Four defenders, three midfielders, and three forwards. No limits on players per team. Here is our best XI of Arda Cup 2012:
Elrond of Eriador
The best goalkeeper in the tournament for two years in a row. The last time he had conceded twice was during the second group stage
game of the 2010 Arda Cup, when Tilion of Utumno scored a brace to beat Rivendell 2-0. That’s thirteen straight games of allowing teams to score at most one goal against him.
Fingolfin of AC Beleriand
The leader and the work-horse of the AC Beleriand back line. His pushes down the left flank resulted in two goals and an assist, and, more importantly, gave attacking width to a team with no natural wingers. He also helped organised one of the best defences in the tournament.
Imlach of AC Beleriand
The second outstanding defender from AC Beleriand. His partnership with Rochallor conceded only an average of 11.14 shots per game, the stingiest in the tournament. (In comparison, Eriador conceded 14.86 shots per game.) Although Rochallor did get one assist, we chose Imlach over Fingolfin’s steed due to his better positional awareness and having one less booking.
Tilion of Real Valinor
After conceding three to FC Valinor (the only team Real Valinor lost to), they conceded just four more goals in six games. And Tilion had been largely responsible for this improvement. As he got accustomed to his role as sweeper, he used his intelligence and energy to plug holes his team needed him to. Aggressive centre forwards (vs Tirion, Armenelos)? Teams sitting deep (The Sea, Rohan)? Disadvantage in the midfield (AC Beleriand, Eriador)? Tilion did what he had to do, wherever it was, so his teammates can focus on what they had to do.
Maglor of FC Valinor
FC Valinor conceded five goals in the tournament, but none came from Maglor’s right wing. He also provided some runs from deep, creating two goals in the process.
Arveleg of Eriador
After AC Beleriand and their diamond midfield, the team with the next best possession rate was Eriador. Like AC Beleriand, they also field four central midfielders, the best of whom was Arveleg. He didn’t have the ridiculous passing statistics of his teammate Valandil or AC Beleriand’s Bregolas, but he was excellent at what he did—keeping possession by completing passes and providing additional goalscoring opportunities by making late runs to the penalty area. His two goals and two assists are a testament to his movement, finishing, and passing accuracy.
Anarion of Gondor
Perhaps the best individual performer of the tournament. By the time his team was eliminated on penalty kicks, four games into the tournament, he already had four goals (behind only Curufin and Ancalagon), as well as three assists (joint leader). Gondor scored a total of nine goals in the tournament; Anarion had a hand in all but two of them. His player-of-the-match performance against group rivals Barad-dûr will be something to remember for the people of Gondor.
Beren of AC Beleriand
One of the best midfields in the tournaments obviously deserves a representative in this list, and who better than Beren to be that man. He had five goals and an assists in seven games, forming dangerous passing triangles in the opposition right flank with Eöl and Fingolfin. A tireless midfield runner, a goalscoring threat, he was also excellent on defence, nullifying the influence of attacking midfielder Orodreth (Nargothrond) and deep-lying playmaker Meleth (Gondolin) on the game.
Míriel of Real Valinor
After a bad start against rivals FC Valinor, Míriel had turned in a consistent performance game after game, scoring or creating a goal in all six games after. Her excellent interplay with second-year teammates Arien and Nerdanel helped break down two of the most formidable defences in the tournament on their way to a long-overdue Cup victory.
Fëanor of AC Beleriand
It was either him or Arien in this slot, and the Fiery Boot was two assists better. As one of the best ball-handlers ever, there were times when he created chances out of nothing. His rapport with fellow crafts-Elf Eöl, half-brother Fingolfin, and Silmaril-purloiner Beren was key to AC Beleriand’s impressive record of seventeen goals in seven games.
Curufin of FC Valinor
An all-family affair in the front line proves just how much talent flows through the veins of football’s regal house. What else can one say about six goals and an assist in five games? Only two season removed from his switch from defender to forward, he pulled off one of the only three hat-tricks in tournament play, as well as shared a tournament-record six goals, but accomplishing it in two less games than his father or Arien.
The Second Team:
Beorn of Erebor
The two best goalkeepers in the tournament met in a semifinal tie in Amon Hen; unfortunately, someone had to lose, and it was Beorn. His performance against FC Valinor won't soon be forgotten.
Ecthelion of AC Beleriand
In the seven goals scored against AC Beleriand, none came from Ecthelion's right wing. He also provided attacking width with his runs from deep, assisting on one occasion and creating scoring chances on many others.
Melian of Doriath
Far and away the best defender of Doriath, whose only goal conceded from a centre forward in open play was Glaurung's. Times have fallen hard on the Hidden Realm, only a year removed from a championship year, but Melian remains a quality defender.
Nazgûl #6 of Shire-Bree United
He had a blinder of a game against Angband. His performance against Tol-in-Gaurhoth and Gondor weren't bad, either.
Celebrimbor of Dwarves United
The offence and defence of Dwarves United. He was the reason they made it past the group stage.
Bard of Erebor
When Smaug wasn't his usual self when the tournament began, the Grim Sniper took it upon himself to score for Erebor.
Yavanna of FC Valinor
In a team with a Fëanorëan front line, the fleet-footed Vala was the extra punch that broke defences down.
Beleg of Doriath
In terms of talent, there was little to separate Doriath's wingers Beleg and Lúthien. They were both pacey, excellent finishers, willing defenders, and great passers. In the end, though, Beleg has two goals and three assists to Tinúviel's 1+1.
Sauron of Barad-dûr
This was a down year for the first Ainu to win the Cup, with his team not having progressed past the group stage (a first for him; coincidentally, his 2009 Arda Cup winning team Armenelos also failed to advance for the first time). Still, Annatar averaged a goal and an assist per game, cementing his reputation as an offensive maestro.
Glorfindel of Eriador
Two years after leaving Gondolin, having just won the Cup, Glorfindel seems to have flourished as an individual within Elrond's system, coming within a whisker of his second championship. Seven goals and six assists in twelve games is impressive, no matter how you cut it.
Arien of Real Valinor
The attacking trio of Valinor/Real Valinor seem to have finally got how to play together. With Míriel and Nerdanel on the wings to provide killer passes, Arien has thrived in her role as a number nine, a target man in the box. She has not lost the ability to
win games almost single-handedly, as shown by her performance against AC Beleriand.