The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post

Nilpaurion Felagund · 12-03-2013, 02:36 AM

Elenrod: Dagor Bragollach. Nirnaeth Arnoediad. The plague that killed Lalaith. Mr Hador, your boys took a hell of a beating. Today: Won’t someone lynch them? Tol-in-Gaurhoth literally maul Hithlum and put, not one, not two, but three crosses on their title challenge. Meanwhile: Dagor Bragollach. Nirnaeth Arnoediad. Getting expelled from Nargothrond. Mr Curufin, your boys took a hell of a beating. Fëanor ordered his sons to go to their rooms—or, rather, the third-place match. This is the Matchday, coming to you very late because we’ve run out of things to say in the intro. But our panellists would never run out of words. Isn’t that right, tactics guru Maikalomion?

Maika: I always have plenty to say.

Elenrod: And someone who is equally not lacking in quantity of utterances, Adam Smith of ArdaCup.com.

Adam: Is that another way of saying, ‘Someone who doesn’t shut up’?

Elenrod: Could be, could be. And I don’t know what he’ll contribute to the conversation, but he’s here, anyway: blogger Felagundion.

Felagundion: Of course I’m here. You’re practically slave-driving me to be on this show.

Elenrod: But that’s another day closer to freedom, isn’t it? And finally—we’ve dragged him back from Angband—Iorithil of Quenta Noldorin Sport.

Iorithil: Hello.

Elenrod: Well, then, we have two very thrilling matches to discuss. Which one shall we start with?

Adam: FC Val were once again statistically the best team in the tournament, but they fail to reach the finals.

Felagundion: Of course, the best teams don’t always win these tournaments. Having to win four one-off matches in a row also requires a bit of luck.

Elenrod: So, were AC Bel lucky?

Maika: I once said that AC Bel’s playing style makes them immune to upsets, that you have to outplay them in all three areas of the pitch—especially in the midfield—to beat them. But that same style makes them a tough out for stronger teams. Well, ‘stronger’ is a relative term; both teams are separated only by inches in talent.

Iorithil: It was indeed a game of fine margins. You’d expect FC Val’s front line to be so good at pressing defenders into mistakes, especially with Celegorm and Curufin up front, and Yavanna and Argon behind them, but they seemed to lack the energy to do so—maybe their game with Real tired them. There was that tackle that got Celegorm booked; basically, he was late to the challenge and just lashed a boot out at Rochallor.

Maika: Also, in one sequence late in the first half, Curufin nicked the ball from Denethor, but he looked too winded to get past him. He still managed to thread a pass that put Celegorm one-on-one with Rochallor. But, instead of taking him on and rounding Marach, Celegorm just shot from range. He didn’t trust himself to have that extra burst of pace to beat both of them. The team on a whole were a bit leggy.

Adam: Well, they caught their breaths late in the second half, but by then AC Bel put a lot of players behind the ball. It’s hard to break the teeth of a determined defence, even if you’re FC Val.

Elenrod: On the other end, Huan had a right proper ‘mare, didn’t he?

Felagundion: I suppose it was more due to the quality of Fëanor’s finishes; giving him all that space really is just asking to lose. I mean, on the second goal, Maglor, the right-back, was marking his father near the penalty spot—both centre-backs have been dragged wide by Eöl and Aegnor’s movement. But, yeah, on another day, Huan could’ve saved one or even both of them.

Maika: I want to focus on the movement of AC Bel’s front four. The AKM commentator called their formation a diamond, even though the traditional team notation was 4-2-3-1: Eöl ahead of an attacking trio of Angrod, Fëanor, and Aegnor. But, boy, did he call it right—the AC Bel front four were very fluid, interchanging positions so that FC Val’s defence had no reference point and were dragged all over the pitch. They were all dangerous finishers and clever playmakers, and they all created chaos for the opposition so that Fëanor could romp through the middle and beat people one-on-one.

Elenrod: Well, then, let’s focus on the other game featuring a double-star striker who didn’t get to romp through the middle and beat people one-on-one. Were any of you surprised by the result of Hithlum-TiG?

Iorithil: I was certainly surprised at the margin of victory afterwards, but, seeing everything that happened in the pitch, it wasn’t that surprising. Basically, Tol-in-Gaurhoth were just better, both physically and tactically.

