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by **Farfadillis** » Sun Apr 17, 2016 11:00 am

Season 22

Season Roundup

Avenida Principal have crowned themselves Farf champions for the third time in their history! The Knights are in dreamland. Even though they were predicted to be in the title race, they were a priori only the fourth-best team. All of their players had very solid seasons, but a few stood out. The two most important players of the team were Karl Varsteeg and Iñaki Ibarra. The former was a defensive stalwart and a huge offensive threat, while the latter provided goals and assists when they were most needed. Angelo Gelinas scored his fair share of goals, and it's safe to say the Knights wouldn't have made it without him. Truly an inspired signing. Vareza Na'Noni was also immense, providing much needed midfield backbone and even scoring a last-minute equalizer against Avenida Leal that would eventually prove vital. Abuda, Renato Capion and Thomas Hancock played no small part in the title.

Avenida Leal were agonizingly close to claiming back-to-back titles, but it was not meant to be. Still, it was hardly a bad season for the Loyals. Ostadar Arambilet was, once again, immense for them. Max Fawden and Titus Blackett proved about as deadly as last season, and Itxaso Zuazubiskar had one of his best seasons to date. Krysia Bailey and Torsten Navarro were very solid at the back. With rumours of Ruy Monrazón making a return and the possible signing of Amarinho from Gorfalle Town, the future looks very bright for Avenida Leal.

Just four points behind, the very same Gorfalle Town shocked everyone by finishing in third place. They got to the last matchday still in the title race, but the miracle they needed never arrived. Still, the only set of fans that could conceivably be more happy than theirs is Avenida Principal's. Amarinho had an immense season providing assists and scoring goals left and right. Were it not for him, the Canaries wouldn't have done even close to as well as they did. But even though Amarinho's presence was absolutely vital up front, their defense was the most solid/least leaky in the league. Even though their back three was conformed by Casimiro Forrheje, Toby Toste and Elip Guerra (so no great players), they were indubitable proof of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts. Gundai Joneätaon was a big threat on the right flank.

Avenida Victoria have, against all odds, mounted a return to the top of the table after the retirement of Ronnie van Rijn. Could this mean their return as title contenders? Possibly. Ascensión Ekvinter was the best goalkeeper in the league. Yülàáê Mî and Gâyö Mî seemed to completely forget they're thirty-five and put on performances reminiscent of the times when they started for the national team. Ramón Fonseca and Valerio Negrini were the ones who made the Victorians' game flow much more freely, racking up many assists in the process.

Gran Faro 70 proved last season was no fluke. They're here to challenge for UICA spots for the foreseeable future. Elías Ruiseñor never got tired of scoring, and neither did supporting striker Quirino D'amore, who also never got tired of assisting him. Ômâr Tlâhu and Aaqeq Yleqtiik also had very good seasons.

The teams that ended fifth through tenth are all very surprising. Honestly, it wouldn't have been that surprising if any of them had won, and one of them were actually favourites. Flamagua did roughly as expected, though they have their impressive strike partnership of Carlos Abrigo and José Torino Fuego to thank for that. Dí Maozöxê fans will be disappointed to have finished seventh, but not that much considering that's an improvement from last season. Lüzân Dâ Mírnév and Davorin Mijatovic had great seasons. La Nueva Avenida fans will not be happy, though. The only reason Grant Pickton has not been fired is that he is Grant Pickton. Only Zorio Etxezuniyiga, Thajan Jaros and Thjorgias Pickton put on La Nueva Avenida-worthy performances consistently. Only truly positive thing Novan fans can take from this season is that Christian Tenorio really stepped up in Cloudchaser's place. It's hard to see the Equestrian holding onto her starting spot for much longer. Fryi Frêndê were not notable in the slightest, though Basajaun Courtemanche was, as always, pretty solid.

And... well, Mâ Âlâmëómë deserves a separate paragraph. Tíbürçíô Çötàvíê, club legend, resigned at the end of the season due to how much the team underperformed. With Steffan Pekarik resigning as Farf national team manager, it's clear as day where he's heading next. Tanith Rainsford, World Cup winner, Fôrté Wínrôuge, the star of the Farf NT, and Eoin Killanen, their new signing, had great seasons. Everyone else? Not so much. Risko Kâí failed spectacularly as lone striker. Kaj Aurora and Johan Tijgers Landhuis looked very average. Kühâx and Mütó Náándéz were very bad, and Solomon Etezadi just couldn't cope without substantial support. Rôhj Tzâín did ok, but he definitely could've been better. What's the big takeaway from all of this? Mâ Âlâmëómë without Kris Campbell is nowhere near as good as most of us would've expected. New signing Gloire-Honore Mvouba will, in all likelihood, be thrust into the starting eleven next season. If he doesn't prove to be Cambell lite, things could become dire for the Greens.

In eleventh place, it is precisely the youngster's team, René Skaé Colonels, that did about as well as the Greens. Gloire-Honore Mvouba was integral to the team, scoring an inordinate number of goals for a striker his age. The rest of the team did not do that well, though, and thus the season was nothing but disappointment for the teams' fans. Archard Rigozsoldos proved himself as a very solid supporting striker, though. Even with Mvouba returning to Mâ Âlâmëómë, the future does not look that bleak for the Colonels.

In twelfth place, Ausharmuj Marusi turned out to be a lot more solid than predicted. Their first season in the top flight can only be considered a success. Players like striker Traé Marazas and midfielder Sdreí Fígiras proved they could very well play for an upper-mid table team.

Below them, Duyrmyta Fau and Dor Frío had very uneventful seasons. Sent 01 flirted with relegation a bit, that they ended up steering clear by a healthy six-point margin. Libertarian Ferdullaele only escaped relegation thanks to Gorfalle Town's goalkeeper. Their fans won't look back on this season very favourably.

Shockingly, Flying Jellyfish have been relegated. This means Fryi Frêndê are now the only team to have spent every FFL season in the top flight. They were, in a sense, unlucky to have had to play Gorfalle Town in the last matchday, when they had hopes of winning the title. And even then, they were the better team in that last match. But that was no use, it couldn't make up for the disappointing season they had.

Ñandfe's return to the top flight was very far from triumphant.

Fragardallians escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth last season. This season, their glaring weaknesses could not be overcome.

---  Team                          P   W   D   L For   Ag  +/- Pts
- 1  Avenida Principal            38  23   5  10  91   53  +38  74 Champions-------
- 2  Avenida Leal                 38  23   4  11  97   65  +32  73 Champions' Cup--
- 3  Gorfalle Town                38  19  12   7  82   48  +34  69 Globe Cup-------
  4  Avenida Victoria             38  20   7  11  95   59  +36  67 Globe Cup-------
  5  Gran Faro 70                 38  19   7  12  78   53  +25  64 Globe Cup-------
  6  Flamagua                     38  19   5  14  80   56  +24  62-----------------
  7  Dí Maozöxê                   38  17   6  15  67   66   +1  57-----------------
  8  La Nueva Avenida             38  16   8  14  66   69   -3  56-----------------
  9  Fryi Frêndê                  38  17   5  16  78   69   +9  56-----------------
 10  Mâ Âlâmëómë                  38  16   7  15  87   61  +26  55-----------------
 11  René Skaé Colonels           38  16   6  16  70   68   +2  54-----------------
 12  Ausharmuj Marusi             38  16   4  18  78   76   +2  52-----------------
 13  Duyrmyta Fau                 38  15   6  17  69   83  -14  51-----------------
 14  Dor Frío                     38  14   6  18  57   78  -21  48-----------------
 15  Tifón De La Costa            38  11  14  13  73   70   +3  47-----------------
 16  Sent 01                      38  12   7  19  57   89  -32  43-----------------
 17  Libertarian Ferdullaele      38  11   6  21  44   90  -46  39-----------------
-18  Flying Jellyfish             38   9  10  19  57   87  -30  37 Relegated-------
 19  Ñandfe                       38   9   7  22  63  112  -49  34 Relegated-------
 20  Fragardallians               38   8   8  22  58   95  -37  32 Relegated-------

FFL2

-                             Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Madorre De Fuego            38   21   6  11   113   91  +22    69 Champions
 2 Rivijera                    38   20   9   9    88   66  +22    69 Promoted
 3 Llefraga                    38   19   7  12   105   94  +11    64 Promoted
 4 Tympú                       38   18   9  11    84   69  +15    63
 5 Koloko                      38   18   5  15    74   72   +2    59
 6 Torrhe del Viento           38   16   9  13    96   91   +5    57
 7 Rosímar                     38   16   8  14    85   81   +4    56
 8 Ravasha                     38   12  17   9    78   76   +2    53
 9 Fortín de Puerto Farolero   38   14  10  14    95   89   +6    52
10 Ferdullaele                 38   15   7  16    76   78   −2    52
11 Avenida Azulada             38   14   9  15    83   80   +3    51 Relegated (FTL)
12 Daorho Moro                 38   15   6  17    81   94  −13    51
13 Jonder Trains               38   15   5  18    86   97  −11    50
14 Rülândéá Kôstä              38   14   7  17    84   77   +7    49 Relegated (FTL)
15 Deportí Agaumi              38   14   6  18    84   78   +6    48
16 Friguista Farfa             38   12  12  14    80   93  −13    48
17 Punta del Torde             38   14   5  19    76   83   −7    47 Relegated (FTL)
18 Geyinstanles United         38   11  10  17    79  100  −21    43 Relegated (FNL)
19 Lasupi                      38   10   9  19    80   95  −15    39 Relegated (FNL)
20 Tu Ti                       38   10   8  20    73   96  −23    38 Relegated (FNL)

by **Farfadillis** » Fri May 27, 2016 8:00 pm

Season 23

Season Roundup

Mâ Âlâmëómë have bounced back up from mid-table mediocrity, and with style. With the appointment of Cenian manager Kirk Koromin, the team went back to playing fluid, vertiginous football. An average of about 3.3 goals per game is half-Ferdullaele-esque. Marqueé signing Penumbra Amokachi probably got tired of scoring goals. She was obviously helped by the fact that she didn't even have to adapt; she'd played for Gran Faro 70 on loan a few seasons back. Fôrté Wínrôuge, meanwhile, got tired of assisting her, while also totalling a ridiculous number of goals for a midfielder. Eoin Killanen was tremendous on the flank, and garnered similarly ridiculous stats. The trio could very well be a new version of Kâí-Campbell-Aurora. We do not want that, though. That would make the league boring again. But don't fear, the Nepharim girl's got itchy feet. Anyway, Yurpá Mêndêlöíndçêl has officially retired from football, after making a sizable number of appearences as a sub. An all-time (Farf) great has hung the boots. Solomon Etezadi was solid, as always. Bacary Na'Kale was very impressive for such a young player, and Rôhj Tzâín was superb in goal, as we have gotten used to now. In midfield, Tanith Rainsford and Johan Tijgers Landhuis were very solid, though the former's lack of pace and the latter's aging legs were a problematic combination at times.

Trailing them, a good nine points behind, are Avenida Leal. Even though they've once again finished runners-up, it is evident they're gonna be challenging for the title for a pretty long time. Ostadar Arambilet was, as always, integral to the team's efforts. However, their best player this season was not, in fact, the Farfograthian. It was, instead, Ruy Monrazón, who's now back from Apox. The holding midfielder was one of the most imposing defensive presences in the league, and his playmaking was rather refined to boot. He was overall a very complete player. Itxaso Zuazubiskar, Krysia Bailey, Titus Blackett and Max Fawden were also very important throughout the season.

In third came La Nueva Avenida. Their fans will at least be relieved they're now back in the title race or whereabouts and, thanks to the league's shiny new top six coëfficient, the Champions' Cup too. Zorio Etxezuniyiga was their most dangerous player, outpacing and out... skilling almost anyone day in and day out. Thajan Jaros and Café struck a wonderful partnership in centre midfield, and Thjorgias Pickton was possibly the most solid centre back in the league after Solomon Etezadi. However, the biggest change between last season and this one was the presence of Alex Terán. Despite being on the wrong side of thirty, and well into it, his technique is hard to match, as his assist tally shows.

Below them, Avenida Victoria and Flamagua had seasons they can be proud of. Cleto Mata's return proved invigorating for the Victorians, while José Torino Fuego finally hitting his stride turned Flamagua into a deadly machine up front. Eloy Norrayola's performances in midfield were worthy of highlighting.

In sixth place, Avenida Principal's would usually be disappointed with a title defense that saw them finish this low. However, they won the Globe Cup, so there's none of the disappointment and all of the joy. They even got a Champions' Cup spot on top of their trophy. Angelo Gelinas was deadly up front, specially in the Globe Cup, while Vareza Na'Noni has cemented himself as a club legend by now. His great performances season after season had probably already done that, but scoring the winner against Alianza in the GC final can't have hurt. Karl Varsteeg was, as always, vital in defense. Thomas Hancock had a quietly good season.

Gran Faro 70 won't be disappointed with a seventh place finish. They knew the last two seasons were more of an exception than a rule, and it's not like they've done badly. Fryi Frêndê seem to have gotten worryingly used to mid-table mediocrity. Dí Maozöxê, despite having Ivaktör Bârr and Rübéãn Tôr in their line-up, have finished ninth, which has raised a lot of questions. René Skaé Colonels have established themselves as a middling mid-table team, partially thanks to Mâ Âlâmëómë loanee Gloire-Honore Mvouba, who scored a rather surprising twenty-five goals.

Dor Frío will be satisfied with their season, but not too satisfied. Sent 01, however, will relish the prospect of yet another season in the top flight. Honestly, when it comes to Sent 01, every season in the top flight should be one more than expected. Gorfalle Town have tumbled down the table quite violently. One can't help but wonder just how long they can hang onto Amarinho. It's honestly perplexing. Maybe he sold his soul to them? It sounds a lot more believable than him wanting to stay at Gorfalle Town over signing for a top team...

Duyrmyta Fau and Madorre De Fuego overperformed slightly. At the start of the season, they looked certain to be relegated, but they managed to look pretty convincing in the end. They have deservedly stayed up. Libertarian Ferdullaele were a bit more shaky, but their staying up was fair in the end. Why? Well, because...

The bottom four teams were all dreadful. Tifón De La Costa could very well be the first team in the multiverse's history to have avoided relegation while conceding a hundred and twenty-two goals. A. Hundred. And. Twenty-two. They were terrible, really, but, somehow, the three teams below them were even worse.

Llefraga have gone down, and they deserve it more than anyone else, honestly. They failed to average at least a goal a game in this league, about as disgraceful as you can get. Ausharmuj Marusi's short stint in the first division has also come to an end in a rather embarrassing way, as they were outclassed far too often. Rivijera were, obviously, also terrible, but their finishing last was a tad unfair. Llefraga were definitely the worst team.

---  Team                          P   W  D   L  For   Ag  +/- Pts                 
- 1  Mâ Âlâmëómë                  38  26  5   7  125   53  +72  83 Champions-------
- 2  Avenida Leal                 38  21  9   8   93   58  +35  74 Champions' Cup--
- 3  La Nueva Avenida             38  22  6  10   92   44  +48  72 Champions' Cup--
- 4  Avenida Victoria             38  21  5  12  100   51  +49  68 Globe Cup-------
  5  Flamagua                     38  20  6  12   94   62  +32  66 Globe Cup-------
- 6  Avenida Principal            38  19  9  10   90   58  +32  65 Champions' Cup--
  7  Gran Faro 70                 38  18 10  10   83   57  +26  64-----------------
  8  Fryi Frêndê                  38  18  9  11   73   52  +21  63-----------------
  9  Dí Maozöxê                   38  17  9  12   82   63  +19  60-----------------
 10  René Skaé Colonels           38  17  7  14   78   70   +8  58-----------------
 11  Dor Frío                     38  15  7  16   71   72   -1  52-----------------
 12  Sent 01                      38  14  9  15   82   85   -3  51-----------------
 13  Gorfalle Town                38  15  5  18   64   81  -17  50-----------------
 14  Duyrmyta Fau                 38  14  7  17   77   81   -4  49-----------------
 15  Madorre De Fuego             38  12  6  20   60   90  -30  42-----------------
 16  Libertarian Ferdullaele      38  11  9  18   68   90  -22  42-----------------
 17  Tifón De La Costa            38   9  6  23   59  122  -63  33-----------------
-18  Llefraga                     38   7  7  24   37  125  -88  28 Relegated-------
 19  Ausharmuj Marusi             38   8  4  26   56  111  -55  28 Relegated-------
 20  Rivijera                     38   6  5  27   56  115  -59  23 Relegated-------

FFL2

-                             Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Flying Jellyfish            38   21   6  11    95   64  +31    69 Champions
 2 Vetar Trg                   38   19   9  10    90   71  +19    66 Promoted
 3 Prostran I Forzuda          38   19   9  10    95   79  +16    66 Promoted
 4 Ferdullaele                 38   20   4  14    77   75   +2    64
 5 Ñandfe                      38   17  12   9    87   69  +18    63
 6 Tympú                       38   18   9  11    85   75  +10    63
 7 Ravasha                     38   20   3  15    86   78   +8    63
 8 Isky Novara                 38   14  13  11    65   64   +1    55
 9 Frion Libertas              38   16   6  16    85   86   −1    54
10 Friguista Farfa             38   13  11  14    87   83   +4    50
11 Torrhe del Viento           38   14   7  17    72   77   −5    49
12 Koloko                      38   12  12  14    89   91   −2    48
13 Darfallá Greens             38   12  12  14    83   85   −2    48
14 Deportí Agaumi              38   13   7  18    76   81   −5    46
15 Avenida Natal               38   11  13  14    70   78   −8    46 Relegated (FTL)
16 Fragardallians              38   11  12  15    73   87  −14    45 Relegated (FNL)
17 Jonder Trains               38   12   7  19    65   81  −16    43 Relegated (FNL)
18 Daorho Moro                 38    8  15  15    92  101   −9    39 Relegated (FNL)
19 Rosímar                     38   10   8  20    81  103  −22    38 Relegated (FTL)
20 Fortín de Puerto Farolero   38    8   9  21    69   94  −25    33 Relegated (FTL)

by **Farfadillis** » Fri Jul 15, 2016 3:17 pm

Season 24

Season Roundup

Dí Maozöxê had been, up to this season, undeniably the best Farf team to have never won the league. Ten seasons ago, they came agonizingly close to their first title, but Mâ Âlâmëómë, their bitter rivals, came in first by two points. That was, funnily enough, the beginning of Mâ Âlâmëómë's utter domination of the league, while Dí Maozöxê failed to ever truly come close to winning the title after that. They continued to consistently qualify for the Globe Cup for some seasons, but, in the last couple, they'd sort of drifted into mid-table obscurity. The last three seasons, they finished eleventh, seventh and ninth. Their traditionally good-but-not-great squad that relied mostly on chemistry to be a cut above the other teams aged, and when they were gone, they had an awkward mixture of old and super young players. Ivaktör Bârr and Rübéãn Tôr, both national team players, returned, much to the rejoice of the Rebels' fans. But they didn't tear the league apart as many expected (turns out the league has gotten better since they left!). With ongoing civil strife in Ruland, and with that we mean a secession war, only a madman would've predicted Dí Maozöxê to win the league.

But that is exactly what Dí Maozöxê have done. In perfect style, too! They won it by two points over their rivals. The team showed off the team chemistry they had been lacking the last few seasons. Rübéãn Tôr had the best season of his career, scoring a lot and assisting a lot, all from the wing. Though he did cut inside very often, and the team's overall focus on him helped him out. Still, his pace and his finishing have never been better, that's for sure. Ivaktör Bârr, meanwhile, returned to his old self. Rock-solid at the back, he also scored his fair share headers. Arto Holkeri was also more clinical than ever, netting almost thirty goals. Holkeri and Tôr clicking was the best thing that could happen to Dí Maozöxê. Lüzân Dâ Mírnév showed off a lot of stamina and technique. He assisted almost as many goals as Rübéãn. His partners in centre midfield were almost as good. Joan Nonhagatte, son of club legend Joan Fer Nonhagatte, broke into the team aged seventeen and quickly became a key player. Speed, technique, creativity. The kid's got it all. Almost definitely a future starter for the national team. Çis Âlú, the other partner, was about as good, but he's five years older. Still, that means he's twenty-two! Dí Maozöxê definitely don't have to worry about the midfield department. Davorin Mijatovic, while definitely overshadowed by Tôr, also had a very good season, providing goals and assists pretty consistently. Jïnbawín Ohfânâ adapted to his new position at right-back quite well, though he was never truly a right-back. More like an offensive wingback. Jülí Mâsârí, Tímô Êxís and Xarvý Lôndôn were perhaps the weakest parts of the team, but the former two are just twenty-one. Xarvý may be a club legend, but he's aging badly. The Rebels should look into replacing him soon.

In second came Mâ Âlâmëómë. The ongoing secession war definitely didn't hurt the Rulandese teams much. In fact, it seems to have spurred them on! However, the Greens fell two points short of yet another title. Nowadays, they are the only team that can be one hundred percent disappointed for missing out on a title. They are, after all, a bit ahead of the curve. Penumbra Amokachi scored just below one goal per game, which should tell you enough. Koromin has definitely brought out the best out of her. But Amokachi's Campbell-like goal tally is not only down to her and the manager. Eoin Killanen also shone this season, scoring a ridiculous number of goals for a winger to add on top of all his assists to the Nepharim. Fôrté Wínrôuge may have had a very quiet season for someone who many consider is the best Farf player in the Multiverse, but he was still the driving creative force of the team. Age is catching up to Kaj Aurora, but she was still solid. Tanith Rainsford got a lot of passes-before-the-assist, but her role in the team inevitably leads to her getting an unfairly small share of the limelight. She's one of the best players in the league, but you probably wouldn't hear that from someone who doesn't support Mâ Âlâmëómë. Risko Kâí and Solomon Etezadi were decent, but age has caught up to them. They may very well be the two most influential players in the history of the club, but it's probably time for them to go. There's good news for the club, though! Fvêt Rôwé had an extremely good season over at Ceni, so replacing Kâí won't be a problem. Süns Söh really impressed as a substitute, so replacing Etezadi likely won't be a problem either.

Avenida Principal got the last Champions' Cup spot, but they'll be slightly disappointed not to have won the title. After all, Mâ Âlâmëómë and Dí Maozöxê were expected to do rather badly, yet they were the only two teams that finished above them. Still, being the best non-Rulandese team is something they can take some pride in. Angelo Gelinas had his best season so far, scoring an impressive thirty goals. He was helped by the Knights' shiny new signings, though: Rutger Locke, Nepharim legend, and Armando Elevado, Farf NTer. The former was very good with the ball and played a more stationary role because of his age, while the latter did all the dirty work, despite his age. Rainyardil Toraandal was rock solid at the back. It's no coincidence that Avenida Principal have conceded the fewest goals in the league the season they've signed him. Luke Horn continues to show a lot of promise in centre midfield. Renato Capion and Iñaki Ibarra are one of the best pairs of wingers a team in this league has, though the latter's luck with injuries was not the best this season, which definitely hurt the Knights' title race. Thomas Hancock had one of his best seasons; the great defensive performance of the team was not entirely down to Toraandal. Vareza Na'Noni's age may be catching up to him, but he was still invaluable to the team, even if he can't run as much as he did two or three seasons ago.

Avenida Leal will be sorely disappointed to miss out on a Champions' Cup spot considering how well they had been doing the last few seasons, but they've still done fairly well. Ruy Monrazón was extremely solid defensively and rather dangerous offensively. He has blossomed into a very complete midfielder. Any success to be had by Avenida Leal will have to be built on his back, it seems, in much the same way that Avenida Leal's recent success was built on Arambilet's back around ten seasons ago. Speaking of Ostadar Arambilet he didn't set the league afire as in some past seasons, but he was still one of the best players of the team. Max Fawden and Titus Blackett continue to form a sufficiently-prolific strike partnership. Playing together for Acronius probably helps. On the flanks, Krysia Bailey and Trejo Maes were very good both staying back and going forward.

It's hard to continue considering Gran Faro 70 a surprise package when they do well. Despite being such a small club, as far as infrastructure goes, at least, they've still been very smart about their transfer moves and focused on their youth academy so excellently that, with some overachieving, they've gotten a Globe Cup spot once again. Quirino D'amore was fantastic as a deep-lying fowward. He was the main creative force of the team. His partner up front, Elías Ruiseñor, benefitted a lot from that. He scored an inordinate number of goals for someone his age. It's hard to see the Bluebirds hanging onto him for much longer, specially now that he's capped. Ômâr Tlâhu and Blas Aiza were also key players for Gran Faro 70's campaign.

Avenida Victoria will probably be happy to have qualified for the Globe Cup. It is true that they once won the league back-to-back, but about five seasons ago, they weren't even competing for UICA spots. Nowadays, you could see them fighting for a third CC spot with some luck. They made some quality signings for this season. Rauno Liikanen, from Savalen, was their best player. He was perhaps a bit lacking offensively, but he still needs to adapt to the league. He's still ahead of the curve as far as defending is concerned, though. Another quality signing was Tüjürdr Vhêrdê from Mâ Âlâmëómë. Even though the Greens decided Vhêrdê just wouldn't make it to their starting eleven, the young man scored quite a lot. Who knows, they might regret the decision in the future. Another unwanted player from a bigger club was Fabián Rubalcava, signed from Avenida Leal. He was a rock at the back. Pinsent Benzari, signed from Dí Maozöxê, was also fairly important throughout the season. As always, Ascensión Ekvinter and Valerio Negrini were the most consistent players, but age seems to be catching up to both of them, even if they were good this season.

René Skaé Colonels may have barely missed out on UICA football, but they'll be content with their season nonetheless. Gloire-Honore Mvouba has made it very clear that he plans to force his way into Koromin's plans, with yet another very good season at the Colonels. Another young player that did well this season was Archard Rigozsoldos. Great finishing and pretty good pace. René Skaé don't have to worry that much about Mâ Âlâmëómë wanting Mvouba back at some point. Hannes Mercier and Dorian Sólyom did really well in their more creative midfield roles.

La Nueva Avenida's season must have been sorely disappointing for their supporters. Zorio Etxezuniyiga and Thajan Jaros were dependable, as always, but the rest of the team at times failed to show up. Thjorgias Pickton was fairly solid at the back, but even he occasionally had a terrible game by the Novans' standards. Francesco Di Nolfo was quietly solid, but in his position, you don't get to affect the game nearly as much as some other players. Diego Snow was occasionally very good, but he also had quite low lows. Also, Café definitely wasn't Café this season. The sliver lining of the season was that Christian Tenorio was surprisingly good. When all is said and done, though, the Novans have failed to qualify for even the Globe Cup. But hey, we'd probably be singing a different tune if Alex Terán had stayed fit for longer than twenty days in total.

Gorfalle Town are probably still not used to being a good team, so they'll be happy with their positioning. As always, Amarinho was their best player and at this point you've got to wonder what the hell is going on inside that guy's head. Why does he insist on staying? It doesn't make any sense. Still, Gorfalle Town's fans couldn't love him more. Cathy Blackslate was her partner in crime in midfield. Both provided a lot of assists, and Amarinho actually scored his fair share. Gundai Joneätaon was key on the right wing, too.

Fryi Frêndê, a team nowadays used to mid-table mediocrity, finished tenth. Not surprising, that. Basajaun Courtemanche and Vanessa Pfeiffauf were their two best players, despite being thirty-three and thirty-five respectively. Erbarmudir Rouloqué was pretty good at right back and youngster Itxo Matatempestades raised a few eyebrows.

