[The Saucepan Man]

Group E

Fangorn is another team that looks good on paper. But they have made a strategic error in fielding their Ents in attacking positions and holding their Orcs back in defence. Their attack, while powerful, is woefully lacking in pace. Ugluk was a prolific goalscorer last year, so I cannot understand why he has been relegated to the back four. He is Ugluk and he commands the defence, but he cannot rely on Grishnahk or Wormtongue. Team captain Saruman is a capable leader, but past his best. This is a weak Group, so I think that they will progress to the next round, but I don’t see them going much further.

Hey diddle diddle! The Old Grey Hill certainly add variety to the competition, but I wouldn’t bother dwelling on them too much. With a Tipsy Cat, a Dog helpless with laughter, an Ostler and a Landlord forming the back row, their defence is sadly lacking in focus and they will leak goals like the sieve they nearly picked to play up front. As an attacking force, the Dish and the Spoon can combine well on forward runs and they do have the blistering pace of the Sun up front, but it won’t be nearly enough to save them from an early trip back home.

Tol In Gauroth is another newcomer, and it certainly has a big following. The problem that I see with this team, however, is the in-fighting. They are notoriously bad at trusting one another. Some will no doubt contribute more than others, leading to arguments, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they have difficulty working out each other’s tactical roles. That said, the Mythomaniac can be unpredictable in midfield and may cause a few surprises, while the Seer has a good eye for the game. It’s unlikely to see them through the Group, though.

Like the Moria team, the Misty Mountains may find themselves with a discipline problem, and the Dwarf players will find it difficult to build up any kind of a working partnership with their Goblin team-mates. However, the Stone Giant is strong and powerful up front (though prone to handball, being used to hurling stones, rather than kicking footballs), and he will be supported by a generally workman-like midfield, with Gwaihir providing the pace on the wing. A strong defence also includes Gollum who is undoubtedly resilient, but his form is unpredictable and their performance may hinge on which Gollum turns up for the match: the tricksy Slinker or the hopeless Stinker.

Saucepan’s prediction:

I can see this being quite a tight Group, with the exception of the Old Grey Hill. But Fangorn and the Misty Mountains should have sufficient quality to prevail. It’s a toss up between them who will win the Group, but I see Fangorn edging it, as their ability to stifle the midfield will break down most attacks against them.

Group winners: Fangorn
Group runners up: Misty Mountains
First round elimination: Tol In Gaurhoth and the Old Grey Hill

Group F

Gondolin are an excellent all-round team and have talent all over the pitch. Defensively, they are strong, and capable of guarding their goal well. Having re-signed the talented Maeglin following his defection to Angband last year, they had better hope that he doesn’t let them down again. Huor and Tuor combine well in the midfield and provide loyal support for Turgon, allowing him to get forward on occasion and to slip back into a more defensive role at other times. With the dogged veteran Hurin and the talented Glorfindel up front, they will score lots of goals too. The class of the Group.

Bree proved themselves to have a sturdy defence in last year’s competition, but failed to score enough goals to progress very far. This year, they have strengthened their squad by signing the star players of the Old Forest team, following the latter’s failure to qualify for the finals. Old Man Willow in goal will certainly help maintain their strong defence, while wing-backs Goldberry and the River Woman like to stream forward on each side and shower crosses into the box. Harry Goatleaf normally plays in defence and has been promoted as a make-shift striker, so don’t expect too much from him. But Tom Bombadil, the winner of the inaugural Yellow Boot trophy, remains a class act. Although Butterbur, Bob and Nob are mainly defensive-minded midfielders, the Barrow Wight’s forward runs are a chilling prospect. I’m not sure that it will be enough to get them the goals that they will need, though.

Another team out of their depth, Wooton Major are very unlikely to progress. Smith in goal is a dreamer and easily distracted from the realities of competitive play. They have one star in the Chief Cook, but the rest of the team is hopelessly inexperienced, while Nokes up front is desperately lacking in match fitness.

Mirkwood, on the other hand, are fielding a very good team and showed their class last year. Spider “the Spider” Spider in goal is a great shot stopper, although Thrain will have to be doubly alert in defence as the Wine Steward and the Guard are prone to doze off at times. The midfield is solidly anchored by Grimbeorn, while Thranduil and Legolas provide attacking verve. With the powerful Beorn and the ruthless Necromancer up front, this team will certainly score a lot of goals.

Saucepan’s prediction:

Gondolin are the clear Group winners, while Wooton Major will be hopelessly outclassed. It will be tight between the other two for second place, but I‘ll plump for the attacking spirit of Mirkwood.

