give them credit for.

Norbury over Valimar

Some of team Valimar is too passive and polite (Manwe, Ilmare, Vana, Namo, Eonwe), while others have a habit of losing focus when they get overheated (Arien, Tulkas, Pallando, Alatar). Norbury on the other hand has the habit of playing to the level of opposing talent, minimizes mistakes, capitalizes on opponent mistakes, and just plays a fabulous team game. Look out for the upset here.

Barad-Dur over Gondolin

Sauron is willing to work with anyone to get the victory, and his minions will follow suit, so what we'll have is ten players playing a beautiful Numenorean style assisted by the air attack of a Fellbeast. Now, Gondolin has Huor and quite a collection of talent, so this one isn't in the bag, but Barad-Dur has to be the favorite here.

Tirion over Aman

Sort of a toss up here between two teams I'm not fond of. Aman plays solid team defense for the most part, but lacks the initiative or skill often to get it up to their scorers. Ar Pharazon can't both score plus get himself the ball. Tirion on the other hand can score a ton, but too many of their skill players don't have the physique necessary to last a whole tournament of tough play. I figure they have enough gas to get through this one, but they'll flame out soon after.

Nogrod

05-08-2010, 10:35 AM

The AKM wishes to deal out some additional stars after the group-phase for players who have shown consistent performance that is possibly not so flashing in an individual game but put together really makes a difference.

Three stars

Ungoliant of Utumno
Picking up three shots in a game and not letting any in is nice but not heroic. After three games Ungoliant has faced 10 shots and still has kept her goal untouched. Now that is a feat. She's by far being the best goalie of the tournament and deserves the stars from the AKM.

Two stars

Túrin of Mithrim
Tilion of Utumno
Tar Minastir of Havens
These guys scored consistently in every game they played and once made two goals in a same match. The highest level of performance from these forwards and worth recognition.

Elendil, Sauron and Isildur of Barad Dûr
The plain deadliest attack of the whole tournament thus far scoring with over 20% of their shots - and they shoot.

Nerdanel, Finwë, Fëanor and Miriel of Tirion
Ten goals and ten assist for the quartet in three games. It's hard to imagine a more effective attack. This quartet just rocks!

One star

Maglor of Eithel Sirion
The second best goalie of the tournament so far. With a beautiful saving percentage of 90% he's the backbone of Eithel Sirion's success-story.

Ossë, Galdor, Salmar and Ulmo of Vinyamar
The toughest defence of the tournament so far. Has allowed only 19 shots in three games - and only 8 on target.

Annael, Gelmir, Celegorm and Curufin of Mithrim
Second best defence of the tournament thus far (21-8) but has faced more attacking teams than the Vinyamar defence.

The AKM stars after the group-phase are the following (those not playing any more are italicized):

Five stars
Tilion of Utumno

Four stars
Finwë of Tirion
Miriel of Tirion

Three stars
Arien of Valimar
Elrond of Rivendell
Tar Minastir of Havens
Túrin of Mithrim
Ungoliant of Utumno

Two stars
Celegorm of Mithrim
Cotton of Bywater
Curufin of Mithrim
Elendil of Barad Dûr
Eorl of Rohan
Fëanor of Tirion
Isildur of Barad Dûr
Nerdanel of Tirion
Sauron of Barad Dûr
The Witch King of Dol Guldur

One star
Ancalagon the Black of Thangoodrim
Annael of Mithrim
Arvedui of Norbury
Galdor of Vinyamar
Gelmir of Mithrim
Maglor of Eithel Sirion
Melian of Doriath
Ossë of Vinyamar
Romendacil of Gondor
Salmar of Vinyamar
Tom Bombadill of Bree
Ulmo of Vinyamar

Nogrod

05-08-2010, 05:33 PM

The star reporter Ugr Nogrendale is back! He has settled any financial issues there could have been and continues now with a highly special report direct from Utumnno.

I must say I was a bit nervous waiting for Melkor himself in His personal lobby of the newly dug stronghold of Utumno. Getting in was already quite intimidating and my head was turning a somersault every second whether to leave or stay. In the dimly lit hall only the cracks of fire soothed me as the special orc-guards twice the height and triple the strength of me stood grimly at the shadows around the exits and the strong Utumno-gin I had been left with burned my innards. I have been in tough places but this truly was one I would remember as an old man - if there was to be such longevity for me. It was creepy.

Finally the great doors opened pulled by two giant trolls and Morgoth himself entered the hall. How was he? I can't say. He was big and commanding, he was overpowering but yet smiling. With his orders a great jug of gin was brought to me while he sat down opposite of me and called for some mead.

Suddenly there was a beat of wings and a current of air nailed me to the red-leather comfychair I was sitting in. Thuringwethil appeared from nowhere, it seemed to me, and landed on Melkor's knee turning her seducing but dreadful eyes on me. I almost wetted myself.

Melkor: So Mr. Nogrendale, you represent the AKM and had some questions for me, right?

I nodded in haste but couldn't keep my eyes away from the vampire seduceress.

Melkor: Does it bother you if my aid Thurinwethil will stand by me during the interview?

My brain yelled that she did but how could I say that aloud? A salty drop of sweat dropped from my nose to my lip and I bit it. I could see Thuringwethil becoming aware of the blood and gazing at me even more intensively... It was a nightmare. I had no other chance but to shook my head,. What would have followed if I'd said her presence killed me? So I took a deep breath.

Melkor: Let's go on with it then Mr. N.?

U.N.: Oh yes... let's... Well... erm...

Thuringwethil: Speak now Mr. Handsome, speak...

I was totally panicking. This was not good. It was terrifying but also enticing. Her soft voice lured me totally while I realised her tone of voice was ice cold.

U.N.: Congratulations for the newly built stronghold master Melkor. Did you do this all because of football?

Melkor: *laughs from the belly* Heh, I thought you were afraid little-one but it seems you have a head that still works... Well now as you ask it, I can not but say yes. It is all for the football. My efforts to reawaken the age old fortification of Utumno, building it all over again, digging deeper we ever did before, is only for the football fans of Arda to enjoy.

U.N.: Great... But well... there have been some concerns about the safety of the visitors...

Thuringwethil: Safety?! Where was the safety of those dragons calculatedly killed by Valimar organisers? Or the fairness of all those restrictions of attendance? You know these Vala try to boast they're nice and what not, but they are calculating bastards who rather see their friends going through instead of playing it fair.

Melkor hushed his pet, who to me was the goddess. I was so freaked out that I had to fill my glass and empty it immediately.

Melkor: There will be no safety problems, let me assure you. I brought order into the games at Misty Mountains and I sure am cabable of securing my own dwelling.

I had to pull myself together and luckily I had thought of a few questions beforehand.

U.N.: Some media are advertising this game as the one where Beren and Luthien will re-visit your fortress... and they predict success, especially now that you don't have Carcaroth in your team. How would you comment on that?

Melkor: *bellows with laughter* Oh, the petty youngsters! Had I lived here in Utumno instead of Angband their destiny would have been completely different. It was sad I had only a second class fortress by then. But I do welcome them both to Utumno. Let's see who gets the last word now shall we?

U.N.: Is that a threat?

Thuringwethil rose up to her wings and screamed revealing her vampire teeth. I was stuck in my chair and my heart-rate was above all the recommendations for a healthy life. I took a deep draught of the gin and filled the goblet just to stay in my senses.

Melkor: Oh no. *laughter* Let's say it's an invitation to a rematch between us, shall we?

I had to nod only as the Utumno-Gin burned my throat. There were tears in my eyes, for several reasons, but I had to concentrate.

U.N.: So what would you say about your opponents, the team Gelion?

Melkor: Like ever before, the're worthy adversaries. I will admit that much. But then again we will just outpower them and our real goal is the game against Valimar. We have quite a few things to settle with them, especially after the games at their homeside and all that happened there, and on that road Gelion is a mouthpiece we just have to do away with.

U.N.: So you don't think Gelion has a chance?

Melkor: None whatsoever! They can defend against poorly attacking sides but we shall show them the tempest!

U.N.: Tilion has been responsible of two thirds of your goals. What if Tilion has a bad day?

This time it was Melkor who clearly grew in size and stature. I had to swallow the drink I was just sipping and went lame back in my chair.

Melkor: We are a team! I know you media-guys like to rip-off things from our past but Tilion works for me and for the team now. And mind you, we have others to decide the games as well; like Gothmog the slayer of Fëanor, Fingon and Ecthelion; we haveTevildo and my dear Thuringwethil here. What chance you think those runaways and misfits have against us, especially in here, in front of our homecrowds?

I had to concentrate on sweet-talkin' but with Melkor in fury and Thuringwethil piercing my eyes with her stare it was harder I could have imagined.

U.N.: Yes, thanks Master Melkor... thanks for the interview.

I will not describe my exit from Utumno as that would be too embarrassing. But I got out of there alive and that is a feat.

Boromir88

05-09-2010, 03:39 AM

The playoffs are now here, is there anything better? Round 3 was rather a tale of two stories for me. The first story, for groups A-D I was dead on about 13 of the 16 team goals! Then comes groups E-H, which was an utter mess, especially due to Thangorodrim and Havens being eliminated. What can ya do?

What TTN is bringing to their loyal followers this week...power rankings for the 16 playoff teams, as well as a preview and predictions for all the matches. We also have a new "Giants" and "slayers" feature. Lot to do, let's get to it!

Giants (G)- It was rather easy picking the giants out. To qualify you had to be a group winner, but simply being a group winner does not make you a Giant. TTN thinks there are 6 Giants (the 5 teams who picked up the full 9 points in their respective groups, plus the best ranked 7 point team). You might argue this is too many, as afterall only 4 teams make it to the semis, so how are there 6 Giants? There are legitimately 6 teams which impressed us so much, we would not be shocked if any combination of 4 got to the semis.

Slayers (s) - These were a little harder to identify. The basic qualification was you had to be a 2nd place finisher. However, just like with the giants, we would not identify all teams who finished 2nd as a potential slayer. We gathered all possible statistics to figure out which of the "little guys" had good potential to knock down a Goliath. We found 5.

Now for the power rankings, which is simply a way to look at how the 16 playoff teams stack up against eachother. But before the actual rankings, here are the details to the method.

Teams were rated on a scale of 1-5 in these 3 categories:
1. Offense: a combination of goals, total shots, shots on target, and scoring percentage.
2. Defense: total shots a defense allowed, and shots on target allowed
3. Goal keeping: Keepers save percentage.

Goal keeping was a late factor added, because when looking at all the statistics, we noticed some teams had great defenses that allowed a low amount of shots, but had an average GK, and other defenses gave up a lot of shots but had GK who were saving everything! The fact is, great (or poor) goal keepers can have a major impact on the outcome of games, so we thought it needed to be a separate category from defense.

Having made this decision, when crunching all the numbers, they favored the defensive teams. I believed this formula:

Offense + Defense + Goal keeping = overall

Skewed the results too much and created an unfair bias. So instead I went with this formula:

Offense + ((Defense + Goal keeping) / 2) = overall

Thus the Power Rankings still favor teams oriented on good defense, but not nearly as skewed as the first formula. And honestly, I am fine with this bias towards good defense, you know the saying...Great defense wins championships. :D

POWER RANKINGS

16. Gelion
-OFF: 1.5 / FW- Beren (8)
-DEF: 3 / *DF- Luthien (9)
-GK: 3 / Dior- 76.9%
-OVR: 4.5
Gelion's feel good story about making the playoffs will quickly come crashing to an end. They didn't get here by luck, it was good team defense and work ethic, but you can see from the stats just look quite average compared to the 15 remaining teams. Utumno should get an easy victory, but even if Gelion was playing someone else they'd still be heavy underdogs.

15. Norbury (s)
-OFF: 2.5 / FW- Araphor, *MF- Malbeth (8)
-DEF: 2 / DF- Amlaith (6)
-GK: 3 / Arvedui- 77.9%
-OVR: 5
The biggest argument I found for Norbury being a slayer is their match against Mithrim. They did lose that match 2-1, but if you have to like their consistancy. They ranged from 8 to 11 scoring opportunities in their 3 matches, and got a goal in each. This includes a goal against Mithrim who is without question a Top 3 defense (Valimar is good but not one of the other 2). They will get their 8-11 chances again. And do you really think Valimar will go on a 4-goal rampage against Norbury? I don't, not only because Valimar won't be inspired to destroy them like Thangorodrim, but Norbury is simply a better defense. This is why they're in and Thangorodrim's not.

14. Gondor (s)
-OFF: 2 / FW- Eldacar (11)
-DEF: 2.5 / DF- Folcred, Fastred (8)
-GK: 4 / Romendacil- 87.8%
-OVR: 5.25
When you have a GK performing like Romendacil and a team that every game, no matter the foe, matches their opponents numbers, there is no question you're a slayer. The biggest weakness is the defense does allow quite a few too many shots, and so if Romendacil doesn't keep up his stellar save % any game could turn into a route. However, as stated previously for as many shots as their defense allows, their offense matches in production. This means they keep games close and can easily win. They face the Barrow-Downs in Round 1, who has not been identified as a Giant, but all I mean is IF Gondor were to face one of the Giants they would have a good chance at getting the upset.

13. Numenor (s)
-OFF: 1.5 / FW- Ar Adunakhor (7)
-DEF: 4 / **DF- Tar Telperien (11)
-GK: 3.5 / *Tar Atanamir- 81.8%
-OVR: 5.25
Of all the slayers Numenor probably has the best potential. Tar Telperien's got that defense working just as effective as last year, there is a slight drop in Tar Atanamir's saves, but he's a playoff experienced championship GK, end of story. They were only able to get 3 goals in 3 games, and have a terrible scoring percentage of 7.7%. But not so hasty I say! They still put together and impressive 39 shots, and look at the other GK's in their group. Ungoliant (who has been THE best up to this point) and Elrond who just ridiculously saved everything. It's a great sign they are still getting a high amount of shots, so perhaps facing a different GK is just what the doctor ordered. Now, Maglor for Eithel Sirion saved 9/10, but can he keep that up against the mighty Numenoreans?

12. Aman
-OFF: 2 / FW- Ar Pharazon (11)
-DEF: 3.5 / *DF- Turgon (8)
-GK: 4 / Nienna- 83.3%
-OVR: 5.75
Aman's got a good defense, but to be honest it's not great and to stop Tirion you have to be great. I, unlike AKMs major lovefest with Tirion, think their offense can be stopped, but it won't be by Aman. Here's what I mean by good but not great. Vinyamar played in the same group, their defense allowed 19 shots (8 on target), how did Aman's compare? 27(12), That's a significant difference and they played the same teams. Aman also doesn't have the fire power to get into a scoring match with Tirion, slayers Aman are not.

11. Dol Guldur
-OFF: 4.5 / *FW- Witch King (18)
-DEF: 1 / DF- Thrain (0)
-GK: 1.5 / Oropher- 66.7%
-OVR: 5.75
Not slayers either and opposite of the reasons Aman are not. Dol Guldur's defense is just too bad, and I'm not understanding AKM's boy crush on these types of teams. Attercop and Tomnoddy picked up 2 yellows each, they can't stop anyone from shooting. When they actually do a half-way decent job Oropher only saves 2/3rds! If you notice too, in their matches, they usually wind up behind and the Witch-King has to come storming back. Vinyamar managed a respectable 5 goals in a very tough defensive group. If they get down a few goals again, do you really think the Witch-King can storm back against one of the Top 3 defensive teams? Answer is no.

10. Bywater (s)
-OFF: 2.5 / **MF- Gandalf, Maggot (9)
-DEF: 3 / **DF- Shadowfax (6)
-GK: 3.5 / Cotton- 80.0%
-OVR: 5.75
Bywater is one of the slayers, just too bad their playoff match is against the best team of the first 3 rounds. Mithrim's defense is virtually identical to Vinyamar's. We're not going to argue which one is actually better, but whoever you put at #1 the other is #2. Bywater only mustered 4 goals but have a high scoring percentage of 16%, backed by a solid defense and a surprisingly good GK. People might whine they are lucky to be here and it should be Thangorodrim if it wasn't for Valimar's deus ex vendetta. The facts are these though, Bywater got the draw against Thangorodrim. If Thangorodrim wants to complain about being cheated they should have taken care of business against Bywater, they did not. It's just very unfortunate Bywater's got to take on Mithrim. If they were actually against one of the other giants, I'd like their chances better.
09. Barad-Dur (s)
-OFF: 5 / **FW- Sauron (14)
-DEF: 1.5 / DF- Anarion (5)
-GK: 2.5 / The Mouth- 75.0%
-OVR: 7
I questioned whether Barad-dur should qualify as a slayer, because their numbers are near even with the Barrow-Downs. I mean you could seriously flip-flop the #8 and #9 teams, the reason Barrow-Downs were group winners is they gave up 1 fewer goal. However, Barad Dur fit the qualifications, they finished 2nd, and are not seen as a semi-finalist. You'll notice I gave a 5 to both Tirion and Barad-dur in offense. How can this be when Tirion scored 3 more goals? Barad-Dur's 20.5% scoring is how, that's the best percentage. With Sauron these bad boys can't be counted out, and with their leaky defense the match against Gondolin should be a high scoring thriller.