Felagundion: A few bloggers were critical of their deep defensive line and putting eight players behind the ball most of the time, but their midfield pressed intelligently, and the defence contained Hithlum’s multifaceted threats completely. GaladriWight kept Beleg in her pocket, and, except for a few scares, BoroWolf handled Húrin’s run quite well. The centre-backs kept Túrin almost scoreless, which is the best praise there is. His goal, though, was just—I can’t describe it.

Adam: I heard a MESPN pundit say that TiG beat teams with their athleticism, and that Galdor and Gundor can’t be expected to keep up with the Wolves. He pretty much called it right. InzilWolf was brilliant, disguising his intentions quite well before pouncing on the lapses of overcommitted defenders. I’ve never seen anyone change direction that quickly.

Felagundion: And I think there aren’t enough superlatives to describe how PhantomWolf is playing right now. His speed on the ball, his decision-making, his set pieces—he was at the heart of everything TiG did well on the offensive end for two games now.

Maika: Well, since I’ve praised AC Bel’s front four earlier, I’ll complete the praise of TiG’s front three as well. Thuringwethil played well as Anfauglith’s lone forward last year—strong, quick, and dominant in the air; she could win headers to score from crosses or feed attacking midfielders. But with a strike partner, especially one with movement as excellent as InzilWolf’s, she is a lethal weapon on crosses and set pieces.

Elenrod: Let’s get down to it, then. AC Bel vs the Werewolves: who would win?

Iorithil: Remember: two years ago, Tol-in-Gaurhoth had the same run of form going into the finals, when they swatted good teams aside left, right, and centre. They lost only to Doriath’s galacticos, arguably the best Arda Cup team ever. So unless AC Beleriand approach that level of untouchability, I predict TiG to be the winners.

Adam: Also, it looks like TiG played the way they did with an eye on the finals. How would you beat a team with a combative midfield and a dangerous attack? Answer: You let the team build up from the back, press their midfield when they cross the halfway line, and break forward behind their defence.

Felagundion: Don’t forget cashing in on set pieces. TiG’s goals in the semis came from a corner, a free kick, and a penalty.

Maika: But remember: teams are forced to play in those unconventional ways against AC Bel because of the way they control the game. Teams need a good defence to keep their front four at bay. They need a good midfield so that Denethor won’t have time to ping those dangerous long diagonals behind the defence, and so that Ulrad won’t have time to make those forward runs that break a distracted defence. And they need a decent threat up front, especially from the wings, so that AC Bel’s defenders won’t have time to go forward and help on the attack. Even then, they’re still playing on the back foot because they won’t see much of the ball. The composure of AC Bel in possession, how resistant they are to all but the most determined pressing, is unprecedented. Even Rochallor can take on a marker to play a long diagonal.

Iorithil: But that’s it. TiG have a team capable of determined pressing. You praised BoroWolf’s stamina in the quarterfinals; the entire team is roughly on that level. They will run and press, get legs and bodies in the way of passes, then run some more once they have the ball.

Elenrod: I’m just finding this fun. We know roughly how both teams will play, but you’re just going back and forth on the result. It all depends on what happens on the pitch, then?

Maika: Yes, I guess. But I’m thinking it’ll be 2-1 to AC Bel

Iorithil: TiG will beat AC Bel by the same score line as Hithlum: 3-1 TiG

Elenrod: And the third place match? Anyone hazard a prediction?

Adam: 2-1 or 3-1 FC Val, easy. Hithlum’s defence just isn’t good enough against world-class strikers, and if they sit the midfield deeper to screen for the back four, they’ll just invite pressure from Argon, Yavanna, and Maglor attacking them from all sorts of uncomfortable angles.

Elenrod: That looks painful. Speaking of uncomfortable angles… Someone already mentioned his unbelievable goal earlier, but Túrin almost managed to score from an uncomfortable angle when he chip-headed the ball past Draugluin. He scored similar goal vs Nargothrond way back in the round of sixteen. And with that we come to the end of the penultimate episode of the Matchday. We’ll be back to discuss the finals. Hope to see you then.