Sent 01 will be happy that they've now avoided relegation comfortably for two consecutive seasons. This could conceivably be a record for them. Iellwen Tathmiel, their eternal Vanorian offensive midfielder, was, as always, their best player. Alexis Arrendé and Ská Twéré were also pretty good.

Dor Frío, now used to mid-table obscurity, did fairly well considering six of their starters are at least thirty-three. Nitenseí Perspicatxa was their best player. They should worry about time, though. Legs don't last nearly as much as they wish they did.

Madorre De Fuego fans will be content with having avoided relegation again. Maybe they can aim for bigger things next season. Gurs Soren proved to be a fairly clinical striker, and one that they might have problems holding onto. Yraúj de Sájajo showed a lot of promise on the left flank.

Libertarian Ferdullaele did really well considering their centremidfielder turned forty in matchday two and their left winger turned thirty-eight three days later. We're speaking of Aranfarrhe Ederé and Salo Arthursson. Their two best players, incidentally. And to think that last season their best player was not of age to drink...

Tifón De La Costa, as always, are just happy to still be in the top flight... somehow. Cornelio Nová and Federico Tajante are their only evidently quality players. Besides those two, they got nothin'. Except teamwork, apparently.

Vetar Trg fans will be ecstatic with how their first season in the top flight turned out: they're still in the top flight. They looked pretty shakier than any other team defensively, but their offense packed a lot more punch than anyone expected. Bogoljub Miletic was the spearhead of the attack. His pace and finishing were excellent for someone who needed a part-time job to complement the money he go from football just last year. Slavica Pavicic was an even bigger surprise. She provided Bogoljub with many chances throughout the season. What's more of a surprise, though, is that another Farf woman has appeared in the world of football. At the age of twenty-five, it's a bit late for Slavica to truly set a trend, but her rise to the FFL might be pointing at an ongoing change of the bigger picture.

Their rivals, Prostran I Forzuda will not be happy to have finished below them. However, they will be very happy to have avoided relegation. Ljuba Nikic, with his height and strength, was their biggest weapon upfront. Silvestar Marusic, who's just twenty-one, was very solid at the back. A commanding presence at the age of twenty-one. Add to that the fact that they've got a relatively young squad. Prostran I Forzuda sure have a team they can build on.

And below them... oh boy. This is big. Very big. Flamagua, traditionally in the fight for UICA spots, have been relegated. Flamagua, a team with a starting striker who also happens to be the starting striker of the third best national team in Multiverse going by the latest KPB rankings. What, exactly, went wrong? Everything. José Torino Fuego, who has announced he will sink with the ship, was the only player who lived up to expectations, and only relatively. Nothing clicked. Carlos Abrigo got injury after injury, while Eloy Norrayola seemed to be the only midfielder who actually tried. Nobody doubts they'll destroy the FFL2 next season, but the damage from being relegated will linger on.

Flying Jellyfish have gone straight back down. They should be very careful not to turn into a perennial yo-yo team. It is a very real possibility. Kilye Penrith was their best player, but they were overall mostly pretty bang average at best. Mark Kjaer was very relatively solid.

Finally, Duyrmyta Fau have gone down too. Nothing much to talk about here. This was expected. Last season was a fluke. You should fully expect their good players like Waldirio Instinti and Terse Dosasona to pack their bags.

---  Team                          P   W   D   L  For   Ag  +/- Pts                 
- 1  Dí Maozöxê                   38  25   4   9  103   66  +37  79 Champions-------
- 2  Mâ Âlâmëómë                  38  24   5   9  114   55  +59  77 Champions' Cup--
- 3  Avenida Principal            38  21   9   8   86   49  +37  72 Champions' Cup--
- 4  Avenida Leal                 38  20   9   9   98   65  +33  69 Globe Cup-------
  5  Gran Faro 70                 38  20   6  12   92   69  +23  66 Globe Cup-------
  6  Avenida Victoria             38  19   5  14   83   74   +9  62 Globe Cup-------
  7  René Skaé Colonels           38  16  13   9   84   55  +29  61-----------------
  8  La Nueva Avenida             38  17   7  14   82   64  +18  58-----------------
  9  Gorfalle Town                38  16   9  13   88   76  +12  57-----------------
 10  Fryi Frêndê                  38  16   7  15   66   73   -7  55-----------------
 11  Sent 01                      38  14   6  18   65   80  -15  48-----------------
 12  Dor Frío                     38  14   4  20   80   84   -4  46-----------------
 13  Madorre De Fuego             38  12  10  16   70   81  -11  46-----------------
 14  Libertarian Ferdullaele      38  12   8  18   68  100  -32  44-----------------
 15  Tifón De La Costa            38  12   7  19   60   76  -16  43-----------------
 16  Vetar Trg                    38  11   6  21   71  108  -37  39-----------------
 17  Prostran I Forzuda           38  11   5  22   56   97  -41  38-----------------
-18  Flamagua                     38  10   7  21   79   97  -18  37 Relegated-------
 19  Flying Jellyfish             38   9   9  20   45   88  -43  36 Relegated-------
 20  Duyrmyta Fau                 38   9   8  21   60   93  -33  35 Relegated-------


                      Round 1  Round 2  Round 3  Round 4
  Rübéãn Tôr           406      429      477      607--
  Penumbra Amokachi    260      281      353      393--
  Angelo Gelinas       152      162      170      -----
  Eoin Killanen        124      128      ---      -----
  Ruy Monrazón          58      ---      ---      -----


                                                    Goals
  Penumbra Amokachi                                37--
  Angelo Gelinas                                   30--
  Arto Holkeri                                     29--
  Rübéãn Tôr                                       28--
  Eoin Killanen                                    26--


                      Round 1  Round 2  Round 3  Round 4
  Joan Nonhagatte      335      348      430      544--
  Bacary Na'Kale       218      232      307      456--
  Gloire-Honore Mvouba 204      213      263      -----
  Elías Ruiseñor       201      207      ---      -----
  Christian Tenorio     42      ---      ---      -----

--- Team                           P   W   D   L  For   Ag  +/- Pts-----------------
-1  Ausharmuj Marusi              38  22  11   5   91   62  +29  77 Champions-------
-2  Frion Libertas                38  21   9   8   82   68  +14  72 Promoted--------
 3  Deportí Agaumi                38  18  11   9  107   82  +25  65 Promoted--------
 4  Ñandfe                        38  16  11  11   92   80  +12  59-----------------
 5  Rivijera                      38  15  10  13   74   73   +1  55-----------------
 6  Lasupi                        38  14  12  12   96   89   +7  54-----------------
 7  Koloko                        38  14  12  12   81   77   +4  54-----------------
 8  Isky Novara                   38  15   9  14   77   73   +4  54-----------------
 9  Friguista Farfa               38  14  11  13   81   84   −3  53-----------------
10  Fragrafagardanialles          38  14   9  15   84   87   −3  51-----------------
11  Ferdullaele                   38  13  10  15   74   74    0  49-----------------
12  Ande                          38  13  10  15   80   93  −13  49-----------------
13  Ravasha                       38  12  12  14   75   75    0  48-----------------
14  Avenida de la Cruz            38  13   8  17   78   83   −5  47-----------------
15  Argonna Diguarâ               38  11  11  16   73   78   −5  44 Relegated (FTL)-
16  Eterna                        38  11  11  16   76   89  −13  44 Relegated (FTL)-
17  Tympú                         38  11  11  16   73   90  −17  44 Relegated (FNL)-
18  Torrhe del Viento             38  10  12  16   76   86  −10  42 Relegated (FTL)-
19  Darfallá Greens               38  10   8  20   66   78  −12  38 Relegated (FNL)-
20  Llefraga                      38   7  14  17   76   91  −15  35 Relegated (FNL)-

by **Farfadillis** » Fri Sep 16, 2016 9:11 am

(OOC: Due to my leaving on a trip for about ten days, I'm submitting just in case.)

----Team                          P   W  D   L  For   Ag  +/- Pts
  1 Mâ Âlâmëómë                  38  27  7   4  120   45  +75  88 Champions
  2 La Nueva Avenida             38  26  6   6  104   57  +47  84 Champions' Cup
  3 Avenida Leal                 38  24  5   9  123   48  +75  77 Champions' Cup
  4 Dí Maozöxê                   38  21  5  12  103   61  +42  68 Globe Cup
  5 Avenida Principal            38  21  4  13  102   77  +25  67 Globe Cup
  6 Madorre De Fuego             38  17  8  13   84   83   +1  59 Globe Cup
  7 Fryi Frêndê                  38  18  5  15   76   65  +11  59
  8 Libertarian Ferdullaele      38  18  3  17   89   97   -8  57
  9 Gorfalle Town                38  15  9  14  105   78  +27  54
 10 René Skaé Colonels           38  15  6  17   82   90   -8  51
 11 Avenida Victoria             38  14  9  15   70   69   +1  51
 12 Ausharmuj Marusi             38  15  6  17   73   86  -13  51
 13 Sent 01                      38  14  7  17   73   98  -25  49
 14 Gran Faro 70                 38  15  4  19   83   79   +4  49
 15 Dor Frío                     38  13  3  22   53   79  -26  42
 16 Prostran I Forzuda           38  11  7  20   59   89  -30  40
 17 Vetar Trg                    38  10  9  19   64   95  -31  39
 18 Tifón De La Costa            38  10  9  19   72  100  -28  39 Relegated
 19 Frion Libertas               38   9  7  22   75  124  -49  34 Relegated
 20 Deportí Agaumi               38   4  7  27   46  136  -90  19 Relegated

----Team                       Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Flying Jellyfish            38   21   6  11   106   66  +40    69 Champions
 2 Flamagua                    38   20   5  13   118   67  +51    65 Promoted
 3 Ñandfe                      38   19   8  11    91   78  +13    65 Promoted
 4 Dô Fäéýkô                   38   19   7  12    91   76  +15    64
 5 Rivijera                    38   17   7  14    88   87   +1    58
 6 Isky Novara                 38   15  12  11    87   72  +15    57
 7 Fragardallians              38   16   8  14    87   80   +7    56
 8 Ravasha                     38   14  12  12    91   87   +4    54
 9 Ferdullaele                 38   15   8  15   100   87  +13    53
10 Daorho Moro                 38   15   8  15    94   89   +5    53
11 Avenida de la Cruz          38   13  11  14    79   82   −3    50
12 Duyrmyta Fau                38   14   6  18    75   84   −9    48
13 Lasupi                      38   12  11  15    82   84   −2    47
14 Ande                        38   14   5  19    74   98  −24    47
15 Friguista Farfa             38   13   7  18    80   93  −13    46 Relegated (FNL)
16 Karuvis Milajonovic         38   13   7  18    78   93  −15    46 Relegated (FTL)
17 Koloko                      38   11  13  14    67   82  −15    46 Relegated (FNL)
18 Fortín de Puerto Farolero   38   11  12  15    83  106  −23    45 Relegated (FTL)
19 Avenida Natal               38   11   9  18    65   93  −28    42 Relegated (FTL)
20 Fragrafagardanialles        38    8  16  14    58   90  −32    40 Relegated (FNL)

by **Farfadillis** » Mon Apr 03, 2017 6:50 pm

Season 26

Season Roundup

It's safe to say this has not been the most normal of seasons for Farf football. For one, the almost complete annihilation of Ruland as a state and the instability of an ongoing civil war made some matches difficult to... end. A total of fifty-two games out of the usual three hundred and eighty had to be cut short because circumstances had made the game untenable, even by Farf standards. Twenty bomb threats, ten stadiums risking collapse, forty-five fires., and frequent overlaps of these things... you get the idea. The FFFF were steadfast in their decision of keeping the tournament going, citing the necessity to "keep a good UICA coëfficient." Everyone was quick to point out this silly number didn't have any bearing on the teams' quality, but, as always, reasonable arguments fell on deaf ears. It's safe to say Farf football has seen better days.

All of that said, Avenida Leal fans will be ecstatic to have won their second title, even if they wish they'd done it any other day. Ruy Monrazón and Ostadar Arambilet completely bossed midfield, proving just how ridiculously good the Loyals' center-midfield is. New signing Trenn Rien had a tremendous first season. Not only did he avoid death in such an unstable country, but he also was decisive with some of his goals, to boot! Trejo Maes was tremendous as a wingback, gathering an inordinate number of assists.

In second place, the team everyone wishes had won, Dí Maozöxê. Despite their home being destroyed, their players fought valiantly throughout the season. They faced many hardships, but they gave it their all. In the end, they fell just one point short, but many will remember their efforts this season. Rübéãn Tôr was extremely dangerous on the right flank, while Tjêtê Dü Síbírí showed every Farf he's gonna fight for a spot in the starting eleven of the national team. His goalscoring carried Dí Maozöxê to where they got.

In third place, nicking the last Champions' Cup spot, La Nueva Avenida showed they're serious about returning to being title candidates. Their drought continues, yes, but they were one of the best teams this season. They lacked the ability to perform in the important matches, as one can tell from their goal differen and points. Still, with players like Thajan Jaros and Thjorgias Pickton, it's obvious they'll be in the freay for the title for the foreseeable future.

Madorre De Fuego and Ausharmuj Marusi raised many eyebrows by getting Globe Cups spots they were most definitely not expected to get. Madorre owe their season, for the most part, to their captain Ger Resuisa, who was a titan in midfield. Ausharmuj, meanwhile, owe most of their success to their wingers, Xasier Lorrhili and Turús Suís, who were truly inspired this season. As shocking as it is to see these two teams so high up the table, one must remember this was not an ordinary season, and both teams are based in places relatively unaffected by the ongoing civil strife. Madorre's stadium never even caught fire, despite their name making one think the contrary. Finally, Mâ Âlâmëómë also qualified to the Globe Cup. Fairly disappointing from them, considering they've got the best team in the league, but one can't help but forgive them this time. Fôrté Wínrôuge, Eoin Killanen and Tanith Rainsford were their best players.

In the mid-table we have lot of not very interesting things going on. Pretty much every team placed roughly where they were predicted to. Notable players from mid-table teams were Thomas Hancock from Avenida Principal, Groaré Sasca from Gorfalle Town, Pinsent Benzari from Avenida Victoria and Des Lopiño from Flamagua. Lopiño was particularly impressive, considering his age. He scored well over what someone who can't drive yet should.

Finally, five clubs struggled to avoid relegation this season. In the end, a couple fortunate bomb threats at crucial times saved Sent 01 from relegation. Libertarian Ferdullaele came very close to relegation despite playing considerably better than Vetar Trg. Flying Jellyfish and Ñandfe were just disappointing. The latter let in an almost impossible number of goals. It's still two less than Deportí Agaumi's abysmal showing last season, though. So they can leave holding their head up high.

---- Team                          P   W   D   L  For   Ag  +/- Pts
- 1  Avenida Leal                 38  22   9   7  102   54  +48  75 Champions-------
- 2  Dí Maozöxê                   38  22   8   8   85   58  +27  74 Champions' Cup--
- 3  La Nueva Avenida             38  20   9   9  100   53  +47  69 Champions' Cup--
- 4  Madorre De Fuego             38  21   5  12   84   61  +23  68 Globe Cup-------
  5  Ausharmuj Marusi             38  19   8  11   72   56  +16  65 Globe Cup-------
  6  Mâ Âlâmëómë                  38  20   4  14   88   66  +22  64 Globe Cup-------
  7  Avenida Principal            38  18   7  13   67   64   +3  61
  8  Dor Frío                     38  17   6  15   80   71   +9  57
  9  Prostran I Forzuda           38  16   7  15   68   60   +8  55
 10  Fryi Frêndê                  38  15   8  15   73   69   +4  53
 11  Avenida Victoria             38  15   8  15   84   77   +7  53
 12  Gorfalle Town                38  14  11  13   57   67  -10  53
 13  Gran Faro 70                 38  13  10  15   88   72  +16  49
 14  René Skaé Colonels           38  13  10  15   65   71   -6  49
 15  Flamagua                     38  14   6  18   66   79  -13  48
 16  Sent 01                      38  11  11  16   63   86  -23  44
 17  Libertarian Ferdullaele      38  11   7  20   62   79  -17  40
-18  Vetar Trg                    38  11   5  22   54   91  -37  38 Relegated-------
 19  Flying Jellyfish             38   7   7  24   42   75  -33  28 Relegated-------
 20  Ñandfe                       38   6   4  28   43  134  -91  22 Relegated-------

-                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Fragardallians         38   21   7  10    87   73  +14    70 Champions
 2 Dô Fäéýkô              38   19   8  11    99   82  +17    65 Promoted
 3 Rülândéá Kôstä         38   18  10  10   108   59  +49    64 Promoted
 4 Jonder Trains          38   19   7  12   104   66  +38    64
 5 Tifón de la Costa      38   17  10  11    93   77  +16    61
 6 Ferdullaele            38   18   7  13    87   72  +15    61
 7 Frion Libertas         38   19   4  15    95   85  +10    61
 8 Ravasha                38   18   7  13    75   70   +5    61
 9 Duyrmyta Fau           38   17   9  12   107   95  +12    60
10 Lasupi                 38   17   7  14    93   70  +23    58
11 Avenida de la Cruz     38   16   8  14   101   78  +23    56
12 Eterna                 38   16   8  14    75   60  +15    56 Relegated (FTL)
13 Deportí Agaumi         38   15   9  14    70   61   +9    54
14 Ande                   38   14  10  14    78   83   −5    52
15 Isky Novara            38   15   6  17    75   93  −18    51
16 Rivijera               38   13   8  17    74   99  −25    47 Relegated (FTL)
17 Daorho Moro            38   12  10  16    84   95  −11    46 Relegated (FNL)
18 Darfallá Greens        38    9  10  19    62  104  −42    37 Relegated (FNL)
19 Ondeta                 38    9   5  24    69  122  −53    32 Relegated (FNL)
20 Torrhe del Viento      38    1   4  33    24  116  −92     7 Relegated (FTL)

by **Farfadillis** » Tue Aug 22, 2017 2:56 pm

Season 27

Season Preview

The Four That Can Win

Players in italics are the captains of their teams
Players in bold are the most important players of their teams

Manager:

Kirk Koromin
Starting Line-up:

Röquö Fôgô;

Bacary Na'Kale -

Süns Söh -

Mütó Náándéz;

Tanith Rainsford -

Konrad Gosforth -

Eoin Killanen -

Fôrté Wínrôuge -

Lüí Wçêíl;

Fvêt Rôwé -

Gloire-Honore Mvouba
Last Season: 6th
Overview: Last season was dreadful for Mâ Âlâmëómë, but they're still title favorites for this season. They've just got too much quality everywhere on the field. Na'Kale, Söh and Náánéz make up both the most solid backline in the league, as well as the most dangerous! Their centre midfielders are both Nepharim internationals. Tanith's now the captain after Tzâín's retirement. Age is catching up to her, but her playing style does not rely too much on her physique. New signing Konrad Gosforth is expected to battle for best player of the league. He has his work cut out for him, though, since his teammate Fôrté Wínrôuge is considered the best player of the league at the moment. Killanen's troublesome on the left wing, every defender in the league knows that. Age is catching up to him as well, but he should have a few more good years ahead of him. On the other flank, Lüí Wçêíl is one of the most exciting youngster in the league. Expect him to impress. Up front, Rôwé and Mvouba are perhaps not the best strikers available, but they're still one of the best partnerships in the league.

Last season was probably an outlier and, with that in mind, one has to predict Mâ Âlâmëómë to come out first by matchday thirty-eight. There really is that much of a difference in quality with the other teams.

Manager:

Constantino Martínez
Starting Line-up:

Eryndion Nardragonel;

Trejo Maes -

Mattías Passarelli -

Krysia Bailey;

Monuele Ribaurésilion -

Corsario Martinelli -

Ruy Monrazón -

Ostadar Arambilet -

Trenn Rien;

Nevaeh Cathar -

Ace Newman
Last Season: Champions
Overview: Avenida Leal are currently the storngest they've ever been, I believe. They've got a starting eleven brimmed with international players. Their backline, for example, is second to Mâ Âlâmëómë's in quality, and only barely. Their midfield features players like Ostadar Arambilet, Ruy Monrazón and Trenn Rien. Ribaurésilion and Martinelli are also very solid players who've been at their clubs their entire lives, which is more important than some might think. Once again, their midfield is only second to Mâ Âlâmëómë's. Up front, Cathar's one of the most exciting young players of the league, and Newman really needs no introduction. This strike partnership is, once again, perhaps not the best in the league, but it's definitely only behind Dí Maozöxê's.

So, in the interest of keeping with the pattern, this reporter has to predict Avenida Leal to end up second this time around. Complacency is likely to be an issue for the Loyals. However, don't be surprised if they win the league again. It's almost guaranteed they'll be neck and neck with the eventual champion.

Manager:

Dürs Sôfâú
Starting Line-up:

Íüé Tgô;

Saskia Hasselbaink -

Jïnbawín Ohfânâ;

Rübéãn Tôr -

Çis Âlú -

Lüzân Dâ Mírnév -

Joan Nonhagatte -

Mâás Fôx -

Tímô Êxís;

Xíxì Êns -

Tjêtê Dü Síbírí
Last Season: 2nd
Overview: Heartbreak. That's the feeling last season evokes to Dí Maozöxê fans. One point away from their second title, but in the end all that effort was all for naught. Still, they've got an extremely talented line-up, interestingly comprised almost entirely of Farves, Saskia Hassebaink the only exception. Their goalkeeper, Tgô, is maybe the best in the league. Their backline (which is barely one, since two points determine a line, but one does not) is perhaps not ideal, but it will probably do the job. Sôfâú might've gone a bit overboard with that, but what can you do? Their midfield is exquisite, Âlú, Dâ Mírnév and Nonhagatte in the centre. All three were at some point or another considered for the national team, with Nonhagatte expected to be a starter when Monrazón's legs give out. On the wings, Tôr and Fôx are old, yes, but they're also fantastic. Fôx's presence, in particular, is the most remarkable thing for DíMa fans this season. Their best player ever has finally returned, after over twenty years. He's also announced his retirement pre-emptively. He'll want to go out with a bang. Êxís is a very talented offensive midfielder that will cause trouble to any team if he's on a good day. Finally, this team's got, as mentioned earlier, the best striker partnership in the league. Êns forced his way into the Farf starting eleven aged just eighteen, though at Dü Síbírí's expense. What does that tell you, though? That both of them are good enough to start for the Farf national team. They also seem to understand each other very well.

I expect Dí Maozöxê to come out third this season. However, they're very unpredictable. They could just as well end up lurking mid-table, or maybe champions. I think their success will depend a lot on two factors: Fôx's fitness, and Êns' progress as a player. If Fôx can consistently stay match fit, and Êns continues his meteoric rise... well, who knows what they might achieve?

Manager:

Grant Pickton
Starting Line-up:

Maicol Escot;

Mathias -

Thjorgias Pickton -

Francesco Di Nolfo;

Tobías Zoda -

Thajan Jaros -

Walter La Dorotea -

Diego Snow -

Christian Tenorio -

Nahuel Loscampos;

Yannick Simeone
Last Season: 3rd
Overview:

Though they've not won the league in ages, one can never forget La Nueva Avenida when talking about who might win the league. Nowadays, they're a tier below the other three teams already covered, but they're still good enough to be considered candidates. No part of their line-up stands up, at least not particularly, but Grant Pickton's turned them into a bit of a machine. They play some beautiful football, and the whole is much more than the sum of the parts as a result. Players like Tobías Zoda, Walter La Dorotea and Nahuel Loscampos would usually feature for clubs that linger close to relegation, but they fit just right in Pickton's tactical scheme. Their best player is midfielder Thajan Jaros, who is also the heart of Pickton's scheme. He's getting old, though, and many have doubts about what will be of the team when he leaves.

I expect them to barely miss out on Champions' Cup football. But who knows? Grant sure has been making us raise our eyebrows lately. Maybe he has something still, something with which he can further surprise us. Maybe the Lions will win the title for the first time in an eternity.

The Rest of the Fray

Avenida Principal may not have been considered candidates for the title by this reporter, but they're still a tier above all the other teams. They've got very talented players like Thomas Hancock, Rainyardil Toraandal and Renato Capion, but the retirement of no less than five of their starting players is going to hit them hard. Expect them to challenge for Globe Cup spots.

Ausharmuj Marusi and Madorre De Fuego surprised every single Farf last season by not only avoiding relegation, but getting into the Globe Cup in the process. Ausharmuj Marusi feature on of the most exciting Farf young prospects around, Oskar Holst. All eyes wil be on the kid. Players like Yraúj de Sájajo and Ger Resuisa make Madorre a very tough team to face. Expect these two teams to battle for Globe Cup spots once again.

Dor Frío, Avenida Victoria, Fryi Frêndê and Gorfalle Town are the "better" mid-table teams at the moment. They've all got considerable quality in their ranks, and could easily make a push for a Globe Cup spot. Prostran I Forzuda, Gran Faro 70, René Skaé Colonels and Flamagua don't have much with which to aim for new heights, but you really shouldn't bet on them going down. They've got some quality, even if it's more spaced out than in other teams. They're noticeably better than relegation fodder.

Sent 01, Libertarian Ferdullaele and Fragardallians will be battling to avoid relegation. They're really just not very good, in all honesty. They're better than two of our newly-promoted teams, who are both making their first appearances in the league! Dô Fäéýkô and Rülândéá Kôstä are just not good enough to stay; this reporter thinks they'll do about as well as a swimmer with shoes made of concrete. So, yes, they're going straight back down. Also, ses, in just one season, the number of Rulandese teams in the league has doubled. It is an interesting fact.

by **Farfadillis** » Wed Aug 23, 2017 7:03 pm

-                           Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Mâ Âlâmëómë               37   27   5   5   166   52 +114    86
 2 Dí Maozöxê                37   27   4   6   117   47  +70    85
 3 Avenida Leal              38   25   2  11   145   77  +68    77
 4 La Nueva Avenida          38   22   7   9   122   73  +49    73
 5 Ausharmuj Marusi          38   21   7  10   104   64  +40    70
 6 Avenida Victoria          38   18   9  11    84   68  +16    63
 7 Avenida Principal         38   17  10  11    87   42  +45    61
 8 Madorre De Fuego          38   18   7  13    78   65  +13    61
 9 Gorfalle Town             38   16   6  16    74   82   −8    54
10 René Skaé Colonels        38   15   5  18    68   87  −19    50
11 Gran Faro 70              38   15   4  19    68  100  −32    49
12 Dor Frío                  38   13   9  16    69   95  −26    48
13 Flamagua                  38   14   6  18    68   96  −28    48
14 Fryi Frêndê               38   13   4  21    65   73   −8    43
15 Fragardallians            38   13   3  22    61  104  −43    42
16 Libertarian Ferdullaele   38   12   6  20    65  116  −51    42
17 Rülândéá Kôstä            38   12   5  21    57   92  −35    41
18 Dô Fäéýkô                 38    8   9  21    49  107  −58    33
19 Sent 01                   38    5  12  21    60  102  −42    27
20 Prostran I Forzuda        38    4   8  26    41  106  −65    20

Mâás Fôx had left Dí Maozöxê aged sixteen. At the time, the Farf league wasn't as prestigious, and Di Maozöxê was not constantly challenging for the title. The prospect of playing for Euran giants Directus had been just too tempting. He regretted nothing, though. Very few players had had careers more illustrious than his'. He'd even won a Champions' Cup. Only two other Farves could say that. Hell, he'd even scored in the final. Yes, joining Directus, even at such a young age, had turned out a fantastic decision. But the what-could-have-beens still lingered in his mind. How would Dí Maozöxê have done with him leading them? They hadn't done badly. In fact, they'd even won their first league title two seasons before this one. But Mâás couldn't help but feel he could've helped them do much better. You know, win a bit more, get to the more important stages of the Champions' Cup.

