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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

06-10-2010, 02:37 PM	#107
Nogrod Flame of the Ainulindalë Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Wearing rat's coat, crowskin, crossed staves in a field behaving as the wind behaves Posts: 9,308	Quarterfinals at Utumno 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 __________________ Upon the hearth the fire is red Beneath the roof there is a bed; But not yet weary are our feet... Last edited by Nogrod; 06-10-2010 at 02:50 PM.