[Nogrod]

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.