Few, if any, remembered him wearing the DíMa shirt. Certainly none of his teammates. Hell, Xíxì hadn't even been born when he moved. Now the kid had helped get them there. The final match. The final match once again. Few had real memories of Mâás playing for DíMa, but probably nobody remembered his very last match. As a matter of fact, it had been against Mâ Âlâmëómë. An inconsequential friendly between youth teams, but he liked the thought of retiring against them. Once again, his final match against DíMa's bitter rivals.

They had their work cut out for them. Mâ Âlâmëómë had scored one hundred and sixty-six goals up to that point. Simply ridiculous. Over four a game. They'd dropped some silly points here and there, but Kirk Koromin's team had been playing at their best. On the other hand, Dí Maozöxê had limped their way to some of their wins this season. They had played very well, but their form was nothing compared to Mâ Âlâmëómë's.

The game was about to start. Xíxì and Tjêtê would kick off. On the other side of the pitch were some of the best players he'd against and with whom he had played. Fôrté Wínrôuge, Eoin Killanen, Tanith Rainsford, Konrad Gosforth, Süns Söh... yeah, they really did have their work cut out for them. What's more, they had to win. A draw would mean defeat.

However, it took just four minutes for things to change. Êxís took advantage of a terrible backpass by Náándéz, then lobbed it over the defense to Dü Síbírí. Fôgô managed to stop his rather imprecise shot but could do nothing when Tôr got to the rebound. Just like that, they were now ahead. They were the champions at that very moment. Mâás could already see himself lifting the cup, no better retirement possible in his mind.

Nine minutes later, Mâ Âlâmëómë hit back. Wínrôuge, who'd had a monstrous season, dribbled past Âlú and Ohfânâ, then placed the ball well beyond Tgô's reach. Their innovative tactics (really just using two defenders with little thought for possible consequence) had actually helped them throughout the season. Sôfâú's stubbornness had cost them this time, though. Who would ever think of fielding two defenders against this attack? Oh, fun fact: the two defenders' are actually fullbacks who've had to adapt. It's safe to say Sôfâú's a... different kind of manager.

Anyway, after those two goals, the scoring was brought to a halt, but not for lack of trying. Even though both teams gave it their all, Tgô and Fôgô were having fantastic days. What's more, all five and only five defenders were doing just about everything right. Nothing could prevent Wínrôuge occasionally getting a shot on goal, or Êns getting past a defender or two and leaving Du Síbírí with space to shoot, but overall, no goals. Until the seventieth minute...

... when things began to look very bleak for Dí Maozöxê, and specially for Mâás Fôx. Half the city's hero, on his heroic return to his boyhood club, trying to lead them to the title, slipped. Rôwé picked up the ball and played Killanen through on goal. The Schottic player did not forgive the mistake. He dribbled past Fôgô and scored. With twenty minutes left, two goals to score and none to concede, DíMa were in dire need of a miracle.

And to think Mâás' encouraging words during half time had been "We don't let this slip!"

In Dí Maozöxê's darkest hour, it looked like the hero could be someone else. Scrawny kid Xíxì Êns could be the man. Barely nineteen, he'd been the team's top scorer, and their best player. Fôx and Tôr were fan-favorites, but now so was Xíxì. The kid had been dangerous throughout the game, and he finally got his chance to shine with only twelve minutes of regular time left to go.

Ohfânâ passed to Dâ Mírnév, Dâ Mírnév to Âlú, Âlú to Tôr, and Tôr to Dü Síbírí all in quick succession. Dü Síbíri, inside the box, placed a great pass to an incoming Xíxì who, from the edge of the box, smashed the ball into the upper corner. Not a ghost of a chance for Fôgô to stop that. A truly beautiful goal. Xíxì had showcased clutch. Alas, it was still not enough. The scoreline was two-two.

At no point in his career had Fôx felt as nervous as in that moment. Not in either of the AOCAF Cup finals he played, not in the Champions' Cup final, not in any game whatsoever. Those final twenty minutes, the very final of his career, were the first in which Fôx could say he was undeniably nervous. He was known as the player to carry the team at important times in Directus and the Farf NT. Surely, he thought, he could do the same right then right there.

Five minutes of injury time were given. Mâ Âlâmëómë fans were tempting fate by chanting "We are the champions!" mockingly and loudly. The noise was deafening. Fôx stripped Wínrôuge of the ball in the last minute, some forty meters away from goal. He looked up. In an instant, and for an instant, not a sound could be heard. Then the deafening noise returned in unison.

"GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL"

by **Farfadillis** » Thu Aug 24, 2017 4:38 pm

Season 27

Season Roundup

In one of the most emotional season finales in the history of the league, Dí Maozöxê snatched the title from their rivals Mâ Âlâmëómë in the final play of the game. In the end, just one season was enough for Mâás Fôx to cement himself as a club legend. The winger was, for obvious reasons, unable to put in much of a shift in terms of running, but his quality on the ball shone through every time. Another former international, Rübéãn Tôr was also fundamental. He scored and assisted a lot, and overall terrorized defenses. He didn't quite have a season like the one he had last time DíMa won the title, but he was still tremendous. Xíxì Êns scored an inordinate number of goals for someone so young, and was probably the team's best player. There was not a single game in which he didn't play well. Tjêtê Dü Síbírí also had a very good season, even if he was eclipsed a bit by Xíxì. He scored quite a lot. Çis Âlú, Lüzân Dâ Mírnév and Joan Nonhagatte were very solid in midfield. Íüé Tgô was the best goalkeeper this season, no doubt about that. Their two defenders, Saskia Hasselbaink and Jïnbawín Ohfânâ were the shakiest. Then again, they were just two, and they were both out of position. Overall, even if Dí Maozöxê didn't deserve the title in purely footballing terms, they had one fantastic season, capped off in the most perfect of ways.

It was recently revealed that, at the beginning of the season, Mâ Âlâmëómë's manager Kirk Koromin was given an ultimatum: win the league or be gone. He came one Mâás Fôx close. However, Mâ Âlâmëómë played so well this season the Cenian manager was forgiven. That's probably the best way to tell you just how ridiculously well they played. Even though they dropped many unnecessary points, mostly due to poor luck, they still managed to score over four goals a game. Fôrté Wínrôuge was simply ridiculous, scoring almost a goal a game as offensive midfielder, and getting assists about as often. Konrad Gosforth had one hell of a debút season, actually getting more assists than Wínrôuge, even though he was playing deeper. The Nepharim adapted to the league on day one, and put in brilliant performance after performance throughout the season. Eoin Killanen was as lethal as always on the left flank. His speed may not be what it once was, but it's been replaced by experience. The man is still one of the best players in the league. Tanith Rainsford, another player whose age may soon become a problem, also had a fantastic season, even though her speed has now become a bit of an issue. She was never a fast player, but now she's awfully slow. She's more than made up for it with her twenty-two assists, though. In defense, Bacary Na'Kale was the defender who scored the most goals: a whopping fifteen. He was, overall, just brilliant. Süns Söh was rock solid in defense. It really boggles the mind a bit that this team didn't win the league. Just look at their goal difference! Anyway, there are truly scary prospects of Mâ Âlâmëómë once again dominating the league like they used to about ten seasons ago.

Way behind, Avenida Leal had a quietly good season. They were expected to challenge for the title, but a mix of Mâ Âlâmëómë destroying everyone and Dí Maozöxê getting points even when they didn't deserve them left them out of the title race. Nonetheless, as usual, Ruy Monrazón and Ostadar Arambilet bossed the midfield. Trenn Rien was the team's most dangerous player. Arguably the best winger in the league. Up front, Nevaeh Cathar had the second most impressive season for a player so young, and only because Xíxì Êns was ridiculous. The Loyals have one gem of a player in their hands. Cosumarite legend Ace Newman played similarly well, but everybody knew what Ace Newman was capable of at the start of the season. Trejo Maes in defense was, as always, extremely solid. Overall, a lukewarm season for Avenida Leal.

La Nueva Avenida fans must be used to not fighting for the title at this point, but they must still be disappointed with their final position, just barely out of the Champions' Cup. Still, the team played well, with player like Christian Tenorio and Thajan Jaros standing out in particular. Ausharmuj Marusi have managed to qualify for the Globe Cup once again, perhaps cementing themselves as future title contenders, who knows? For the time being, they're one of the most solid teams in the league, despite fielding almost no players you would recognize. Except, of course, for ancient Nazeau Roga, who scored twenty goals in his final season at well over forty. Their other striker, less than half Nazeau's age, scored twenty-five. We're speaking of Oskar Holst, of course. The eighteen-year old will be Xíxì Êns' partner up front for the Farf NT one day, it's very clear at this point. Finally, Avenida Victoria did not have a fantastic season, but they'll be happy to have qualified for the Globe Cup, even if only by the skin of their teeth. Goalkeeper VF Coffin had a fantastic debút season, proving a very inspired signing from the Victorian board. Ramón Fonseca, Pinsent Benzari and Tüjürdr Vhêrdê were the other key players.

Avenida Principal and Madorre De Fuego came very close to UICA spots but were left empty-handed at the end. The Knights will be very disappointed with their final standing, but they always knew this was going to be a rebuilding season, so it's not that bad. Madorre fans will be slightly displeased, but they still had a fairly good season. They've shown that, much like Ausharmuj Marusi, they can, perhaps, fight for UICA spots every season. Gorfalle Town, René Skaé Colonels, Gran Faro 70 and Dor Frío all had very uneventful seasons. Flamagua also had a fairly average season, but with one important event: club legend José Torino Fuego has finally retired. Unlike Fôx's, his was a retirement without pain nor glory.

Fryi Frêndê, Fragardallians and Libertarian Ferdullaele all played quite badly but were still good enough to stay a healthy distance away from the red zone. The Lions will be especially disappointed with this season, as they're used to a more comfortable mid-table position. Rülândéá Kôstä surprised everyone by staying afloat, and with some points to spare! Their best player was Edison Wallenberg, son of Frederik Wallenberg. The Buyanese midfielder is probably not as good as his father, but he did a fine job at the relegation-threatened team.

Predictably, Dô Fäéýkô went down. They just didn't have the quality to stay afloat, but let's give it to them: most of us expected them to end up dead last. Sent 01 probably hold the record for most relegations at this point. Their fans won't be happy to add another stick to the tally. Finally, Prostran I Forzuda imploded completely. Ninth last season, deservedly last this time around.

---- Team                     Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
- 1  Dí Maozöxê                38   28   4   6   120   49  +71    88 Champions-------
- 2  Mâ Âlâmëómë               38   27   5   6   168   55 +113    86 Champions' Cup--
- 3  Avenida Leal              38   25   2  11   145   77  +68    77 Champions' Cup--
- 4  La Nueva Avenida          38   22   7   9   122   73  +49    73 Globe Cup-------
  5  Ausharmuj Marusi          38   21   7  10   104   64  +40    70 Globe Cup-------
  6  Avenida Victoria          38   18   9  11    84   68  +16    63 Globe Cup-------
  7  Avenida Principal         38   17  10  11    87   42  +45    61
  8  Madorre De Fuego          38   18   7  13    78   65  +13    61
  9  Gorfalle Town             38   16   6  16    74   82   −8    54
 10  René Skaé Colonels        38   15   5  18    68   87  −19    50
 11  Gran Faro 70              38   15   4  19    68  100  −32    49
 12  Dor Frío                  38   13   9  16    69   95  −26    48
 13  Flamagua                  38   14   6  18    68   96  −28    48
 14  Fryi Frêndê               38   13   4  21    65   73   −8    43
 15  Fragardallians            38   13   3  22    61  104  −43    42
 16  Libertarian Ferdullaele   38   12   6  20    65  116  −51    42
 17  Rülândéá Kôstä            38   12   5  21    57   92  −35    41
-18  Dô Fäéýkô                 38    8   9  21    49  107  −58    33 Relegated-------
 19  Sent 01                   38    5  12  21    60  102  −42    27 Relegated-------
 20  Prostran I Forzuda        38    4   8  26    41  106  −65    20 Relegated-------

-  Team                  Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Ferdullaele            38   20  11   7    97   64  +33    71 Champions
 2 Lasupi                 38   17  10  11    77   67  +10    61 Promoted
 3 Deportí Agaumi         38   16  12  10    86   64  +22    60 Promoted
 4 Avenida de la Cruz     38   16  12  10    74   63  +11    60
 5 Jonder Trains          38   16  11  11    86   67  +19    59
 6 Ferdullaele Unidos     38   16   9  13    76   72   +4    57
 7 FOMT                   38   16   7  15    99   90   +9    55
 8 Isky Novara            38   16   7  15    87   78   +9    55
 9 Avenida Natal          38   15   9  14   107   90  +17    54
10 Duyrmyta Fau           38   14  10  14    86   79   +7    52
11 Frion Libertas         38   14   9  15    85   85    0    51
12 Upaléi Guerrheres      38   13  12  13    86   91   −5    51
13 Llefraga               38   13  11  14    65   71   −6    50
14 Flying Jellyfish       38   13  11  14    85   92   −7    50
15 Argonna Diguarâ        38   14   7  17    81   91  −10    49 Relegated (FTL)
16 Tifón de la Costa      38   13   6  19    73   87  −14    45 Relegated (FTL)
17 Ande                   38   12   8  18    70   96  −26    44 Relegated (FNL)
18 Vetar Trg              38   11   9  18    68   89  −21    42 Relegated (FTL)
19 Ñandfe                 38    9  12  17    61   88  −27    39 Relegated (FNL)
20 Ravasha                38    9  11  18    65   90  −25    38 Relegated (FNL)

by **Farfadillis** » Sat Nov 18, 2017 5:39 pm

Season 28

Season Roundup

Last season we all feared, after having seen them play, that we could be entering another period of Mâ Âlâmëómë dominance. We should be very afraid now, since they were even deadlier this season. 95 points, 161 goals scored and a +114 goal differential. That's a great way to sum up just how ridiculous Kirk Koromin's team played this season. Fôrté Wínrôuge was their best player, scoring 37 in 35, and assisting 32. He has, at this point, probably put to rest any arguments over whether he's the best Farf player of all time. Neither prime Kâí nor prime Dandalleion could match that output at any point in their careers. He also played perhaps the best game of his career this season, putting seven past rivals Dí Maozöxê in matchday 35. Purely to spite them, probably, since at that point Mâ Âlâmëómë had secured the title. Konrad Gosforth was similarly unplayable. He scored 23 in 35, and assisted another 28. With just these two and any squad of half-decent players, they probably would've won the league anyway. However, on top of them, they had in-form youngster Lüí Wçêíl tearing up things on the wing. Eoin Killanen was also very dangerous, though his pace is certainly declining. Bacary Na'Kale was, once again, by far the best fullback in the league, scoring 10 in 38 and assisting 17 while playing a more defensive role than last season. Süns Söh was rock solid in defense. To sum up, the last time Mâ Âlâmëómë was this scary, their front three consisted of Kris Campbell, Risko Kâí and Kaj Aurora in their primes, and their captain was Solomon Etezadi.

Way behind them were Dí Maozöxê, who were actually largely as good as last season, just not as lucky. Obviously, not having Mâás Fôx around anymore made their team a bit less creative... or so you would think. The truth is, Xíxì Êns stepped up immensely and assisted 30 in 34 games. He also scored 32. Not bad at all for a striker. At this point, nobody doubts he should be Çíânflöné's partner up front playing for the NT, instead of Tjêtê Dü Síbírí, who also had a fairly good season, scoring 26 in 32. There's just something about Dí Maozöxê's strikers... Anyway, another notable player was Rübéãn Tôr, to the surprise of nobody. He was consistently dangerous down the flank despite his age, and he also proved a commanding presence thanks to his experience. Joan Nonhagatte's growth as a player continues. Ruy Monrazón shouldn't worry about him just yet, but it's clear he'll one day be a starter for the NT. Íüé Tgô continues to be the best goalkeeper in the league. Overall, DíMa fans are probably fine with how this season turned out, sans their rivals steamrolling everyone. They at least got a Champions' Cup spot.

Below them, Avenida Leal seriously lamented their and the other teams' pathetic performances in UICA competitions, as they missed out on a CC spot just barely due to the FFL's coëfficient taking a heavy hit. Club legend Ruy Monrazón was, as always, a stalwart in midfield and their best player. His partner Ostadar Arambilet was a vital part of their midfield too, even though age is catching up to him. Their strikers, Max Fawden and Titus Blackett had a fairly good season, though they have Ruy and Ostadar to thank for that, as they're not strikers of the caliber of some others who scored less, like Dü Síbírí. Trenn Rien was one of the best wingers in the league, and the team's best player after Ruy. On the other flank, wonderkid Rowena Strongbow left many mouths agape with her performances despite her age. She could turn into one of the best players in the league. Not everyone scores 18 in 31 from the flank at her age...

Gorfalle Town exceeded expectations this season. They battled for a CC spot until the very end, even though they sold Groaré Sasca, their best player, at the beginning of the season. No player really stood out, in truth. Gorfalle's success was mostly down to their team chemistry and impressive playing style. Smooth passing and clear control of the tempo of the match (against most teams; you can't control the match against Dí Maozöxê, Avenida Leal or Mâ Âlâmëómë without world class players). So, all in all, it was a fantastic first season for manager Ichi Tuzzio. The ex-Farf international left his job as the NT's assistant manager to start his career as a manager, and it seems to have paid off.

La Nueva Avenida were way behind the other four, but they still had a decent season. Lukewarm seasons seem to be all the Novans are getting as of late. For a team that used to be just as successful as Mâ Âlâmëómë, their form this last decade or so sure has been disappointing. What's worse, they don't seem to be producing any quality players. The future's not super exciting for them, to put it mildly. However, they did seem to make a good signing in Roberto Milanoa, who probably caught the attention of the four teams that finished above LNA. Thajan Jaros was, once again, a commanding presence in midfield. In offensive midfield, Christian Tenorio and Nahuel Loscampos continue to be quite the fearsome pair. Truth is, the Novans have always signed and produced great offensive midfielders, but these two, as good as they are, are not as good as they should've been to play in the team's squads of times past. Teams that featured players like Cloudchaser, Matías Delafuente and Alex Terán in their position. Overall, just another boring year for the Novans.

Avenida Principal, Gran Faro 70 and Ausharmuj Marusi all came close to getting a GC spot, but fell a bit short. This season was basically the same as the last one for the Knights. 59 points instead of 61 but ultimately the same summary: they're rebuilding, so they can't expect too much anyway, even if ending up seventh is disappointing for them. Rainyardil Toraandal was their best player, his performances in defense the biggest reason they kept challenging for a GC spot until the end. Gran Faro 70 will be a bit happier with their final position. Elías Ruiseñor was very clinical up front, netting 27 goals in 37 games. His partner Quirino D'Amore, one of the most underrated players in the league, assisted him 15 times, and scored in 19 occasions. Not a bad strike partnership considering their midfield is quite lacking. Ausharmuj Marusi didn't do as well as they did in the last two seasons, but they were still a solid team, and at this point nobody doubts they'll be cosistently qualifying for the Globe Cup in the future. Oskar Holst was far and away their best player, netting 29 goals in 34 games. He wasn't particularly generous though. He got just the one assist, and it was probably an accident. The Farf media is for some reason trying to create a rivalry between him and Xíxì Êns. It's clear why: both are talented young strikers, and both differ immensely in playstyle and personality. So far, Xíxì has shown to be a class above Oskar, good as Oskar may be. But Oskar is one year younger, too... Anyway, Cosumarite free transfer Berk Lechjakr also impressed for Ausharmuj.

In mid-table, Rülândéá Kôstä will be extremely happy with their final standing. While their players aren't superstars, they do play well as a team, and they do have very good players in Süy Fürgààn and Lüs Wâpé, the former scoring quite a bit and the latter stopping other teams from doing just that. Below them, Madorre De Fuego are still asking themselves how they got 48 points. They conceded 105 goals, which is ridiculous for a mid-table team, even in Farfadillis. Yraúj de Sájajo and Ger Resuisa were their stand-out players once again. Fun fact: Yraúj's younger brother Lojes was sold to Buyanese club Viztourzys Kolektyvinis, aged sixteen. Fans were mad at the president. Something about him being a generational talent. Flamagua have probably gotten used to mid-table mediocrity at this point. None of their players stood out, for better or worse. The reality is they're turning into quite the forgettable team. They sorely missed José Torino Fuego up front.

Lasupi fans must be absolutely ecstatic. All forty-three of them. Even though every expert and not-so-expert predicted them to end up dead last, they managed to finish twelfth. Striker Gosmo Gulata had the best shot-to-goal ratio in the league, scoring twenty goals in twenty-five attempts, which is absolutely ridiculous. Fat and slow, not very good at dribbling and not that good at positioning either, but damn can he shoot. Goalkeeper Joan Fer Muus was also very solid. René Skaé Colonels had a pretty mediocre season, and probably deserved to end sixteenth or so. Their fans won't be happy, unlike Fragardallians'. For the Sailors, staying up is always good news. Veteran Rancisc Ucrouxtelá continues to be their best player. At thirty-two, it is clear he won't be going anywhere, as it is known many bigger clubs have knocked on his door.

Avenida Victoria had one of their worst seasons in history. Perhaps the worst, we don't keep track of those things. Tüjürdr Vhêrdê and Pinsent Benzari were injured a lot of the time and the team felt it. Only Ramón Fonseca can say he performed up to his standard. All of this also applies for Fryi Frêndê, who came perilously close to losing their status as the one team to have always played in the Farf top flight. Itxo Matatempestades was their only truly good player. To complete the trifecta of once-good teams that were close to relegation, Ferdullaele fans will actually be happy to have stayed up. They've been away for too long. Ander Manta and Friekder Santa formed a pretty good partnership up front. The rest of the team was pretty mediocre, though.

Libertarian Ferdullaele were unable to avoid the drop, despite the fact that they undoubtedly are the Farf team with the most experience at just that. But it's not the Liberdullaelans' relegation that's the most notable. It is the relegation of Dor Frío that truly comes as a shock. It is unclear what exactly went wrong for the Frionites, but it seems like it was the perfect storm, as they'd usually be comfortably mid-table. Club legend Cai Laakkonen tearing his ACL probably didn't help, but the truth is he probably wouldn't have saved them. Finally, Deportí Agaumi were hilariously atrocious.

---- Team                     Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
- 1  Mâ Âlâmëómë               38   30   5   3   161   47 +114    95 Champions-------
- 2  Dí Maozöxê                38   26   3   9   126   61  +65    81 Champions' Cup--
- 3  Avenida Leal              38   24   7   7   119   43  +76    79 Globe Cup-------
  4  Gorfalle Town             38   23   8   7   101   60  +41    77 Globe Cup-------
  5  La Nueva Avenida          38   16  12  10    98   72  +26    60 Globe Cup-------
  6  Avenida Principal         38   18   5  15    79   62  +17    59
  7  Gran Faro 70              38   17   7  14    71   83  −12    58
  8  Ausharmuj Marusi          38   17   6  15    78   73   +5    57
  9  Rülândéá Kôstä            38   12  14  12    63   68   −5    50
 10  Madorre De Fuego          38   13   9  16    69  105  −36    48
 11  Flamagua                  38   13   8  17    67   66   +1    47
 12  Lasupi                    38   13   8  17    70   86  −16    47
 13  René Skaé Colonels        38   13   7  18    60   91  −31    46
 14  Fragardallians            38   11  12  15    58   72  −14    45
 15  Avenida Victoria          38   12   6  20    66   76  −10    42
 16  Fryi Frêndê               38   10  10  18    59   83  −24    40
 17  Ferdullaele               38   11   5  22    53   95  −42    38
-18  Libertarian Ferdullaele   38    9   7  22    56  105  −49    34 Relegated-------
 19  Dor Frío                  38    9   6  23    67  113  −46    33 Relegated-------
 20  Deportí Agaumi            38    8   5  25    48  108  −60    29 Relegated-------

-                         Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Dô Fäéýkô               38   20  10   8    92   53  +39    70 Champions
 2 Prostran I Forzuda      38   18  10  10    74   39  +35    64 Promoted
 3 Flying Jellyfish        38   18  10  10    72   56  +16    64 Promoted
 4 Jonder Trains           38   16  11  11    78   63  +15    59
 5 Sent 01                 38   16  10  12    85   68  +17    58
 6 Isky Novara             38   17   7  14    72   81   −9    58
 7 Punta del Torde         38   15  11  12    89   59  +30    56
 8 Ferdullaele Unidos      38   14  13  11    68   59   +9    55
 9 Frion Libertas          38   15   8  15    73   74   −1    53
10 FOMT                    38   14   9  15    83   79   +4    51
11 Outsiders               38   14   9  15    54   67  −13    51
12 Llefraga                38   12  14  12    70   70    0    50
13 Errekochoa Supernovas   38   14   6  18    71   95  −24    48
14 Avenida Natal           38   12  11  15    70   87  −17    47 Relegated (FTL)
15 Avenida Azulada         38   13   7  18    74   93  −19    46 Relegated (FTL)
16 Avenida de la Cruz      38   11  12  15    73   84  −11    45 Relegated (FTL)
17 Darfallá Greens         38   10  14  14    72   77   −5    44
18 Upaléi Guerrheres       38   12   7  19    53   86  −33    43 Relegated (FNL)
19 Duyrmyta Fau            38   11   9  18    63   83  −20    42 Relegated (FNL)
20 Koloko                  38    8  12  18    67   80  −13    36 Relegated (FNL)

by **Farfadillis** » Wed Jan 31, 2018 4:58 pm

Season 29

Season Preview

Mâ Âlâmëómë

Nickname: the Greens
Stadium: Rülândéá Çölíséá (70,000)
Location: Ruland, Ruland
Honors: 11 FFLs, 3 AOCLs
Manager: Kirk Koromin
Last Season: Champions
Prediction: Champions

STARTING XI

GK:  Röquö Fôgô
LB:  Bacary Na'Kale
CB:  Süns Söh
RB:  Ésüá Gí Tísìndâìr
CM:  Konrad Gosforth
CM:  Walter La Dorotea
LW:  Eoin Killanen
OM:  Fôrté Wínrôuge (C)
RW:  Lüí Wçêíl
ST:  Fvêt Rôwé
ST:  Nârâü Hüý

Mâ Âlâmëómë are currently the hottest team in Farfadillis by a long distance. They ran away with the league last season. Kirk Koromin has managed to make the squad play some eye-catching football. The squad currently looks almost as good as Çötâvìé's Mâ Âlâmëómë. They have the league form, but they're still pending a deep run in the Champions' Cup. Chances are they will be aiming for just that this season, with the league now merely a secondary objective. For understandable reasons, too, since Mâ Âlâmëómë's eleven league titles are almost twice as many as their nearest competitor's.

Their defense is fantastic by the league's standards, though perhaps not because of their ability to defend. Fôgô's a pretty decent goalkeeper. Na'Kale's the best fullback in the league by a huge margin. The Cosumarite defends well and strikes fear when he joins the attack. Centreback Süns Söh may be small, but he's one of the most defensively-sound Farves around. There's a reason why he starts for the national team. Ésüá Gí Tísìndâìr's an exciting young winger that Kirk has reworked into one of those kamikaze fullbacks that Farves love so much.