Group winners: Gondolin
Group runners up: Mirkwood
First round elimination: Bree and Wooton Major

Group G

I had high hopes for Rohan last year, but they sorely disappointed. They should be a good team. Erkenbrand, Hama and Eorl provide a solid defence, although Eowyn has a tendency to neglect her defensive duties in her eagerness to get on the attack. The midfield is strong too, with Ghan-Buri-Ghan in particular excelling at the hidden pass to help the pacy Eomer and strong Helm up front unlock defences. As I said, they should be a good team. But I suspect they may disappoint once more, particularly in a strong Group like this.

As reigning champions, the Barrow-Downs team has much to live up to. But they have the quality all over the pitch to help them do so. In Sleepy and Saucepan, they have two highly prolific strikers (having been joint runners-up in last year’s Yellow Boot Trophy competition) and Rune has been promoted from defensive duties to provide good aerial support. The phantom is a free-kick specialist and a great provider as well as a talented goal-scorer himself, and he will be ably supported in midfield by the unpredictable Feanor of the Peredhil and the tempestuous Arcticstorm. Glirdan and Firefoot are excellent defenders but also like to get forward, providing pace on the wings, while the solid defence has been strengthened with the addition of the implacably philosophical central defensive pair, Nogrod and Formendacil. A classy team is rounded off by one of the best (and most feared) goal-keepers of the competition, the inscrutable Barrow-Wight.

Gondor are a solid team, but have undoubtedly been weakened by the loss of star striker Aragorn to Arnor. Nevertheless, brothers Faramir and Boromir have forged a good partnership up front with Anarion. I suspect, however, that they may lack support from a static midfield, with Thengel well past his best and Forlong (the Fat) lacking match fitness. They have a good defensive line-up though, with Imrahil worthy of particular mention, and so should not give too many goals away.

The Inklings are an unproven side, although they may provide a few surprises. Veteran striker JRR Tolkien has shown himself to have an uncanny insight into the nature of the other teams in this competition. In the past, he has shown good understanding with his strike partner, CS Lewis, although it is rumoured that they may have fallen out in recent times. He can, however, expect good support from his son, Christopher, in midfield. Indeed, Christopher likes to get forward and has shown himself to have great skill in finishing off moves started by his father.

Saucepan’s prediction:

This is an exceptionally strong Group. The Barrow-Downs undoubtedly has the talent to progress from the Group, and I would expect a semi-final finish from them at the very least. Of the others, my heart says Rohan, my head says Gondor, but I will go for the dark horses as Group runners up.

Group winners: The Barrow-Downs
Group runners up: The Inklings
First round elimination: Rohan and Gondor

Group H

Arnor have three very good strikers in Aragorn, Arathorn and Elendil and they can expect good support from a talented midfield, with Isildur standing out in particular. However, with the formation that they play, Arvedui and Malvegil will have to concentrate on their defensive duties, particularly since, Halbarad aside, the defence is fairly weak, and Trotter, in goal, is not quite the finished product. This team is going to give away a lot of goals, so their attackers are going to have to be in great form for them to progress very far.

For Doriath, the darkly charismatic Eol and the dependable Mablung are both very talented strikers and, in Beleg Strongboot, they have one of the best attacking midfielders in the competiton. Huan likes to get forward too, and is capable of penetrating even the most forbidding of defences. I expect lots of goals from this team, and I can’t see them letting too many in either. Melian provides a strong protective girdle in goal, ably supported by the defensively-minded Thingol, while Luthien and Beren have a great defensive understanding and are not shy about getting forward on the attack. Saeros, is perhaps, the weak link in the team and he is likely to get a rough ride from some of the more skilful opposing players, such as Turin and Mormegil.

Rivendell have a strong defence, with a talented goalkeeper, the skill and agility of Elladan and Glorfindel and Erestor’s ability to read the game. Bilbo plays the sweeper role, and is adept at confusing opposing players by disappearing with the ball only to reappear further up the pitch to put in a deadly pass to Gilraen or the pacy Elrohir. The team is hampered, however, by the presence of the three Stone Trolls in midfield, who often fail to see eye-to-eye and can be dreadfully static at times, particularly in sunny conditions.

I suspect that Ham may provide a few upsets in the opening stages of this competition. Chrysophylax Dives is sly and cunning in goal, while the Giant provides an imposing presence in defence. Garm is a terrier on the right wing, and the midfield makes up for in enthusiasm what it lacks in experience. The forward partnership of Farmer Giles and Tailbiter is likely to nab a few unlikely goals, too.

Saucepan’s prediction:

Doriath should easily win this Group, but second place is more difficult to predict. Arnor, I think, will give away too many goals, while Ham perhaps do not yet have quite the experience that they need at this level. Despite their poor midfield, I think that Rivendell will just about scrape through.

Group winners: Doriath
Group runners up: Rivendell
First round elimination: Arnor and Ham