08. Barrow-Downs
-OFF: 4.5 / FW- Nogrod (15)
-DEF: 3.5 / DF- Skip (10)
-GK: 2 / Eomerwarg- 71.4%
-OVR: 7.25
In one of the best offensive groups Barrow-Downs defense performend leagues ahead of the other teams in their group. I mean take a look at Barad Dur's numbers giving up 40(20), compared to the Barrow Downs' 25(14). That's a staggering difference, as this defense is just chokes off all space. The big problem...Eomerwarg who out of the 16 goal keepers, ranks 15th. With how the defense in front of him is playing, he's got to start saving more. If he does The Barrow-Downs are capable of beating anyone.

07. Tirion (G)
-OFF: 5 / *MF- Nerdanel (21)
-DEF: 2 / DF- Indis (2)
-GK: 2.5 / Aule- 73.7%
-OVR: 7.25
By far the best offensive team and there are 4 or 5 different players who can score a goal at any minute. However, when you crunch all their numbers, we see the same problem from previous years, defense is just not good enough, and Aule hasn't been anything to brag about either. This Aman match will be interesting, for while I don't think Aman's defense is good enough to shut down Tirion, they certainly are better than any of the ones Tirion faced in Group H. I'll say this, if Tirion scores 4 goals, I will admit to under-valueing their offensive power, but if they get 2, I want AKM to print I'm 100% correct about how Tirion's attack can be slowed down, and even stopped if, up against a quality defense. (If they score 3, I'll consider it a push and the jury will still be out :p)

06. Vinyamar
-OFF: 3 / MF- Idril (10)
-DEF: 5 / **DF- Ulmo (12)
-GK: 4.5 / Rog- 87.5%
-OVR: 7.75
A respectively efficient offense, that scored 5 goals in a defensive group, add to that the best defense and you have a very dangerous and very strong team. This is something I will agree with AKM about, if you start diving into arguments over which groups tougher than others and trying to factor that into evaluating the stats, you will just drive yourself crazy. Here's the deal, Vinyamar's defense was by far the best of Group A, and thus arguably the best in the tournament. And they averaged 1.67 goals in that group, 'nuff said. Do not underestimate them.

05. Gondolin (G)
-OFF: 3.5 / MF- Glorfindel (10)
-DEF: 4.5 / *Thorondor (12)
-GK: 4.5 / Huor- 88.9%
-OVR: 8
Before anyone goes up in arms over how can Gondolin be a giant when they didn't even sweep their group and how can they be above Tirion, here's how. Every single player on Gondolin is just as good on offense as they are on defense, they play both extremely well. Defensively they were right behind Vinyamar and Mithrim, allowing 23 (9) shots. Huor is a proven playoff GK, making big saves to get Dor Lomin to the quater-final round last year. And they are similar to Tirion offensively, that is you see a great spread of production from top to bottom. At some point every FW or MF contributed with a goal or assist.

04. Valimar (G)
-OFF: 4 / MF- Arien (18)
-DEF: 4 / **DF- Manwe (11)
-GK: 4 / *Namo- 86.7%
-OVR: 8
Biggest weakness is they are goal bingers. They want to annhilate the baddies, but against goodies they aren't inspired. The game against Norbury will be tight, and because of that they could very well lose, because Norbury will not play intimidated against the Valar. It's interesting that the potential to face Utumno in the next round might provide Valimar with enough umph to want to beat Norbury in Round 1. Then they can knock out the only remaining evil-doers of Utumno and blow their semi-final match. However their laissez-faire attitude to let the good guys defeat big bad evil on their own may just provide the Norbury slayers an opportunity at the upset.

03. Utumno (G)
-OFF: 3.5 / FW- Tilion (18)
-DEF: 4.5 / **DF- Balrog 4 (12)
-GK: 5 / *Ungoliant- 100%
-OVR: 8.25
An intimidatingly strong Balrog defense, plus the best goalie thus far, Utumno looks like they will be one of the teams to beat. And don't worry too much about that small scoring % of 13.3%. They were up against 2 great goal keepers in that group, as well as some tough defenses. And despite that they managed 45 total shots, that was only behind Tirion's 56. With how many chances they create, the goals will come a plenty.

02. Eithel Sirion (G)
-OFF: 4 / *FW- Maedhros (15)
-DEF: 4.5 / DF- Aegnor (12)
-GK: 4.5 / Maglor- 90%
-OVR: 8.5
I was surprised that Eithel Sirion, statistically ended up as the 2nd best team. But here's the deal, they scored 7 goals and only allowed 1. They were a top-5 defense and Maglor was the 2nd best GK. We'll see if he can keep that up against sturdier FWs. He did great against the 'lesser' Men and Elves that he saw in Group D, the greater Numenoreans should be a stiffer test. Also, their scoring is not as spread out as other teams. You have Maedhras, Fingon, and Hador doing the brunt of the work on offense. Can't find too much to complain when you have 3 players like that who can score, but past them, there's not much.

01. Mithrim (G)
-OFF: 4 / **FW- Turin (18)
-DEF: 5 / *DF- Celegorm (15)
-GK: 4.5 / **Huan- 87.5%
-OVR: 8.75
Above and beyond the best team, and the clear favorites to win it all right now. All around they played leagues above everyone else. Of all the stats I factored into the power rankings, Mithrim was the only team who was Top 5 in ALL OF THEM...oh wait, they ranked 6th best in scoring percentage, my mistake on that one. One potential problem I see, and this is why they only rate a 4 in offense (despite being tied for 2nd most goals). They scored 4 of those goals against Pelennor, while only 2-each against the much better organized defenses of Nargothrond and Norbury. However, winning every match 2-0, 2-1 is still winning.

PREDICTIONS:

Vinyamar 2 - 1 Dol Guldur
Barrow Downs 2 - 2 Gondor (BD wins in shoot out. This is purely to brag if I get it right :p)
Mithrim 2 - 0 Bywater
Eithel Sirion 1 - 2 Numenor
Utumno 2 - 0 Gelion
Valimar 1 - 2 Norbury (Norbury wins in overtime)
Gondolin 4 - 2 Barad Dur
Tirion 2 - 1 Aman

skip spence

05-09-2010, 09:29 AM

You Americans really are crazy about the sports stats, aren't you?

*shakes head* ;)

Nogrod

05-09-2010, 09:43 AM

You Americans really are crazy about the sports stats, aren't you?And a Finn... :D

Heh, I totally understand Boro! When I was a kid I just made stats after stats. It's nice to have a reason to continue that 40+. :rolleyes:

*shuts his mouth for unrelated comments*

the phantom

05-13-2010, 02:37 PM

Vinyamar was a hive of activity leading up to the first round of the playoffs. Many of the fans who had made the trip for group play from Ithilien, Aman, and Beleriand had remained in the city, hoping to nab a ticket for the playoff match. And true to their word, all of the dwarf renovation crews were still there, and could be seen strolling the streets in the evenings draped in banners supporting the home team.

During the days they were quite busy however, as they had been hired for new building projects- mostly home rebuildings, though in a few cases the construction of brand new dwellings upon the slopes of Mount Taras. Men, Elves, and Dwarves who had visited the abandoned city had simply fallen in love with it- the beautiful stone-work of the Noldor set upon the side of picturesque Mount Taras overlooking magnificent rocky shores. With so much already prepared and excellent starting material, it was the perfect spot for a “new” city.

But despite all of the development, talk of football still reigned supreme leading up to the match against Dol Guldur. The Mirkwood fortress had only a very small following that made the trip to the far northwest, but they were loud and boisterous- a smattering of Beornings, Orcs, Elves, and spiders. The fans of Dol Guldur and the team itself seemed to have a higher level of confidence than one would expect from a group runner-up on the road facing a group winner. Part of this was certainly derived from the fine run made by Mirkwood in last year’s tournament. Four of the players on this team were on that side, and most all of the supporters in attendance were huge supporters of Mirkwood.

Another reason for the confidence was perhaps the number of publications and sports bloggers who had chosen them to advance in this match- understandable perhaps due to Dol Guldur being the “sexier” team. Khamul, Beorn, Bolg son of Azog, and Radagast the wizard have a lot of appeal, and of course The Witch King is one of the biggest stars of football. And topping it off, Dol Guldur played an aggressive game, and liked getting into exciting scoring contests.

Vinyamar was the opposite. They played a controlled game, and preferred to keep the scoring low and not leave themselves open to counters. When interviewed before the match, Dol Guldur midfielder Beorn had this to say. “Vinyamar doesn’t press their advantage ruthlessly, so I don’t think they will be able to score a ton on us. They depend on winning games 1-0 or 2-1, but they won’t be able to hold us under two. We have some great individual offensive talents, and especially Witch King always comes through for us!”

When presented with Beorn’s quote, Vinyamar defender Ulmo conceded the point to an extent, but begged to differ on the result. “It’s quite true that Witch King can’t be held off the scoreboard individually. I will be marking him personally, but I can guarantee he will get the better of me at least a time or two. What is key at those moments is that all the rest of my teammates are not beat at the same time. If you take away WK’s support, keep players from delivering the ball to him, cut off his passing lanes, and hold the ball efficiently with your own offense, he can be taken out of the game. It’s not about the individual- it’s about the team!”

And as the opening minutes of the game ticked past, Ulmo looked to be an expert prognosticator, for his words were proving to be right on the money. From the word go the midfielders and forwards of Vinyamar played a brilliant possession game. Egalmoth to Duilin, up to Tuor, back to Idril, expertly sent over to Voronwe, quickly up to Penlod, touched back to Idril... It was an absolute clinic on intelligent spacing and precision passing!

The home side ever so slowly built up the pressure, refusing to overreach, but always on the lookout for an opening. Just inside of twenty minutes they had their best chance yet and Tuor took the shot, but Oropher tipped it away. Soon after Dol Guldur made their first successful journey into Vinayamar territory, but found it impossible to get a decent try. Khamul for the first time tested Rog around minute 27, but it was a distant and rushed effort and Rog had no problems, and soon the ball was back on the other side, and the chanting of the crowd began to grow.

In minute 32 there was mass rejoicing in the stands as the Lord of the Waters himself punched in the rebound following a corner! Dol Guldur looked frankly overwhelmed, and they went to the half lucky to be down only one. And when the second half started things didn’t get any better. Witch King and company looked focused and reenergized, but all of their fire and effort was totally in vain as Vinyamar again was flawless on offense and suffocating on defense. Barely ten minutes into play Tuor managed to get the ball away from Attercop, who had unwisely chosen to hold the ball and fend Tuor off, and with the players from Dol Guldur already running the other way hoping for a quick strike Vinyamar caught the opposition with their pants down and Penlod slotted it to Idril for the 2-0 lead!

Celebration broke out all throughout the arena! In seven games played (four friendlies and three group games), no opponent had managed to score more than one goal on Vinyamar, and only three of seven teams had managed the single goal. Except for a complete breakdown, this match was in the bag!

The Witch King attempted to breathe new life into his side, pointing out that they had in both of their previous two matches stormed back from a 2-0 deficit with three goals in the final 20 minutes. Beorn, Grimbeorn, Oropher, and Radagast stood with their captain, looking defiant and determined, but the rest of the team looked unconvinced. Never before had they encountered such a perfect storm of talent, execution, and teamwork, with the crowd on top of it working their magic for the home team.

With around 20 minutes left Witch King finally broke loose, making a highlight reel solo run all the way from midfield. At the last he beat Osse and got his shot off, but Osse had forced him over just enough and delayed him so that Rog would have a prayer at the save, and the valiant Noldo came through, deflecting the thunderous effort away. It bounded away in front of the exposed net, but Ulmo was first to it, and he wasted no time in booting it far downfield, and the crowd simply exploded! They had taken Dol Guldur’s best shot and turned it away! This match was over.

There was still some time to burn through, but the wind was completely out of the sails for the visitors. Even Witch King looked resigned, and Vinyamar had no problems finishing the contest off. The refs signaled the game over and the players climbed up into the stands and joined in the merry making. They were through to the quarterfinals!

Dol Guldur 0-2 Vinyamar
tot shots 8-12
on target 3-6
GOALS:
*32, 0-1 Ulmo (Duilin)
*56, 0-2 Idril (Penlod)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Dol Guldur- Grimbeorn, Thrain
*Vinyamar- Galdor, Idril

Nogrod

05-13-2010, 05:25 PM

There was no question about Arda’s footballing centre as the qualifiers started. It was Beleriand. Four of the eight matches were hosted by Beleriand teams – and one could count Utumno as the fifth – and even BarrowDowns’ initial hometown was here at Tol-In-Gaurhoth. The most enthusiasted Belerianders talked about Beleriand beating Valimar thus far 6-2 in the group winner counts (with the rest of the ME at zero). But be that reckless boasting or not, it was clear the eyes of the footballing community were fixed mainly in Beleriand for the time being.

A long-expected party

Unlike Gondolin who were experienced hosts team Mithrim was hosting games the first time. They had built a nice stadium to west-Mithrim, in between the lake and the mountains near old outposts of High-King Fingolfin. It wasn’t the grandest stadium in scale but it was elegantly crafted and took in comfortably some 40000 spectators. More would have wished to see the great heroes of Mithrim face the wizards of Bywater but happily there were other matches nearby at Eithel Sirion and Gondolin to ease the pressure at ticket offices.

In the press conference before the game the representatives of both teams were smooth and amiable towards each other. Even when the press tried to make Beleg admit that Bywater had been qualified without their own merit and that they would have an easy evening out, he only pointed out at the level of play of the wizards, the constantly upgrading performances of Rosie Cotton, the threat Shadofax and the Nazguls would pose them in their defence, the unexpectedness of the Hobbits…

The game itself turned out to be exactly as anticipated by the experts on ME football. Bywater was not such a bad team some had thought after the manner they qualified, but there was a difference in the level the two teams played from the very beginning. And so, clearly enjoying playing at the familiar surroundings, Aradan scored after only 8 minutes of the game. Fifteen minutes after the first goal Mithrim doubled their lead with Húrin putting in a nice header from a nice pass given by Beleg. It was 2-0 after less than twenty-five minutes of play and the tension kind of waned.

Come second half the Bywater team really made an effort and more or less got Mithrim by the tail as they were clearly not anticipating such an offensive stance from their opponent. And even if Mithrim managed to contain the steam from Bywater offence after the first ten minutes of the second half, the game was played on much more even ground now. And lo and behold! At 67th minute Mithrim was building an attack when Ferny tackled the ball away from Morwen. Shadowfax was the first to reach the ball and sent it flying far behind the Mithrim defences parked more or less at the middle of the field following the offence… and it was Saruman who suddenly was reaching for the ball first! No one quite realised where did he materialise behind the defenders who tried frantically to reach him, but he was on his way and dribbled Huan himself like he was a mere pet doggy.

It took more or less the whole Mithrim team and Gandalf to cool Huan down after the goal as he tried to go after Saruman who decided to vanish from sight with some magic just to be safe. No one knew what Saruman had done either to deceive the defence or to fool Huan but there sure would be something to speculate after the game.

The vivid feeling of being wrongly scored against made Mithrim more energetic and the rest of the game was basically playing for one goal, that of Bywater. With basically all of Mithrim players attacking it was finally Curufin who made the third goal with a trademark kind of a powerful shot from 25 meters thus finally ending Bywater’s resistance. Two goals behind with ten minutes left in a stadium that frantically supported the hometeam which felt wronged by the visitors was not exactly the easiest place to make a comeback to the game…

But even if Saruman’s trickery caused a lot of discussion after the game even more talk was made about Túrin and his disappearance. No, it was not like with Bombadill. He didn’t leave the field to gather flowers or anything, but he was somehow anemic, not taking part in the attack with full throttle but passing the ball from him. Beleg defended his friend in the after-match press conference saying that Túrin doesn’t have to score ten goals in every game and he has the right to let the others play every now and then. But few in the press took that explanation without a fair pinch of salt. Was there something wrong with Túrin, had he being offended with the speculation that he was too selfish?

