[Nogrod]

So it's the time of the finals again.

The T-I-G -team has shown to the doubters (including the AKM) they're in it for real this year after a few year's flying low. Whether their possible success will generate renewed calls for disarming their Werewolf-capabilities once again will remain to be seen. But it is clear what the purists will say...

But AC Beleriand has been in top form this year and many fans would love to see them making good their stumbling at the last hurdle the previous year. That hope is not at all overstreched. AC Beleriand really looks like the toughest Arda -team this year.

Here are the numbers:

AC Beleriand 15-4 (6-0-0)
Shots made: 40/89
Shots allowed: 26/71
Attack: 15/89 (16,9%)
Marach: 4/26 (84,6%)

Tol-In-Gaurhoth 13-4 (5-1-0)
Shots made: 36/91
Shots allowed: 19/69
Attack: 13/91 (14,3%)
ShastaWolf: 4/19 (78,9%)

As the numbers show, T-I-G has allowed considerably less shots towards their goal, but AC Beleriand is both the more active shooter and has a better goalie.

So it will be a very hard game to predict, but the AKM thinks AC Beleriand will prevail - at least it would be Righteous if that happened.



On the Bronze-Game the situation is as hairy - adding to it the fact that different players and teams take playing for the third place with varying interest. So who'll have more pure will to win a game after a big disappointment?

So who will arise from the ashes, Fëanor's sons or Húrin's children?

FC Valinor 13-4 (5-0-1)
Shots made: 38/88
Shots allowed: 18/58
Attack: 13/88 (16,9%)
Huan: 4/18 (77,8%)

Hithlum 15-10 (4-0-2)
Shots made: 43/101
Shots allowed: 38/91
Attack: 15/101 (14,9%)
Húor: 10/38 (73,7%)

Both teams have done some real feats this year but the numbers would suggest there is but one favourite for the game: Hithlum does shoot more, considerably so if you count all the shots they make - but looking at the shots actually towards the goal the difference isn't that drastic. And on all other fronts FC Valinor is clearly having the upper hand: they let the opponents to shoot towards their goal about half the shots Hithlum does, they are more efficient in scoring, they have a better goal keeper...

The only thing is, football is not only statistics. And there lies the chance of Hithlum.

That said, the AKM predicts FC Valinor to take the Bronze medals - unless Curufin and Celegorm are too frustrated to play the game with a full effort...