In midfield, Walter La Dorotea's not the flashiest player, and chances are you won't hear much about him throughout the season, but he's still an important piece of Kirk's puzzle. The Faroleran midfielder does the dirty work so that the more talented players can shine. The rest of the midfield is the reason competing with the Greens will be an uphill battle. Centre midfielder Konrad Gosforth is the second best player in the league. Every play runs through him. Left winger Eoin Killanen may be old, but he's still brilliant and will continue to be for at least one more season, in all likelihood. Right winger Lüí Wçêil is one of the hottest prospects in Farfadillis. Usually a left winger, the Rulandese youngster has had no problems adapting to the opposite flank. Offensive midfielder Fôrté Wínrôuge is the best player the country has ever produced. He may be getting old, but that hasn't slowed him down so far.

Up front, Mâ Âlâmëómë does not, in fact, look that solid. Gloire-Honore Mvouba was shipped away to René Skaé Colonels after a serious falling out with the manager. This has resulted in the strike partnership being Fvêt Rôwé and Nârâü Hüý. Fvêt's a proven striker. Not quite NT-caliber, but still a very solid player. Nârâü is the one that raises a few concerns. An academy product, he plied his trade in the second tier after failing to break into the first team. He was top scorer for three seasons in a row, every time playing for a different team. Now, at twenty-five, he will be getting a second chance after Koromin specifically requested he be signed. Nobody knows how good or bad he might turn out to be.

Needless to say, anything other than first place would be a disappointment for a team of this caliber. They can probably afford to focus on other competitions like the AOCL and the Champions' Cup and still win the league comfortably.

Dí Maozöxê

Nickname: the Rebels
Stadium: Rülândéá Çölíséá (70,000)
Location: Ruland, Ruland
Honors: 2 FFLs, 1 AOCL
Manager: Dürs Sôfâú
Last Season: 2nd
Prediction: 3rd

STARTING XI

GK  Íüé Tgô
CB  Drì Lsôs
CB  Jïnbawín Ohfânâ 
LM  Monuele Ribaurésilion
CM  Çis Âlú
CM  Lüzân Dâ Mírnév (C)
CM  Joan Nonhagatte
RM  Davorin Mijatović
ST  Xíxì Êns
ST  Taj Zayn Bazzi
ST  Tjêtê Dü Síbírí

Dí Maozöxê are rightfully considered one of the best teams in the nation. They traditionally don't sign many foreign talents, unlike their rivals, but they still enjoy considerable success due to their ridiculously good youth academy. Only Mâ Âlâmëómë's can compare. They produce quality player after quality player. Obviously, being based in Ruland helps them a great deal, but their scouting is impressive nonetheless. Ruland's one of the toughest regions to scout, even if the talent is abundant. Dí Maozöxê are also characterized by their attacking football. They're the most offensive-minded team in the league. They actually field more strikers than defenders! However, that doesn't really tell the whole story. Dí Maozöxê's structure is extremely fluid, so you'll often find the midfielders playing in defense and the strikers playing in midfield, for example. It's hard to find the delicate balance needed to pull it off, but Dürs Sôfâú has found just that in his team. The surprise retirement of Rübéãn Tôr is unlikely to affect them too much, since they have replaced him adequately.

Íüé Tgô is one of the best keepers in the league, projected to start for Farfadillis once Calogero Metz's form wanes with age. The other two defenders are youngster Drì Lsôs, who's not as tall as a centreback should be, but he's super fast and extremely good on the ball. Truly one to watch. His partner will be Jïnbawín Ohfânâ. Jïnbawín used to be a winger, but over time he got reworked into a fullback and now, finally, into whatever position he is meant to play in Dürs tactical scheme. It's perhaps a bit imprecise to call Drì and Jïnbawín centrebacks. It's probably better to call them "defenders". And yes, they do join the attack on occasion.

Dí Maozöxê play with three centre midfielders, but once again with the caveat that they're free to take on different roles. The three of them are very talented, but Joan Nonhagatte's one of the best players in the team. He fulfills his defensive duties and is a capable playmaker. He also runs a lot and can dribble his way into the opponent's box if given a chance. Basically, he is the complete package. Çis Âlú is defensively unremarkable, to say the least, but his playmaking is exceptional. He often drifts into the role of offensive midfielder. Captain Lüzân Dâ Mírnév is much like Joan, only less talented and more experienced. Age has been rendering him unable to perform up to his standards, but he's still a very talented midfielder with a lot to offer. On the left flank, new signing Monuele Ribaurésilion was one of the best wingers in the league last season playing for Avenida Leal, so much so that he got a call-up for the World Cup. He hasn't got many years left in him, but he will be very dangerous. On the other flank we have another player that snuck into his nation's World Cup squad, Davorin Mijatović. The Pasargan is an even better winger than Monuele. It's safe to say the Rebels will be causing a lot of trouble with a midfield like this.

However, it is up front where they truly shine. All three of their strikers are capped. Taj Zayn Bazzi is the out-and-out striker. He only rarely drifts into another position. That's fine, however, because his goal output is worth it. Tjêtê Dü Síbírí's a very solid striker with quite a lot of speed, so he often switches positions with Monuele and Davorin. His goalscoring abilities are nothing to scoff at. Finally, there's the team's best player, wonderkid Xíxì Êns. Calling him a striker is doing him a disservice: under this system, he plays just as often as an offensive midfielder. He's one of the best playmakers in the league, but he's also got a killer instinct in front of goal. It's safe to say these three will give their opponents nightmares.

While they've got a fantastic set-up and their players are all very talented, I think Mâ Âlâmëómë and Avenida Leal just about edge them. They can certainly challenge for the title, though. I expect them to finish third, but I wouldn't be shocked if they did better than that.

Avenida Leal

Nickname: the Loyals
Stadium: Lealtad y Fuerza (50,000)
Location: Victoria Lago, Puerto Farolero
Honors: 2 FFLs
Manager: Constantino Martínez
Last Season: 3rd
Prediction: Runners-up

STARTING XI

GK  Eryndion Nardragonel
LB  Trejo Maes
CB  Francisco Bernal
RB  Krysia Bailey
LM  Rowena Strongbow
CM  Norberto Longes
CM  Ruy Monrazón
CM  Ostadar Arambilet (C)
RM  Trenn Rien
ST  Nevaeh Cathar
ST  Ace Newman

One of the best teams in the nation. Avenida Leal are a team so well-run that they not only managed to get out of the shadow cast upon them by Avenida Victoria and La Nueva Avenida, their city rivals, but they also managed to cast their own shadow upon them. They're now without a doubt the best team in Victoria Lago (i.e. the best team with Avenida in their name). They've got a lot of passionate fans, Constantino makes them play some very good football, they've got great players and one of the best academies in the nation. They'll be a top team for a long time. They're only lacking some UICA success.

Goalkeeper Eryndion Nardragonel has been good enough to be their keeper for more than ten seasons and he's immortal. So, yeah, he hasn't stopped being good. They've got one of the most solid defenses in the league with young talent Francisco Bernal leading the line. He's tall, he's fast and he's good on the ball, as well as very tactically-aware. On the flanks, they've got two of the best fullbacks in the league. Trejo Maes is indisputably a starter for Farfadillis, so he also is indisputably a starter for the Loyals. Krysia Bailey's not quite as potent offensively, but she's very good defensively, perhaps the best in the league at that. This defense was the least beaten last season. It isn't hard to see why.

In midfield, Constantino's has always preferred the three-CM approach. Youngster Norberto Longes has adapted well to the first team. He's got a lot of range with his passing, and compensates for his lack of speed with a lot of tactical awareness. Easily one of the most intelligent young players in the nation. Club legends Ruy Monrazón and Ostadar Armbilet need no introduction, but I'm being paid for that. Ruy was the Farf NT captain, and he's only just retired to focus on his club career. He's got a tremendous workrate, impressive tacklinig and endless stamina. He's also good with the ball and a fantastic leader. He's the de facto captain. The de iure captain is Farf-Astograthian Ostadar Arambilet, now too old to play a defensive role for the team. He'll be responsible for the Loyals' gameflow. He's one of the most offensively-capable midfielders in the league. On the left flank plays the team's best player, Rowena Strongbow. She's, surprisingly, a pretty traditional winger. While in Farfadillis most of the best wingers are actually mazy pseudo-forwards with a knack for playmaking, Rowena breaks the mold. She's the team's most threatening player, yes, but the team does not actually rely on her. Constantino's set-up works in a way that makes the team flexible enough to attack the opposing team's weakest areas at will. On the right flank, Trenn Rien may not be as good as Rowena, but he's still one of the best wingers in the league, and he scores more than you'd think.

Ace Newman may be very old, but he's still Ace Newman. The Cosumarite is still extremely deadly, so other teams will have to watch out for him. They'll have a hard time doing that, though, because his partner is Nevaeh Cathar, another extremely talented forward, who has the advantage of not being old as time itself. So yes, Avenida Leal also has a terrifying spearhead.

They're more complete than Mâ Âlâmëómë, because their strikers are better and their defense just about edges theirs. However, even if the Loyals' midfield is the second most terrifying in the league, Mâ Âlâmëómë's is just ridiculous. Constantino Martínez hasn't quite managed to make the team play Mâ Âlâmëómë's brand of utterly-dominating football, so they'll struggle a bit more against the mid-table teams, and consequenty drop more points. For those reasons, I predict they'll be runners-up.

Gorfalle Town

Nickname: the Canaries
Stadium: Parque Erfaon
Lisdiren (20,000)
Location: Gorfalle, Ferdullaele
Honors: None
Manager: Nomá Sudurgaelle
Last Season: 4th
Prediction: 9th

STARTING XI

GK  Loisé Dandeluneí
LB  Casimiro Forrheje
CB  Souré Crespé
RB  Fonás Filosufé
LM  Loé Rórhaatá
CM  Noé Kartafe
RM  Gundai Joneätaon (C)
OM  Juan Caségaré
OM  Pietro Sangiovanni
ST  Hufer Xórtafe
ST  Ander Rrherreró

Hailing from the small town of Gorfalle, Ferdullaele, Gorfalle Town's only claim to fame until ten years ago was the fact that Erfaon Lisdiren, legendary Farf goalkeeper, had played for them in his youth. However, much like Gran Faro 70, this club has managed to become an established team in the top flight due to luck and smart decisions from the board. They've got a fantastic youth academy and their scouting is great. They usually don't make high-profile signings, but with rumours of some extra money on the bank, that might change next season. The derpature of manager Ichi Tuzzio for the Buyanese national team is an enormous blow, and it's anyone's guess how the team might cope. The truth is, this is not a team with any excellent players, they've gotten so far because they played fantastically as a team, thanks in no small part to Ichi.

Loisé Dandaluneí's a bit too prone to mistakes, but the fans love him nonetheless for his commitment. Casimiro Forrheje's ancient, so he will limit himself to fulfilling defensive duties. There are certainly worse fullbacks out there, though. On the other flank, Fonás Filosufé's full of youthful vigour, so you will see him bombing down the flank pretty often. He's pretty talented, but doubts remain over whether Ichi's system made him look better than he is. Souré Crespé is a run-of-the-mill Farf centreback with some offensive skills and favourable physical attributes. Overall, a mid-table defense.

In centre midfield, Noé Kartafe's a dedicated player with a good passing range and a respectable workrate. You won't ever see him playing for Mâ Âlâmëómë or the national team, but he's good enough to play for the Canaries. On the left flank, Loé Rórhaatá's a pacey winger with a lot of flair. It's a well-known fact that he's extremely unprofessional. Ichi Tuzzio used to keep him in check, but Nomá Sudurgaelle might find problems where he did not, namely because he never was a star player for the national team, and that makes one's presence more commanding. On the right flank, Gundai Joneätaon's too old to fulfill his defensive duties to the fullest, but he's still a threatening presence because of his goalscoring record, certainly one of the best in the league for a winger. In offensive midfield, Juan Caségaré's a very bright prospect who is likely to prove a key player this season. He's reminiscent of Matías Delafuente in that he's almost exclusively a playmaker, but a very, very good one. His partner will be Pietro Sangiovanni. The Valladar has never set the world on fire, but he's always been consistently good enough for the team.

Up front, Hufer Xórtafe will be playing the role of false nine. This was Ichi's idea last season and, by the looks of it, Sudurgaelle is eager to copy it. He's got all of the characteristics that a false nine needs. He's not even the best player in the team, which is a funny situation for a false nine, but it worked last season. His partner, Ander Rherreró is a much more traditional forward. He lives to score and nothing more.

I think Tuzzio's departure will impact the team's performances very negatively. Last season, there was a feeling the only reason behind the Canaries' success had been him. True or not, this will, at the very least, affect the team's morale. They're still a good team, though, so I expect them to have an uncharacteristically bad season and finish ninth.

La Nueva Avenida

Nickname: the Novans
Stadium: La Gran Avenida
(80,000)
Location: Victoria Lago, Puerto
Farolero
Honors: 6 FFLs
Manager: Luis Sarlange
Last Season: 5th
Prediction: 4th

STARTING XI

GK  Tobías Granados
LB  Mathias
CB  Thjorgias Pickton (C)
RB  Francesco Di Nolfo
LM  Roberto Milanoa
CM  Thajan Jaros
CM  Ahto Va'Negeja
RM  Ángel De Noia
OM  Enrique Delrio
OM  Nahuel Loscampos
ST  Rubén Cuervo

Historically the second-best team in Farfadillis, nowadays more like fourth-best. La Nueva Avenida have been declining slowly but steadily. They haven't won the league since Season 18. What's more, they no longer can aim for it realistically. They're still one of the best teams in the league. Not qualifying for a UICA competition would be sorely disappointing for them and all, but the truth is they can no longer hope to match Mâ Âlâmëómë. They're not even on Dí Maozöxê or Avenida Leal's level, which would've been unthinkable ten seasons ago, back when the FFL was a battle between Mâ Âlâmëómë and them, with Avenida Principal snatching the title when things went just right for them. Their descent has both done good and bad things for the league as a whole. On the one hand, the league is no longer a two-team league. On the other, Mâ Âlâmëómë has found it much easier to run rampant. Can La Nueva Avenida return to their glory days? I doubt it, but stranger things have happened.

Tobías Granados is a quality goalkeeper. Tons of experience and great reflexes. Centreback Thjorgias Pickton is an ex-international for Farfadillis. He may be very old, but he's still capable of performing. He's big and not terribly slow, can read the game quite well and is relatively good on the ball. Leftback Mathias is a poor man's Berk Lechjakr, who is himself a poor man's Bacary Na'Kale. There's just something about Cosumarite fullbacks and Farfadillis. Nonetheless, Mathias is very good, even if my description of him sounds unflattering. Rightback Francesco Di Nolfo's very talented and extremely experienced. Overall, the Novans' defense is one of the best in the league.

Their midfield is super crowded, featuring a whooping six players, but it's actually not quite as good as the fans wish it were. In centre midfield, Thajan Jaros is probably the team's best player. He's responsible for both dictating the tempo and recovering the ball. His Cosumarite partner, Ahto Va'Negeja, is a less-talented version of him. He is, however, still very good, specially so for someone signed on a free. Left midfielder Roberto Milanoa has got speed, talent and balanced playing style. He's also an international. Right midfielder Ángel De Noia's an academy graduate. He is probably the team's worst player, but he isn't really bad. It's just that he is a bit of a reflection of the Novans' current state. He never would've started for them ten years ago. Offensive midfielders Enrique Delrío and Nahuel Loscampos are both academy graduates. They're both pretty complete attacking midfielders of very similar characteristics. They're great playmakers with a knack for going forward and occasionally acting as strikers.

Up front, Rubén Cuervo is a speedy striker with some clinical finishing. He's super short, which is not ideal for the team, since he's the only out-and-out striker good enough to start, but they'll have to manage.

All in all, even if they're no longer the fearsome team they used to be, one has to admit they're one of the most solid teams in the league. They should have no trouble finishing in top four. Maybe they'l even end up ahead of one of Mâ Âlâmëómë, Dí Maozöxê and Avenida Leal. Don't count on it, though. So, yeah, let's go with fourth place for the Novans.

Avenida Principal

Nickname: the Knights
Stadium: La Gran Avenida (80,000)
Location: Victoria Lago, Puerto
Farolero
Honors: 3 FFLs, 1 AOCL, 1 GC
Manager: Kaé Dandofogué
Last Season: 6th
Prediction: 7th

STARTING XI

GK  Miguel Signore
LB  Andrés Infante
CB  Rainyardil Toraandal
CB  Bui Wearne
RB  Thomas Hancock
LM  Iñaki Ibarra (C)
CM  Fernando Chávez
CM  Candace Rivers
RM  Renato Capion
ST  Carlos Escamilla
ST  Kândé Üjíkân

Avenida Principal has been on a slow downwards spiral for quite some time now. At first, they were "just rebuilding", but we're probably past that point now. The truth is, the Knights haven't looked like a team that can challenge for the title, or even CC spots, for a years now. New manager Kaé Dandofogué is a fan-favorite, thanks to having played over three hundred matches for them. However, he hasn't chosen an easy job, let alone an easy first job.

Kaé won't have to worry too much about his defense. Andrés Infante's a disciplined fullback (a rarity in these lands) who can do his job well enough. The same goes for Thomas Hancock on the other flank, though he's noticeably more talented. The CB-partnership of Toraandal and Wearne is the most solid in the league, though that's in part due to it also being the only one in the first place. They've got the advantage of not being Farf, which makes them better defenders from the get-go.

The jury's out on the midfield. Iñaki Ibarra hasn't been himself for two seasons now, and loved as he may be by the fans, this might be the season that sees him finally being benched. If he recovers his form, unlikely as that may be when you consider his age, Avenida Principal will have a true weapon in their hands, but I wouldn't be hopeful. New Signing Candace Rivers is expected to be one of the better players in this team, but nobody has really seen much of her yet. Fernando Chávez is a pretty promising midfielder, but he's still a bit green. Right midfielder Renato Capion is probably this team's best player, though age has affected his pace. Overall, this midfield could turn out to be surprisingly good, absolutely disastrous and everything in between. It will probably make or break the Knights' season.

Carlos Escamilla's a decent striker, but just that. He is, in a way, a very good way to sum up Avenia Principal's recent woes: he doesn't look out of place here, but he's also not that good. His partner Kândé Üjíkân has been signed after failing to make it into Mâ Âlâmëómë's starting eleven, even though the Greens' strikers are their weakest players. However, there's room for surprises there, since Kândé has never really been given a real chance, and he'll be getting just that this season.

It's hard to predict how well they'll do this season. Many of their players are inconsistent, and some others are unproven. It doesn't help that nobody knows what Dandofogué's capable of as a manager. As a player, he was extremely smart, but it's not certain whether that will be reflected in his abilities as a manager. The safest bet is that Avenida Principal won't do much worse than last season, so I predict they'll end up seventh.

Gran Faro 70

Nickname: the Bluebirds
Stadium: Estadio Cincuenteno
(30,000)
Location: Gran Farol, Puerto
Farolero
Honors: None
Manager: Luciano Scaramuzza
Last Season: 7th
Prediction: 8th

STARTING XI

GK  Ceresidhil Celeésial
LB  Moisés Fermández
CB  Rubén Muro
RB  Camilo Carrasero
LM  Tomás Nájera
CM  Tercero Defigueroa
CM  Remigio Rongavilla
CM  Juan Carlos Machado
RM  Ricardo Guerrero
ST  Elías Ruiseñor
ST  Quirino D'amore (C)

A bit more than a decade ago, the thought of Gran Faro 70 being an established club in the top flight was pretty ridiculous. However, thanks to some luck and very good decision-making by the board, they're nowadays a respectable upper-midtable team. They've got a pretty good youth academy and play some nice football, plus their fanbase has been growing steadily for years now, so much so that they opted to expand their stadium some ten thousand seats. However, they're still not as stable economically as they would like, and that's reflected on the team. They just don't go for high-profile signings. They never have, and they won't challenge for UICA spots consistently until they do.

Ceresidhil Celeésial's been the Bluebirds' goalkeeper for over a decade. He does the job well enough, so there's never been a need to replace him. Leftback Moisés Fermández is perhaps the brightest prospect to come out of Gran Faro's academy yet. Neither Eloy Norrayola nor Elías Ruiseñor were as exciting as Moisés at his age. Barely eighteen years old, he's great at bombing forward, but he's also very capable defensively. He is, sadly, not as fast as most Farves would wish, but the future's still super bright for him. Also, yes, that's an M in his name, no misspelling on my part. Blame the guy working at the civil registry eighteen years ago. Rightback Camilo Carrasero's is one of the most devil-may-care fullbacks in the league and he's got the talent to back it up. Centreback Rubén Muro has an appropriate name for his position, but not much else than that going for him.

The Bluebirds have got three very talented centre midfielders that they'll want to use to their full potential in their attempts to take control of games. Remigio Rongavilla is the talented diva that doesn't mark as much as he should, but is responsible for making the game flow. Juan Carlos Machado, on the other hand, likes to pass sideways, but you'll find few players with similar physical attributes. He can run all game long, he's tall and he's strong. Tercero Defigueroa is a combination of both. Not quite as physical as Juan Carlos and not quite as much of a diva as Remigio, but also on the balance better than both of them. Left winger Tomás Nájera's got lots of speed and very good dribbling, but he's a bit lacking in the other areas. Ricardo Guerrero's more of a defensive player. He likes to participate in the build-up more than he likes to run down the flank and cross. Truly an oddball.

Both their strikers are above-average. Quirino D'amore's the supporting striker. He's great at assisting, he probably would've made a very good offensive midfielder. Age has made him lose pace, but he's still pretty deadly besides his playmaking abilities. Elías Ruiseñor has a better killer instinct, more pace and better finishing. He looked like a future NTer early on in his career, but it never quite panned out. Still, he's a very good striker by the league's standards.

Overall, I'd say this team is pretty good. But I've got a feeling this won't be a particularly good season for them. They lack true leadership and none of their players are outstanding. I think that will hinder them considerably. Even then, I can't predict anything worse than eighth for them.

Ausharmuj Marusi

Nickname: the Syndicate
Stadium: Multisportivé Joan
Roaré (25,000)
Location: Bolanos, Ferdullaele
Honors: None
Manager: Ruy der Bolanos
Last Season: 8th
Prediction: 6th

STARTING XI

GK  Loís Rrhaolez
LB  Berk Lechjakr
CB  Fabrifé Serrhafar
RB  Joné Dargum
LM  Xasier Lorrhili (C)
CM  Sdreí Fígiras
RM  Ulysses Fairbairn
OM  Maarten Skovgaard
OM  Gernas Sarasinka
ST  Lars Saésaé
ST  Traé Marazas

Humble Ausharmuj Marusi have been a revelation the last few years. They've gone from a team of absolute nobodies to one that challenged for UICA spots. They've produced some talented youngsters here and there, and their style of play is easy on the eye. They've got to thank Ruy der Bolanos for this. He has done so much with so little, it's quite astonishing. This is one of those sum-of-the-parts teams, and it's all thanks to this man. He will have a big challenge this season with his best player Oskar Holst gone, but chances are he will cope just fine.

Rrhaolez is a solid goalkeeper with plenty of experience. He's not top-tier, but he'll do. Fabrifé Serrhafar is the tallest player in the league, and as a result is one big aerial threat. He's slow, yes, but the fullbacks make up for that by being some of the fastest in the league. Joné Dargum has only his pace going for him, but he's not that bad in the other aspects of the game. Besides, pace is half the battle for fullbacks in Farfadillis, where every other winger might as well have competed in the 100m at the Olympics. Berk Lechjakr is a poor man's Bacary Na'Kale, but that doesn't mean he's bad. On the contrary, he's one of the best fullbacks in the league, with only his fellow countryman and Trejo Maes able to claim they are clearly superior.

Ruy will usually go for a traditionally Farf midfield: one "holding" midfielder, two almost-wingers and two offensive midfielders. Sdreí Fígiras is a stalwart in midfield. He's a bit clumsy with the ball, but the team's tactics have accomodated to that. On the right flank, Qasdonian Ulysses Fairbairn may not be the best player in the Multiverse, but he sure is good for someone that was picked up on a free. Ausharmuj fans haven't really missed Turús Suís all that much thanks to him. On the left flank, the team's best player, Xasier Lorrhili. He's got pace, he can cross, he can dribble. He's got it all in moderate amounts. Not quite NT-worthy, but not far from it, either. Rumours have it Mâ Âlâmëómë are keeping an eye on him now that Eoin Killanen's getting old. The two offensive midfielders, Maarten Skovgaard and Gernas Sarasinka, are two decent players, but not much else can be said of them. They do their job. This is a team that relies more on the wingers than the offensive midfielders. Maarten and Gernas' job is to overcrowd the opponent's defense, and they do it just fine.

Lars Saésaé and Traé Marazas may not be particularly noteworthy strikers, but Ruy still gets more out of them than anyone else could hope to. Neither are talented with the ball, but their positioning is good, and they've got a lot of chemistry with the rest of the players. Usually, they might not even be good enough to play in the top flight, but they're more than good enough when playing in this team with this set-up.

Oskar Holst's departure may have been a blow, but I expect der Bolanos to keep surprising us. There's a reason so many people consider him the smartest Farf manager in the league. I'll go ahead and cheekily predict them to do better than last season despite losing their star striker. I say they'll finish sixth.

Rülândéá Kôstä

Nickname: the Coast
Stadium: Âréné Délékôstä (18,000)
Location: Ruland, Ruland
Honors: None
Manager: Süsüsü Fêrâlé
Last Season: 9th
Prediction: 5th

STARTING XI

GK  Lüs Wâpé
LB  Jê Leâl
CB  Jôk Kêsê
RB  Jör Xüró
LM  Ülì Bláór
CM  Tíbürçíö Tör
RM  Ranârdo Âgúâ
OM  Gër Pwás
OM  Lâdís Wíj
ST  Süy Fürgààn (C)
ST  Valën Bláór

Rülândéá Kôstä are new to this whole "not being a terrible team" thing. As such, they're one of the most unpredictable teams in the league. They've got a team full of talented, unruly Rulandese players. They're both violent and talented. They suck at tactics, but they make up for it by running a lot. Süsüsü's training regimee makes them perhaps the most physically-fit team in the league. They did very well last season. Who knows? Maybe they'll continue on their way up. It's certainly refreshing having a third Rulandese team consistently in the top flight.

Their goalkeeper, Lüs Wâpé, is said to be on both Mâ Âlâmëómë's and Dí Maozöxê's radar. It's understandable. He's Rulandese and he's good. He's also very troublesome. Like, sells-drugs-on-the-side-to-supplement-his-income troublesome. His defense, which fans have baptized the triple J, is also quality. Jê Leâl and Jör Xüró are both fast fullbacks that are responsible defense, so they're basically rarities. And they're not obtuse with the ball! Jôk Kêsê is big and surprisingly fast. What's more, the three understand each other perfectly. Süsüsü has managed to drill this defense very well. Almost unthinkable of a Farf manager.