The Mithrim fans were upbeat because of their win and place in the semifinals, but there was a small shadow there, the unpredictability of Túrin. It seems that follows him everywhere he goes.

Bywater 1-3 Mithrim
tot shots 7-18
on target 3-9
GOALS:
*8, 0-1 Aradan (Androg)
*23, 0-2 Hurin (Beleg)
*67, 1-2 Saruman (Shadowfax)
*80, 1-3 Curufin (Morwen)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Bywater- Saruman, Ferny, Nazgul #3
*Mithrim- Aradan

skip spence

05-16-2010, 07:29 AM

The stands in the great stadium of Either Sirion was a sea of silver and blue as the teams made it out on the pitch and the two captains, Elros and Maedhros, exchanged gifts and shook hands. On certain sections in the stands brass bands of Noldorian musicians were set up and they played triumphant songs out of Aman, adding that special touch of magic we’ve come to expect at this Northern stronghold. The Exiles felt no homesickness tonight. They were exactly where they wanted to be.

Numenor also had a fair number of travelling fans present, many of them with golden replicas of the Arda Cup trophy that they proudly hoisted in the air to demonstrate that they in fact were reining champions, but the Kings of Men were not favourites to win tonight. Eithel Sirion had impressed so far in the tournament, winning all three matches thus far and cruising through Group D. The Northerners were certainly in for a stiffer challenge tonight, yet without star players such as former Golden Boot winner Ar-Pharazon in Numenor, a balanced Eithel Sirion side was tipped to win tonight by most pundits, and the home crowd was hungry for glory and joy.

As play got underway, it quickly became apparent that Numenor had laid up a defensive game plan and were quite happy to let their opponents keep the lion’s share of ball possession, only striking out with quick counter attacks when given the chance. Yet quickly this plan backfired. In the 11th minute Fingon won a corner kick, and Gwindors delivery was perfect, whipping in a devilish cross into the box where Maedhros the tall rose above his marker and headed the ball past Tar-Atanamir and into the back of the net. The crowd was in seventh heaven and the trumpets rang out loud and clear.

This early goal was a real boost for the home side who grew in confidence and played some very neat football. Numenor struggled to get a hold of the ball and could have fallen behind even further if it wasn’t for a couple of good stops from Tar-Atanamir, first denying Maedhros and then Fingon. Yet right before the half time break Numenor was level against the run of play. It was a pretty scrappy goal as Elros bundled home on his second attempt but they all count and Numenor could now go into the recess on level terms with their opponent despite being on the back foot for most parts of the game thus far.

The second half was very competitive and roughly followed the same pattern as the first, but Numenor was getting into the match more now, and the impressive Elros really started to make his presence felt in the centre of the field, getting some crunching tackles in and distributing the ball well to his teammates. Eithel Sirion continued to attack, and the crowd got behind their heroes, but the break-though goal proved hard indeed to find, as Numenor defended with skill and numbers.

Both teams struggled to create clear goal-scoring opportunities and as the clock ticked in Eithel Sirion pushed more and more men forward looking for that illusive winner. They pumped ball after ball into the Numenor box but there the tall and kingly central defenders dealt with most of the crosses fairly comfortably.

The match looked set to go into overtime when out of the blue, Numenor scored again and put a big dent in the home team’s plan. Fingon will feel desperately disappointed because it was his mistake that led to the goal, as his sloppy pass in the centre of the field was intercepted by Elros when the Eithel Sirion players were all set on getting forward. The Numenor captain spotted Tar-Miriel rushing forward , and picked her out with a lovely sweeping ball and the midfielder in turn spotted Ar-Adunakhor's strong run and timed her through ball to perfection, thus releasing the striker on a one on one with Maglor. Ar-Adunakhor took one touch before lashing an unstoppable shot into the far corner, his third goal of the tournament. That finish would have made the Golden Boy himself proud.

Eithel Sirion tried to rally, but Numenor was not giving them an inch now, and what time there was left, quickly ran out. Even goalkeeper Maglor came forward on a corner kick late in the game, and there was a frantic finale to the game as Numenor was desperately hanging on with teeth and nails but Eithel Sirion could not find the goal needed to stay in the match, despite a few late half-chances.

The full time whistle sounded and Numenor could celebrate a place in the last eight with their travelling supporters. The home crowd applauded the winners respectfully but they were bitterly disappointed. What had just happened? The evening had started so well. Now all that was left to them was memories.

Eithel Sirion 1-2 Numenor
tot shots 14-11
on target 6-5
GOALS:
*11, 1-0 Maedhros (Gwindor)
*43, 1-1 Elros (Tar Palantir)
*85, 1-2 Ar Adunakhor (Tar Miriel)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Eithel Sirion- Fingon, Aegnor
*Numenor- Tar Miriel, Tar Meneldur, Ar Zimrathan

the phantom

05-16-2010, 07:57 PM

Fresh off of their dismantling of Thangorodrim, Valimar was riding high heading into the playoffs. “I think we’ve finally got it right this year,” commented Eonwe after group play was wrapped up. “We’ve got a great mix of talent and attitudes. Some of us fire up the guys who are too passive, while they in turn calm down the hot-headed ones. Our balance is right where it needs to be.”

The home favorites were matched up against the grizzled veterans from Norbury, who had managed to advance out of a tough Group C after a close loss to the dominating Mithrim (2-1), a tie with annual competitor Nargothrond (1-1), and finally a victory over the new but dangerous team from Pelennor (2-1). In an effort to make the match more interesting, many columnists attempted to point out the tough road Norbury had navigated, but it was not holding water with most of the populace, as Valimar’s competition wasn’t exactly easy (Bywater and Thangorodrim), and they had been much more impressive in friendlies.

And in the build up to the match, the guys from Norbury didn’t seem to disagree in the least, showering the Valar and company with an obscene number of compliments. Goal-keeper Arvedui, for instance: “I’m not looking forward to facing Valimar. They have so much talent, and stay on their game so well. Naturally I’m going to compete as hard as I can in an honorable fashion, but I’m not expecting to be around for the quarterfinals.”

Some version of “We’re going to try darn hard but probably lose” seemed to be the lone sentiment the Kings and Rangers of the North wished to express. Most fans and pundits thought the whole thing rather ridiculous and shameful, but a couple sports writers had a different view.

“This is brilliant gamesmanship by Norbury,” said one columnist yesterday in the Arnor Sun. “Valimar is a team that plays better when inspired. Just look at how they played against Thangorodrim. You don’t want to do anything to stir them up. Norbury is doing a great job of making sure they won’t be playing a ramped up opponent.”

No one knew for certain what the facts were behind Norbury’s behavior, but the time for pre-game strategy was over. It was time to play the game.

The stadium in Valimar offered plenty of support as the home team trotted out, but it was noticeably calmer than it was for the match against their hated foes from Thangorodrim. When Norbury entered there was not the roar of boos, but rather polite applause. If Norbury’s aim had indeed been to appease team Valimar and their supporters, their efforts seemed to have worked.

As the match began the home side looked a step slow where as Norbury took off like a rocket, giving it all they had. Before Valimar could recover Araphor and Aranarth busted the offsides trap and put the ball in for the 1-0 lead, and the crowd was silenced in only the sixth minute! But at the least the team on the field was shaken, and Valimar got serious after that. Manwe and the defense stopped everything before it started, and the midfield worked it up to Arien and Eonwe and let them go to work.

But Norbury was battle-tested and saavy, and Arvedui was a rock between the posts, and so despite their best efforts Valimar could not grab the equalizer. By the time the half arrived, the crowd was feeling better about their chances and they were starting to get back into it. Norbury was playing well, but they couldn’t keep Valimar off the board forever.

Only twelve minutes into the new half, it was the hero of the Thangorodrim game, Arien, who put the home team on the board. For the first time the stadium bells were struck and the crowd started to make some serious noise, though the length of the celebratory cheering was cut short by the antics of Norbury. Following the goal, all the lads from Norbury trotted over and patted Arien on the back, or shook her hand, congratulating her on the effort. The keeper, Arvedui, actually waved to get her attention and made a show of clapping, to all eyes quite sincerely impressed by her goal.

Some fans expressed shock while others laughed, but it certainly threw them off rhythm of their cheers and the stadium grew a bit quieter. It seemed to impact the Valimar players as well, as they seemed just a touch less aggressive when play started again. Norbury continued to defend doggedly, but any time there was extra contact they apologized. The combination of fine team defense and attitude totally sucked the air out of the Valimar attack, and the game settled into the midfield, and the minutes ticked away with neither side gaining a decent chance for the winner.

With less than ten minutes to go, Arien and the Blue Wizards tried to pep things up and put the match away, but the rest of the team didn’t have it in them or simply wouldn’t follow their lead, and quite soon time was out and it was overtime!

As extra time began the crowd seemed to finally wake up to reality- this was the PLAYOFFS and it was win or go home! Their team just had to win, at all costs! As the crowd support kicked in the team on the field looked to have new life and came forward with new resolve, building up the attack. Less than ten minutes in Tulkas was barely denied off a header rebound, and the crowd groaned. Five minutes later Eonwe went up high on a corner and put it into the corner of the posts, only to have Arvedui tip it up and over. The Norbury keeper was really on his game much to the dismay of the crowd.

In the 18th minute it looked like Valimar was set to break through at last, when off a counter there was only Valandur left to face a charging Eonwe and Arien, but Valandur faked his commitment brilliantly and managed to toe away Arien’s pass to Eonwe. Quickly to the loose ball was Malvegil, who whirled and sent it deep down the right side with no hesitation, catching everyone going the wrong direction- except Malbeth. The famed Seer was already breaking (perhaps aided by his gift of sight?), and he controlled it and broke in from the corner towards the goal. He dribbled right past Manwe and Pallando, and put on the brakes to let Vana rush past, then sent it perfectly over to Araphor who was just an inch ahead of Alatar. The inch was all he need, as he deflected it perfectly back across to the far post, catching the keeper Namo diving the opposite way to cover the near post.

Team Norbury’s small section of fans went completely nuts, but the team on the field restrained any celebration and merely took their spots. Team Valimar tried desperately for the equalizer in the final minutes, but they just didn’t have their edge, while Norbury’s defense was better than ever, buoyed up by the success they were having against the vaunted Ainu. At last when the final second disappeared from the clock, Norbury let loose and celebrated like they had won the Cup. They knew going in that the only way they could win was to suck the competitive juices out of their opponents, quiet the crowd, and play a near flawless game, and they had done all three! Improbable as it was, they were through to the quarterfinals!

Norbury 2-1 Valimar (OVERTIME)
tot shots 7-13
on target 3-6
GOALS:
*6, 1-0 Araphor (Aranarth)
*57, 1-1 Arien (Varda)
*18, 2-1 Araphor (Malbeth)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Norbury- Argeleb
*Valimar- Arien, Vana, Pallando, Yavanna

Nogrod

05-19-2010, 03:54 AM

So it was true. Behind all the general buzz around the Arda Cup and all the renovation going on Utumno had been rebuilt! Or re-dug. And like before, Melkor had managed to do it without the other Valar having the faintest idea what he was up to.

The Barren wasteland was reforested but it was growing more of moss and swamp than any of Yavanna’s beautiful creation.

Despite the intimidating journey to Utumno, the scary entry into the fortress and the bone-chilling architecture more than twenty-thousand diehard football fans and Gelion supporters braved the journey through the gates of Utumno and into the stadium a mile under the mountains. There were more than sixty-thousand orcs and other creatures of darkness there filling the rest of the seats cheering for the home team with drums, horns, fireworks, chants in dark language, screams, roars, fire and smoke…

Gelion showed respectful courage in the game and during the first half-hour they managed to freeze the game completely. Despite the efforts of Tilion and Gothmog Gelion defences held. Some Gelion supporters even started to hope that the growing frustration of the home team might after all lead them to pick cards and thus there opening chances for team Gelion to score. And like an answer to their prayers Melkor took a card from roughing. Beren had stolen the ball from him just as he was about to shoot, and when he caught the man there was Luthien running away with the ball. Melkor snapped taking Beren from his legs more or less intending to rip him in pieces. But the referee saw it all and happily for Beren blew his whistle in time.

But as soon as the hope had been kindled it was mercilessly killed. Tilion sent an angry shot towards the goal and hit the post only to be picked by Gothmog who just threw the defenders away from him and rammed the ball into the net with such might that Dior had no wish to stand in between the ball and the goal.

The second half was more or less the same. Gelion played bravely but it was clear which team controlled the ball and the game. Gelion had a few nice build-ups on the second half but in the end they only managed one shot towards Utumno’s goal and Ungoliant had no problems whatsoever to keep her goal untouched. On the other end of the pitch Melkor made it 2-0 on sixty minutes with a nice header from around the penalty-spot. Scoring despite Luthien trying to stop him seemed to make Melkor quite happy indeed.

So the game ended quite the way it had been anticipated. Gelion stood bravely but fell in the end to a superior team. No has yet scored a goal against Utumno.

Gelion 0-2 Utumno
tot shots 4-12
on target 1-6
GOALS:
*34, 0-1 Gothmog (Tilion)
*61, 0-2 Melkor (Gothmog)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Gelion- Bereg, Azaghal, Haldad
*Utumno- Balrog #2, Melkor

skip spence

05-21-2010, 09:28 AM

The fair city of Tirion upon Tuna was the venue for this highly anticipated derby of the Undying Realm, a real prestige-match between the Ainur and the Noldor. This was also a clash of contrasting styles. Whereas hosts Tirion had a tradition of playing very offensive and attractive football, sometimes to the point of recklessness, their opponents Aman usually relied on a slow-paced and cautious game of possession football and on a miserly defence.

Too often in the past this strategy had made the Valar-led team vulnerable however, as they've struggled to change game-plan and really threaten in attack if their opponents had managed to score first. After a fair amount of criticism team captain Orome had addressed this issue by making the concessions necessary to sign Ar-Pharazon, one of the most feared strikers in the game. This came as a surprise to many fans and pundits as the Numenorian hit-man had been one of the most outspoken critics of how the game was played by the Valar, but his arrival had certainly added a well needed edge to Aman’s game in the Round Robin. At the pre-match press-conference many questions were thus directed at the striker and he was asked why he had signed for Aman and what his expectations were of the tournament. He answered:

”Simple question. I’m here to win the Arda Cup. No player has won back-to-back championships. If we win this year I will become immortal.” At this point Aman captain Orome looked rather uneasy. “You mean legendary, right?”, he said. “Quite so, quite so”, replied Ar-Pharazon with a rather annoyed look on his face.

Tirion however were tipped to win here at their home field where conditions favoured their highly technical and attacking approach to game. Every single strand of green grass on the pitch was in mint condition to avoid the risk that the ball might take an irregular bounce and ruin it for the home-team, and the stadium was filled to the brim with enthusiastic supporters. Prior to the match some pundits had pointed out that the Aman defence was not quite as solid as it used to be this year after the departure of Manwe, but then again, their offence had also improved. With Tirion being the top scorers of the tournament this affair therefore promised lots of goals, and the crowd was not disappointed in this respect.

As the match got underway Tirion immediately went on the attack, and Feanor had a good early effort palmed away by Nienna. But the defensive shortcomings of the home team once again became apparent as Turgon was allowed to challenge the ball almost unopposed on a corner-kick, and his header towards the far post was flicked in by Nahar from two yards out. The home fans shook their heads in disbelief. In three of the four matches so far they had fallen behind early on to rather preventable goals. For how long would they remain unpunished by this negligence?

Any such question-marks were quickly forgotten as the home team soon overwhelmed the Aman defence, attacking with all ten outfielders on the pitch with great movement and pin-point passing accuracy. And only minutes after falling behind Tirion was level again. A breathtaking move where Tirion made more than 40 uninterrupted passes was capped off by a well taken finish from Finwe, the Tirion captain, assisted by his extraordinary son Feanor.

Tirion kept on attacking furiously, but then Orodreth made a mistake turning the ball over to Finarfin and Aman was suddenly on a break four against two. The Elf advanced with the ball straight down the centre towards in the gap between the two remaining defenders, and when Amras finally felt he had to step in to interfere with the run, Finarfin simply played the ball out wide where Ar-Pharazon came storming forward. The striker took a great first touch and with a delightful chip he beat the onrushing Aule in goal. Aman was into the lead once again and the numerous Ainur fans present celebrated wildly.