12-03-2013, 02:36 AM	#150
Nilpaurion Felagund Scion of The Faithful Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: The brink, where hope and despair are akin. [The Philippines] Posts: 5,312	The Matchday: A Tar-Eldar Network Television football show Elenrod: Dagor Bragollach. Nirnaeth Arnoediad. The plague that killed Lalaith. Mr Hador, your boys took a hell of a beating. Today: Won’t someone lynch them? Tol-in-Gaurhoth literally maul Hithlum and put, not one, not two, but three crosses on their title challenge. Meanwhile: Dagor Bragollach. Nirnaeth Arnoediad. Getting expelled from Nargothrond. Mr Curufin, your boys took a hell of a beating. Fëanor ordered his sons to go to their rooms—or, rather, the third-place match. This is the Matchday, coming to you very late because we’ve run out of things to say in the intro. But our panellists would never run out of words. Isn’t that right, tactics guru Maikalomion? Maika: I always have plenty to say. Elenrod: And someone who is equally not lacking in quantity of utterances, Adam Smith of ArdaCup.com. Adam: Is that another way of saying, ‘Someone who doesn’t shut up’? Elenrod: Could be, could be. And I don’t know what he’ll contribute to the conversation, but he’s here, anyway: blogger Felagundion. Felagundion: Of course I’m here. You’re practically slave-driving me to be on this show. Elenrod: But that’s another day closer to freedom, isn’t it? And finally—we’ve dragged him back from Angband—Iorithil of Quenta Noldorin Sport. Iorithil: Hello. Elenrod: Well, then, we have two very thrilling matches to discuss. Which one shall we start with? Adam: FC Val were once again statistically the best team in the tournament, but they fail to reach the finals. Felagundion: Of course, the best teams don’t always win these tournaments. Having to win four one-off matches in a row also requires a bit of luck. Elenrod: So, were AC Bel lucky? Maika: I once said that AC Bel’s playing style makes them immune to upsets, that you have to outplay them in all three areas of the pitch—especially in the midfield—to beat them. But that same style makes them a tough out for stronger teams. Well, ‘stronger’ is a relative term; both teams are separated only by inches in talent. Iorithil: It was indeed a game of fine margins. You’d expect FC Val’s front line to be so good at pressing defenders into mistakes, especially with Celegorm and Curufin up front, and Yavanna and Argon behind them, but they seemed to lack the energy to do so—maybe their game with Real tired them. There was that tackle that got Celegorm booked; basically, he was late to the challenge and just lashed a boot out at Rochallor. Maika: Also, in one sequence late in the first half, Curufin nicked the ball from Denethor, but he looked too winded to get past him. He still managed to thread a pass that put Celegorm one-on-one with Rochallor. But, instead of taking him on and rounding Marach, Celegorm just shot from range. He didn’t trust himself to have that extra burst of pace to beat both of them. The team on a whole were a bit leggy. Adam: Well, they caught their breaths late in the second half, but by then AC Bel put a lot of players behind the ball. It’s hard to break the teeth of a determined defence, even if you’re FC Val. Elenrod: On the other end, Huan had a right proper ‘mare, didn’t he? Felagundion: I suppose it was more due to the quality of Fëanor’s finishes; giving him all that space really is just asking to lose. I mean, on the second goal, Maglor, the right-back, was marking his father near the penalty spot—both centre-backs have been dragged wide by Eöl and Aegnor’s movement. But, yeah, on another day, Huan could’ve saved one or even both of them. Maika: I want to focus on the movement of AC Bel’s front four. The AKM commentator called their formation a diamond, even though the traditional team notation was 4-2-3-1: Eöl ahead of an attacking trio of Angrod, Fëanor, and Aegnor. But, boy, did he call it right—the AC Bel front four were very fluid, interchanging positions so that FC Val’s defence had no reference point and were dragged all over the pitch. They were all dangerous finishers and clever playmakers, and they all created chaos for the opposition so that Fëanor could romp through the middle and beat people one-on-one. Elenrod: Well, then, let’s focus on the other game featuring a double-star striker who didn’t get to romp through the middle and beat people one-on-one. Were any of you surprised by the result of Hithlum-TiG? Iorithil: I was certainly surprised at the margin of victory afterwards, but, seeing everything that happened in the pitch, it wasn’t that surprising. Basically, Tol-in-Gaurhoth were just better, both physically and