In midfield, Süsüsü has opted for the traditional approach to Farf football, since he really doesn't expect much intelligence from his attacking players. They know, roughly, how things should go, and that's, surprisingly, enough to do well. Ülì Bláór is one of those pacey but very dumb wingers that cause you a hard time until you realize you can just stop him by just standing and letting him clash into you. Yes, basically zero dribbling. Just running and crossing like a mad man. On the other flank, Ranârdo Âgúâ is slower, but also much better on the ball. He can get out of sticky situations with ease, and his playmaking is not too shabby. He often drifts to the centre and switches positions with Lâdís Wíj. Speaking of him, he's the best player of the team. A young offensive midfielder that has got it all. Dribbling, playmaking, positioning, pace and versatility. He's also perhaps the only remotely smart player in the team. Chances of him staying at the Coast after this season are very slim, specially if he lives up to the expectations. Tíbürçíö Tör is a holding midfielder that runs a lot and not much else, while Gër Pwás plays second fiddle to Wíj in offensive midfield, but he's pretty capable nonetheless.

Up front, captain Süy Fürgààn is a true goalscoring threat. He's got a great workrate for a striker. He's also a very clinical finisher. Valën Bláór's job will mostly be playing second striker to him. Süy is also very tall, which is ideal since Bláór will be attempting crosses all game long, every game.

This team is actually very good. They're got talented players, even if they're tactically quite inept, and a manager that knows how to make the most of them. Call me crazy, but I think they'll qualify to the Globe Cup. I say they'll end up fifth.

Madorre De Fuego

Nickname: Madorre
Stadium: Gre Insendié (35,000)
Location: Nirtarrhe, Ferdullaele
Honors: None
Manager: Turús Monsó
Last Season: 10th
Prediction: 15th

STARTING XI

GK  Úrujan der Nené
LB  Ferger Mergosé
CB  Soter Dandamana (C)
RB  Gorso Molineré
LM  Yraúj de Sájajo
CM  Ger Resuisa
CM  Tuy Xórtafe
RM  Manuy Águalínea
OM  Fabrifé Kanamó
ST  Wilker Delgadié
ST  Huy Guado

Madorre De Fuego had been a yo-yo club up until Season 25, when they avoided relegation by a comfortable margin. They have since qualified to the Globe Cup twice, and they haven't come close to relegation again. As a result, it's safe to say this is the best era in the history of the club. Manager Turús Monsó will be hoping to challenge for UICA spots, but his squad is aging very badly, and rumours of heavy internal strife probably won't help him counter that.

In goal, Úrujan der Nené is an unproven nineteen-year-old recently scouted off the streets of Ferdullaele. It's not every day that you see a player picked up from the streets and thrown into the fray just like that, but der Nené probably has what it takes, if pre-season friendlies are anything to go by. It's particularly weird that this has happened to a goalkeeper, but that's Farfadillis for you. The Madorre defense is not particularly good, with all three of its members well over thirty. Ferger Mergosé is a bit too slow for a fullback and Gorso Molineré just hasn't got what it takes to even hope to stop players like Wçêíl and Strongbow. Soter Dandamana is said to be a great leader, but his armband won't be stopping players like Wínrôuge and Cathar from putting him to shame.

Things look much better in midfield. Yraúj de Sájajo's, elder brother of Farf wonderkid Lojes de Sájajo, is a pacey winger with lots of flair and a respectable goal output. He's definitely in with a shout for best player in the team. The other winger, Manuy Águalínea, is a less pacey, less showboaty and more cautious copy of him. So basically his complete opposite. In centre midfield, Tuy Xórtafe and Ger Resuisa make up a very solid partnership. Both are very capable both with and without the ball. With more players like them, Madorre would challenge for UICA spots consistently. They could certainly use a better offensive midfielder than Fabrifé Kanamó, though. The thirty-year old is the weakest link. He is, however, one of the few players with a positive presence in the dressing room, thanks in part to the fact that he hasn't screwed another teammate's wife, unlike Tuy. He also hasn't jewelry from his teammates, unlike Manuy. Yeah, Turús will have a hard time keeping this team together.

Wilker Delgadié is a pacey striker without much end product. However, he gets so many chances because of his pace that he kind of makes up for it. Huy Guado, on the other hand, has no outstanding pace to speak of, and as a result relies much more on his instinct and positioning. He's much deadlier in front of goal, too. Both score about as often. Like so many other pairs of strikers in this league, they're nothing brilliant, but also nothing hideous.

Considering the timebomb that is this dressing room, but also considering they're a decently talented squad led by an astute manager, I can't help but feel they will end up in lower-midtable. Fifteenth place sounds about right. If Turús faces more internal problems, though, we could see them battling for relegation. Madorre fans will be praying for their players' wives fidelity.

Flamagua

Nickname: el Fla
Stadium: La Fogata Mojada (35,000)
Location: Gran Farol, Puerto Farolero
Honors: None
Manager: Guzmán Infante
Last Season: 11th
Prediction: 12th

STARTING XI

GK  Román Briones
LB  Eberardo Novillo
CB  Mauricio Seoane
RB  Xandro Valentía
LM  Toli Sottosanti
CM  Eloy Norrayola (C)
CM  Blas Quinteiro
RM  Jâáko Rikhódkó
OM  Olegario Larraz
ST  Ignacio Rodríguez
ST  Des Lopiño

Flamagua has seen better days. Ever since getting relegated in Season 24, the team has been decidedly mediocre. After yet another manager was fired by the board, it is now Guzmán Infante's turn with the hot potato that is this team. While obviously fans of el Fla expect him to take the team back to fighting for UICA spots, the reality is that this team has got to aim for more realistic things. They should focus on rebuilding slowly.

Their defense is very old, yes, but it is actually their biggest asset. Román Briones is the goalkeeper with the most experience in the league, while Eberardo Novillo and Xandro Valentía are two very defensively-sound fullbacks, in part exactly because they are old. Mauricio Seoane's the fledgling here, but he's talented. Expect Flamagua to concede less than most teams. If any of their starting defenders suffer long-term injuries, though, expect them to suffer. None of their options in the bench are worthy of top flight football, in all honesty.

Flamagua's midfield features a lot of what-could-have-beens. Captain Eloy Norrayola looked like a potential NTer early on in his career, but he has turned out a decidedly average midfielder. He's allegedly one of the best leaders in the league, though, so he has that going for him. Left midfielder Toli Sottosanti was at one point La Nueva Avenida's brightest prospect, back when that actually meant quite a lot. Things haven't quite worked out for him, but he's got a lot of pace, so he can still be dangerous. Midfielder Blas Quinteiro has been quietly good for Flamagua throughout the years, but you won't be able to find a single fan who didn't think he'd be their next big thing. Offensive midfielder Olegario Larraz at one point looked like a possible NTer, just like Eloy Norrayola, but it didn't quite happen either. He's a very good playmaker, though, and is perhaps the best player in the team. New signing Jâáko Rikhódkó's got a lot of potential, but he probably hasn't chosen the best team to realize his full potential, by the looks of it...

The strike partnership is basically the same story. Ignacio Rodríguez was shaping up to be a very talented offensive midfielder when personal issues derailed his career. Guzmán has decided to rework him into a striker now. Who knows what he will make of him? His partner will be Des Lopiño, perhaps the biggest wasted talent in this team. Called up to a Di Bradini Cup aged only sixteen, with rumours having it he almost got a call up to the senior team aged eighteen... it's safe to say people hoped Lopiño would be tearing up the league at this point. Still, both are talented players, so it's not like they're out of place in this league. They're just not particularly good, either.

Since not much has changed since last season, one would have to expect el Fla to perform similarly to last season. With their defense ageing even more and Infante's inexperience as a manager, I expect them to finish twelfth, performing considerably worse than last season, when they were unlucky to not finish in upper-midtable.

Lasupi

Nickname: the Gulls
Stadium: Samupi (8,000)
Location: Lasupi, Ferdullaele
Honors: None
Manager: Ger Susco
Last Season: 12th
Prediction: 18th

STARTING XI

GK  Joan Fer Muus (C)
LB  Fifo Mosuna
CB  Emili
RB  Bolke Eregro
LM  Somuele Buenécarná
CM  Wilga Sisieibó
CM  Monsangue Kols
CM  Itxo der Erre
RM  Ichi Tagosta
ST  Gosmo Gulata
ST  Giruí Uasí

Say hello to the poorest team in the league. Based in Lasupi, Ferdullaele, a small town close to the capital, nobody really knows how Lasupi are in the top flight, much less how they avoided relegation so comfortably last season. They haven't got money, and they're not Rulandese, so they don't have a limitless talent pool from which to scout players. Their secret? Lots of luck and smart decisions from the board. They've got a good manager, and their players are actually pretty decent. However, don't let their performance last season fool you: chances are they won't be staying in the top tier for much longer.

Joan Fer Muus could probably play for a better team. He's got great reflexes and positioning. He also doesn't make mistakes and is very good at ordering the backline. He's also got leadership skills, so he's the captain. Basically the complete package, if he wasn't from the town of Lasupi itself, he probably would've moved to a better club ages ago. In defense, Audioslavian free transfer Emili is surprisingly solid. He's pretty dirty and un-Farf with his no-nonsense style of defending, which is refreshing in a way. Fifo Mosuna and Bolke Eregro are two correct fullbacks that don't take nearly as many risks as other Farf fullbacks. But you will see them joining the attack relatively often, cause that's the way things are done here. Overall, the defense is not too shabby.

Ger Susco will be looking to drown centre midfield with three players in a bid to keep possession as much as possible. Wilga Sisieibó is a talented playmaker with a few tricks up his sleeve when it comes to dribbling. He's also pretty good defensively. Itxo der Erre is not, but he bombs forward more often and is perhaps the most talented player in the squad. Monsangue Kols will be paying in the very centre of the pitch, and would probably be best described as an anchor man. He'll be responsible for the team's shape. If there's one thing Susco has managed with this team, it's tactical awareness from his players. He might be the manager getting the most out of his players in this league, actually. Neither Somuele Buenécarná nor Ichi Tagosta are very pacey, but they make up for it with defensive responsibility and surprisingly precise crossing.

Gosmo Gulata's the team's main goalscoring threat. He's a pretty complete striker. Fast, tall, technically-gifted and quite clinical. He can also create chances for his partner, Giruí Uasi, who's more of a one-trick pony. He's the run-fast-and-shoot kind of striker. He's quite tall and can head quite well, too, though, so he's more of a two-trick pony if we're honest.

They did well last season, but I don't see them getting a second wind. They've got some good players, and they're certainly ahead of the curve tactically, but I still don't see them surviving another season. I'll go ahead and risk my credibility by predicting them to finish eighteenth after a valiant but ultimately fruitless battle to aviod the drop.

René Skaé Colonels

Nickname: the Colonels
Stadium: Estadio Gran René
Skaé (30,000)
Location: René Skaé, Shojercia
Honors: None
Manager: Florian Zsorgas
Last Season: 13th
Prediction: 11th

STARTING XI

GK  Simon-Pierre Virtanen
LB  Markus Paternoster
CB  Kósa Bajnok
RB  Fred Székely
LM  Denis Kardos
CM  Temel Thayer
CM  Gauthier Kedves
RM  Naim Sas
OM  Zsolgar Zsase
ST  Gloire-Honore Mvouba
ST  Archard Rigozsoldos (C)

René Skaé Colonels is the only team from the state of Shojercia. Although in the past Shojercia was home to a grand number of zero talented footballers, René Skaé have changed that. Their youth academy's surprisingly good. They even managed to produce an important NTer in Lázár Eleonóra, who's nowadays one of the best players in the Euran league. As the only relevant team in Shojercia, they've got massive following. If the board does things the right way, you will see them become more and more relevant with the years. For now, though, they're merely a mid-table team.

The Colonels' defense is pretty good. They've got Simon-Pierre Virtanen in goal, who reminds fans of club legend Haraldur Csorba... cause they look very similar. He's a good goalkeeper, though perhaps not as good as Haraldur. Their centreback, Kósa Bajnok, is their best player. Fast and physically imposing, as well as not inept with the ball. He can read the game like only few defenders can. With the dearth of talented centrebacks in Farfadillis at the moment, it is rumoured Kósa is on the radar for a potential place in the AOCAF Cup squad. Fullbacks Markus Paternoster and Fred Székely like to bomb forward often, even if they could be a lot better at it. As a result, Kósa's well-versed in the art of covering defensive holes everywhere, a skill much needed to play as centreback for the Farf national team.

In centre midfield, Temel Thayer and Gauthier Kedves are academy products that bleed the club's colors. They run and run and run. On occasion, they manage to string three passes together. It doesn't happen very often, though. They're both destroyers, not creators. It's certainly an innovative approach... though it's effectiveness is questionable. At any rate, their willingness to die to so much as recover the ball has made them fan favourites, even though they're not all that good. Left winger Denis Kardos is getting a bit old, but he's still a dangerous presence if left unchecked. Naim Sas is a super fast rightwinger with a knack for the unexpected. He's also pretty young. Don't expect him to become an NTer or anything, but the kid's got quite a lot of potential. Offensive midfielder Zsolgar Zsase will be the focus of the attack. He's another talented young prospect. He's super good at dribbling, but also a bit too greedy for an offensive midfielder.

New signing Gloire-Honore Mvouba is expected to make an instant impact. He's got a reputation for causing distress in the dressing room, but the board though he was worth the risk. He was starting for Mâ Âlâmëómë until last season, so he's obviously one of the best players in the team. His partner will be captain and club legend Archard Rigozsoldos, who has scored almost two hundred goals for the Colonels throughout his career. He may be old, but he's still got that killer instinct.

Since they've got a relatively young squad that has only gotten better with time and they've also made a pretty big signing, I expect them to perform a bit better this time around. However, two of their most important players in Denis Kardos and Archard Rigozsoldos have been in sharp decline lately, so I don't expect them to set the world alight either. Let's go with eleventh place for them.

by **Farfadillis** » Wed Jan 31, 2018 4:59 pm

Fragardallians

Nickname: the Sailors
Stadium: La Cañería
(20,000)
Location: Ferdullaele,
Ferdullaele
Honors: None
Manager: Horat Osé
Last Season: 14th
Prediction: 13th

STARTING XI

GK  Guruy Sandelas
LB  Lur Troya (C)
CB  Monuele Dergaelle
RB  Soasé Monsanoé
LM  Somuele Masisé
CM  Fer Luisaga
CM  Erfaon Dosdedirí
RM  Rancisc Ucrouxtelá
OM  Horat Guarsoasé
ST  Groaré Fongos
ST  Fonás Milanisá

Football teams don't get more quintessentially-yo-yo than Fragardallians. The Sailors have been bouncing up and down since the beginning of professionalism in the island. Based in Ferdullaele, they don't face much trouble attracting decently-talented youngsters for their very respectable youth academy. They do have trouble finding ways to make their income match their ambitions, though, since the affluent Ferdullaelans (the ones from the capital itself) like playing the sport a lot more than they like to watch it. However, let's not be so negative. They've been a lot better than usual lately. Their fanbase is growing and with it their income. The future's looking pretty bright for them.

Guruy Sandelas is the tallest player in the league at about seven feet. He's a bit clumsy, but pretty good nonetheless. He's also fantastic at saving penalties. In defense, leftback Lur Troya's an experienced club legend. He's very old, but with his talent that's not much of a concern. It's really anyone's guess how he never left the Sailors when he was in his twenties, since he probably could've signed for clubs that challenged for the title. Youthful rightback Soasé Monsanoé has got speed, tactical awareness and technique. He's not NT-material, but he might very well be the second best player in the team. Centreback Monuele Dergaelle is super fast, but not quite as good as his two partners in defense. He's also not particularly useful in attack, though that's forgivable for a centreback, even in Farfadillis.

Fragardallians' midfield is quite good. Centre midfielders Fer Luisaga and Erfaon Dosdedirí have got a lot of experience playing together and it shows. They're pretty good at dictating the tempo. They're also good at recovering the ball, to boot. They won't set the world alight, but they're the team's engine. On the left flank, Smouele Masisé's got respectable speed and very good dribbling. He's lacking in both crossing ability and end product, but that will come with time. On the right flank, Rancisc Ucrouxtelá's the club's biggest legend and also their best player at the moment, despite his age. He's a very complete winger that, much like Lur Troya, could've signed for basically any other team in the league in his youth. Offensive midfielder Horat Guarsoasé's pretty unremarkable, in all honesty. He's a run-of-the-mill Farf offensive midfielder with no outstanding strengths or weaknesses.

The Sailors' strikeforce is their weakest area. Neither Groaré Fongos nor Fonás Milanisá are FFL-quality. At best, they'd be good enough to play for a team battling relegation. This is, and it's gonna take some getting used to, not what Fragardallians should aim for anymore. As such, they'll likely be looking to sign new strikers soon. You also shouldn't be surprised if one of their youth academy's youngsters steal Groaré's starting spot, or maybe Fonás', though that looks a bit less likely.

Overall, shocking as it is, we've gotta face reality: Fragardallians are, nowadays, very much good enough for the FFL. They will, in all likelihood, not get drawn into the relegation fight at all. Their fans might have to get used to how unexciting football can be for mid-table teams. I say they'll finish thirteenth.

Avenida Victoria

Nickname: the Victorians
Stadium: La Gran Avenida (80,000)
Location: Victoria Lago, Puerto
Farolero
Honors: 2 FFLs
Manager: Blas Montaña
Last Season: 15th
Prediction: 10th

STARTING XI

GK  VF Coffin
LB  Jülí Mâsârí
CB  Fabián Rubalcava (C)
CB  Enrique Resurrección
RB  Félix Salamanca
LM  Pinsent Benzari
CM  Essua Salguero
CM  Ramón Fonseca
RM  Enrique Lauricella
ST  Tüjürdr Vhêrdê
ST  Cecilio Rasales

Ah... Avenida Victoria. In a league filled with titans that have fallen from grace, the Victorians' tale is one of the most tragic. They won the title in Season 3 and in Season 4. They then challenged for the title for about ten seasons after that, never again winning it. After that began their descent. They've been a respectable mid-table team for years now. They're the only club in Farfadillis that has a reputation for defensive football. With defensive football we mean fielding four defenders and less than three strikers, obviously. They're not defensive at all, in reality. They also score and concede about as much as other Farf teams of their calibre. But they do field four defenders, which is remarkable!

VF Coffin is an extremely solid goalkeeper. Picked up from Bonesea before Bonesea were the second best team in the Multiverse, one has to admit that the Victorian board does, on occasion, do good business. Broken clock twice a day kind of deal, this one. Leftback Jülí Mâsârí is a fringe international for Farfadillis, so he's pretty good. He's got a slightly defensive style of play, but he can and will score and assist. Félix Salamanca is basically an inferior version of him. Centrebacks Enrique Resurrección and Fabián Rubalcava are both moderately good. Fabián might even be outright good when you take into account he's a born leader (and thus wears the captain's armband).

In midfield, left midfielder Pinsent Benzari will never come close to his father, but he's still a very good player. Right midfielder Enrique Lauricella's a young winger with lots of desire but little thinking. He's a talented kid, though, so don't underestimate him or he will surprise you. Essua Salguero is the one who does the dirty work in this midfield, but he can actually create chances, too. Ramón Fonseca will be the only truly creative player consistently featuring for Avenida Victoria this season. It's arguable whether he is their best player, but he certainly is their most important player. Without him, it's almost embarrassing how lacking their attack can be. Victorian fans should count themselves lucky that Ramón seems immune to aging, because replacing him would prove very difficult.

Up front, Tüjürd Vhêrdê is another case of a Mâ Âlâmëómë player that failed to break into their starting eleven and moved on seeking greener pastures. He has found them in Avenida Victoria, since he is their main source of goals. He's fast, clinical and very good in the air. His partner will be Cecilio Rasales, an academy graduate that will be hoping to learn a lot from him. Cecilio may be unproven, but he might surprise you.

This squad is, on paper, capable of finishing seventh or so. They only managed fifteenth last season, but they were pretty unlucky. Gran Faro 70 finished seventh with a worse goal difference! All things considered, I'll think they'll end up tenth when all is said and done.

Fryi Frêndê

Nickname: the Lions
Stadium: Casa del Lleion (40,000)
Location: Eferrhe, Ferdullaele
Honors: None
Manager: Loisé Domagaelle
Last Season: 16th
Prediction: 16th

STARTING XI

GK  Jvgak Jruosir
LB  Josalvadoré Serrato
CB  Emilio Leiva
RB  Erbarmudir Rouloqué
LM  Lauro Sor y Varcen
CM  Rogaré Mars
CM  Itxo Matatempestades
RM  Mousquetaire Ieu
OM  Sans Tibareté (C)
ST  Ité Wizset
ST  Esser Saneleuterio

Fryi Frêndê fans will happily and very, very insistently let you know that their club is the only one in Farfadillis that has played in the top flight ever since the sport went professional in the island. For a midtable team, they sure have a lot of history. While in the past they came close to winning the title (and we're speaking of the distant past here), they're now a pretty middling team. They shouldn't have much trouble staying in the top flight, but they also won't be challenging for UICA spots. The life of Fryi Frêndê fans is depressingy uneventful nowadays.

Ex-DBC starter Jvgak Jruosir may have a name that makes even the Rulandese roll their eyes when trying to pronounce it, but he's a solid keeper nonetheless. In defense, another ex-DBC starter, Josalvadoré Serrato, will be one of the most defensive fullbacks in the league. He's not the best player in the league, but he'll do his job just fine. On the right flank, Ebarmudir Rouloqué is also considerably cautious, though not nearly as much as his teammate. Emilio Leiva's a very old centreback, but age hasn't quite caught up to him as much as some would've thought. He's got great leadership and a lot of tactical awareness. Overall, the Lions' defense is actually very solid for a team with their aspirations.

In midfield, Lauro Sor y Varcen's a winger with some pace and some flair, but not much else. He is another ex-DBCer. This squad seems to be full of them. The other winger, Mousquetaire Ieu, is a much better version of him. He's also got a much more respectable workrate and is decent defensively. He's the second best player in this team. Rogaré Mars is a holding midfielder very good at kicking but not the ball. He's pretty inept with it, but his job is not to marvel the spectators. His partner, Itxo Matatempestades, is much more complete. He can defend just like Rogaré, but he's also a pretty good playmaker. Offensive midfielder Sans Tibareté is the team's star, or at least the player that comes closest to being a star in this starless squad. He's got a lot of vision and can score surprisingly often. Defenses will have to look out for him. He is yet another ex-DBCer, obviously. How could he not be?

The Lions' strikeforce is pretty terribe in all honesty. Ité Wiszet is not an ex-DBCer, but I'm pretty sure he played in an U-15 WC many years ago. He's decent at creating chances for his teammates and can score a good bit, but he's a bit too small, even for this league. His partner-in-crime, Esse Saneleuterio, is simply wholly uninteresting. Partner-in-crime might not be the best term to describe him, really. The best these two can hope for is some jaywalking.

Yes, they're pretty mediocre, but they're not any more mediocre than last season. I can't see them getting relegated yet, not them. But I do think they'll come a bit too close for comfort once again. My guess is they'll finish about sixteenth.

Ferdullaele

Nickname: the Goats
Stadium: Gre Surisó (40,000)
Location: Ferdullaele,
Ferdullaele
Honors: 2 FFLs
Manager: Dolé Somango
Last Season: 17th
Prediction: 14th

STARTING XI

GK  Agundí Skakú
LB  Loé Uficiale
CB  Marz Saú (C)
RB  Sosiné Escasé
DM  Goasé der Flaé
LM  Durguy Litoralé
CM  Lounoi Granagua
RM  Loíc Kímé
OM  Osoé Ranco
ST  Ander Manta
ST  Friekder Santa

In the first two seasons of the FFL, Ferdullaele dominated in a way that would put Mâ Âlâmëómë to shame. Featuring players like Erfaon Lisdiren, Yurpá Mêndêlöíndçêl, Ichi Tuzzio and Friekder Dandalleion, their team from back then would be considered scary even nowadays. I'd even wager they'd have an outside chance of winning the title. They fell very fast, though. After Season 2, they never again won the title. Eventually, they got relegated and, over time, their fanbase diminished. They've still got the biggest fanbase in Ferdullaele, even though many other Ferdullaelan teams are better, but it's no longer as clear-cut as it used to be. Things are looking like they're on the way up for Ferdullaele, though! They managed to avoid the drop when many expected them not to. That's terrible consolation, but it is consolation, at the end of the day.

Ferdullaele's defense is remarkably unremarkable. None of their players are particularly good, but they're not particularly bad. Agundí Skakú won't ever make the headlines for one of his performances, for better or worse. Loé Uficiale does a good job both defending and attacking, even if there are many better fullbacks in the league. Sosiné Escasé really knows how to cross and is fairly pacey, plus he can sort of defend, but there's isn't much else to his game. Captain Marz Saú has one truly commanding presence. He knows how to read the game, but he's also slow and pretty inept on the ball. This is a six-out-of-ten defense if there ever was one.

Dolé Somango has opted to have a midfielder solely dedicated to defensive duties. Goasé der Flaé will be that midfielder. He's fast, he's got a workrate that borders on inspiring and he sure can tackle. He's also capable of misplacing any pass, regardless of distance or pressure from an opponent. He probably has never dribbled a player. Centre midfielder Lounoi Granagua will be helping him defend, but he'll be focusing more on playmaking than on that. Left midfielder Durguy Litoralé has got pace and can cross well enough. That's all he needs to be a mediocre player in this league, so he'll probably do. On the other flank, Loíc Kímé is much slower, but also much more talented. He's defensively a lot more solid, so he's the better player. Osoé Ranco's is too selfish for an offensive midfielder, but he's young. Dolé will want to knock some sense into him, cause the kid's got talent.

Up front, Ander Manta and Friekder Santa are two talented strikers with a mutual understanding that borders on telepathic, much like Fôrté Wínrôuge and Täjó Çíânflöné's when they play for the national team. They were the team's best players last season.

Overall, this team is looking pretty solid. They won't ever go back to the level they achieved in their glory days, but their fans should be optimistic. I think they won't have much trouble avoiding relegation. They'll finish in fourteenth place or thereabouts.

Dô Fäéýkô

Nickname: the Sheriff
Stadium: Êstátïx Müràsà (12,000)
Location: Ômên, Ruland
Honors: None
Manager: Lüírölé Dü Hâsâsì
Last Season: FFL2 Champions
Prediction: 17th

STARTING XI

GK  Jênâár Jöléé
LB  Ârón Nünís
CB  Böávêntür Sêda
RB  Mâxímö Üwársá
DM  Rímân Hösiról (C)
LM  Mâáx Gýí
CM  Apöl Lûám
RM  Lêdrê Ànáxímane
OM  Kônrés Bârr
ST  Rôbé Hüx
ST  Gôsé Jërlê

Much like Rülândéá Kôstä, Dô Fäéýkô's a welcome presence in the FFL. It's no secret that without Ruland, Farfadillis would be a lot worse at football. The best Farf players usually come out of that state. As a result, it's refreshing to have Rulandese teams in the top flight that are named neither Mâ Âlâmëómë nor Dí Maozöxê, because this means those two won't hoard all the Rulandese talent. However, unliked the Coast, this is not a team that will have it easy to maintain their top flight status. They've got Rülândéá Kôstä's Rulandese talent, only dialed back a bit, and much less discipline. They do play some good football, but staying up won't be easy.