But Tirion just kept at it, losing none of its composure. Few has seen a side this confident going forward, and with the breathtaking skill of Feanor, Miriel, Finwe, Nerdanel among others Aman were soon defending desperately again, falling back almost into the lap of Nienna. And this proved costly as Feanor was allowed space to get a shot in from distance, and he hit it with such venom that not even the cat-like reflexes and agility of Nienna was enough to stop the ball from hitting the back of the net. But Aman was not out of it and Ar-Pharazon had a great chance to score again just before the break, but the Numenorian saw his shot drift just wide of the left hand post.

In the second half Tirion played somewhat more conservatively, with Finwe operating a little bit deeper in midfield and with one wing-back staying back if the other one rushed forward. Perhaps Finwe had told his team that they could simply not afford to concede any more goals if they wanted to win this match? But with players like Feanor on the pitch they remained a potent offensive threat, and not far into the second half, the Fiery Boot scored again. Orodreth got to the by-line and hit a low cross into the box which Nerdanel stepped over, and Feanor following up behind hit the ball crisp and clean straight into the roof of the net from 20 yards. The crowd was ecstatic to finally see their heroes taking the lead.

Aman still had chances to come back but when Miriel scored Tirions forth with less than 20 minutes less to play the match was over. It was an easy finish in the end for the nimble striker, as Nienna had spilled Finwe’s shot right at her feet in front of goal, but that effort will boost the confidence of Miriel, who has been accused of failing to perform in the big matches when it really matters, despite scoring for fun in the group-stage matches.

And so it was. Another 4-2 win for Tirion meant that the Noldor side was qualified for the quarter finals. That night the silver lantern of Ingwe’s lofty tower Mindon Eldaliéva seemed to burn with an added vigour, shining like a bright star far out to sea.

Aman 2-4 Tirion
tot shots 13-18
on target 6-9
GOALS:
*10, 1-0 Nahar (Turgon)
*16, 1-1 Finwe (Feanor)
*24, 2-1 Ar Pharazon (Finarfin)
*38, 2-2 Feanor (Ingwe)
*54, 2-3 Feanor (Orodreth)
*72, 2-4 Miriel (Finwe)
YELLOW CARDS:
Aman- Este, Turgon
Tirion- Indis, Amrod, Feanor

the phantom

05-24-2010, 01:59 PM

Doubtless there was no other playoff location that featured such confidence from both sides entering the first round match. Barad-Dur had great talent and was led by a champ from the year before, Sauron, while Gondolin had looked nearly flawless at times this tournament (against Dale, Dol Guldur, and Wold especially).

Barad-Dur supporters were quick to point out that at other times Gondolin hadn't looked so good, but Gondolin fans countered that it hadn't been necessary to go full bore every game and that would leave them better rested for a playoff run. Gondolin also had the advantage of their beautiful home field, but a much larger than expected party from Mordor was there, and a surprising number of them had tickets- certainly more than the original percentage allotment given to the away side. Many of the locals were very upset by this, but there was no foul play involved- simply the very deep pockets of Sauron's kingdom offering too many gold pieces for many ticket holders to resist.

And so it was that the stadium was split only about 60-40 when the highly anticipated match kicked off, and the group of men from Gondor and orcs and trolls from Mordor were making as much noise as the elves. But only for a very short while.

Gondolin came right out of the gate charging hard and looking dangerous, and the players from Barad-Dur and their fans were taken aback. The speed, the precision, the flare- it was simply too much. At eleven minutes Gondolin went up on the scoreboard thanks to Maeglin and Fingoflin and they pressed for more. Just before the half hour mark Aredhel was assisted by her husband, now working together again, and doing so beautifully. Just to make the point, they reversed their order and scored another goal before the half, and it turned into a party in the stands! This was what the elves had come to see!

After the half Barad-Dur made their best push yet, but time and again it was only Sauron who was able to make any progress against the defenders and Huor. In minute 58 he managed with a brilliant long run to save Barad-Dur from the embarrassment of getting shut out, but the three goal margin was quickly reclaimed by the Gondolin midfield tandem of Ecthelion and Glorfindel and Gondolin joyfully and skillfully kicked it around the rest of the game, with Barad-Dur unable to do a thing about it. They were simply outclassed here, and Sauron was sent home to dream up new schemes of claiming another Arda Cup, while Gondolin would advance to face Tirion in what was certain to be one of the most anticipated quarterfinal matches ever in Arda Cup.

Barad-Dur 1-4 Gondolin
tot shots 8-19
on target 4-10
GOALS:
*11, 0-1 Maeglin (Fingolfin)
*29, 0-2 Eol (Aredhel)
*43, 0-3 Aredhel (Eol)
*58, 1-3 Sauron (Isildur)
*65, 1-4 Ecthelion (Glorfindel)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Barad-Dur- Nazgul #7, Isildur
*Gondolin- Eol, Maeglin

the phantom

05-26-2010, 11:37 AM

It was no surprise to Barrow-Downs supporters when their team earned the right to host a first round match. They were a contender every year, after all- one of the elite. But not a dynasty. For that, they had to win some titles first.

Nearly every Downs dwellers could be seen wearing green and gold upon black in the days leading up to the match. The words on their shirts read everything from "Go Downs!" to "This is our year!" to "Hail King Nog!" Gondor was well respresented, but they kept to themselves, wary of the extremely odd population of the Downs. It was a well known fact that many of the Downers changed into werewolves on a regular basis, and the Gondorians weren't anxious to rub elbows with such dangerous folk.

The stadium filled early the day of the match, and an exhibition match was played between many of the Downers who were not on the actual squad. The people of Gondor were astounded by what they saw, as the players on the pitch looked good indeed- good enough to compete in the Arda Cup surely. And these were the back-ups? As the match finished up the sky clouded over and it began to drizzle. The Downers laughed and spread out their arms, clearly enjoying themselves, while the men and women of the south huddled beneath their robes and eyed the Downers, thinking them weirder than ever.

Soon the stadium was filled to the brim and the two playoff squads made their way onto the field, while at the same time the rain really began to pour, and rolling thunder began to be heard in the distance. The home supporters screamed, shouted, blew horns, shook bells, clanged weapons, and beat drums. The noise was just deafening. Team Gondor did their best to take no notice of it, but it was clear that they were a bit taken aback, and were concerned by some of the more insane looking Downers waving huge Barrow-blades around in the air. Captain Nogrod approached the Gondor side and kindly informed them that the Downs crowd, while noisy, was never the sort to do physical violence to the opposition, but right after he left Phantom swept past and added, "Unless you tackle me or Sally too roughly, of course. Then you're all kinds of dead. The crowd really loves us, you see. Especially that group over there with the long bows."

It was almost certainly an idle threat, but as the match began Gondor did look extremely uncomfortable defending against the pair of midfielders, clearly afraid of getting too close. And they paid for the space they allowed 25 minutes in when Sally was allowed to run free down the right side and sent one at the goal. The effort was deflected away by a defender, but Nogrod mopped up the loose ball and the home team was up by one! The rest of the half Gondor did their best to push back, and gained a couple of solid efforts, but the great warg in goal was on guard and in position each time.

During the halftime break the winds picked up and the lightning and thunder increased to a near constant flash and boom. A handful of Gondor fans left their seats for shelter, but the Downs fans stuck around and were not dismayed. As the second half kicked off things got worse, as decent sized pieces of ice began falling from the sky. The players from Gondor looked pleadingly at the refs, but the match went on and soon Gondor was in a two goal hole as Phantom was allowed a lane to approach and sent it off to Wilwa for an easy header.

The crowd grew louder and louder and the hail got larger, and lightning actually struck the Downs goal! The keeper, Eomerwarg, laughed heartily and leaped to the top of the net, waving his hands in a welcoming fashion towards the sky. He wanted another strike! The crowd began chanting, ""Tor-na-do! Tor-na-do!" and as if they were one single force they began running in giant circles around the arena, leaping from chair to chair in their respective rows. The Gondor fans cowered in their seats as the Downs fans whirled over them, stepping on the backs of their seats, armrests, and occasionally their heads. Upon reaching their original seats, the Downers stopped and began chanting again, clearly building up to another rush around the stadium. Gondor supporters turned tail and left- every last one. The conditions were insane, and the players and supporters of the Barrow-Downs were even more insane! They had not signed up for this.

The players from Gondor still tried to fight it out, but after Nogrod scored his second goal (again assisted by a free-roaming Phantom), the fight was out of them. Mercifully the refs called the game early, though it's possible they did not know what the actual time was, as the stadium's clock and scoreboard had been struck by another bolt of lightning and was no longer functioning, and the personal watches of the refs had been battered by hail and invaded by rain. It goes without saying that there was a party of epic proportions that night upon The Barrow-Downs. The people of the realm were crazy to be certain, but the happy sort of crazy.

Barrow-Downs 3-0 Gondor
tot shots 15-8
on target 8-3
GOALS:
*25, 1-0 Nogrod (Sally)
*49, 2-0 Wilwa (Phantom)
*64, 3-0 Nogrod (Phantom)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Barrow-Downs- Wilwa, Steve
*Gondor- Eldacar, Fastred

the phantom

05-26-2010, 04:03 PM

THE GAME WITHIN THE GAME
The Phantom, "The Downer" Sports News

We all know what is going on in the Arda Cup, so I won't waste any time writing about that. It's only the biggest sporting event in Middle Earth! It's receiving plenty of coverage. What I want to talk about is a game withing the game that has been going on here on the Downs. I'm talking about the Arda Cup Phantasy Competition.

If you haven't checked the standings lately, guess who's back on top? None other than the winner from two years ago- Gwathagor. He vowed that he would be back with a vengeance this season, armed with new info and new stats and more dedicated than ever. But while he has been impressive, he has by no means run away from the field.

Only two points behind him is the early round leader and perennial competitor Nogrod. He had a bit of a down round in the playoffs (by his standards), but if that's the only bump in the road he experiences he'll be tough to beat.

Another player behind by mere single digits is none other than the Prince of Predictions- Boromir88. He gained more points than anyone in the first playoff round, thanks in part to his perfect predictions, and opponents fear him getting on a roll. If you'll recall, last year he was just ridiculous at this stage, predicting the exact scores of 7 of the 8 quarterfinal teams correctly! If he catches fire again- look out.

Lurking a dozen points off the leader is Skip Spence, and many think that he is still the favorite at this stage. He's the defending champ, and he loves to wait in the wings and storm to the lead in the final rounds, so he is exactly where he wants to be right now.

Just two points under is the extremely sneaky Nerwen- you don't want to overlook her! With the two former champs plus the co-mods in the front four, it'll be easy for them to focus on each other a bit too much and forget the very real threat of the lady down under.

Now those are the Downers who currently look to be in the best shape right now, but the next ones down- Shasta, McCaber, Sally, and others are technically within striking distance if the leaders mirror each other too much and run into bad luck, while those behind hit their predictions and pick up a few pre-tourney prediction points to put them over the top. Teams Magnum and Ben Jonson however need a downright miracle, as their owners have chosen the odd strategy of leaving disqualified players on the roster rather than replacing them. Perhaps it's a clever ploy of some sort?

But anyway, it looks to be an exciting race to the finish in the game within the game, and it is difficult to say who holds the advantage at this stage. We'll just have to watch and see.

Nogrod

05-29-2010, 04:29 PM

We here at the AKM have been looking through different stats and considering the fitness of the key players now as the stakes get higher. Especially we have been looking at the difference between the overall stats versus those of playing against sturdier opponents (the difference between the overall stats vs. the stats from the first play-off round & against the other team going through from the group phase).

Vinyamar – Barrow Downs

The AKM truly acknowledges the criticism made by the Two Towers Network for not taking Vinyamar’s defence seriously enough thus far. It is a solid one and a touch tougher than the BarrowDowns defence. Even if their stats do fall considerably when counting only the tougher matches they are the top of the tournament in defence save for Utumno.

But if Vinyamar looks better in defence then they have little to boast on offence. With Wilwa (3+2) aiding the veterans the phantom (1+4) and Nogrod (5+1) the BD looks clearly the more dangerous side. Their efficiency in scoring is one of the best in the tournament – but they should create more chances to score; only Norbury, Vinyamar and Numenor create less chances! To their relief Vinyamar creates even less scoring opportunities though.

An interesting question also is will Ulmo step up his game when it matters, like he did in the game against Dol Guldur – or can he outscore Nogrod who seems to be in flames scoring twice against Gondor in the first play-off round? And how many reserves the teams have to step in in time of need? On Vinyamar side Idril can surely perform, but especially Tuor and Penlod have been disappointments thus far. How will Fea perform? Or Nerwen? Will Sally find her gusto? Wilwa? the phantom?

Summa summarum: It is a tough game to call. The stats give the BD a slight edge but there are great chances the game ends 1-1 and then it will be a question of individual merit (or failure) to decide the game. Also on that the AKM turns towards the BD as slight favourites – unless the game is decided by a failure in goalkeeping, for there Rôg surely has shown much better quality than Eomerwarg.

Mithrim – Numenor

It is clear Mithrim is the favourite of this game as they tend to score twice the goals Numenor does while letting in the same amount. But there are a few ”buts” one should consider before making any bigger bets on the game.

First of all there is a surprising weakness in the Mithrim team and that is indeed Huan! He has more or less respectable overall saving percentage of 81,8%, but when looking at the tougher matches only the number comes quickly down to 71,4%!

Secondly there is the question of Turín. He has made 4+1 thus far but can be moody as was seen in the last game. So a lot depends on the humour of Turín no one can predict for certain in advance.

But then there is the fact that the Mithrim defence led by Curufin and Celegorm is just a superb one – and add to that the fact that Numenor is the worst offencive team still in the competition and you could start seeing why the scales will turn into Mithrim’s favour. And whatever the problems Mithrim might have with Turín, they have still Beleg and Hurín who can turn games themselves without the unfortunate son.

Summa summarum: Even if Numenor has stepped up their performance as the games have grown older it looks it would take a miracle for them to beat Mithrim. Numenor has a tough defence but it is far from the quality of last year whereas Mithrim boasts a wide range of scoring talent. So in the end it’s more or less maths… Numenor wil not create the chances to test the possibly unsecure Huan but Mithrim wil have chances enough to score once or twice. Mithrim wins 2-0 or 2-1.

Utumno -Norbury

It is clear that Norbury is the number one surprise this year: throwing Valimar out from the games is just a rare treat. It was talked before the tournament that Norbury might get better with their opponents being the sturdy northeners they are, but few would have guessed they would end up in the quarterfinals. So next target Utumno?

Without downplaying the great descendants of even greater men it is hard to see them beating Utumno. They will force Utumno to play it for real and Melkor will not have it easy this time. Gothmog’s waking-up in the last game promises good for the Utumno team – and if Tilion can come back with the drive he had in the first games… well then it is goodbye to Norbury how brave they ever are.

Really. No one thought they would beat Valimar but it was a possibility. But by all means Utumno looks ten times sharper this year than Valimar. Ungoliant has a clean sheet thus far and it remains to be seen whether Araphor can break that spell, but it looks clear he cannot score two goals which Utumno will probably make.

Summa summarum: Norbury gave spice to these games and they really made a difference but Utumno is just too big and ugly for them.

Gondolin – Tirion

Had it been any other team facing them on the quarterfinals the AKM would have wished team Tirion the best luck to the final. But of all teams Gondolin will be the nightmare to Tirion and the game will be a real treat. There’s no saying who will win this one.

Tirion’s weaknesses can be summed up in three words: defence, defence, defence. Thus far they have outscored all their opponents, but now they face a team that can both defend and score. Tirion’s strength can be summed up in four words: Feänor (4+3), Finwë (4+3), Miriel (4+2) and Nerdanel (2+4).

Meanwhile back in the jungle Gondolin beat Barad Dûr 4-1 in the first play-off match coming back to their astonishing performances they made during the friendlies. So they too can score four goals in a game but unlike Tirion they always defend effectively: the difference in goals allowed between the two teams is astonishing indeed. But to be frank, it is also true that looking at Gondolin’s games against tougher teams Huor’s performance isn’t that spectacular anymore (even if it’s still better than Aulë’s).

Summa summarum: The AKM thinks both the teams should be in the semifinals but now it clearly is impossible: a great team will be relinguished after this game. The game will end either 1-1 or 2-2 and it will go on overtime. On overtime either team can win, but if it goes to the penalties the AKM predicts that Tirion’s phenomenal shooting capability will outdo any defect in Aulë’s goalkeeping. But it will be anybody’s call.

the phantom

06-01-2010, 12:11 PM

There are a lot of competitive juices flowing regarding the Downs Phantasy Challenge. Here are just a few quotes from some of the participants taken from their weekly media meeting.

Boromir88- Highest point output last round, baby! I'm on a roll. Come next round, that point lead is MINE!