tactically. Felagundion: A few bloggers were critical of their deep defensive line and putting eight players behind the ball most of the time, but their midfield pressed intelligently, and the defence contained Hithlum’s multifaceted threats completely. GaladriWight kept Beleg in her pocket, and, except for a few scares, BoroWolf handled Húrin’s run quite well. The centre-backs kept Túrin almost scoreless, which is the best praise there is. His goal, though, was just—I can’t describe it. Adam: I heard a MESPN pundit say that TiG beat teams with their athleticism, and that Galdor and Gundor can’t be expected to keep up with the Wolves. He pretty much called it right. InzilWolf was brilliant, disguising his intentions quite well before pouncing on the lapses of overcommitted defenders. I’ve never seen anyone change direction that quickly. Felagundion: And I think there aren’t enough superlatives to describe how PhantomWolf is playing right now. His speed on the ball, his decision-making, his set pieces—he was at the heart of everything TiG did well on the offensive end for two games now. Maika: Well, since I’ve praised AC Bel’s front four earlier, I’ll complete the praise of TiG’s front three as well. Thuringwethil played well as Anfauglith’s lone forward last year—strong, quick, and dominant in the air; she could win headers to score from crosses or feed attacking midfielders. But with a strike partner, especially one with movement as excellent as InzilWolf’s, she is a lethal weapon on crosses and set pieces. Elenrod: Let’s get down to it, then. AC Bel vs the Werewolves: who would win? Iorithil: Remember: two years ago, Tol-in-Gaurhoth had the same run of form going into the finals, when they swatted good teams aside left, right, and centre. They lost only to Doriath’s galacticos, arguably the best Arda Cup team ever. So unless AC Beleriand approach that level of untouchability, I predict TiG to be the winners. Adam: Also, it looks like TiG played the way they did with an eye on the finals. How would you beat a team with a combative midfield and a dangerous attack? Answer: You let the team build up from the back, press their midfield when they cross the halfway line, and break forward behind their defence. Felagundion: Don’t forget cashing in on set pieces. TiG’s goals in the semis came from a corner, a free kick, and a penalty. Maika: But remember: teams are forced to play in those unconventional ways against AC Bel because of the way they control the game. Teams need a good defence to keep their front four at bay. They need a good midfield so that Denethor won’t have time to ping those dangerous long diagonals behind the defence, and so that Ulrad won’t have time to make those forward runs that break a distracted defence. And they need a decent threat up front, especially from the wings, so that AC Bel’s defenders won’t have time to go forward and help on the attack. Even then, they’re still playing on the back foot because they won’t see much of the ball. The composure of AC Bel in possession, how resistant they are to all but the most determined pressing, is unprecedented. Even Rochallor can take on a marker to play a long diagonal. Iorithil: But that’s it. TiG have a team capable of determined pressing. You praised BoroWolf’s stamina in the quarterfinals; the entire team is roughly on that level. They will run and press, get legs and bodies in the way of passes, then run some more once they have the ball. Elenrod: I’m just finding this fun. We know roughly how both teams will play, but you’re just going back and forth on the result. It all depends on what happens on the pitch, then? Maika: Yes, I guess. But I’m thinking it’ll be 2-1 to AC Bel Iorithil: TiG will beat AC Bel by the same score line as Hithlum: 3-1 TiG Elenrod: And the third place match? Anyone hazard a prediction? Adam: 2-1 or 3-1 FC Val, easy. Hithlum’s defence just isn’t good enough against world-class strikers, and if they sit the midfield deeper to screen for the back four, they’ll just invite pressure from Argon, Yavanna, and Maglor attacking them from all sorts of uncomfortable angles. Elenrod: That looks painful. Speaking of uncomfortable angles… Someone already mentioned his unbelievable goal earlier, but Túrin almost managed to score from an uncomfortable angle when he chip-headed the ball past Draugluin. He scored similar goal vs Nargothrond way back in the round of sixteen. And with that we come to the end of the penultimate episode of the Matchday. We’ll be back to discuss the finals. Hope to see you then. __________________ フェンリス鴨 (Fenrisu Kamo) The plot, cut, defeated. I intend to copy this sig forever - so far so good... Last edited by Nilpaurion Felagund; 12-04-2013 at 09:58 AM.