Their defense is nothing to write home about. Jênâár Jöléé is a run-of-the-mill goalkeeper with very few notable attributes. He's very fast off his line, but that's really all there is to him. The backline is equally unimpressive. Böávêntür Sêda likes to bomb forward, moreso than the typical Farf centreback. He's not terrible defensively, but he could certainly be a lot better. He's error-prone, too. Expect that to cause problems. He's also got the FFL2's record for most red cards. Ârón Nünís and Mâxímö Üwársá are two young fullbacks with a lot of talent and very little tactical restraint. They might not be the ideal fullbacks for someone like Böávêntür, but one things is certain: they will make Dô Fäéýkô one of the most entertaining teams to watch.

Captain Rímân Hösiról will be marshaling the team from defensive midfield. He's dirty, he runs a lot and he's a great leader. Perhaps the team's most important player. Mâáx Gýí is a pretty unimpressive winger who's only got his street football tricks and some pace going for him. Don't expect much. Lêdrê Ànáxímane's the better almost-winger, even though he's less technically-gifted. He runs more and fulfills his defensive duties without exception, unlike Mâáx. Apöl Lûám's the team's playmaker. Almost every attack flows through him. He's very talented, but he should run more than he does. He's not an offensive midfielder, after all. Kônrés Bârr, nephew of ex-NTer Ivaktör Bârr, will be the offensive midfielder. Much like his uncle, he's very physically-imposing. Unlike his uncle, he's quite talented with his feet. Expect him to surprise a lot of people.

Röbé Hüx is a clinical finisher with a lot of pace, so he will do a lot of damage to the teams that are not offensively organized. He'll also be deadly on the counter. Gôsé Jërlê's not nearly as good. He's the team's weakest link, in fact. But he's tall, so most teams will have to watch out for Bârr and him during set pieces.

They're a disorganized team with quite a bit of talent. Their Rulandese passion will likely help them pull through the bad times. I think they'll manage to stay afloat, even if only barely. I predict seventeenth place for them.

Prostran I Forzuda

Nickname: the Savages
Stadium: Bojno Polje (40,000)
Location: Prostran, Karuvis
Honors: None
Manager: Miodrag Debeljak
Last Season: FFL2 Runners-up
Prediction: 19th

STARTING XI

GK  Milos Lucic
LB  Radomir Matijevic
CB  Viktor Bacic
RB  Jugoslav Radonjic
LM  Mladen Novosel
CM  Vidosav Ozanic
CM  Lovro Matijevic
RM  Perica Vidovic
OM  Ratimir Peric
ST  Bratoljub Mihaljevic
ST  Ljuba Nikic (C)

The one and only team from the state of Karuvis playing in the top flight, and one of only two to have managed that feat. They've got massive following, with basically their entire state pulling for them. However, that is not reflected on their quality. They've been a yo-yo club ever since they first got promoted to the FFL. Their apparent insistence on playing only Karuvan players may increase how passionate their fans are, but it dilutes their quality. This is not to say they don't have some talented players. They do, it's just that they could use a Rulandese or a Faroleran here and there in their bid to avoid the drop.

Goalkeeper Milos Lucic is young and inexperienced. Expect him to make many mistakes and cost the team a few points. Such is the price of bringing up young talent. Leftback Radomir Matijevic likes to join the attack, but is not particularly good at it. Rightback Jugoslav Radonjic, however, is. He's a youngster with a lot of potential. He'll want to impress because this could be his chance to land a move to a better club, like Cvijetin Santic and Ror Jevdjevic-Hadsic did in the past, and they both eventually got capped! Hulking centreback Viktor Bacic was one of the best players in the FFL2, but it remains to be seen whether he can adapt well to the FFL.

Their midfield is, in all honesty, mostly sub-par. Centre midfielders Vidosav Ozanic and Lovro Matijevic may have been a pretty complementary pair in the second tier, the former a talented playmaker and the latter capable of doing the dirty work, but one really shouldn't expect them to be anything more than average in the top tier. Winger Mladen Novosel is only notable for having a name that does not end in ic and his teammate on the opposite flank, Perica Vidovic, is just a slower version of him. Basically, their wingers are their worst players, and that's very worrying in a league like this. Offensive midfielder Ratimir Peric is the only truly talented player in midfield. Expect most of Prostran I Forzuda's chances to come about thanks to him.

Striker Bratoljub Mihaljevic is lightning-fast, but not much else. That should do, though, with Peric feeding him juicy assists. Captain Ljuba Nikic will have a harder time scoring, however, because he's a target-man renowned for how threatening he's on the air and both wingers kind of suck. He'll probably get more assists off Jugoslav's crosses than anyone else's.

Let's be honest. Chances are they're getting relegated. They haven't got the talent, and their team's not got the chemistry needed to make up for that. I'd like for them to surprise me, since they provide much-needed variety to the league. Anyway, I'm going with nineteenth place for them.

Flying Jellyfish

Nickname: None
Stadium: Gra Aguaviva
Mitológica (50,000)
Location: Frion, Frion
Honors: None
Manager: Erik Salo
Last Season: FFL2 2nd
Prediction: 20th

STARTING XI

GK  Elias Johnsen
LB  Otakar Klikar
CB  Nils Seikola
RB  Deryck Kukharchuk
LM  Jan-Joost Tiemersma
CM  Darkos Kos
CM  Mark Kjaer
RM  Lois Munk
OM  Andreas Rask (C)
ST  Johan Bak
ST  Aksel Winther

One of the most historical clubs in Farfadillis. When the FFL started, they were one of the top teams. In these almost thirty years the tides have changed, though. Nowadays, Flying Jellyfish are not a good team. With the football they displayed last season in the second tier, it's really anyone's guess how they even are here. It's not that they were terrible, don't get me wrong, but there certainly were many more teams around that deserved promotion more than them. However, thanks to some luck here and there, they have arrived at the FFL. Don't expect them to be anything other than the worst team in the league, though.

Elias Johnsen is one of their best players. He's not super good, but he could probably start for more than one or two of the other teams in the league. Their back three features no players of FFL quality. Otakar Klikar is too slow for a fullback hoping to make an impact in this league. He will, in all likelihood, avoid joining the attack unless it's very necessary. Nils Seikola is also very slow, even for a centreback, but what's more worrying is that he is seriously error-prone. That wasn't much of a concern last season when his opponents were not players of top flight quality. It should worry fans a lot now. Rightback Deryck Kukharchuk is actually not that bad, but age has caught up to him a bit too quickly. He used to be good enough to feature for upper-midtable teams, but nowadays he is a bit of a liability too.

Darkos Kos and Mark Kjaer are a fairly decent pair in centre midfield. Darkos does all of the dirty work, but he can actually place passes correctly. Mark doesn't run nearly as much, nor does he recover the ball often, but he can actually make this team play some decent football at times. Left midfielder Jan-Joost Tiemersma can run a lot. He's good defensively and offensively. Probably the best player in the team. Lois Munk, their right midfielder, is absolutely out of his element in the FFL, though. Captain Andreas Rask has seen better days when it comes to form, but if he does go back to his former self, he could trouble his opponents considerably. Overall, the midfield is actually not all that bad on paper, but Erik Salo just hasn't managed to make it work properly yet. He'll have to get on that soon, because every point is going to be vital this season.

Johan Bak and Aksel Winther are two players who will proudly tell their grandchildren they once played in the top flight. That will be their biggest achievement as footballers. Easily the worst strikers in the league.

I've made it abundantly clear that I would be extremely surprised if Flying Jellyfish did anything other than utterly suck. As a result, I can only predict they'll finish dead last, in twentieth place.

by **Farfadillis** » Fri Feb 02, 2018 12:32 am

Season 29

Season Roundup

It was in the cards, but many will still be surprised that, in the end, Avenida Leal were crowned FFL champions. In the first three-horse race the league has had in a long while, it was the Loyals that came out on top after dismantling Mâ Âlâmëómë 4-0 in matchday 36 with two braces from their wingers. Rowena Strongbow not only scored those two very vital goals, she was also the best player in the league, scoring 30 and assisting another 30. It's safe to say she tore the league apart. On the opposite flank, Trenn Rien was also immense, accruing 22 goals and 26 assists throughout the season. The Chromatik player may have had the best season of his entire career. The Ostadar Arambilet and Ruy Monrazón duo had one of its best seasons yet, which is surprising considering their age. One really does have to begin wondering two things. One, is Arambilet the most consistently good player in the history of the league? He's been around for over fifteen years, and he's not had a single not-great season. Two, how do the Loyals plan to replace these two, considering they're both well into their thirties? Fans will have to worry about that later, because today they have to celebrate. Strikers Ace Newman and Nevaeh Cathar were both very deadly up front, netting 21 and 33 respectively. The Cosumarite had understandable fitness issues throughout the season, which hindered his goalscoring abilities. Fullbacks Trejo Maes and Krysia Bailey were defensively extremely solid and helped the attack more than most of the rest of the fullbacks in the league, with Trejo netting a personal record of 8 goals. Overall, Avenida Leal have never played this well, but with five of their best players in their thirties, one has to wonder what the future holds for them.

Mâ Âlâmëómë fans will want to forget this season as soon as possible. To be fair to them, they focused a lot on the Champions' Cup, but they returned home empty-handed from Taeshan as Revolutionaries outdid them in a penalty shoot-out, after a game in which they had dominated. Their league form left something to be desired, but they were still good enough to almost win the league. Fôrté Wínrôuge was once again their best player, though more because of his Champions' Cup performance than anything else. His lack of desire in the league showed, as he "only" managed to score 27 and assist 26. Konrad Gosforth was another phenomenal player. He was actually better than Wínrôuge in the league, he just didn't have game-carrying performances in the Champions' Cup, though he also had no bad games. This Farf-Nepharim duo in midfield is probably the best the league has ever seen. By all accounts, just by virtue of having these two, Mâ Âlâmëómë probably should have a couple more trophies than they do. Winger Eoin Killanen had one very good final season, though he obviously wasn't as good as in his younger years. He did have many games that reminded fans of those times, though, as he proved particularly vital in the team's failed attempt at winning the Champions' Cup. Mâ Âlâmëómë fans will miss him dearly, as the Schottian has certainly cemented himself as a club legend at this point. Finally, leftback Bacary Na'Kale once again proved there's no contest in terms of who is the best fullback in the league. He scored a whooping 15 goals and assisted 20, which is absolutely ridiculous for a fullback, even in Farfadillis.

Dí Maozöxê fans will be disappointed to have missed out on the Champions' Cup, but they'll have to accept that Avenida Leal and Mâ Âlâmëómë were unplayable this season. Their attack was the best in the league in terms of goals scored, though their fourteen goals in the last game of the season may have helped that... Anyway, Xíxì Êns is shaping up to be one of the best Farf players in history. At the tender age of 21, he was the team's best player. As he was the focus of the team's attack, despite being more of a playmaker himself, he assisted less and scored more than last season. An astonishing 39 goals and 24 assists made him the top scorer and the player that took part in the most goals. There's no ceiling for this guy. Pasargans Davorin Mijatović and Taj Zayn Bazzi also had very good seasons. The right winger was arguably the third best winger in the league. He combined particularly well with Xíxì, assisting him no less than 15 times. Bazzi displayed much more tactical adaptability than in previous seasons, which added much more depth to his game. Unsurprisingly, he netted many more goals than he's used to. He scored 31. Joan Nonhagatte was absolutely unplayable in midfield. Drì Lsôs had a fantastic first season of top flight football, with many Farves already claiming he's good enough for the national team. Íüé Tgô was very solid in goal.

In fourth place, La Nueva Avenida never really challenged for the title, or a Champions' Cup spot for that matter. However, true as that may be, they still had a very good season by their new, lower standards. No players stood out as the outright best in the team, but that might actually be a good sign. Thajan Jaros bossed mifield in most games. The Cenian's been a fan-favourite for a while now, and he keeps justifying that. His partner in midfield, Ahto Va'Negeja has kept improving with time. He now looks like a good enough replacement for Thajan when the time comes, and it will probably come sooner rather than later. Left winger Roberto Milanoa was one of the most fearsome wingers in the league. He was also one of the most fearless, which is something that helped him win over the fans. Offensive midfielders Enrique Delrío and Nahuel Loscampos also had very good seasons, with the former firmly entering the competition for a spot in the AOCAF Cup squad. Rubén Cuervo was also very clinical up front, scoring 25.

I have to feel smug about this one: Rülândéá Kôstä finished fifth against most people's expectations, but I correctly predicted it! The all-Rulandese team showed a lot of passion and talent. They'll be very satisfied with taking part in the Globe Cup for the first time in their history, regardless of how badly they might end up performing. Their stand out player was Lâdís Wìj. The young prospect was absolutely brutal for teams to face at times. He was not very consistent, but, at his age, who is? He amassed 18 goals and 22 assists. Let's put that in perspective: he took part directly in exactly one half of his team's goals. Everyone's talking about a move to Mâ Âlâmëómë for him, but so far no official statements have been made by either club. Süy Fürgààn made the most of his teammate's illustrous season, even managing to outscore him, though that's expected from a talented striker like him. He scored 24. Lüs Wâpé was very good in goal, but a bullet to the knee after a drug-deal-turned-shoot-out cut his season a bit short.

Things went better than expected for Avenida Victoria. They'll be disappointed to have missed out on UICA qualification by just one point, but 6th place is still an improvement over 15th... VF Coffin was one of their best players. The goalkeeper made a lot of saves in the days that his defense was particularly distracted. This is not to say the defense played badly, though. Fabián Rubalcava and Enrique Resurrección formed a formidable centre back pair. The best in the league, in fact! First out of two isn't much of an accomplishment, though... Ramón Fonseca once again had a very good season, while Tüjürdr Vhêrdê definitely might have attracted the eyes of his former club Mâ Âlâmëómë by scoring almost as many goals as their strikers despite playing for the most defensive team in the league.

Gorfalle Town adapted to Tuzzio's departure much more easily than I expected, but they still felt the blow. What I didn't consider when making my prediction was that Sudurgaelle just needed to not mess around too much with the tactics to make them work in a similar manner. Once again none of the Canaries' players really stood out, but they played very well as a unit. Still, Hufer Xórtafe should get a few more plaudits than the rest of the team. His performance in a role as hard to grasp as that of a false nine was impeccable.

In 8th place, Ausharmuj Marusi failed to improve their performances from last season, but that's actually still pretty good after losing Oskar Holst. Ruy der Bolanos is turning out to be one of the best managers in the league, because this team certainly isn't as talented as he makes it look. Xasier Lorrhili had perhaps his best season so far on the left flank. Leftback Berk Lechjakr and him terrorized many defenses with their chemistry on the attack. Berk himself was also very good defensively. Seriously, what kind of magic makes Cosumarite leftbacks so good here‽

Ok, I have to admit it: I was grossly mistaken when I predicted Lasupi would get relegated. With an innovatively defensive approach, they were actually one of the better teams in the league. Joan Fer Muus was showcased some excellent goalkeeper. Audioslavian centreback Emili was solid as a rock in defense. Up front, Gosmo Gulata scored 21, almost one third of the team's goals. Without him, my prediction would've probably been right. All Lasupi fans should hail Gosmo.

Flamagua had a decidedly uneventful season. 10th place is fine for them, even if they got as many points as team in 13th place. Eloy Norrayola looked like the world class player many had predicted him to be one day, but only a few times. Still, he was consistently the team's best player throughout the season. Olegario Larraz and Des Lopiño were both pretty deadly up front.

Fryi Frêndê improved compared to last season, but fans probably weren't convinced by their performances. Mental strength would've made this squad a lot of good. They dropped points many times because they failed to keep their leads, most infamously in their 6-5 loss to Mâ Âlâmëómë, which broke a record for the biggest comeback in the history of the league. From 5-0 to 6-5... Jesus. The only player that was consistently very good was Sans Tibareté, who might even go as far as getting an AOCAF Cup call-up with how he played.

Dô Fäéýkô fans will be ecstatic with their final position in the league. Not so much with how they played, but beggars can't be choosers. As I predicted, their defense made them one of the most entertaining teams in the league. They were just terribly disorganized. Their attack wasn't that good, but Kônrés Bârr had a very good season and, along with Rôbé Hüx, pulled through in the most important moments to get the team very important points. Like, big time. This team probably got about ten points more than they deserved due to them.

Another recently-promoted that will be celebrating this season is Prostran I Forzuda. They were better than Dô Fäéýkô in everything except their strikeforce. Jugoslav Radonjic was their biggest highlight. The youngster truly impressed. My doubts over Viktor Bacic's ability to adapt to the FFL were completely unfounded. He was rock-solid for a team of Prostran I Forzuda's calibre.

Avenida Principal's final position is not representative of the way they played. They probably would've finished upper-midtable with some more luck. However, 14th place is still utterly terrible for the Knights. They were aiming for Globe Cup qualification! Only new signing Candace Rivers can say she had a good season by her standards. Bui Wearne was also good enough, but that's about it. Utterly attrocious performance from a traditionally-big club that aims for better things.

René Skaé Colonels shouldn't be very happy with their season, but they should at least be glad it's over. They weren't that bad, but they were certainly bad. Gloire-Honore Mvouba saved them with his goals, helped by Zsolgar Zsase, who played even better than the Quebecois, and is likely leaving the club as soon as he can, since his talent is kind of being wasted in this team.

Madorre De Fuego should be happy to have avoided relegation. They didn't really deserved to go down, but they could have with some worse luck. As always, Yraúj de Sájajo and Ger Resuisa were their two best players.

Ferdullaele were saved from relegation by an FFFF oversight: even though goal difference is the official tiebreaker for the FFL, the FFFF accidentally chose head-to-head results when updating the table on their website (which is this one, whoops). This resulted, obviously, in them avoiding relegation. Marz Saú as their best player. Yes, the centreback of a team that conceded 108 goals was the best player of the team. Come at me.

Fragardallians will be devastated to have been relegated. Sorry for that, I promise it won't happen again! Rancisc Ucrouxtelá was their best player, as usual.

Gran Faro 70's relegatin was an enormous surprise. They had been an upper-midtable team for years now, so fans will be pretty shocked. They weren't that bad, but luck really didn't go their way. They weren't even that close to avoid relegation in terms of points. They'll likely bounce right back up, but with their delicate finances this could be an enormous set-back for them. Players like Tercero Defigueroa and Elías Ruiseñor are likely to leave, since they're too good for the FFL2. Young promising leftback Moisés Fermández is basically gone too. He had an extremely good season, he just wasn't helped by his teammates.

The less said about Flying Jellyfish, the better. Their only consolation is that they weren't worse than Season 25 Deportí Agaumi and Season 26 Ñandfe. But not by much.

---- Team                     P   W  D   L  For   Ag   +/- Pts
- 1  Avenida Leal            38  28  7   3  150   38  +112  91 Champions-------
- 2  Mâ Âlâmëómë             38  28  5   5  138   43   +95  89 Champions' Cup--
- 3  Dí Maozöxê              38  26  7   5  158   54  +104  85 Globe Cup-------
  4  La Nueva Avenida        38  23  8   7  106   67   +39  77 Globe Cup-------
  5  Rülândéá Kôstä          38  18  4  16   80   71    +9  58 Globe Cup-------
  6  Avenida Victoria        38  17  6  15   66   65    +1  57
  7  Gorfalle Town           38  16  7  15   76   83    -7  55
  8  Ausharmuj Marusi        38  16  7  15   64   80   -16  55
  9  Lasupi                  38  16  5  17   64   69    -5  53
 10  Flamagua                38  15  4  19   70   92   -22  49
 11  Fryi Frêndê             38  14  7  17   68   77    -9  49
 12  Dô Fäéýkô               38  16  1  21   68  109   -41  49
 13  Prostran I Forzuda      38  14  7  17   65   81   -16  49
 14  Avenida Principal       38  14  6  18   70   74    -4  48
 15  René Skaé Colonels      38  14  3  21   62   99   -37  45
 16  Madorre De Fuego        38  12  3  23   55   85   -30  39
 17  Ferdullaele             38   9 10  19   63  108   -45  37
-18  Fragardallians          38   9 10  19   61   94   -33  37 Relegated-------
 19  Gran Faro 70            38   9  6  23   57   88   -31  33 Relegated-------
 20  Flying Jellyfish        38   5  9  24   60  124   -64  24 Relegated-------

-                           Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Frion Libertas            38   21  11   6    92   39  +53    74 Champions
 2 Ñandfe                    38   20  10   8    90   45  +45    70 Promoted
 3 Tifon De La Costa         38   19   8  11   114   70  +44    65 Promoted
 4 Vetar Trg                 38   18   9  11   102   76  +26    63 Relegated (FTL)
 5 Ferdullaele Unidos        38   16  14   8    84   57  +27    62
 6 Jonder Trains             38   17  10  11    95   73  +22    61
 7 Punta del Torde           38   15  11  12    96   84  +12    56 Relegated (FTL)
 8 Ondeta                    38   16   8  14    72   75   −3    56
 9 Deportí Agaumi            38   15   7  16    71   89  −18    52
10 Libertarian Ferdullaele   38   14   9  15    81   74   +7    51
11 Isky Novara               38   13  11  14    91  103  −12    50
12 Torrhe del Viento         38   13  11  14    71   96  −25    50 Relegated (FTL)
13 FOMT                      38   13   9  16    68   86  −18    48
14 Sent 01                   38   13   7  18    84   88   −4    46
15 Errekochoa Supernovas     38   12  10  16    61   84  −23    46
16 Llefraga                  38    9  14  15    76   90  −14    41
17 Dor Frío                  38   10  11  17    66   84  −18    41
18 Tympú                     38   10   9  19    63  112  −49    39 Relegated (FNL)
19 Outsiders                 38   11   4  23    73  100  −27    37 Relegated (FNL)
20 Darfallá Greens           38    7  13  18    81  106  −25    34 Relegated (FNL)

by **Farfadillis** » Thu Apr 19, 2018 7:05 pm

Season 30

Season Preview

Avenida Leal

Nickname: the Loyals
Stadium: Lealtad y Fuerza (50,000)
Location: Victoria Lago, Puerto Farolero
Honors: 3 FFLs
Manager: Constantino Martínez
Last Season: Champions
Prediction: Runners-up

STARTING XI

GK  Eryndion Nardragonel
LB  Trejo Maes
CB  Francisco Bernal
RB  Krysia Bailey
LM  Carl Nyberg
CM  Norberto Longes
CM  Ruy Monrazón (C)
CM  Walter La Dorotea
RM  Trenn Rien
ST  Nevaeh Cathar
ST  Ace Newman

The best Avenida in the country nowadays. Constantino Martínez has turned them into a scary monster. Only Mâ Âlâmëómë and Dí Maozöxê could hope to stand in their way last season, and both ultimately failed to stop them. They demolished team after team and established a sort of dominance only previously seen exherted by Mâ Âlâmëómë and Ferdullaele. They have one of the best youth academies in the nation and a very smart board, as well as comfortable finances. They'll be staying on the top for many years. This season, however, will likely see them drop a little bit. With some of the enthusiasm inevitably gone after having won the league last season, as well as with Rowena Strongbow, by far their best player, having been sold. To add insult to injury, the club's biggest legend, Ostadar Arambilet, retired after winning the league. No player is bigger than the team, though, so don't expect this to be some kind of lethal blow to the club.

Elven Eryndion Nardragonel still in goal. No surprises there. He doesn't age and he doesn't stop being good. A very smart deal back in the day for the Loyals. Francisco Bernal is an exciting young prospect who, despite his age, is very good at leading the backline for the current FFL champions. Great tactically, big, good on the ball. He's got everything you want in a Farf centreback. He's not quite Drì Lsôs or Kósa Bajnok, but Avenida Leal are still lucky to have him. Trejo Maes has been assigned the vice-captaincy after the retirement of Ostadar. He was the natural choice both because of skill and because of seniority. Fast, defensively-adept and offensively-fearsome, Trejo may have lost his starting spot in the national team to some kid Ezequiel Marchiondo playing in Schottia, but he's still one of the best fullbacks in the league. Rightback Krysia Bailey might very well be the best fullback in the league, defensively-speaking. She's similar in style to Avenida Principal's legendary Karl Varsteeg, though not quite as good (which doesn't speak badly of her, of course). This means she knows how to join the attack too, and also how to do it well.

Constantino will not fix what ain't broken. He will still go for three centre midfielders, in an attempt to crowd the midfield, where he believes most matches are won or lost. Norberto Longes is a youngster with unbelievable football IQ. He's great at passing and has got a lot of tactical awareness. It's a shame he's missing speed, or else he'd be an NTer without a doubt. Ruy Monrazón's now both the de facto and de iure captain. With Rowena's departure, he's probably also the team's best player. He doesn't play for Farfadillis any longes mostly because he retired from international football to focus on playing for the club that he loves. Endless running is his trademark. He's very good at tackling and very tactically aware. What's more, he's very good on the ball. Truly a luxurious midfielder to have. The third centre midfielder will be Walter La Dorotea, the first player to have played for La Nueva Avenida, Mâ Âlâmëómë and now Avenida Leal. They didn't want him at the league's runners-up any longer, so what did he do? Sign for the champions he did. He does the dirty work so that the other players can shine. His task is thankless, but rest assured he's an important player. On the left flank, many will be curious to see what Buyanese new signing Carl Nyberg has in him. Very little is known of the winger, but a lot is expected. Hopefully, he won't crumble under the pressure. On the right flank, Trenn Rien is one of the best wingers in the league. He assists and scores, but he also helps out defensively more than the typical Farf. In essence, he is the typical foreign winger, only a lot more talented.

Ace Newman is Ace Newman. Yes, he's old as hell itself, but he still scores so he's still got the job. All of his pace is gone, though, so his sole purpose in this team is to be a poacher. The kind that should feel ashamed to score something other than a tap-in. But it's fine because Newman does that very well. His partner, Nevaeh Cathar, has also got an eye for finding defensive holes - of which there is no shortage in Farfadillis - but the Nepharim is much younger, and as a result a lot faster. This is a scary front two.

It can't be ignored that this team was no doubt the best last season. It also can't be ignored that they've lost two incredibly important players. With Mâ Âlâmëómë now out for blood, I think I have to predict them to end up runners-up, but it's a tough prediction to make. It will almost surely be a very close title race with the two big Rulandese teams.

Mâ Âlâmëómë

Nickname: the Greens
Stadium: Rülândéá Çölíséá (70,000)
Location: Ruland, Ruland
Honors: 11 FFLs, 3 AOCLs
Manager: Kirk Koromin
Last Season: Runners-up
Prediction: Champions

STARTING XI

GK:  Röquö Fôgô
LB:  Bacary Na'Kale
CB:  Süns Söh
RB:  Ésüá Gí Tísìndâìr
CM:  Konrad Gosforth (C)
CM:  Zsolgar Zsase
LW:  Xi Xe
OM:  Camila Soria Luna
RW:  Anthony Townsend
ST:  Fvêt Rôwé
ST:  Nârâü Hüý

This team came agonizingly close to winning the Champions' Cup, then found itself coompletely dismantled. Fôrté Wínrôuge, until then a one-club man and the best player to have worn the Greens' shirt, shocked everyone by announcing he wanted to get a breath of fresh air. Lüí Wçêíl promptly left, too. Then Eoin Killanen returned to Schottia to play with his father as manager. Then they shipped off Walter La Dorotea. Things began looking dire for Mâ Âlâmëómë, but then came the cash splash: they signed Zsolgar Zsase, Xi Xe, Camilar Soria Luna and Anothony Townsend. This is a team with unmatched individual quality, made all the more deadly by Kirk Koromin's astuteness. The Cenian manager will surely find it challenging to make so many players that don't know each other mesh well together, but he has a team with scary potential in his hands. After finishing second in both the league and the Champions' Cup, this team will fight for every point tooth and nail.