Magnum- Well, darn it! Why didn't anyone tell me my players were out of the tournament!

Shasta- I'm going to come back and win this thing. I have forseen it.

Eonwe- I'm totally going to win the award for coolest team name. And I'm going to beat Morm, if it's the last thing I do.

Morm- I'm going to stomp Steve into the ground. Heck- I'll use my modding skills and edit his posts to give him a really garbage squad.

Fea/Nienna- Great performance last round from us. We're totally going to pass Eomer, Morm, and Steve. And this is our first time! We're just naturals at this.

McCaber- The Next-to-Last Alliance is determined not to live up to their name and finish next to last.

Wilwa- Muffins smash cupcakes any day of the week! Muffins don't need frosting to be awesome. Muffins have substance!

Sally- Muffins are for every day. Cupcakes are super special, for special stuff, and they get decorated cool. Muffins can go jump in the blender for all I care.

Eomer- Is there seriously only one Warg in this tournament? Ridiculous. They're clearly the best footballers in Middle-Earth.

Gwath- Guess who's back on top, people! Um, no, not Nog. Nope, not Boro eith- NO not Skip. I was trying to imply that- NOOO, it's NOT Saucepan Man. IT'S ME!!! ME!!!

Skip- I'm right where I want to be- comfortably within striking distance, and strike I will! Remember, the Phantasy trophy is sitting in my living room. I'm still the champ.

Lari- I know you people think I'm crazy for leaving "dead" players on my team, but when all the current playoff squads get disqualified for using banned substances, their points will be voided out and the teams will be replaced with teams featuring MY players. Ha! Crazy like a fox.

Nogrod- I've been leading the whole way, and it took a terrible round for me to drop into second. No worries. I'll be back on top in no time.

Nerwen- Let those boys think they've got this thing. It'll only make it hurt worse when I slip past them at the end. Mwu ha ha ha ha!!!

the phantom

06-03-2010, 10:05 AM

Monster Magazine
Ruharg the Red, dragon of the Withered Heath

Well, I managed to go 6 out of 8 in the first round folks. Not terrible, but I hope to do better this time around. But really- who could have fortold that Norbury victory over Valimar? And as far as Vinyamar over Dol Guldur, well- I'll admit when I'm wrong. I undersold the tenacity of Mount Taras. Ulmo definitely has it going more than some of his passive cousins in Valinor, and Osse and Rog definitely have the fire and swagger. But-

Barrow-Downs 2-1 Vinyamar (overtime)

Though I admit I undersold the defense, I don't think Vinyamar has what it takes up front to score on the Warg keeper from the Downs and the experienced defense in front of him. Though they aren't Werewolves this year, I think they still have some of the same attitude and aggression, and I trust they'll get the job done. And even the Vinyamar defense won't be able to stop the scorers from the Downs forever.

Mithrim 3-0 Numenor

Numenor is the defending champ, has great team work, blah blah blah- they don't have that extra something! But Mithrim does. Turin has the will and rage that it takes to dominate in the playoffs, and so does daddy Hurin. Celegorm and Curufin are underhanded schemers and know how to make things move, one way or another. And the reaction and speed of Huan in goal is just unmatched.

Utumno 3-0 Norbury

Don't make me laugh. Melkor has one of the baddest collection of monsters ever, and he's got them under just enough control where they don't make silly mistakes. This team is going all the way.

Gondolin 3-2 Tirion

This is the match that everyone is looking forward too, and I can see the appeal (two teams very capable of scoring), but I think this match is ultimately pointless. The winner isn't going to get past Utumno. But for what it's worth, I think Gondolin comes out on top here due to them being overall the hardier, more fiery, and more competitive squad. Maeglin isn't afraid to betray a kingdom for his wants, and Eol will go to extreme lengths to take what is his. Ecthelion has guts certainly- the guy stabbed a balrog with his head! And Glorfindel dueled one on a peak. Fingolfin demanded a one-on-one with the most powerful being in Arda. Feanor can't overcome all of that surely.

Westernesse Weekly
Ar-Tar-Aradil of Numenor

Seven out of eight matches right last round! Looks like my theory about playing "mannish" football was correct. Let's see if I can keep it going.

Vinyamar 1-0 Barrow-Downs

It's a shame these two have to meet here, as I think both have the potential to go all the way. Vinyamar has played things properly ever since the friendlies, and the Downers have been winning me over as of late, proving that their reckless Werewolf days are behind them, and that they are dedicated to playing a mistake-free team based game. This game will be a beauty to watch (for those who truly appreciate the game), and in the end I think Vinyamar will be able to protect their goal by holding the ball for large portions of the game, and that their defense will be up for the challenge when they are tested.

Numenor 2-1 Mithrim

Now this one is really tough to call. I think Mithrim has the edge when it comes to talent, but Numenor has the champ attitude and the experience edge. Tar Telperien and friends should be able to slow down Turin and friends enough for Tar Atanamir to hold their score down, and I believe that Ar Adunakhor, Elros, and company at the other end can get one past Huan with their execution and saavy. The question is, who gets the deciding goal? I give the edge to Numenor, but it could go either way.

Norbury 2-1 Utumno

They shocked the world once. Why not twice? Remember two years ago Araphor, Arvedui, and others were playing for Annuminas and were placed in a group with Valimar and Angband, and they unexpectedly tied them both. This is a chance to repeat history, only replacing the ties with wins. These guys play well together and aren't intimidated by anyone, and won't give Utumno anything easy. I believe Norbury will frustrate Melkor's squad and cause them to make mistakes- pressing too hard, getting carded, etc.

Gondolin 3-2 Tirion

Both of these teams have talent coming out of the ears, and so in the end I think the team that wins is the squad that plays entirely together and stays in control of things. Feanor is notoriously streaky, and Miriel tends to fade away when things get tough, and the defense tends to focus on offense too much unless they have the lead. Now- if Tirion goes up by two early, then the game is over, but it's the same for Gondolin, and I like their chances better in a tie game going down to the wire, as Tirion's pushing tends to get them in trouble.

the phantom

06-08-2010, 01:15 PM

The great arena by the docks of Eglarest was filled to the brim and even a bit beyond for the highly anticipated match between Mithrim and Numenor. The team from Numenor was largely the same team that had won the title the year before, while Mithrim was perhaps the most statistically dominant squad in this year’s tournament thus far.

Men and Elves had flocked down from the north to support the house of Hurin and the sons of Feanor, while an equal sized armada from Numenor streamed in from the west. Locals wished to see the contest, but there were very few willing to hold onto their tickets in the face of the prices they were being offered. In the end there were equal numbers of fans from both sides (around 35,000 each), and about 5,000 Elves from the Havens mixed in (and that isn’t counting the individuals who snuck in to stand in the aisles, or somehow managed to climb to the top of the walls surrounding the stadium).

Everyone was looking forward to seeing a hard fought game, but in the early minutes it looked as if they’d be disappointed. Mithrim came out extremely flat and Numenor owned the ball for the first 20-plus minutes, earning a couple of great opportunities that were barely turned aside by the great hound of Valinor, Huan. The valiant hound barked at his defense to get it together, and as time neared half an hour Mithrim finally got things on course and started shutting down the Numenor attack, and soon had the ball on the attack.

In minute 32 the deadlock was finally broken thanks to a brilliant run by Turin and Beleg. The best buds worked together as one entity, taking it right down the middle on the counter and putting it in for the lead. Numenor tried to swing things back their direction by upping the effort, but the sons of Feanor were by this point fully on top of things and Numenor simply did not have the speed or energy to attack them, and the half ended 1-0.

In the second half it was clear from the start that Mithrim was only getting better, while Numenor did not have that higher gear to kick it into. After building several nice attacks, fifteen minutes in Mithrim struck again, this time on a long-range thundering strike from Hurin, who, as usual, shouted “Day shall come again!” as he drove it home.

For the final half hour Mithrim went into a more conservative mode, holding the ball brilliantly and stopping every attack cold. Numenor simply did not have a player with the game-breaking ability necessary to kick the door down and storm the castle. As the final minutes ran off the clock the Numenor fans filed out, knowing the defeat was inevitable. The loss of Tar Minastir, Ar Pharazon, and Sauron was just too much to make up, or at least it was when playing a highly skilled and on fire team like Mithrim.

Mithrim was through to the semis!

Mithrim 2-0 Numenor
tot shots 12-8
on target 6-4
GOALS:
*32, 1-0 Beleg (Turin)
*60, 2-0 Hurin (Morwen)
YELLOW CARDS:
Mithrim- Hurin, Celegorm, Gelmir
Numenor- Tar Meneldur, Ar Zimrathan, Ar Adunakhor

Nogrod

06-10-2010, 02:37 PM

There were some eyebrows raised when the MEFA authorities announced that the quarterfinal between Utumno and Norbury would be played at Utumno. The official explanation was that there were more seats available in Utumno than in Amon Sûl and all the other venues around were either taken (for pop-concerts, chivalry-games or horse-shows) or not allowing in a high-enough number of spectators.

The cynics were fast to make their points on various websites about MEFA paying back Melkor’s help in dealing with the problems at Goblin Town or then being pressured by him to stage the game at his own pit through any imaginable way of blackmail, corruption or threat; but the given reasons seemed to hold most of the criticism at bay. Still most of the “goodie” print-media thought of it as an outrage, even if Melkor promised a third of the seats to be reserved for those calling themselves goodies.

Prime time interview with Melkor, exclusive for the AKM.

The AKM: Anything you’d want to say about the MEFA decision to let you host this game?

Melkor: Actually no. The hosting of the games is the business of the MEFA and not me. I’m here to discuss about the game, not the location.

AKM: But don’t you think the location affects the game as well? It would be differen….

Melkor: Don’t you understand basic Westron? If you have something to ask about the game then get on with it, if not, then hush!

AKM: Well, okay… You are meeting the wonderboys of this year’s tournament. Do you feel they can threat you and your team?

Melkor: I’ve lived long enough not to underestimate anyone – what happened to my servant Sauron and so forth – but this time? No I don’t think so.

AKM: But they did beat Valimar? I would bet you were counting on meeting Valar in this game instead of the northern Dunedain. Don’t you give them credit for that?

Melkor: Yeah, they beat the blah-blahs… no big deal. Valimar looked decisive and whatever but they were playing a sissy game and it was just right they got beaten… although you seem to imply that I would have liked to drop them off the tournament personally?

AKM: Erm… well, kind of… So you’re mad at the Norbury team and will play rough on them?

Melkor: Hah, just wait and see. Football is more sophisticated than that.

AKM: So what is your sophisticated plan for the game then?

Melkor: Quite simple, really. First of all, once again we start from the defence and will not let them score, and that means taking Araphor out. Tilion will have a special duty today. Secondly we will overwhelm them in the mid-field; that is their weakest part and there we will strike turning the possession of the field to us. And thirdly, we’ll put some pressure on their defences, especially on Arveleg and Amlaith who seem to be their weakest links. We’ll score a few goals and give Ungoliant one more shut-out without stressing our players too much so that we’ll all be fit for the semis.

AKM: You seem confident enough…

Melkor: Naturally.

AKM: But you're wasting your best scorer Tilion into a guard-role? How will he take it?

Melkor: It's none of your bussiness. The interview is over.

Reasonable evil tops lame-duck goodies

Melkor’s plan seemed to bite to the detail. Tilion took Araphor under personal guardship following him everywhere he went and blocking all the lines of passing the ball for him. It was clear Araphor was getting frustrated of his personal guard but as that guard was of the quality he was, there was little he could do about it as long as Tilion didn’t break the rules… and he didn’t. Tilion played it super-cool. Araphor tried his best to upset him - some say he even tried to nauseate him with references to the role he had been given - but Tilion stayed calm all the game following Araphor the whole 90 minutes. No goals to Araphor and he didn't get to touch the ball but a few times, mainly ending up losing it to Tilion.

In the post-game press conference Tilion was quite careful with his words: "As the steersman of the Moon I'm used to following a premeditated path and not claiming individual freedom. It was no problem to me."

It was also pretty clear from the beginning that the mid-field of Argeleb, Tarcil, Valandil and Malbeth were no match for the opposing quartet of Balrog #5, Tevildo, Thuringwethil and Melkor. So the possession of the ball stayed with Utumno most of the time as the Norburyans just had difficulties to advance over the mid-field.

And laying pressure on Arveleg and Amlaith seemed to be pure genius. Already on the 18th minute Thuringwethil - in her vampire-mode - was breaking free just from beside Arveleg and being late he was forced to tackle him down against the rules just a few meters from the box.

It was actually one of the nicest goals in the tournament thus far. Tilion made a fake run to the ball jumping over it and Tevildo ran behind taking the shot – but it was not a shot but a quick diagonal pass to the left where Gothmog had advanced behind the defenders and had an easy job to put the ball in.

When Thuringwethil added the hometeam’s lead to 2-0 before the halftime it seemed the fighting spirit of the dunedain was lost.

They tried to make a comeback on the second half but the tough midfield shut away the passes and without Araphor the dunedain seemed weaponless. And that they were. Utumno played it easy the whole second half, saving the energy of their players but still keeping the Norbury attacks at bay. In the end Norbury only managed two shots on goal and those were easy for Ungoliant to catch. She is still keeping her goal untouched!

The homecrowds were pleased althoughthey would have loved a parade of goals. But as Melkor said - and which sounds reasonable - Utumno was clearly holding back and saving energy to the semifinal where they would meet either Gondolin or Tirion.

The critics say that will be the first real match Utumno has to play. Be what it may, Ungoliant has been just stupefying thus far - with the aid if the tight Utumno defence in front of her not allowing the opponents to shoot too much in the first place.

Norbury 0-2 Utumno
tot shots 5-14
on target 2-7
GOALS:
*18, 0-1 Gothmog (Telvildo)
*33, 0-2 Thuringwethil (Balrog #3)
YELLOW CARDS:
Norbury- Amlaith, Arveleg
Utumno- Telvildo, Balrog #1

the phantom

06-10-2010, 10:33 PM

The old Michel Delving stadium had been selected as the neutral site for the showdown between The Barrow-Downs and Vinyamar, and the hobbits were pleased indeed. Hobbits in general have never been invested in football to the same degree as Men, Elves, and Orcs, but they simply love big events- anything that provides an excuse for feasting and drinking.

As expected it was the fans from Vinyamar arriving first- an enthusiastic mix of Noldor, Teleri, Edain, and Dwarves. Many of them had little experience with hobbits and were keen on enjoying the trip and the hosts to the fullest extent. The Downer supporters, a smaller but extremely wild bunch, arrived the night before the match. Rather than stay in the inns, for the most part the Downers camped in tents in the hills surrounding Michel Delving, though they did at the least purchase a large amount of food and ale from the local merchants.

The stadium at Michel Delving was not large or modern, but the visitors from Vinyamar enjoyed it despite that, as it had a lovely comfortable flavor to it. There was something appealing about the way the aisles creaked, and the feel of the polished wooden seats, and the closeness of the field.

Many fans ended up stuck with smaller hobbit-sized seats, but as they planned on standing for most of the contest, it wasn’t really a problem. The north and west sides were filled up with Vinyamar supporters, while the east was owned by The Downs. The south was largely local hobbits, and it was unclear which team they were in favor of. The Barrow-Downs was more their neighbor, but they had very little in common, and in fact many Downs residents had been quite critical of the hobbits in the days leading up to the match, as they felt the hosts were favoring Vinyamar by holding the game during the day (at 1 in the afternoon, to be precise).

It was no secret that Barrow-Downs residents were night owls, and historically their team played much better in matches under the lights, even when they weren’t Werewolves. This worked well in the playoffs, as most every big-time game had a late kickoff time in order to occupy the primetime slot on the Palantir viewing networks. But the host committee had decided to go against the norm and have a game with the sun at its zenith, and most Barrow-Downs fans were quite certain that the decision was nothing more than an attempt to thwart their playoff run. Perhaps the hobbits had never forgiven them for the incident between Frodo and The Barrow-Wight?

But reasoning aside, it was a fact that in warm ups the Downs side looked a bit sluggish. Two seasons ago in the bronze match they had managed to delay the game long enough for the moon to rise, but with such an early start there was no way such a tactic would be possible this time.

As the ref made ready to start the game, it was clear that there were not enough players on the field. When the ref questioned nearby bleary-eyed Phantom about it, Phantom merely shrugged and replied, “Um, I guess we’re ready”, but defender Skip Spence, who had actually gotten a full night of sleep, cut in and pointed out that Sally, Mira, and captain Nogrod were nowhere to be seen. They were soon found however- asleep on the bench! Yawning they stumbled out to join their teammates, and the match began.