Fôgô is surprisingly average for a team of Mâ Âlâmëómë's caliber, but he helps maintain a healthy Rulandese presence in the squad. If the squad ever featured less than four Rulandese players, the fans would quickly turn against the board, specially considering how high-flying Rulandese nationalism is at the moment. Leftback Bacary Na'Kale is the best in the league, and there simply isn't a way to argue that. Not only does he defend very well, he's also the best in the league offensively, and the numbers back him up. Boy, do they back him up. Some strikers scored fewer goals than him these last two seasons. There's a reason he's one of the best Cosumarite players right now. Ésüá Gí Tísìndâìr is a winger-turned-fullback that has not gotten any tamer with time, so expect him to join the attack super often. He's quality, just tactically-inept. Centreback Süns Söh is a Farf international and a starter at that. He's not tall, but he's fast and reads the game like only a few can. He's, in all honesty, one of the weak links of the Farf NT, but the fact that he even is a link speaks for itself. Also, yes, he does join the attack at times. He is good at it. This might not be the best defense in the league, but it's probably the best defense in the league offensively-speaking.

As said, the midfield has been (almost) completely overhauled, though not really because the board wanted it to get overhauled. However, they're probably very happy with the results: this midfield is roughly as good as the previous midfield. The link between these two midfields - the survivor - is Konrad Gosforth. The Nepharim, now captain for both club and country, might be the best player in the league, with only his Schottic teammate putting up a fight. With the new signings, he will not be as responsible for creating the team's chances as before, and with that comes more freedom. He will be trying riskier passes and tearing even more teams apart in split seconds. Definitely one of the Greens' best signings in history. His partner in centre midfield will be Zsolgar Zsase, signed from René Skaé after they had a terrible season while Zsolgar had a very good one. The youngster is a very good playmaker. He is quite slow, but he can still get past opponents and be overall very dangerous. He'll have a hard time adapting to Ruland after living all his life in Szoirsia, but he will eventually get used to the hellhole that is now his home. Left winger Xi Xe is a Chromatik international. She will be tasked with terrorizing defenses like Eoin Killanen used to. That's a tall order, but she can certainly be an improvement over the old version of the Schottic legend. The right winger will be Euran Anthony Townsend, a relatively young man with a future in international football. These two will no doubt be two of the best wingers in the league. The offensive midfielder is a fitting replacement for Fôrté Wínrôuge. Camila Soria Luna will face the very tough challenge of replacing Fôrté. Nobody can really replace him, not only because of the level at which he played, since Camila is at about his level, and only slightly below him at any rate, but because of his connection with the fans. Still, the Schottic World Cup-winner will be one of the league's best players, without a doubt. She's performed at the Multiverse's biggest stage, the FFL will just be a playground for her.

The Greens' front two is not nearly as scary as the rest of the team. Like, not even close. They're still good players, the two of them, but they just seem a tad out of place. Fvêt Rôwé is a striker that scores goals. Enough of them to still get the nod for Mâ Âlâmëómë. How does he do it? He runs and shoots. He's sort of pacey, he knows how to position himself, he makes good runs and he shoots well. Nârâü almost got shipped off after last season. It's not that he played badly, but he sure was the worst player in the team. He does score and assist, don't get me wrong, but he should be out to prove himself this season, or else he's getting the axe. Kirk has been generous enough with him.

It's hard making predictions with three teams that can challenge for the title, but this team has got the most individual talent. They reached the Champions' Cup final and their last season was absolutely heartbreaking. They'll be fired up and that will make them extremely dangerous. I think they'll win the league for the twelfth time.

Dí Maozöxê

Nickname: the Rebels
Stadium: Rülândéá Çölíséá (70,000)
Location: Ruland, Ruland
Honors: 2 FFLs, 1 AOCL
Manager: Dürs Sôfâú
Last Season: 3rd
Prediction: 3rd

STARTING XI

GK  Íüé Tgô
LB  Saskia Hasselbaink
CB  Drì Lsôs
RB  Jïnbawín Ohfânâ 
LM  Monuele Ribaurésilion
CM  Çis Âlú
CM  Lüzân Dâ Mírnév (C)
RM  Davorin Mijatović
OM  Vínseslâdís Wìjìnì
ST  Taj Zayn Bazzi
ST  Tjêtê Dü Síbírí

Of the top teams, Dí Maozöxê is without a doubt the most likeable. They play the most offensive football in the nation and the starting eleven consists of local players, with only a bit of foreign talent here and there. The truth behind that last part is that Dí Maozöxê is a team that does more with less. They don't have the budget of the big Avenidas or Mâ Âlâmëómë, but they still win the title once in a while and can never be counted out from the title race before the season begins. Dürs Sôfâú's vision of how football should be played is obvious when one watches this team: the players' positions are extremely fluid, and there's no such thing as a safe lead. Football is a spectacle for the Rebels. The best (or, worst case scenario, second-best) academy in the nation is theirs, which means they really do not have to make fancy signings to stay competitive. What's more, Dürs makes sure all of the academy players get his brand of football ingrained in their brains. It is in part because of him that a player like Xíxì Êns could come about. Speaking of Xíxì, he's left for Nephara, and they've replaced him with up-and-coming Rulandese talent Vínseslâdís Wìjìnì.

Íüé Tgô is the best goalkeeper in the league. It's just a matter of time before he starts for the national team. He will have to sit this coming one out, in all likelihood, but that will be it. He's pretty short for a goalkeeper, but he sure can fly when needed. His reflexes are top notch and he's got good timing for leaving his goal. Nepharim leftback Saskia Hasselbaink has lost her starting spot last season, but she's recovered it after Dürs shuffled some of his tactics and went back to three defenders instead of two, partially because of the departure of Joan Nonhagatte. She's a very talented player, but her age makes her not be as fast or durable as she used to be. Jïnbawín Ohfânâ did not enjoy his time as a centreback of sorts last season. He's naturally a right winger, so it kind of makes sense. He's been assigned the role of suicidal rightback once again, a role which he embodies perfectly. Centreback Drì Lsôs was stunning in his first season, with many clamoring for him to get a call-up to the national team. He may not be a titan in terms of height and strength, but his speed, his tactical awareness, his tackling and his offensive abilities make up for that. Don't be surprised if you see him play very far up the pitch, on occasion even taking on the role of offensive midfielder.

After Nonhagatte left for KT Moreazerua, Sôfâú opted to do away with his three-player centre midfield. As a result, he will now be a lot less dominating on the centre of the pitch, with the advantage of having more of a presence on the flanks. The centre midfield pair will consist of the two centre midfielders left: Çis Âlú is an outstanding playmaker with no defensive talents to speak of. This doesn't mean he doesn't defend; it just means he doesn't do it very well. He will drift forward very often and take on the role of offensive midfielder. Captain Lüzân Dâ Mírnév has seen age take a lot of his physical qualities away, but he still puts in a defensive shift while trying his best to be an offensive threat. He's one of the most versatile players in the team, very much capable of filling in everywhere except in goal. Left winger Monuele Ribaurésilion's the black sheep in the team. He doesn't have the versatility of the rest of the players, and he is neither Rulandese nor a foreigner. However, his pace (despite his age), dribbling and passing make those things suddenly become unimportant. The right winger will be Pasargan ex-international Davorin Mijatović. He is very similar to Monuele in that he's got a lot of pace and very good dribbling and passing. In offensive midfield we have Vínseslâdís Wìjìnì, signed from Rülândéá Kôstä after an astonishing first season. He partook in half his team's goals. He will be the main source of danger from midfield if things go according to Dürs' plans. He's a very versatile player, capable of playing as striker and left winger, so don't be surprised to see him drift to those positions when the situation calls for it.

With the departure of Xíxì Êns, Dí Maozöxê no longer have the most fearsome front three of the league. But they're still in with a good shout for most fearsome front pair. Taj Zayn Bazzi's an out-and-out striker who will stay in his position. The number of goals he scores are worth giving up some of the tactical fluidity. He's capped, but unlikely to ever start for Pasarga. Not because he's not good, but because he's got two world class players ahead of him. Tjêtê Dü Síbírí's much more positionally-flexible because of his speed. He switches positions with Davorin and Monuele very often. If he's having a good day and he feels like he can trust his playmaking abilities, he might switch with Wìjìnì too. He scores less than Bazzi, but he does score fairly often. Overall, a fearsome pair indeed.

I may have made you think Dí Maozöxê are about to revolutionize football with my description of them, but the truth is that while the whole is a lot greater than the sum of the parts, and the sum of the parts is pretty great by itself in this case, Mâ Âlâmëómë and Avenida Leal have got more individual talent and very solid tactical schemes too. Mâ Âlâmëómë are too far ahead in terms of individual quality, while Avenida Leal demolished most teams last season and won their third title. I'll have to predict another third-place finish for them here, but I would be in no way surprised if the Rebels won their third title.

La Nueva Avenida

Nickname: the Novans
Stadium: La Gran Avenida
(80,000)
Location: Victoria Lago, Puerto
Farolero
Honors: 6 FFLs, 2 AOCLs
Manager: Luis Sarlange
Last Season: 4th
Prediction: 4th

STARTING XI

GK  Tobías Granados
LB  Mathias
CB  Gerardo Ulises
RB  Francesco Di Nolfo
LM  Roberto Milanoa
CM  Thajan Jaros (C)
CM  Ahto Va'Negeja
RM  Nora Kirkhus
OM  Enrique Delrio
OM  Nahuel Loscampos
ST  Rubén Cuervo

Despite their relatively underwhelming last decade, La Nueva Avenida are still the most popular club in Puerto Farolero. They're the second-most successful club in the nation, and that gives their players a plus. The fans are nowadays less demanding, having accepted the bitter reality of never truly competing for the title. They've still got a lot of talent coming up in their youth academy, but they're missing players of NT caliber. Who was the last Novan to feature for the national team? Probably Alex Terán about eight years ago. The club has recently been investing more heavily on exactly that, but the effects will only be noticeable in a few years. For now, they've got a pretty good squad that could, with some luck, get into the Champions' Cup with the right guidance.

Tobías Granados could reasonably be considered the second-best goalkeeper in the league, only behind Íüé Tgô. He's got a lot of experience despite being relatively young for a goalkeeper, and his reflexes are unmatched in the league. Following Thjorgias Pickton's retirement, Gerardo Ulises has been promoted from the youth academy. He's a player much in Thjorgias' mold. Huge frame, decent offensive skillset, and respectable speed. He'll have to adapt quickly to the league because it's not forgiving for centrebacks, but he'll likely do fine. He does have extensive experience as a substitute, after all. Leftback Mathias is the third-best Cosumarite leftback playing in Farfadillis... I swear he's very good, even if that may not have done him much justice. Rightback Francesco Di Nolfo's featured for the Novans consistently for over a decade now. He's a bit too old nowadays, but he's still a very solid choice for his position. This is a very good defense, even with a relatively inexperienced Farf at the centre of it.

Luis Sarlange still prefers to overcrowd midfield. Six players might not be enough for the madman, who has gone on record claiming he has plans to play with no out-and-out strikers in the future in a bid to play with seven midfielders. This doesn't make his midfield better than, say, Mâ Âlâmëómë's, but it does give it a lot more presence, so to speak. Captain Thajan Jaros is tasked with most defensive duties while also being one of the team's main sources of creativity. His Cosumarite partner in centre midfield is Ahto Va'Negeja, who is very similar but less talented. Ahto has flourished a bit more when taking on an offensive role, so Luis will be looking to turn him into a more dangerous midfielder. Qasdonian international Roberto Milanoa has got the pace to succeed in the league, as well as the tactical non-ineptitude characteristic of non-Farves. He's also pretty dangerous up front, so he's overall a very important part of the team. Nora Kirkhus has replaced Ángel de Noia on the other flank after the academy graduate had a truly awful season plagued with injuries. He has been shipped off to the second tier. Nora's a talented Vanorian, one of those that are not eternal. Novans are quietly hopeful. Maybe she'll be the beginning of something new, something beautiful. Academy graduates Enrique Delrío and Nahuel Loscampos are the only two truly good players the academy has brought up in the last few years. They both play very similarly, with great playmaking as well as a remarkable number of goals to their names. Most teams will have to be very careful when going up against these two, who are both on the Farf NT's radar.

Rubén Cuervo's still the sole striker up front. Super short and super speedy with great finishing, he's exactly the kind of player that can become a pseudostriker-pseudomidfielder. Sarlange will experiment with him tactically in many ways. Rubén is not quite NT-quality, but he scored 25 last season, and he didn't play every single game. He also bleeds the club's colors, allegedly, so he's a bit of a fan-favorite.

This is a very solid team. They'll finish in fourth place, I think. They've got the disadvantage of having a name that is a bit too prestigious for their quality, but imagine if, say, Madorre De Fuego were this good. We'd be going on and on about how this is a team that can truly surprise any team in the league and might find themselves even challening for the title with some luck. So, yes, this is a very solid team, even if we might sometimes dismiss their quality altogether because they're underachieving relative to the club's history.

Rülândéá Kôstä

Nickname: the Coast
Stadium: Âréné Délékôstä (18,000)
Location: Ruland, Ruland
Honors: None
Manager: Süsüsü Fêrâlé
Last Season: 5th
Prediction: 6th

STARTING XI

GK  Lüs Wâpé
LB  Mehdi Guzman
CB  Jôk Kêsê
RB  Jör Xüró
LM  Ülì Bláór
CM  Tíbürçíö Tör
RM  Ranârdo Âgúâ
OM  Gër Pwás
OM  Berrëngüé Lé Méjî
ST  Süy Fürgààn (C)
ST  Valën Bláór

Talented, unruly Rulandese players. That's Rülândéá Kôstä's mantra. Ruland has never been better represented in the league. Yes, Mâ Âlâmëómë and Dí Maozöxê have more talented squads and play better football, but only the Coast represents Ruland's essence. Violent, disorganized, attacking and fun-oriented football. Lots of passion. Couple with the fact that Süsüsü's training regimee has made them the most physically-fit team in the league, it's not hard to understand why this club with no superstars has finished fifth two seasons in a row. It's undeniable that their meteoric rise to UICA-spot-contention has made the league a lot more interesting.

Although no offers from the two stronger Rulandese clubs ever came for Lüs Wâpé, for reasons that we all know about. However, he's not too fussed, since he would've had to move to another part of the city, which would've harmed his drug "business". He has now recovered from being shot in the knee last season, it remains to be seen whether he's still as good as before. In defense, Leâl's departure was a slight disappointment for fans, but Mehdi Guzman's a worthy replacement. The young Apoxian sure knows how to put in a shift, and his defensive abilities are much-welcomed. He'll have to polish his offensive skillets, but that comes naturally with time when playing in Farfadillis. Jör Xüró's pacey, defensive style won't be of much help for his development since he won't have anyone in his team to look up to. But don't let that make you think Jör's a bad player! He's actually one of the most defensively-sound fullbacks in the league. Jôk Kêsê may tower over you, but he's got speed. He'll outmuscle basically anyone when challenging for the ball. Süsüsü had managed to make the defense work quite well last season, despite the traditional Rulandese aversion to tactics. He'll have to make sure Jör and Jök get along with Mehdi, and the rest will probably come naturally.

Last season, Süsüsü opted for what he called a "free-flowing midfield". In reality, this was a euphemism for his players not knowing a thing about positioning. However, the players he has at his disposal are talented, even if perhaps a bit too dumb. Ülì Bláór's the dumbest of the bunch. He just runs super fast and crosses pretty well. He can sort of defend, but his temperament makes him likely to get red carded for it. Ranârdo Âgúâ is much better, even if he is slower. He can get out of sticky situations with his dribbling, and his playmaking is actually pretty good. The departure of Wìjìnì has left him unable to switch positions with the current offensive midfielder, so he'll be sticking to his flank much more often. Speaking of Wìjìnì's departure to Dí Maozöxê, it may have been a big hit for the team, yes, but there's always a silver lining. This time around, it is that it has resulted in youngster Berrëngüé Lé Méjî getting a chance. He's Wìjìnì's age, and he is very much a carbon copy of him, only with less talent. Still a very good player, though. He'll get to Wìjìnì's level of understanding with Âgíâ with time, surely. Tíbürçíö Tör's "run a lot and hope it helps" approach is not ideal, but it's the most Süsüsü has managed to get out of him tactically-speaking. He can dribble and playmake, but he's still clearly a weak link. Gër Pwás will no longer be playing second-fiddle in midfield. He'll now be the team's main source of creativity, though Lé Méjî may very well prove to be better than him, much like Wìjìnì did.

Captain Süy Fürgààn is the quintessential complete forward. He's tall, fast and very clinical. He also presses a lot. Easily a club legend, Süy is the face of the Coast's rise through the Farf football pyramid ranks. His partner, Valën Bláór, is just as dumb as his brother and does the same thing as him. Cross a lot. But he can also score. Just don't ask him to do anything too smart, like generating space for a teammate.

They may have lost one of their best players, but he's been replaced quite well, and the rest of the team has proven they mesh together incredibly well. Süsüsü has proven he is one of the best managers in the league. It's hard to see them doing much worse than last time around. I think they'll finish sixth.

Avenida Victoria

Nickname: the Victorians
Stadium: La Gran Avenida (80,000)
Location: Victoria Lago, Puerto
Farolero
Honors: 2 FFLs
Manager: Blas Montaña
Last Season: 6th
Prediction: 5th

STARTING XI

GK  VF Coffin
LB  Jülí Mâsârí
CB  Fabián Rubalcava (C)
CB  Enrique Resurrección
RB  Rubén Hinojosa
LM  Pinsent Benzari
CM  Lancelot Mojica
CM  Ramón Fonseca
RM  Enrique Lauricella
ST  Tüjürdr Vhêrdê
ST  Cecilio Rasales

For a brief period in time, Avenida Victoria was the best team in Farfadillis, pretty indisputably. That brief period was Season 4. It was a time before Mâ Âlâmëómë and La Nueva Avenida's domination. It was a simpler time. Nowadays, Avenida Victoria only keep their slightly less offensive football style from that period. They field four defenders, which is absolutely remarkable in this league. They'd be considered super offensive in pretty much any other league, but they're in with a shout for most defensive team in the league here. They had an unexpectedly good Season 29, which means they'll be looking to go back to challenging for UICA spots and, with some luck, the title. Their youth academy has been getting better and better - they've replaced two of their players with better versions of them that have come straight from the academy. Might we see them return to the top? We might.

VF Coffin has now been very good for two seasons in a row. He's a top three goalkeeper in the league, with only Joan Fer Muus and Íüé Tgô ahead of him. Leftback Jülí Mâsârí has been capped for Farfadillis in the past, so he's one of the best fullbacks in the league, merely by virtue of the others being Farves and not having been capped. He's pretty defensive but, as any respectable Farf fullback, he knows how to join the attack effectively. Rightback Rubén Hinojosa has accelerated Félix Salamanca's retirement by stealing his starting spot at the ripe old age of nineteen. There has been an incredible surge of Faroleran fullbacks lately, huh? Ezequiel Marchiondo, Moisés Fermández, Tiburcio Prunes, now Rubén... but I digress. Captain Fabián Rubalcava is an ex-DBCer who is above-average in everything a centreback needs to be good at. He's also got the leadership skills to justify holding the armband. His partner centreback is still Enrique Resurrección, essentially a pacier yet inferior version of him with no leadership qualities. Overall, a very, very solid defense, helped not only by quantity but also by quality.

Pinsent Benzari's certainly a talent. He's got pace and dribbling, as well as tactical awareness, which is typically lacking in wingers in this league. However, it's safe to say he could never aspire to even come close to his father. Still, Pinsent tries, and he doesn't come super far, which is more than plenty to play for the Victorians. On the opposite flank, Enrique Lauricella is a similarly-talented winger with less football IQ, but Montaña has been slowly teaching him how to not make terrible decisions all the time, so he's been improving. In midfield, Essua Salguero was not bad, but he's been surprisingly overtaken by a sixteen-year-old (who is admittedly turning seventeen soon). Lancelot Mojica is looking like the Victorians' best youth product to date. He is a centre midfielder who is good at pretty much everything: he defends, he runs, he dribbles and he creates chances. He's not super tall, but he can still grow. It's been a long time since such a (potentially) complete player sprang up in Farfadillis. With Mojica now in the team, Ramón Fonseca will no longer be the only creative outlet. He's the team's most important player. He will no doubt welcome Mojica's promotion to the first team, in all likelihood, because it will lift some weight from his shoulders. Ramón's playing style helps him stay fit throughout the season. It also helps him not decline. I am basically saying he doesn't run jack shit.

Tüjürdr Vhêrdê may not have managed to achieve his dream of becoming Mâ Âlâmëómë's star striker, but he has become Avenida Victoria's star-ish striker, so that's something. Pace, finishing, and aerial presence. With those tree assets, you can never be any less than an above-average striker. Tüjürdr is just that: an above-average striker. There were rumours of Mâ Âlâmëómë signing him back but, ultimately, nothing materialized. Cecilio Rasales had a more-than-acceptable debút season, so he will be given the nod once again this season. He's basically a copy of Tüjürdr. Whether that's because he's developing with him as his tutor of sorts or because he just played similarly from the get-go is anyone's guess.

Avenida Victoria are (kinda) back, guys! They'll challenge for UICA spots, and they may very well be on an upward trajectory. This is a team that has talented players and a very capable manager that gets the most out of them. They finished sixth last season, but I think they can do one better this time: I predict a fifth-place finish for the Victorians.

Gorfalle Town

Nickname: the Canaries
Stadium: Parque Erfaon
Lisdiren (20,000)
Location: Gorfalle, Ferdullaele
Honors: None
Manager: Nomá Sudurgaelle
Last Season: 7th
Prediction: 7th

STARTING XI

GK  Loisé Dandeluneí
LB  Retisó Fernué
CB  Souré Crespé
RB  Fonás Filosufé
LM  Loé Rórhaatá
CM  Noé Kartafe
RM  Gundai Joneätaon (C)
OM  Juan Caségaré
OM  Pietro Sangiovanni
ST  Hufer Xórtafe
ST  Ander Rrherreró

With a lot of above-average players, a very good scouting system, a very respectable youth set-up and a manager that proved that Tuzzio's departure was not such an enormous tragedy, Gorfalle Town are looking like a solid upper-midtable team at the moment. Their finances are supposedly very solid nowadays, so we might see them splashing some cash... any time now, surely. Anyway, their starting line-up remains largely unchanged for this season, which some fans correctly find decidedly unambitious. While it is undeniable that the club is currently in a much better position than it was, say, ten years ago, it is just as undeniable that ambition is needed to take another step further, and Gorfalle Town have lacked that since Tuzzio departed.

Loisé Dandeluneí cost the team a few too many points last season, but Sudurgaelle's trust in him has - probably only barely - allowed him to retain his starting position in goal. Following Casimiro Forrheje's retirement, young fullback Retisó Fernué will be given the chance to start. An academy product that impressed off the bench last season, Retisó is expected to adapt to the starting spot very quickly precisely because he has extensive experience in the top flight. If you're looking for a talented young fullback, though, look for him on the other flank. Fonás Filosufé bombs forward with a lot of skill and is not a defensive liability. He has dispelled all worries that he could only function under Tuzzio's system by playing even better last season. Souré Crespé was pretty bad last season, but he is still tall and not terribly slow, so the board has opted against his replacement.

Noé Kartafe's many personal problems rendered him unable to play much last season. Even though he's not the kind of player that sets the league on fire, his absence was very clearly felt by his teammates. Whether the Canaries like it or not, despite not being world class, he's the kind of player that they really miss when he's gone. Very consistent, puts in his shift, very good passing range... an above-average player, at the end of the day, so also one of their best players. Since most of his personal issues have been allegedly resolved, we'll probably see him feature a lot more this season. On the left flank, Loé Rórhaatá's pace and dribbling are only surpassed by his heavy drinking. A truly talented, but equally unprofessional player. Heaven knows where he'd be with an ounce of commitment. On the opposite flank, Gundai Joneätaon is very much a forward in reality. He barely helps in defense, but he is an important presence up forward. He's also a fan-favorite. Understandably, obviously, since he's a one-club man that has scored a lot of goals for this team. Juan Caségaré's a talented young player that some might think only knows how to pass the ball. To an extent, they're right on the money. But boy does he know how to pass the ball. An incredible playmaker by all accounts, and thus a key player for this team. Pietro Sangiovanni will be partnering him. Pietro's more of a standard offensive midfielder. He's got more dribbling than Juan, less passing ability, less vision and a bigger presence in front of goal. He's also quietly very consistent.

False nine Hufer Xórtafe was the team's best player last season. He provided considerably more assists than under Tuzzio, while scoring a few more goals on top. It is perhaps the hardest position to play in, but Hufer has proved very good at it. The only other Farf false nine currently playing is Xíxì Êns, so Hufer can say he's the second best Farf in his position. Ander Rherreró found himself at the end of Xórtafe's assists last season. Ander focused solely on goalscoring, unlike Hufer, and is also clearly the worse player, but he does his job just fine by the Canaries' standards, though those standards are a bit lower than they should be.

This team has barely changed. The few changes that have been made are all positive, I think, so it wouldn't be very wise to predict them to do worse than last season. However, it also doesn't feel like Gorfalle can finish anywhere above seventh this season. They just don't have the spark of talent needed for it. I could be proved wrong, but for now, I think they'll finish seventh, just like last season.

Ausharmuj Marusi

Nickname: the Syndicate
Stadium: Multisportivé Joan
Roaré (25,000)
Location: Bolanos, Ferdullaele
Honors: None
Manager: Ruy der Bolanos
Last Season: 8th
Prediction: 9th

STARTING XI

GK  Loís Rrhaolez
LB  Berk Lechjakr
CB  Fabrifé Serrhafar
RB  Joné Dargum
LM  Xasier Lorrhili (C)
CM  Sdreí Fígiras
RM  Ulysses Fairbairn
OM  Saudalé Grorgas
OM  Gernas Sarasinka
ST  Lars Saésaé
ST  Gurneo Totelémarí

Everyone in Farfadillis know about the genius Ruy der Bolanos. Ausharmuj Marusi all their (relative) success to him. Though this team is no more talented than some relegation-threatened teams, specially without Oskar Holsteiner, who used to be their best player despite being under-20 at the time. However, the team plays with grit and passion, is very organized and has a lot of chemistry. Thankfully for him, the Syndicate's youth academy has been producing some interesting young talent lately, to the point that he has promoted two players to the starting eleven for the upcoming season.

Loís Rrhaolez was a bit too leaky at the back last season, but Ruy trusts him completely nonetheless. If anyone can make him not suck again, it's probably Ruy. Fabrifé Serrhafar is best described as a tower: fucking tall and also completely incapable of moving. He's actually just very slow, but you get the point. Joné Dargum has only his pace going for him, but he's not that bad in the other aspects of the game. Fabrifé and Joné are definitely weak links, though. Berk Lechjakr is a poor man's Bacary Na'Kale, but that doesn't mean he's bad. On the contrary, he's one of the best fullbacks in the league, with only his fellow countryman and Trejo Maes able to claim they are clearly superior. His pace is astonishing and his talent bombing forward enviable. Overall, a very run-of-the-mill Farf defense: two pacey fullbacks that like to attack and one big defender. There are only two twists to it: Fabrifé's aforementioned complete lack of pace and Ruy's talent at drilling a defensive line with what little he has at his disposal. This very same defensive line showed itself capable of performing far better than you would expect provided its defensive quality.