Not surprisingly it was Vinyamar who took the initiative early, working it in with great efficiency against the muddled Downers. Fortunately for the Downers, Steve and Gwath had woken up, and along with Skip they managed to do enough to keep Vinyamar from getting easy looks. When Eomerwarg was tested for the first time at the ten minute mark he looked bad indeed, nearly fumbling away an easy save into the goal, and a few minutes later he nearly mishandled a pass from his own teammate.

Skip and Fea in particular attempted to galvanize the squad, but they remained a step slow, and just before the half hour mark they finally paid the price as Duilin beat his mark and Tuor hit him with a pinpoint pass and the ball was nudged past the poorly positioned keeper. The Vinyamar fans and most of the hobbits cheered loudly. There was little reaction from the Downer section, as about half of them were passed out due largely to their extreme merry-making the night before.

The score did at the least seem to bring the Downs keeper and defense into full wakefulness, and Vinyamar was only able to gain one quality look the rest of the half, which was smothered by the warg. On the other side of the pitch though Sally, Nog, and Phantom were still not into the match and were being completely silenced by Ulmo and friends.

When the Downs returned for the second half, they looked much more awake, and they started hurling things into the crowd. The refs sprinted over to reprimand the team, but stopped when they realized that they were throwing things not at opposing fans, but rather throwing things to their own fans. In order to wake themselves and the crowd up the Downers had brewed some sort of drink in the locker rooms and were flinging water-skins filled with the substance. Head official Boromir88 wisely asked for a sample and sent it upstairs to be tested (it turned out to be primarily sugar and caffeine), but other than that he did not interfere.

As the minutes went by in the second half The Barrow-Downs began looking sharper and more energetic, and their section really began making some noise. Around minute 65 they gained their best chance yet off of a corner. Fea hit the side post on a header, and Nogrod smacked the rebound back at the goal, but Rog made a brilliant bat-away to preserve the one goal lead. The Downs supporters were quite let down by the two near scores, but captain Nogrod wouldn’t allow the team to droop their heads. “They can’t hold us off forever!” he shouted.

And he was right. Despite the individual skill of the Ainu from the sea and their flawless teamwork defense for the entire game, perfection was not quite good enough to combat the will and skill of the Downs scorers. With just under ten minutes left Wilwa broke in from the top of the box, completely wrong-footing Salmar and Galdor, and getting Osse and Rog to move to stop her, at which point she sent it high towards Ulmo and Phantom on the other side- too high. The ball was up over the towering Ulmo’s head. But there was a blur of motion, and next thing the onlookers knew the ball was in the net!

Replay clearly showed Phantom leaping, placing a foot on Ulmo’s back, and using that to propel himself up into the air to meet the ball at around the twelve foot mark. The Vinyamar fans protested loudly about Phantom’s methods, but the score was tied.

As overtime began the Downers were looking to put an early end to things. Only five minutes in Wilwa hit Nogrod with a perfect cross, but Rog guessed right and gathered it in. The hobbits, elves, and dwarves sighed, while the wights groaned. Vinyamar took their turn in the offensive zone, but were unable to work it in against Skip and friends, and had to send it back to their rear line again and again to maintain possession. Halfway through the overtime the Downs took control again, and they gained a great opportunity at 24 minutes. Sally beat her mark and made a nice run into the box from the left, but as she sent her shot off Osse took her out from behind with a brutal tackle. He was judged to have gotten the ball first, but replay showed clearly he had gotten nothing except Sally’s ankles. It should have been a short-range penalty kick to the Downs!

The Downers in the stands got very hostile and started throwing things, and the refs stopped the game and sent security in to find the offenders. But the bombardment didn’t stop in the least, and instead the security guards (mostly hobbit shirriffs) were picked up and tossed onto the field. Shasta pulled out wads of fireworks from a bag and passed them around, and soon the field crews were kept busy stamping fires out all over the pitch. In the row behind Shasta, Nienna was passing around various paints and brushes and encouraging everyone to write profane messages upon the seats and walls. Lommy and Greenie, under cover of the chaos, made their way onto the field and attempted to stab Osse from behind. Thankfully they were spotted just before they pulled it off and the players from Vinyamar were rushed to safety into the tunnel beneath the hobbit section.

Head official Boromir88 finally declared via messages on the scoreboard that Vinyamar would be awarded a free kick from the top of the box if the Downer fans did not cease and desist immediately. This put a stop to the carnage, as none of the Downer fans wished to hurt their team. But just as play was about to begin again, a knife came spinning out of the Downer seats, accompanied by the cry, “For Lalaith!!” The knife stuck straight into the ball resting in Boromir88’s hands, and he immediately declared a short-range free kick for Vinyamar.

The Downs fans turned and in fury rushed the culprit- known Lalaith extremist Urwen, who likely saw the game as simply an opportunity to gain some media coverage for her Lalaith-centric agenda. But while they were busy committing various atrocities in the stands, Idril lined up for the kick. The Downs defense wasn’t completely set (understandably due to their emotional state), and Vinyamar took advantage by taking the free kick as quickly as possible and running a play rather than kicking it directly at the goal. Idril booted it with perfect pace past the left side of the wall and Egalmoth timed his run perfectly to not be offsides and beat everyone to the ball and thus was granted a free shot at the goal from point blank. Eomerwarg dove and took away the near post, but Egalmoth went the other way and Vinyamar had the lead with less than five minutes left.

In any other game the team from the Downs would have been provoked into a state of beautiful rage (especially in Werewolf form) and ended with a flurry of shot attempts, but the way this game had gone they pretty well went out without a fight. They felt in their hearts that this was just one of those things that was not meant to be, from the early kickoff time all the way to the misbehaving Urwen. Some days you don’t catch the right breaks at the right times, and so it was on this day.

On the other side the Elves and Dwarves celebrated wildly. This was beyond all of their hopes! In the words of one dwarf- “When we were contracted to expand and refurnish Vinyamar’s stadium, we were thrilled to have work, but if we would’ve known then what would happen… It’s incredible. We really fell in love with the original stonework of the Noldor, and the fine bones of Mount Taras, and then the actual team- the team! We dwarves are not as into football as Elves and Men for the most part, but we have certainly fallen in love with this squad. It really is inspiring to watch them play! I never imagined I’d end up adopting Vinyamar as my new home and following this team all the way to the semifinals.”

Barrow-Downs 1-2 Vinyamar (OVERTIME)
tot shots 12-12
on target 6-6
GOALS:
*29, 0-1 Duilin (Tuor)
*81, 1-1 Phantom (Wilwa)
*24, 1-2 Egalmoth (Idril)
YELLOW CARDS:
*Barrow-Downs- Nerwen, Fea
*Vinyamar- Duilin, Osse

skip spence

06-14-2010, 01:55 PM

The atmosphere was electric as Tirion and Gondolin, mightiest of Elven teams, made it out on the pitch here in the grand Tol Eressea Stadium, always green as if it were the first days of spring in the Elder Days. Of course no one knew about electricity at that time, but some it has been said it was this night the idea first arose. Gondolin, the Hidden Rock, was of old fashioned as an image of Tirion upon Tuna, and most of its residents came out of that fair city, so the two teams had an intimate knowledge of each other; they knew exactly how their opponents played, their strength and weaknesses, each player’s personal quirks and habits.

Most pundits also agreed that the two teams were evenly matched. Tirion had had some defensive issues, but their offence was unmatched by any other team in the past or present. Gondolin, under the new leadership of Fingolfin, also had a new-found attacking flair but without losing the defensive solidity his son Turgon had built up. But would it be enough to stop the lethal quartet of Feanor, Finwe, Nerdanel and Miriel? Everyone was dying to find out.

There was fire in the eyes of Feanor as he and Finwe kicked off, and the Noldor superstar was lucky not to get booked as he went in heavy and hard on his brother Fingolfin when he first got the ball at his feet. Or “half-brother” as the Fiery Boot was keen to point out in the pre-match press conference.

The high expectations ahead of the game were not betrayed. The match was played at a break-neck pace and the crowd gasped for breath time and time again as the players were outdoing each other in individual brilliance. And they were not denied goals for long. In the 12th minute Gondolin won a corner-kick. Captain Fingolfin took it and Aredhel, the White Lady, shook off her marker and made perfect contact with her forehead, sending the ball crashing off the crossbar and into the net, past a furious Aule in the Tirion goal. He was not at all happy with the defending.

Tirion was behind once again and once again they came roaring back. The Gondolin goalkeeper Huor was twice forced to palm behind in the 10 minutes following the goal, firstly from Miriel’s curling effort from the edge of the area and then later from Feanor's speculative but fiercely-struck 35-yard dipping drive. But suddenly Tirion was caught out on the break and Aredhel showed wonderful awareness by spotting Maeglin and lifting a perfectly timed ball over the Tirion back-line, releasing the Sharp Boot one-on-one with Aule, and he made no mistake, rounding the Vala and slotting the ball into the open net. The Gondolin players and fans celebrated wildly now, feeling they had a solid grip on the match, and they remained on top of things for the remainder of the first half.

In the second half Tirion came out like a team possessed, determined to make a match out of this. But Gondolin defended with applause, and remained dangerous on the break. In the 60th minute Eöl came inches from making it three as he hit the outside of the post with a header from a Fingolfin free kick. Seeing the hope of his team shattering, Feanor took it upon himself to make a difference, and the game looked set for a frantic finale when The Fiery Boot latched on to a knockdown by Nerdanel and let fly with a low shot that fizzed past Huor and into the bottom corner of the net.

Now Tirion was all over Gondolin like a rash, and they created chance after chance, despite some heroic defending by the Gondolin team. And with 15 minutes left of the clock the Tirion fans could celebrate the equalizer and once again, almost inevitably, it was Feanor who scored the goal, sliding in to finish a flowing move that had the Gondolin defender’s heads spinning.

Now the momentum was with Tirion who pushed furiously for a winner. In the 80th minute Huor made a great save, denying Feanor a hat-trick, and moments later, Mahtan headed just over from a corner kick. But there was to be heartbreak for the brave Tirion players. With only minutes left, Gondolin made a rare attacking move, and Maeglin whipped in a cross towards Glorfindel in the area, who was all alone against five Tirion defenders. There appeared to be no danger whatsoever, but inexplicably Aule, coming out to gather the ball, fumbled and spilled it right in front of the Gondolin midfielder, who had an easy task of putting the ball into the open net.

A shell-chocked Tirion could not believe their eyes. Feanor did not look happy, not happy at all. A Vala had let him down once again. The superstar tried to take matters into his own hands again, but he was now desperate, and trying to dribble past the entire Gondolin defense was too tough a task even for him. 3-2 to Gondolin it finished, and the Hidden Rock players celebrated as it they had won the final already. Aule however left the stadium with his head bent down, a sad sight for any lover of the beautiful game.

Gondolin 3-2 Tirion
tot shots 14-15
on target 8-7
GOALS:
*13, 1-0 Aredhel (Fingolfin)
*27, 2-0 Maeglin (Aredhel)
*62, 2-1 Feanor (Nerdanel)
*75, 2-2 Feanor (Miriel)
*86, 3-2 Glorfindel (Maeglin)
YELLOW CARDS:
Gondolin- Thorondor, Salgant, Ecthelion, Glorfindel
Tirion- Finwe, Amrod

the phantom

06-22-2010, 06:33 PM

Many grand arenas love to boast of being “the greatest”, “the biggest”, and “the most beautiful”, but it is possible that such claims will soon come to an end.

Three years ago in a backroom deal Gondor was awarded the opportunity to host the semis and finals of the 2010 and 2011 Arda Cups, with the possibility of an extension. The Cup Committee was tightlipped on the specifics of the plan, but inside sources managed to confirm that Gondor had promised the construction of a new and glorious stadium to host the event.

Even more tightlipped was the Gondor Cup Planning Committee however, and as the months passed no one was able to get a bead on any plans for a new arena, and there were certainly no obvious signs of construction around Minas Tirith (at least on the scale of a stadium).

And then came the announcement this past March- the new stadium was complete! An extremely surprised populace asked the obvious question- where? The answer- Amon Hen.

Some ingenious chap had been struck with the idea that the magic of “The Hill of Seeing” would be perfect for a stadium. Tests were conducted, and the results were fantastic! Even though the full magic of the hill only worked at the very top, there was a sort of trickle effect down the rest of the slope, and the farther up the hill a spectator was the greater ability he had to surpass his natural visionary abilities.

And so it was that the stadium was built in a rather lopsided fashion into the northeast slope of the hill. At the top of the eastern end of the arena guests could look directly down upon the falls of Rauros, while the northern edge of the arena was lapped by the waves of the lake. That half of the arena was of more average size, seating around 40,000. But as the stadium circled towards the southwest, the top rose higher and higher up Amon Hen, thus the seating capacity of that half of the stadium was a whopping 100,000, making the arena by far the largest ever constructed.

But the planning committee had not been content to merely toss up a large stadium- it was beautiful and interesting to boot. The stadium acted as a tribute to football throughout Middle-Earth, with each section featuring the architecture, décor, and adornments favored by a group of football fans from a different location in Arda. The walkways, restrooms, eateries, and entrances beneath the sections also reflected the theme, and thus one could experience a part of what it was like to attend a football match in Angband, Mirkwood, Mordor, Gondolin, etc all in one stadium.

In the final month before the Cup workers labored night and day to finish work on the inns, rentable homes, and pubs around the shores of the lake, as well as the dock at the foot of Rauros and the cunning lifts that had been constructed to quickly take guests up through the cliffs from the docks to the lake.

On a less football related note, the investors on the planning committee were hoping to permanently develop the area in order to come out ahead on the venture, and given the lovely setting they seemed likely to succeed, as the lake promised summer boating and swimming, and soon after the cup rafting trips on the Anduin and rock climbing ventures into the Emyn Muil were scheduled to commence. In addition, ski runs were said to be in the works on some of the higher hills for attracting winter tourists.

the phantom

06-22-2010, 09:36 PM

Nearly all the prognosticators were backing Mithrim and nearly all the money was moving in that direction, so oddsmakers were offering excellent numbers for Vinyamar in the lead up to the first semifinal, and the supporters of Vinyamar were more than happy to oblige by placing all their pocket change on their team. And why not? They were after all the only team left in the tournament that had not suffered a single loss in friendlies, group play, or the playoffs.

The supporters of Mithrim seemed to give little respect to this stat however, and could be heard far and wide guaranteeing a beat-down. After all, since group play started their defense, led by the sons of Feanor and Huan, had looked just as formidable as Vinyamar’s, while their feared trio of Turin, Hurin, and Beleg up front had put up four more goals than the team they now faced. This combination of defense and offense had boosted them to the best goal differential in the tournament- an excellent +11 through five matches.

When presented with this stat in interviews, players from Vinyamar seemed unmoved. Typifying their responses was captain Ulmo yesterday. “At this stage a one-goal victory counts for just as much as a two-goal victory. We do what is necessary to advance and that is all one can ask of a team. Not to mention the stat is slanted due to different competition faced. I think our first round opponent was just a bit tougher, and so was our quarterfinal match. And in group play, we were definitely facing stouter defenses overall.”

The Elves that showed up to watch the match were divided in loyalties between the sides, with Beleg drawing most of the woodland Elves while the Noldor of Vinyamar along with Ulmo and his Maia helpers drew slightly more Noldor than the sons of Feanor. The men and women however were more on the side of Mithrim, as Tuor was the lone man for Vinyamar while Mithrim featured Turin, Hurin, Morwen, Aradan, and Androg. And as expected a large group of dwarves had turned out to join their relatives in rooting for Vinyamar.

But not all the crowd had a preference, as there were several thousand “baddies” there to enjoy the match- orcs, trolls, werewolves, and even a few dragons. There were also many attendees from Gondor that did not have a strong rooting interest and thus could be won over through the course of the match.

And early on it was Vinyamar that looked set to win them over, as their movement was just beyond skilful. They gained only one quality look in the opening minutes, but they held the ball with relative ease, shortening the game and making Mithrim chase the ball around the pitch. The only thing that saved Mithrim early on was Celegorm and Curufin completely denying any sort of action in the corners, forcing Vinyamar to try and take it up the more muddled middle.

In the 25th minute Morwen deflected a risky pass towards the front and on the bounce Gelmir sent it immediately towards the right corner where Hurin tracked it down with a great first touch and dashed in leaving Salmar in his dust. The hero of Arnoediad then sent the ball skidding right across the face of the goal out of the reach of Rog, hoping a charging Turin or Beleg could deflect it in. Turin got a foot on it, but Osse came sliding in from the left and managed to deflect the shot and it bounced just a couple feet wide of the post.

On the corner sent in by Beleg Turin again had a shot at it, but Rog read it well and gathered in the header and the threat was over. It was then Vinyamar’s turn to go on the attack, and as usual they built it up slowly and carefully, until minute 33. The up front players for Vinyamar had been passing it back swiftly on nearly every touch, but Idril managed to surprise the defense and catch them flat footed when instead she took it and immediately made a run down the middle. The sons of Feanor came from the sides to cut her off, but she had broken through too quickly and they didn’t have the angle, giving her a clean shot at the keeper. She sent a drive low to the right, and Huan dove for it, barely tipping it with the tips of his claws, deflecting it just enough to hit the inside of the post and careen away to the left of the goal. Unfortunately for Huan, Celegorm had just vacated this area to try and contest or rush Idril’s shot and Tuor was first to it and wasted no time in sending it into the left side for the 1-0 lead!

Mithrim’s forwards looked determined to strike back, but the defense of Vinyamar maneuvered with skill and experience and turned aside every attack and the half arrived with the score still at 1-0.

The second half was much the same, with Vinyamar holding possession for frustrating amounts of time while not allowing Mithrim much in the way of scoring chances. Morwen and Curufin both forced Rog to make a save, but both shots were rather distant speculations and not enough to challenge a goalie as hot as Rog.

When the clock showed under twenty minutes to play the Mithrim supporters started getting extremely nervous, but they soon found relief. No surprise it was Turin, one of the most feared strikers in the game, who broke through. The goal was set up much the way their last serious threat had been- Hurin made a nice move from the corner and sent it into the box. Turin won position and used his height and strength to rise clear of the defense and nod the ball beautifully down onto the right side of the line and in.

Vinyamar surprisingly showed little disappointment, and Ulmo could be heard encouraging his squad. “They’re a great team. We knew they’d fight back. Now we just have to throw the final punch. We’re still okay. We can win this!” And the team obviously bought into his words, as they showed just as much confidence as ever in the final minutes of the half, forcing overtime to the delight of the impartial observers. Happy shouts of “Extra football!” could be heard throughout the arena.

During the overtime Mithrim looked a step slower. Perhaps they had tired themselves out in their efforts to gain the equalizer? Whatever the cause, Vinyamar looked extra sharp to begin the period and steadily built the attack. They gained a corner at minute 7, but it was just out of reach of Ulmo who came forward to use his height on the play. Minutes later Vinyamar had another nice look off a longball won by Duilin and sent swiftly out front to Penlod, but his quality header was grasped by Huan in a great save by the hound.

But at minute 16 the squad from Mount Taras could be denied no longer, as Penlod got his head on yet another Duilin cross. He placed it expertly into the near top corner and soon found himself mobbed by teammates. It was Vinyamar out front once again, and Mithrim had less than 14 minutes to score against one of the stingiest defenses in the tournament.

The ending was less than dramatic, as Mithrim never seriously threatened to equalize. Turin’s turn and power drive from 35 yards that zipped past the right side of the goal was as close as they managed, and Vinyamar and their fans were soon free to celebrate this unexpected and well-fought victory. They were through to play for the Arda Cup championship!

Mithrim 1-2 Vinyamar (OVERTIME)
tot shots 13-9
on target 6-5
GOALS:
*33, 0-1 Tuor (Idril)
*72, 1-1 Turin (Hurin)
*16, 1-2 Penlod (Duilin)
YELLOW CARDS:
Mithrim- Morwen, Beleg, Hurin
Vinyamar- Tuor, Galdor

the phantom

06-23-2010, 11:41 PM

After the hard-fought surprise result of the first match, the crowds were mighty pleased and looking at the evening match as the cherry on top, and Gondolin and Utumno were keen not to disappoint. Gondolin came in with a hot offense, while Utumno had been just dominant on defense, and everyone wondered who would give way to the other.

Surprisingly it turned out to be the Angband offense looking the best in the opening minutes as the horses and great eagle of Gondolin were outwitted by the clever attacks led by Melkor and Thuringwethil, and the forwards Tilion and Gothmog were both set up nicely inside the opening 15, though they did not crack the scoreboard sending one over the top and the other wide.

But just a few minutes later Melkor again sent a floater to the opposite side for Gothmog and this time he made sure and got it down and Huor had no chance and it was 1-0 Utumno! The big bads then settled into a hold pattern for the next several minutes. Some fans even thought that they planned on doing it through the rest of the match. “After all,” they remarked, “They haven’t surrendered a goal yet this tournament. A one goal lead could be enough!”

But it was soon evident that the optimism was likely overdone, as Gondolin truly threatened Utumno in the minutes that followed. First there was a flurry of brilliant passes up and back through the middle that resulted in an uncontested Fingolfin shot from the top of the box, forcing Ungoliant to make her best save yet. Then there was a long ball controlled by Aredhel and sent over to a dashing Ecthelion who blasted a wicked bender from range that glanced off the outside of the crossbar. And finally there was Maeglin making the Balrogs look a bit clumsy as he dribbled all the way from midfield, weaving and ducking displaying excellent ball control, culminating in a drive that surely would have beaten Ungoliant if the final Balrog had not managed to get part of his foot on it and send it wide.

But just as the crowd grew certain that the equalizer was coming, Telvildo outfought his man for the ball and sent it back to a free Balrog (#5 to be specific) who immediately sent it high up the middle for a sprinting Melkor. Melkor had timed his run perfectly and brought the ball down on the first bounce with a perfectly in-stride touch and even the horses and Thorondor could not catch him before he gained a one-on-one with the goalie and put it in for the 2-0 lead!

The Gondolin supporters groaned and cradled their heads in their hands. This was not how this match was supposed to unfold! They had just spotted the defense with the most sparkling numbers in the tournament a two goal lead and had but one half left to make it up! And of course on the other hand the supporters of Utumno were singing and drinking with delight. For many the cup was already won, for they doubted seriously the ability of Vinyamar to challenge them in the finals.

The opening minutes of the second half did nothing to change the moods, as it was Utumno on the attack once again. But if the Gondolin fans were paying attention closely they noticed that at the least the attacks were no longer as threatening. Huor was ordering the defense in front of him with great passion, and they responded with full effort and heady play. Finally after the 60 minute mark possession started swinging back the way of Gondolin, and the Balrogs were made to sweat just as in the first half.

And then in minute 68 a shot in the arm for Gondolin- a goal! Eol gained the ball in the left corner and spun around his man, dribbled past another, then sent the ball whistling at the near post. Ungoliant got her claws on it but could not hold onto it, and the ball spilled right in front of Maeglin who wasted no time in burying the shot.

Gondolin was still down by a goal, but the fans and players all believed the equalizer could be had after the confidence boost from the first goal, and the shifting spirit within the stadium seemed to impact the players from Utumno, and they now looked to be playing not to lose rather than to win. Gondolin was less tentative and showed no fear and in minute 82 they celebrated wildly after Fingolfin pulled them level off an unsuccessfully cleared free kick from Rochallor.

Utumno looked stunned while all the players from Gondolin looked to be bubbling over with energy and confidence. Even the unshakable Melkor was visibly off his game. Fingolfin’s blazing eyes, clear powerful voice, and valiant bearing were just as they had been the night he had ridden to the doors of Angband and wounded the dark lord in combat, and Thorondor swooping about made the memory even more real to Melkor.

Utumno barely made it to overtime with the tie still intact, and it was obvious they were time-wasting and hoping to settle things in an end-game shoot-out. But Gondolin would not be denied, and 11 minutes into overtime Balrog #2 committed a desperate foul against Maeglin in the midst of a dangerous attack, and the “sharp boot” was awarded a free kick.

Utumno set their wall and Ungoliant waited grimly for whatever was to come, but she was hardly allowed a chance to move as Maeglin went direct at the goal and managed to put the ball right over the top of the wall and speeding into the very top corner for the lead!

The rest of the way Utumno did push for an equalizer, but their confidence had suffered such a gut-punch that they simply could not muster enough to challenge to gallant squad from Gondolin, and soon Utumno found themselves numbly exiting the stadium with the singing of the Gondolin fans ringing in their ears.

Gondolin 3-2 Utumno (OVERTIME)
tot shots 19-14
on target 9-6
GOALS:
*21, 0-1 Gothmog (Melkor)
*40, 0-2 Melkor (Balrog #5)
*68, 1-2 Maeglin (Eol)
*82, 2-2 Fingolfin (Rochallor)
*11, 3-2 Maeglin
YELLOW CARDS:
Gondolin- Eol, Asfaloth
Utumno- Balrog #3, Gothmog, Balrog #2

the phantom

07-07-2010, 10:01 AM

After Utumno lost to Gondolin the orcs, trolls, and other typical supporters of evil vanished from Amon Hen as if by magic. Obviously they were not interested in anything less than a title, and seeing their team battle for third place meant nothing.

A couple of sports journalists wrote articles about how quickly this could change if Melkor simply gave the word and ordered support for his team, but these articles were swiftly crushed by a press conference at which Lord Melkor clearly echoed the supporters, seeming entirely unenthused about the upcoming match against Mithrim.

On the flip side of the coin was Vinyamar, the old extinct city that had in one year had life breathed into it and made it all the way to the finals. Under usual circumstances Gondolin would have received great support from the masses, but as Vinyamar was such a feel-good story and seemed to have a foot in every camp, their support in the newly constructed inns and pubs around Rauros was overwhelming.

Due to all of the construction dwarves that had been hired to rebuild Vinyamar and had fallen in love with the city and team, the dwarf population was nearly all behind them. The elves had representatives on both sides, but thanks to Ulmo and the Cinderella story Vinyamar boasted at least 80% of them. And the Gondorians and other men liked the story as well, along with Vinyamar actually featuring one of their own on the team in the form of Tuor.

Since the stadium was so incredibly large tickets for the event were cheaper than they had been in years past, and on top of that there were thousands who hoped to gain a "free seat", which meant simply that they would find someplace on Amon Hen, in a tree or in a clearing, where they could see the pitch down along the shores of the lake. Under normal circumstances such a seat would be useless for viewing, but with the magic of the "Hill of Seeing" in operation the pitch could be seen as if through a spyglass if the fan concentrated carefully, and so without a doubt a record breaking number of people were going to be viewing the final live.

Obviously everyone was very much looking forward to the final, but no one was keen to skip the lead-up match, Mithrim versus Utumno, as both teams had been just spectacular all the way to the semifinals. What's better than a championship match? A third place match plus a championship match! The more football the better.

the phantom

07-07-2010, 11:09 PM

It was a capacity crowd of 140,000 that had gathered to see the afternoon match for third place between Mithrim and Utumno. The football fans were hoping to see two teams with a chip on the shoulder. Before the semifinals these two sides had been the most statistically dominant, and both had lost only in overtime. Both of these teams easily could’ve been playing in the night match for the Arda Cup Trophy.

But of course they were not, a fact that quite obviously bothered star forward Turin based upon his comments ahead of the match. “We were so good match after match, and then we really let ourselves down. Vinyamar out-efforted us, and even then we should’ve won that match. Our middle defenders fell asleep on that regular time goal of theirs, and one of us should’ve capitalized on another one of our chances in regular time. We shouldn’t have let it go to extra time, and we feel we really let our fans down. This was a championship caliber squad.”

The team that took the field reflected this attitude, as they looked quite grim and perhaps a bit angry to be playing in the first match of the day. Across on the other side Utumno looked down as well, but they looked more resigned and depressed rather than determined to prove themselves. Melkor and his minions obviously had not taken their semifinal loss to Gondolin well. Before that match they had not surrendered a single goal since group play began, and they were up 2-0 with little more than 20 minutes left, but Gondolin shockingly stormed back to tie the match and won it in overtime.

But when the match kicked off Utumno did not look completely apathetic. Their talent was undeniable and their experience was long, and so perhaps out of mere habit they fell right into their usual style and quality of play, keeping the determined Mithrim offense from having an easy time of it. But there was no denying that Mithrim controlled the play overall, holding possession and not allowing any good looks from Utumno.

In the opening half hour the keepers were only challenged once, and neither challenge was stiff. But shortly before the half ended Mithrim’s determination at last payed dividends when Beleg sent a corner into the box. The ball came down a bit sooner than the defense expected, but Curufin was placed well to rise up and flick it on across the face of the goal where Hurin met it leaving Ungoliant with no hope of making the save, sending Mithrim into halftime with the 1-0 lead.

When the second half began Utumno looked to have hardened their will a bit during the break, as they started off on the attack and controlling the action. The sons of Feanor were shutting down attacks from the corners per usual, but Utumno managed to work it up to the top of the box several times with effectiveness thanks to the large bodies and good passing of Gothmog and Tilion. Five minutes in Gothmog made a brilliant turn and sent a hard curler at the right side, but Huan made a great leaping save. Just a few minutes after Tilion did nearly the same thing, sending a rocket at the goal.

The shot got past Huan to the post and skipped away to the right side directly to Thuringwethil’s feet. The vampire queen wasted no time at all in sending it back towards the posts, hanging it up for Utumno’s towering strikers to win. And in fact it was the master himself, Melkor, who outfought all comers and struck an irresistible header to forge a tie!

The crowd, while they were not at all supporting of Utumno, applauded, as they were happy to see a true contest made of the match. But the crowd was made uneasy over the next few minutes as Utumno nearly took the lead- once on a blistering effort by Tilion that went just over the post, and again on a free kick from Melkor that Huan heroically batted away.

It was then that the sons of Feanor began jawing at the Utumno squad. It was unclear if this strategy was planned beforehand or thought of spur of the moment, but either way it worked. Both Celegorm and Curufin could be seen running their mouths constantly at the squad from Utumno, and according to all accounts they were primarily tossing out jabs about the fact that Utumno could do no better than third place no matter how well they played, and that all in all their past and present efforts were a waste, and they would not gain any sort of acclaim this year.

Under normal circumstances such words would have aroused the wrath of Melkor, but in this case it seemed to do the opposite, and in no time at all he was just going through the motions, and his fellows at the front followed suit. It wasn’t long before Mithrim had taken over the game again, and at last they took firm command in minute 76 thanks to a dashing counter from Turin and Beleg in which they left the dispirited defense in their dust.

The final minutes of the game were just an exercise, and Utumno looked quite anxious to be off the field and thus seemed content not to threaten sending it into overtime. The crowds applauded Mithrim solidly, and Mithrim accepted it and waved, but their joy was clearly lessened, as it seemed Utumno’s mood had infected them in the end and they were primarily focused on the fact that they had fallen one win short of their true goal.

But one team wouldn’t fall short- either Gondolin or Vinyamar. That match was next, and the throng could hardly contain their excitement.

Mithrim 2-1 Utumno
tot shots 13-13
on target 7-6
GOALS:
*43, 1-0 Hurin (Curufin)
*55, 1-1 Melkor (Thuringwethil)
*76, 2-1 Turin (Beleg)
YELLOW CARDS:
Mithrim- Gelmir, Celegorm
Utumno- Balrog #1, Thuringwethil, Balrog #5

the phantom

07-08-2010, 01:43 PM

The stadium was completely packed and there was barely an empty tree upon the slopes of Amon Hen as kickoff time approached for the championship match between Gondolin and Vinyamar. There were quite a few dwarves, and twice as many elves, but most numerous were men for certain- at least half the stadium (mostly from Gondor). There were no trolls or dragons to be seen at all, and only one small section of die-hard orcs had showed up.

All the fans were very much enjoying the architecture of the new stadium, particularly the goodly folk seated in the portions that were built in the image of Angband and Mordor, as they had never ventured to those locations before.

Turgon and his wife Elenwe were pressed upon greatly as they made for their seats. Everyone wanted to know which side they’d be supporting, as Turgon was the founder of both cities. His wife made no secret that she was pulling for her daughter and son-in-law playing for Vinyamar, but Turgon remained noncommittal. “Both teams have proven themselves worthy in this tournament, and I’m fond of a great many players on both sides. How can I be against my trusty generals, Glorfindel and Ecthelion, or my dear sister Aredhel and her family, my valiant father Fingolfin, or Huor who died defending me so long ago? But then how can I be against my own daughter, or her husband Tuor who is dear to me as well, or the great and admirable Ulmo?”

The fans in the stadium and prognosticators from MESPN and Arda Kicker Magazine were not so undecided, however. The support of the masses was firmly behind Vinyamar thanks to their grit and feel good story, while the experts backed Gondolin nearly to a man, as they had the better overall goal margin through what they viewed as stiffer competition. But even so no one was predicting a blowout, as Vinyamar’s defensive prowess and possession game were not doubted.

And when the game began, it certainly did look like the match would be close. In the opening minutes Vinyamar went to work with their careful passing game, but Gondolin was quick and well disciplined, and the probing yielded no results. When Gondolin got their turn they fared no better, as Ulmo and friends were on top of things at the back and Idril and the midfielders were applying good pressure in the center.

It was so slow going that in fact no shots were taken at all until minute 24, when Eol managed to split the midfielders in the center and send a powerful drive at the bars. The distance was great and Rog was not caught off guard and so he caught it easily. At minute 29 Vinyamar finally got off their first effort, a swerving speculation by Duilin. As on the other end the keeper was more than ready and Huor gathered it in quite easily.

Several minutes later the crowd noise increased greatly as Vinyamar finally managed to get it down one of the sides, as Idril managed to draw help away on a nice center run and then sent it over to Tuor who was one on one on the right side with Rochallor. Tuor won possession, but the battle-horse would not at all let him by, and when he tried to hang one up out front for the other attackers Rochallor blocked the effort, and it went out for a corner kick.

The stadium buzzed with excitement, as this was the first real chance of the match, but the excitement was for nothing as Asfaloth rose up and headed it away from the goal, and Fingolfin got to it first and sent it down to the other end. Vinyamar started building the attack again, but soon they gave it over to Gondolin, and the hidden city controlled play for the remainder of the half, though they still could gain nothing more than a couple of distant shots which went wide of the mark.

As the minutes went by in the second half the buzz increased in the stadium little by little. The way this match was going it was likely to be decided by one single moment, and so every little touch gained importance as the seconds ticked away. At minute 53 Vinyamar gained another opportunity, this time from a yellow card given to Aredhel for tripping Egalmoth about 35 yards out and to the left of goal. Duilin took the kick, sending it towards the right post but bending away, precisely as planned. Tuor and Penlod were both in the vicinity surrounded by defenders. Penlod managed to fight through them and rise up to redirect the ball. The crowd yelled as it had clearly gotten into the net, but groaned as they realized it was on the wrong side of the post, having gone just wide.

A few minutes later it was Gondolin’s turn to be disappointed, as Aredhel’s great cross for Ecthelion was only just batted away by Rog. The fans from Gondolin remained hopeful, however, as this marked the second time in just a few minutes that Gondolin had managed to win the ball all the way down into the corner (the first time it was Fingolfin). It looked like perhaps the speed and skill of their wings was at last wearing down the unflappable defense of Vinyamar.

At minute 62 Fingolfin managed to dribble past Voronwe up the side, forcing the defense to shift over to help. Fingolfin continued his run as long as possible to draw them, and then sent it over the top to the more sparse right side. Aredhel beat everyone to it and with an excellent first touch sent it on the ground along the end line past Ulmo while she went around his left to collect the ball on the other side. The defense rushed to meet her but too tight to the goal, leaving her a passing lane to Maeglin who had slipped out away from goal a bit towards the corner of the box.

Maeglin took the shot immediately off the pass, and the “sharp boot” was sharp with his timing and aim indeed, sending it just under the bar and inside the left post to break the scoreless tie! The Gondolin supporters screamed in approval while the Vinyamar fans slumped deeper into their seats. The fans who had no vested interest but hoped for a Vinyamar win clapped with moderate enthusiasm, as it was a well earned goal.

Now it was up to the Gondolin defense and Huor between the posts. They had held firmly the entire game, and Vinyamar was not a quick strike team. Surely they could hold for just a bit longer. It certainly seemed that they would as time went past 70, as Vinyamar was getting nowhere at all. But as time approached 80 minutes Vinyamar sent everyone forward and really got aggressive. They were leaving themselves open to a counter to be sure, but they needed a goal.

Idril had a window from distance, but her shot sailed high. Then it was Egalmoth’s turn, but his effort bent too far left. Time was running out. Then at minute 86 Vinyamar was granted a corner, which was taken by Duilin. His ball made it to the far side where Ulmo met it. His header deflected off a defender and back to the middle, where it was pounced on by Salmar who immediately kicked it out of midair over the defenders at the top bar, but Huor got a fingertip on it, sending it off the top post and back down the middle!

Maeglin was first to it and he immediately sent it all the way down to Rog on the other end, and Gondolin breathed a sigh of relief. They had survived the onslaught! Vinyamar was not finished trying of course, but their efforts yielded nothing so dangerous in the final minutes, and soon head ref Boromir88 blew his whistle and the match was over!

Gondolin had won the Arda Cup Championship!

Gondolin 1-0 Vinyamar
tot shots 9-7
on target 4-2
GOALS:
*63, 1-0 Maeglin (Aredhel)
YELLOW CARDS:
Gondolin- Glorfindel, Aredhel, Salgant
Vinyamar- Osse, Penlod

the phantom

07-11-2010, 04:25 PM

AMAN
-GK- Nienna (16)
-DF- Vaire (6)
-DF- Este (6)
-DF- Nessa (7)
-DF- *Turgon (7)
-MF- Irmo (3)
-MF- Nahar (4)
-MF- Earwen (4)
-MF- *Orome (10)
-MF- Finarfin (7)
-FW- Ar Pharazon (15)

BARAD-DUR
-GK- Mouth (14)
-DF- Ohtar (1)
-DF- Nazgul #5 (-1)
-DF- Anarion (5)
-DF- *Nazgul #6 (2)
-MF- Fellbeast (1)
-MF- Nazgul #7 (10)
-MF- Elendil (7)
-MF- *Gil-Galad (8)
-FW- **Sauron (18)
-FW- Isildur (12)

BARROW-DOWNS
-GK- Eomerwarg (18)
-DF- Mira (8)
-DF- Gwath (9)
-DF- Steve (7)
-DF- Skip Spence (14)
-MF- Fea (2)
-MF- Nerwen (4)
-MF- Sally (6)
-MF- The Phantom (23)
-FW- Wilwa (20)
-FW- Nogrod (23)

BELERIAND
-GK- Halmir (10)
-DF- Mim (0)
-DF- Handir (1)
-DF- Baragund (1)
-DF- Belegund (1)
-MF- Magor (-1)
-MF- Hathol (2)
-MF- Manthor (0)
-MF- Imlach (1)
-MF- Bregolas (-1)
-FW- Marach (8)

BREELAND
-GK- Old Man Willow (4)
-DF- Butterbur (0)
-DF- Lumpkin (-2)
-DF- River-Woman (0)
-DF- Roheryn (2)
-MF- Harry (-2)
-MF- Goldberry (3)
-MF- Halbarad (2)
-FW- Barrow-Wight (9)
-FW- *Bombadil (12)
-FW- Strider (3)

BYWATER
-GK- Cotton (18)
-DF- Nazgul #3 (4)
-DF- Ferny (3)
-DF- Nazgul #2 (5)
-DF- **Shadowfax (9)
-MF- Fatty (3)
-MF- Maggot (9)
-MF- Gildor (3)
-MF- **Gandalf (9)
-FW- Saruman (5)
-FW- Bandobras (4)

DALE
-GK- Brand (10)
-DF- Roac (-2)
-DF- Nain (1)
-DF- Carc (4)
-DF- Thror (1)
-MF- Moneybags (-2)
-MF- Bard (-1)
-MF- Dain (-1)
-MF- Girion (3)
-FW- Thranduil (7)
-FW- Smaug (7)

DOL GULDUR
-GK- Oropher (12)
-DF- Tomnoddy (-2)
-DF- Thrain (-1)
-DF- Attercop (-2)
-MF- Galion (2)
-MF- Grimbeorn (7)
-MF- *Beorn (3)
-MF- *Khamul (8)
-FW- Radagast (6)
-FW- Bolg (10)
-FW- *Witch King (18)

DORIATH
-GK- *Melian (12)
-DF- Elured (4)
-DF- Nimloth (3)
-DF- Elurin (3)
-DF- Algund (4)
-MF- Saeros (-3)
-MF- Nellas (3)
-MF- Daeron (-1)
-MF- Haldir (4)
-FW- Haleth (4)
-FW- Thingol (2)

EITHEL SIRION
-GK- Maglor (16)
-DF- Gundor (9)
-DF- Aegnor (11)
-DF- Galdor (8)
-DF- *Angrod (9)
-MF- Bregor (2)
-MF- Nienor (5)
-MF- Gwindor (7)
-MF- *Hador (14)
-FW- Fingon (12)
-FW- *Maedhros (18)

GELION
-GK- Dior (14)
-DF- Haldar (5)
-DF- Azaghal (3)
-DF- Caranthir (6)
-DF- *Luthien (9)
-MF- Denethor (3)
-MF- Bereg (-1)
-MF- Lenwe (0)
-MF- Haldad (5)
-MF- Amlach (2)
-FW- Beren (8)

GONDOLIN
-GK- Huor (26)
-DF- Salgant (13)
-DF- Asfaloth (15)
-DF- Rochallor (18)
-DF- *Thorondor (17)
-MF- Ecthelion (9)
-MF- Glorfindel (17)
-MF- *Eol (19)
-FW- Fingolfin (18)
-FW- Aredhel (23)
-FW- *Maeglin (26)

GONDOR
-GK- Romendacil (16)
-DF- Fastred (7)
-DF- Ondoher (6)
-DF- Folcred (8)
-MF- Meneldil (1)
-MF- Ostoher (0)
-MF- Narmacil (1)
-MF- Hyarmendacil (5)
-MF- *Beruthiel (6)
-FW- Eldacar (10)
-FW- Mardil (7)

GORGOROTH
-GK- Shelob (8)
-DF- Gorbag (-2)
-DF- Grishnakh (-2)
-DF- Shagrat (-1)
-DF- *Nazgul #1 (0)
-MF- Angamaite (1)
-MF- Gollum (1)
-MF- Sangahyando (-1)
-MF- *King of the Dead (8)
-FW- Earnur (1)
-FW- Castamir (11)

HAVENS
-GK- Olwe (10)
-DF- Lindo (1)
-DF- Amandil (1)
-DF- Eriol (0)
-MF- Ar Gimilzor (2)
-MF- Tar Aldarion (-1)
-MF- Elwing (3)
-MF- Uinen (3)
-MF- *Cirdan (6)
-FW- *Earendil (14)
-FW- Tar Minastir (19)

ITHILIEN
-GK- Mumakil (10)
-DF- Samwise (4)
-DF- Adrahil (2)
-DF- Bergil (2)
-DF- Mablung (4)
-MF- Elboron (0)
-MF- Damrod (0)
-MF- Frodo (-1)
-MF- Anborn (-1)
-MF- Beregond (3)
-FW- Faramir (4)

LORIEN
-GK- *Galadriel (8)
-DF- Finglas (0)
-DF- Nimrodel (-1)
-DF- Orophin (-2)
-DF- Amroth (0)
-MF- Fimbrethil (0)
-MF- Rumil (-2)
-MF- Fladrif (-1)
-MF- Haldir (0)
-MF- Amdir (5)
-FW- Celeborn (2)

MINAS ANOR
-GK- Ecthelion II (8)
-DF- Golasgil (0)
-DF- Dervorin (-2)
-DF- Calimehtar (-1)
-DF- *Pippin (0)
-MF- Siriondil (2)
-MF- Denethor II (0)
-MF- Earnil II (2)
-MF- *Nazgul #4 (8)
-FW- Falastur (3)
-FW- Boromir I (11)

MISTY MOUNTAINS
-GK- Watcher (8)
-DF- Tom (1)
-DF- Landroval (0)
-DF- Meneldor (0)
-DF- Durin (1)
-MF- Bert (-2)
-MF- Great Goblin (-1)
-MF- William (-1)
-MF- Narvi (2)
-MF- Gwaihir (-2)
-FW- Azog (4)

MITHRIM
-GK- **Huan (26)
-DF- Annael (17)
-DF- Gelmir (15)
-DF- *Celegorm (21)
-DF- **Curufin (27)
-MF- Androg (8)
-MF- Morwen (11)
-MF- Aradan (10)
-FW- Hurin (23)
-FW- Beleg (19)
-FW- **Turin (29)

NARGOTHROND
-GK- Beor (8)
-DF- Baran (1)
-DF- Arminas (1)
-DF- Baranor (0)
-DF- *Celebrimbor (4)
-MF- Guillen (-1)
-MF- Boron (-1)
-MF- Finduilas (8)
-MF- Barahir (0)
-MF- **Finrod (8)
-FW- Mablung (7)

NORBURY
-GK- Arvedui (18)
-DF- Valandur (6)
-DF- Arveleg (4)
-DF- Malvegil (6)
-DF- Amlaith (7)
-MF- Argeleb (1)
-MF- Tarcil (-1)
-MF- Valandil (4)
-MF- *Malbeth (11)
-FW- Aranarth (5)
-FW- Araphor (16)

NUMENOR
-GK- *Tar Atanamir (18)
-DF- Tar Meneldur (7)
-DF- Ar Zimrathan (6)
-DF- Tar Cirytan (9)
-DF- **Tar Telperien (13)
-MF- Tar Calmacil (1)
-MF- Tar Ancalimon (0)
-MF- Tar Miriel (7)
-MF- **Elros (9)
-FW- Tar Palantir (6)
-FW- Ar Adunakhor (10)

PELENNOR
-GK- Theoden (8)
-DF- Forlong (-1)
-DF- Windfola (-3)
-DF- Snowmane (-2)
-DF- Gothmog II (-1)
-MF- Gimli (-1)
-MF- Grimbold (3)
-MF- Duinhir (2)
-FW- Eowyn (3)
-FW- Legolas (8)
-FW- Imrahil (2)

RIVENDELL
-GK- **Elrond (14)
-DF- Thorin (-1)
-DF- Galdor (4)
-DF- Celebrian (4)
-DF- *Erestor (4)
-MF- Bilbo (-1)
-MF- Elrohir (-2)
-MF- Elladen (0)
-MF- *Arwen (6)
-MF- Arahael (4)
-FW- Boromir II (2)

ROHAN
-GK- Fram (8)
-DF- Stybba (1)
-DF- Firefoot (1)
-DF- *Felarof (2)
-MF- Merry (0)
-MF- Hallas (-2)
-MF- Frumgar (-1)
-MF- Cirion (8)
-MF- Helm (0)
-FW- Eomer (2)
-FW- Eorl (8)

THANGORODRIM
-GK- Carcharoth (6)
-DF- Gorlim (0)
-DF- Drauglin (0)
-DF- Uldor (1)
-DF- *Glaurung (-1)
-MF- Ulfang (0)
-MF- Ulwarth (-4)
-MF- Ulfast (2)
-MF- **Durin’s Bane (14)
-FW- *Scatha (13)
-FW- Ancalagon (15)

TIRION
-GK- Aule (14)
-DF- Amras (0)
-DF- Indis (1)
-DF- Amrod (-2)
-MF- Orodreth (2)
-MF- Mahtan (4)
-MF- Ingwe (6)
-MF- *Nerdanel (25)
-FW- Finwe (24)
-FW- **Feanor (32)
-FW- *Miriel (25)

UTUMNO
-GK- *Ungoliant (30)
-DF- Balrog #1 (17)
-DF- Balrog #2 (16)
-DF- Balrog #3 (21)
-DF- **Balrog #4 (20)
-MF- Balrog #5 (7)
-MF- Telvildo (12)
-MF- Thuringwethil (15)
-MF- **Melkor (31)
-FW- Tilion (21)
-FW- Gothmog (21)

VALIMAR
-GK- *Namo (12)
-DF- Vana (6)
-DF- Pallando (5)
-DF- Alatar (7)
-DF- **Manwe (11)
-MF- Ilmare (2)
-MF- Yavanna (3)
-MF- Tulkas (10)
-MF- **Varda (8)
-MF- Arien (22)
-FW- Eonwe (15)

VINYAMAR
-GK- Rog (30)
-DF- Osse (16)
-DF- Galdor (18)
-DF- Salmar (20)
-DF- **Ulmo (26)
-MF- Voronwe (6)
-MF- Egalmoth (12)
-MF- Idril (21)
-MF- Duilin (19)
-FW- Tuor (13)
-FW- Penlod (15)

WOLD
-GK- Hama (6)
-DF- Elfwine (-2)
-DF- Beechbone (0)
-DF- Lightfoot (-1)
-DF- *Treebeard (0)
-MF- Aldor (-1)
-MF- Grima (2)
-MF- Theodred (0)
-MF- Ugluk (4)
-MF- *Quickbeam (4)
-FW- Eomund (2)