Ruy is a hardline Farf traditionalist when it comes to midfield, and will continue to be that way for the foreseeable future, he says. Sdreí Fígiras will play the role of holding midfielder. He puts in the effort, but not the football. It's not too bad, but only because Ruy has accommodated the tactics for his lack of ability. Ulysses Fairbairn breaks away from the Farf winger stereotype, perhaps because he is Qasdonian. He's certainly proved value for money... in part because he was signed on a free. Xasier Lorrhili is coming off the best season of his career. He is probably currently at his peak. Mâ Âlâmëómë signed Xi Xe in the end, but if that deal had fallen through, we'd probably have seen Xasier wearing black and green this season. In offensive midfield, Gernas Sarasinka proved he's more than just an average player last season. He is actually above average! His partner in offensive midfield will be academy product Saudalé Grorgas. Saudalé is not as much of a creator as Sarasinka, but he is far more dangerous in the box. He scored quite a lot in the youth leagues from his position. He's a good dribbler, too, which always helps in the position he plays. If you ignore the fact that Saudalé is completely unproven at this level, this is a pretty solid midfield. It plays a heavy possession game, focused more on the wings, though that is mostly because Lorrhili and Fairbairn are better than Sarasinka and Grorgas. It's also worth noting that the Syndicate's shiny new Cenian signing Eoin Tregony, despite being just sixteen, is likely to pressure both Sarasinka and Grorgas for their starting spots, according to der Bolanos himself.

Lars Saésaé is not a good striker, let's get that out of the way. However, he hasn't been terrible, and he does score enough to barely not be replaced. His days in the starting line-up are likely counted, though, if Ausharmuj Marusi plan to begin challenging for UICA spots regularly. Lars' partner up front will be youngster Gurneo Totelémarí. He is fast and pretty clinical for his age, but he will likely suffer from his lack of first-team experience.

They did reasonably well last season after the departure of Oskar Holsteiner. However, the team hasn't improved much, if at all. I can't predict them to do better than they did last season, with that in mind. I think ninth place might be a bit harsh, but I've got the feeling it's the correct prediction. Don't be surprised if they wind up finishing in a considerably better position. We know full well this squad is capable of quite a bit more than a mid-table finish.

Lasupi

Nickname: the Gulls
Stadium: Samupi (8,000)
Location: Lasupi, Ferdullaele
Honors: None
Manager: Ger Susco
Last Season: 9th
Prediction: 14th

STARTING XI

GK  Joan Fer Muus (C)
LB  Fifo Mosuna
CB  Emili
RB  Bolke Eregro
LM  Somuele Buenécarná
CM  Wilga Sisieibó
CM  Monsangue Kols
CM  Itxo der Erre
RM  Ichi Tagosta
ST  Gosmo Gulata
ST  Giruí Uasí

Lasupi are far too poor to play in the top flight. Lasupi is a small town. The talent pool from which they can draw player, since they can't sign many players from elsewhere, is very shallow. But luck, smart decisions and a very good coach plus a striker that scores a lot have turned Lasupi into a team that can survive relegation comfortably. They finished ninth last season, though mostly because their star striker scored a lot more than he should have with the team's tactical approach, which is a very defensive one for the league. No new signings have been made and, more surprisingly, none of the starters have signed for a better team, when at least three of them easily could have gone to UICA clubs.

Joan Fer Muus grew up in Lasupi itself, which has made him grow unusually fond of the club. As a result, despite being one of the best goalkeepers in the league, he has stayed at Lasupi. There will come a point when he will have to leave because it will be beneficial for both him and the club, but he's happy for now. Allegedly a huge cheat, definitely a dirty player, tall and physically-imposing, Audioslavian Emili was a fantastic centreback for a team like Lasupi last time around. The Farves that had never played outside the island found themselves facing a kind of defender they rarely face, and they suffered because of it. They probably haven't grown used to him, so he's still one very important part of the team. Fifo Mosuna will never be a player worthy of more than a passing mention, but he does a fine job defending on the left flank, so there's really no need to replace him. Don't fix what ain't broken. Bolke Eregro's not as tactically-sound, but he's taller and stronger. He's also more adept at bombing forward. This defense has been drilled perfectly by Ger Susco, so it's very capable of working as one unit. The whole is much greater than the sum of the parts here. Lasupi have got one of the best defenses in the league when it comes to teams not challenging for the title.

Just like last season, Ger Susco will be drowning centre midfield. It worked out just fine, so he won't be looking to change his ways. Wilga Sisieibó can defend, create chances and dribble when it's needed. A "good but not outstanding" player if there ever was one. Itxo der Erre is tactically pretty inept, but he surprises teams when he bombs forward from centre midfield. He dribbles very well and can score a lot for a player in his position. His playmaking and defensive capabilities (besides his tactical awareness) are not exactly shabby, either. Monsangue Kols' the anchorman. The team's shape rests mostly on him, and he's fantastic at taking that responsibility. Although it was initially believed that these three looked better than they truly were because of manage Susco, it's now a more popular opinion that the three are good players because of their own merits, specially Monsangue, who has been attracting more and more attention lately. On the left flank, Somuele Buenécarná is super quiet for a left midfielder in Farfadillis but, as already mentioned, Ger Susco's tactical scheme does err a bit on the defensive side of the spectrum. Ichi Tagosta is essentially a right-footed version of Somuele. They're both speedsters, but that's true of basically every Farf who plays on the flank nowadays.

Gosmo Gulata's the best complete striker you could get on a budget. An aerial threat with speed and technique, as well as very good finishing. Add some playmaking to the mix and you're left wondering just what the hell he's doing playing for Lasupi. Truth is, much like Joan Fer, he's a bit of a Lasupi fanatic. He scored a whopping one-third of the team's goals last time around. If he does that again, you might even see him feature for Farfadillis next, even though he's not super young. His partner Giruí Uasí runs fast and shoots. He also heads the ball. Susco has managed to also turn him into a striker with pretty decent positioning, so he's been looking better and better with time. He's still young, so he might develop into a striker of quality that exceeds Lasupi's.

When predicting their final position last season, I had a very "lightning doesn't strike twice" kind of attitude which, as time showed, was very unfair. Ger Susco has done wonders with this team. It is very capable of staying afloat. However, I don't think they'll finish ninth again. A fourteenth-place finish sounds more realistic for a team like this, but they could very well finish in upper-midtable if things go their way.

Flamagua

Nickname: el Fla
Stadium: La Fogata Mojada (35,000)
Location: Gran Farol, Puerto
Farolero
Honors: None
Manager: Guzmán Infante
Last Season: 10th
Prediction: 11th

STARTING XI

GK  Ángel Zambrano
LB  Rodrigo Magaña
CB  Mauricio Seoane
RB  Santiago Llobrogar
LM  Bartolomé Corvisón
CM  Eloy Norrayola (C)
CM  Blas Quinteiro
RM  Jâáko Rikhódkó
OM  Olegario Larraz
ST  Ignacio Rodríguez
ST  Des Lopiño

Flamagua's becoming one of those uneventful mid-table teams lately. It's perhaps the worst thing that can happen to a team. Neither UICA spots nor survival to fight for, most of the time el Fla's season is basically over by matchday by Matchday 30 nowadays. The trigger-happy board has decided to keep Infante for another season, though chances are he'll have to do better than last season to keep his job. After the retirement of four of their starters, they've now got a pretty young and exciting squad, at least in defense.

Flamagua's defense suffered a lot last season because of its average age. That is why the retirement of Román Briones, Eberardo Novillo, and Xandro Valentía has come as a breath of fresh air, even though all three of them were extraordinary servants at the club, all very much loved by the fans. But with time comes change, and so Infante, much like almost every Farf manager when faced with a problem like this, has opted to replace them with fresh talent from the academy. Ángel Zambrano is a young goalkeeper who has stayed on Román's shadow for far too long. He's got the reflexes and the physique to start now and probably should've been a starter a season ago as well. Leftback Rodrigo Magaña is a true speedster with a lot of incision going forward. Utterly useless in defense, at least for a defender, but Guzmán will likely teach him a thing or two. Rightback Santiago Llobrogar is a lot slower, but also taller. He could very well play as centreback if needed. He will mostly stay in defense and do his thing, but he can bomb forward if needed, though he'll only be ok at it. Mauricio Seoane showed he was very capable this last year. A bit short for a centreback, he's great at reading the game and imposing himself on tackles despite not being very huge. A little giant, as we call them.

Flamagua's midfield consists of a lot of players who looked like they could aspire to leave this team at some point in their careers. Ultimately, either they couldn't or chose not to, most likely not the latter. Captain Eloy Norrayola is a great leader, but he only showed his true potential in about five games last season, in all of which he looked world class. He's too old now to make a move to a better club or chase an NT spot, but he's clearly Flamagua's best player. He's got the playmaking and he can do the dirty work, plus a fair bit of dribbling to go with it. Toli Sottosanti has retired after an unfortunate streak of serious injuries. In his place will be playing Bartolomé Corvisón, a left winger fresh off the academy. At twenty, he will be inconsistent, but he's got flair and pace, so he can't really be a catastrophic failure. He might even turn out very good. Blas Quinteiro is an extremely serviceable midfielder that always puts in a 6/10 or 7/10 performances. Never worse, never better. Many thought he'd one day be an NTer, but it hasn't panned out. Olegario Larraz is the second-best player in the team and the most dangerous up front. He scores quite a lot for an offensive midfielder and assists even more. He's coming off a very good season. Maybe if he managed to string another one like it he'll be signed by a better club, even though he isn't that young. Jâáko Rikhódkó turned out a very good signing, but nothing too spectacular. He's a winger with pace who can both cross the ball and defend when asked to, Flamagua don't need a lot more than that to stay quietly mid-table, so he does a fine job.

Ignacio Rodríguez adapted perfectly to the role of striker. He has now become an integral part of the line-up. He was originally an offensive midfielder, and his playing style makes it evident. He likes to drift a bit deeper sometimes and essentially play as an offensive midfielder at times, but he's also got a sharp eye for scoring. Des Lopiño, the other striker, once looked like he could maybe be Friekder Dandalleion's replacement. Nobody knows exactly what went wrong, but he's now a solid choice for Flamagua... when at his peak. He's fast and pretty clinical, so he will do a fine job, at least.

El Fla are a mid-table team. As a result, I expect them to finish in the middle of the standings, or thereabouts. They've got a good team, but it's nothing flashy. Some young talented players, some old talented players, and also a less talented bunch of players to accompany them. They'll finish eleventh, I believe.

by **Farfadillis** » Thu Apr 19, 2018 7:20 pm

Fryi Frêndê

Nickname: the Lions
Stadium: Casa del Lleion (40,000)
Location: Eferrhe, Ferdullaele
Honors: None
Manager: Loisé Domagaelle
Last Season: 11th
Prediction: 13th

STARTING XI

GK  Jvgak Jruosir
LB  Josalvadoré Serrato
CB  René Tachilité
RB  Erbarmudir Rouloqué
LM  Lauro Sor y Varcen
CM  Rogaré Mars
CM  Itxo Matatempestades
RM  Mousquetaire Ieu (C)
OM  Yamará Ramauno
ST  Iguazú Zaugaray
ST  Esser Saneleuterio

Yes, yes, Fryi Frêndê are the only club that has played in the FFL in every professional season. No, no, they haven't managed to achieve anything noteworthy despite that fact. You will find no fanbase more bored of football than the Lions': they rarely if ever challenge for UICA spots (though, admittedly, they used to, long ago) and they're basically never in danger of getting relegated. This is also a team with a huge weakness on the mental side of football: Mâ Âlâmëómë mounted a six-goal comeback against them last season, and they dropped no less than fifteen leads. If matches were won by the first team to score, Fryi Frêndê would've probably qualified to the Globe Cup. So you can add that to the list of reasons why being a Fryi Frêndê fan must be very, very frustrating. Oh, their best player left for a Buyanese team this transfer window, too.

Fryi Frêndê have another frustrating tendency: they get youth players called up to the DBC and they never amount to anything important. That is, unless you consider featuring for Fryi Frêndê something important. Three out of the four players in their defense are ex-DBCers. In goal we have Jvgak Jruosir, whose name is basically incomprehensible. Jvg? When have those three letters ever been used in succession, in any language? He was pretty good last season, even if he gave commentators hell. Leftback Josalvadoré Serrato is extremely defensive but has shown an offensive side to his game as of late. Maybe if he had developed it sooner he would've ended up in another, better team. Centreback René Tachilité is the last of the exDBC bunch, and fittingly also the worst. He has waited until the age of twenty-eight to break into the starting eleven, doing so because of Emilio Leiva's retirement. If there's one thing this man has, it is patience. Rightback Erbarmudir Rouloqué had a bit of an inspirational season last time around, proving himself better than all of his ex-DBCer teammates. I'm sure if we stretch the definition a bit, this could be considered ironic. Anyway, Erbarmudir is also defensive, just as Josalvadoré, but he does bomb forward often enough that defenses have to focus on him at least a bit.

Lauro Sor y Varcen. Pace and dribbling. Enough to get called up to the DBC, not enough to leave the Lions. Mousquetaire Ieu, on the opposite flank, is the best player in the team. He could be playing for a much better team, but for some reason chooses to stay put. He's great on the attack and helps out defensively as well. He's got pace and leadership skills and has now been handed the captains armband after Tibareté's departure. Rogaré Mars will get sent off often and intimidate a lot of offensive players, but the bigger, more gritty defensive players will not view him as a threat. He's a traditional destroyer, he could very well not be Farf. He got into three different fights last season, so he's got a temperament... which is unsurprising, obviously. His "style" of play seemed to rub off on Itxo Matatempestades. He was similarly violent. He does know how to pass the ball and that sort of thing, though, so he's a far more valuable player. Following the departure of Sans Tibareté, who had too good a season to stay in a team with no ambitions, Domagaelle has chosen to promote Yamará Ramauno from the youth academy. She'll be the first Farf-born woman in about ten years. Yamará's got very good dribbling and playmaking. She's a blunt blade in front of goal, but hopefully that will change as she blossoms into the player she could be, though that will only happen if she can surpass the obstacles she'll find in her way because of her gender.

After Ité Wizset's terrible season, Iguazú Zaugary has been promoted to the first team. He's got speed, positioning and very good finishing. As well as a lack of experience in the top flight. He won't have much of a hurry to adapt. It's not like Fryi Frêndê will be competing for anything at all. Esser Saneleuterio is simply wholly uninteresting. Not particularly good at anything, bad at a few things. Overall, the Lions' strikeforce is their weakest link.

I predicted they'd come close to relegation last season. I was wrong. They're now better in every line except midfield, because they lost their best player. This team just loves to have unexciting seasons, so I think they'll finish thirteenth. There really isn't much more to them.

Dô Fäéýkô

Nickname: the Sheriff
Stadium: Êstátïx Müràsà (12,000)
Location: Ômên, Ruland
Honors: None
Manager: Lüírölé Dü Hâsâsì
Last Season: 12th
Prediction: 15th

STARTING XI

GK  Jênâár Jöléé
LB  Ârón Nünís
CB  Çìríkò Ûsêtêrnìx
RB  Mâxímö Üwársá
DM  Rímân Hösiról (C)
LM  Çês Ísnì
CM  Apöl Lûám
RM  Lêdrê Ànáxímane
OM  Kônrés Bârr
ST  Rôbé Hüx
ST  Yüló Tór

Dô Fäéýkô's fans are still on a high after their twelfth-place finish last season. They probably didn't deserve it, in all honesty. They ended up with -41 GD... Nonetheless, they were good enough to stay up, something which many doubted they could do. Their finances are super weak, but they've got a lot of Rulandese talent to compensate for that. Their entire squad is Rulandese, for obvious reasons. They're also the only Rulandese team from outside the state's capital. This gives them an advantage when recruiting players. Anyway, Lüírölé Dü Hâsâsì will be looking to build on what he achieved last season. Who knows? We might very well have four Rulandese teams firmly established in the top flight in a couple of seasons.

Jênâár Jöléé's performances left a lot to be desired last season. However, Dô Fäéýkô can't really sign a better goalkeeper without splashing some cash. So Lüírölé will have to make do with him in goal... which will be a tall-ish order. Their defense was in absolute shambles last season, which doesn't help. Böávêntür Sêda's proneness to mistakes was just too big for Lüírölé to ignore. As a result, he has been benched in favor of academy product Çìríkò Ûsêtêrnìx. He's a very pacey centerback with respectable height and the same talent on the ball. He doesn't bomb forward nearly as often (nor does he get sent off as often), but that's probably because he is actually quite good. Certainly, one to watch. Ârón Nünís and Mâxímö Üwársá showed last season that they really can't be trusted with understanding complex things like tactics. Çìríkò will have one very tough debut season, but at least Ârón and Mâxímö can help out in attack quite a lot... I guess? Yeah, this is a very bad defense, with the only silver lining being that the centreback really is a promising prospect.

Captain Rímân Hösiról is arguably the team's best player. If he isn't, he is still the most important. He's one dirty son of his mother, but he makes an art out of it. If he were better with the ball, he'd probably wind up in a top team in the league. He's also a very important presence in the dressing room. A true leader, if you will. Academy product Çês Ísnì managed to break into the starting eleven last season after Mâáx Gýí went twenty games without scoring, which is frankly pathetic for a winger. Çês has got pace, dribbling skills and some tactical awareness. A pretty solid winger if you take into account his age. Nothing to get too excited about, though. There are more talented, younger Farf wingers out there. Lêdrê Ànáxímane may not be very technically-gifted, but he is a very disciplined player. He defends very well and he helps in attack as best as he can. He's not very good at it, but he's also not bad. Apöl Lûám's the artery of the team's attacks. A very talented playmaker that should run a lot more. Lüírölé has managed to make him do just that. At times. He's very inconsistent, too. On his day, he has nothing to envy any other midfielder in the league, that's for certain. Kônrés Bârr, nephew of ex-NTer Ivaktör Bârr, is the starting offensive midfielder. An aerial threat because of his height and quite talented on the ball, he is a very solid player with a very high ceiling.

Röbé Hüx won the team a pretty insane number of points last season. Fast and clinical, he just tears apart the (even) more disorganized defenses of the more mediocre teams. Absolutely deadly on the counter and very much a fan-favorite. He also bleeds the club's colors. He could've easily signed for a better team after the season he had, but he opted to stay to help them stay afloat and build on their top-flight experience. He will be joined in his goalscoring efforts by Yüló Tór, who stole Jërlê's starting spot last season after a poor run of form the veteran striker. Yüló's also fast and relatively clinical, but much less so than Röbé.

Last season was a bit of a fluke, but they showed that they can stay afloat. Lüírölé is a capable manager that will only turn this squad into a better one this season. However, I can't predict them to do as well as last time around. I think predicting a fifteenth-place finish would be more than fair to them. I expect them to have to worry about relegation at least a little bit.

Prostran I Forzuda

Nickname: the Savages
Stadium: Bojno Polje (40,000)
Location: Prostran, Karuvis
Honors: None
Manager: Miodrag Debeljak
Last Season: 13th
Prediction: 12th

STARTING XI

GK  Milos Lucic
LB  Radomir Matijevic
CB  Viktor Bacic
RB  Jugoslav Radonjic
LM  Veceslav Duvnjak
CM  Vidosav Ozanic
CM  Gordan Kolar
RM  Domagoj Zasadic
OM  Ratimir Peric
ST  Bratoljub Mihaljevic
ST  Ljuba Nikic (C)

Prostran I Forzuda has one of the biggest followings in the league. The entire state of Karuvis has their back. And they have Karuvis' back, too: they have, throughout their history, only fielded Karuvan players. Although this severely limits the team's ceiling, it does instill a very distinct sense of nationalism in the club's players. Karuvans may not be as talented as Rulandese, Faroleran, Szoirsian and Ferdullaelan players, but they're still good and far more passionate than all those together, only excluding the Rulandese. Their thirteenth-place finish last season came as a big surprise, as most people expected them to go down. Miodrag Debeljak's job has never been safer after such a season. If the team performs like last season, they won't even have to think about relegation. With this apparent turn of the tide for Prostran, it might be time to look towards building on what they currently have. With a few key players from outside Karuvis here and there, they could turn into a very good team in this league. However, this is unlikely to happen, because the board members are a bit too set in their ways.

Milos Lucic was surprisingly good in his first season playing at the highest level. The young man is certainly one for the future. The most enthusiastic fans are actually beginning to ask if he could one day feature for the national team. He's got his entire career ahead of him and he's showing promise, so who knows? Leftback Radomir Matijevic is a defensive liability. He has sharpened his offensive skillset, but he's probably still not good enough to play in the top flight. Things like these are bound to happen when you severely restrict your player pool. Rightback Jugoslav Radonjic truly shone last season. It is said he got many enticing offers from bigger clubs, but the youngster opted to stay at the club he supports in a bid to further his development. He's very good on the attack and not too shabby no defense, a truly ideal Farf fullback in that sense. Viktor Bacic proved he was very much capable of performing in the top flight, something many, including me, doubted wholeheartedly. He's cemented himself as one of the best Farf centrebacks in the market.

Vidosav Ozanic is a playmaker with considerable talent. He also knows how to defend, so he's a very solid choice in midfield. Gordan Kolar has replaced Lovro Matijevic after the latter had an abysmal season. Gordan, much like Radomir, is a destroyed. He won't misplace too many passes, but playmaking is Ozanic's thing. Gordan just runs, tackles, gets carded and, on occasion, recovers the ball. Sometimes, a player like Gordan comes in handy. The wingers were no doubt the worst players in the team last season, so they have been swiftly replaced. Signed off rivals Vetar Trg, Veceslav Duvnjak and Domagoj Zadasic will have to win the fans' hearts over with hard work. They've got the talent, no doubt, but they'll have to make good use of it. Veceslav is pacey and helps out defensively, but Domagoj's got a lot more flair. They're definitely an improvement over Mladen and Perica, that's unquestionable. Ratimir Peric showed he can shoulder the responsibility of creating most of the team's chances just fine last season. He's got a sharp eye for defensive holes and a left foot that can make good use of it.

Bratoljub Mihaljevic's pace proved very important last season. Peric is very good at setting him up. The better striker of the two is captain Ljuba Nikic, however. The target man is one of the biggest aerial threats of the league. With the new signings on the wings and Radonjic now given more offensive liberties, it is expected he will once again make the difference for the Savages. With the team's offensive options now more varied, you should expect others to have a harder time containing these two.

After last season, it's clear this team's talent and passion can be underestimated if one is not careful. They've improved and morale is now higher than at the beginning of last season. I'll go ahead and be bold: I predict they'll manage to finish twelfth. This could very well be the team's best-ever finish. I can't be bothered to check, in all honesty.

Avenida Principal

Nickname: the Knights
Stadium: La Gran Avenida (80,000)
Location: Victoria Lago, Puerto
Farolero
Honors: 3 FFLs, 1 AOCL, 1 GC
Manager: Héctor Elizalde
Last Season: 14th
Prediction: 8th

STARTING XI

GK  Miguel Signore
LB  Andrés Infante
CB  Rainyardil Toraandal
CB  Bui Wearne
RB  Thomas Hancock
LM  Lázaro Trinidad
CM  Fernando Chávez
CM  Candace Rivers
RM  Renato Capion (C)
ST  Alfredo Pino
ST  Kândé Üjíkân

Even though Kaé Dandofogué was a fan-favorite because of his time as a player, he just had to be sacked after last season. The team was unlucky to finish fourteenth, but fourteenth place is still absolutely unacceptable for the Knights. Avenida Principal's rebuilding phase has now turned into a process of destruction, apparently. They still invest in new players here and there, as well as in their academy, but things just don't look like they'll ever go back to "normal". It's just hard to think of the third-most successful club in Farfadillis when you look at this team. They've got plenty of foreigners in their team, as always, but nowadays that does not give them an edge, it merely makes them seem to lack a defined identity. This is a club that needs some soulsearching, as ridiculous as that makes me sound.

Miguel Signore in goal does a fine job. Avenida Principal's woes last season were not his fault. He's got good reflexes and great timing for leaving the box. With his heights, it will be hard to score against him on a corner. He seems to catch almost every decent cross. Leftback Andrés Infante has been very prone to mistakes lately, but when in form he is the best defensive Farf fullback in the league. There aren't many, but he is good enough to be the best among them. Rightback Thomas Hancock's an ex-international for Eura, which says enough about his talent. Sure, he stopped getting called up because he stopped being good enough, but we're asking him to be a good defensive fullback in the Farf league, the bar isn't exactly high. Bui Wearne and Rainyardil Toraandal form the best centreback partnership in the league, and also one of the only ones. They're both very traditional centrebacks, which naturally makes them stand out in a league like this.

The Knights' midfield is a bit more modest. But the thing is there are two faces to it: the left side and the right side. On the left side, Lázaro Trinidad is a youth product had to wait until the age of twenty-six to finally break through, and he only broke through because of Iñaki Ibarra's sudden retirement just as the transfer window ended. Nobody knows why he did that. In centre midfield, a bit to the left, Fernando Chávez. The youngster should mature soon into a good midfielder. But he hasn't yet, so he's not exactly super good. We're talking about Avenida Principal's standards, obviously. He'd probably do fine in a lower-midtable team. The other centre midfielder is Candace Rivers, who is one of the best players Avenida Principal has in its ranks nowadays. The Equestrian non-equestrian has turned into the main source creativity for the team, but she also puts in her defensive shift. On the right flank, Sameban international Renato Capion has been handed the captain's armband following Iñaki's retirement. His extensive experience in the league, as well as his evident talent, have made him the obvious choice. His speed, dribbling and crossing ability will be instrumental in the Knights' offensive efforts.

Up front, academy product Alfredo Pino has replaced Carlos Escamilla after the latter's woeful season in front of goal. Alfredo may have been thrown into the fray at far too young an age, but the eighteen-year-old is expected to perform nonetheless, as one of the most exciting prospects to come out of the academy in the last decade. No pressure, kid! Kândé Üjíkân failed to impress last season. Maybe there was a reason Mâ Âlâmëómë shipped him off despite their strikers not being good by their standards. Nonetheless, he scored some goals here and there and showed enough potential to stay around for one more season. We're a forgiving bunch here in Farfadillis.

This is a sinking ship, one that sinks very slowly, but a sinking ship nonetheless. If the board doesn't get smart in the next few years, we could see them become a lower-midtable team. For now, though, they've got the quality for an upper-midtable finish. They might challenge for UICA spots if they hit the ground running. I think they'll finish eighth. Everything's now in Héctor Elizalde's hopefully capable hands. He might be one of the board's first truly smart decisions in years.

René Skaé

Nickname: the Colonels
Stadium: Estadio Gran René
Skaé (30,000)
Location: René Skaé, Szoirsia
Honors: None
Manager: Florian Zsorgas
Last Season: 15th
Prediction: 10th

STARTING XI

GK  Simon-Pierre Virtanen
LB  Jê Leâl
CB  Jakab Laborc
RB  Fred Székely
LM  Naim Sas
CM  Temel Thayer
CM  Gauthier Kedves
RM  Cu Roi Garrard
OM  Faragó rue Cazade
ST  Gloire-Honore Mvouba
ST  Archard Rigozsoldos (C)

The former René Skaé Colonels have done away with the Colonels part of their name and gotten a flashy new crest that is... pretty hard to understand. The reasoning from the board was that they're no longer just the Colonels from René Skaé. Now virtually everyone in the city follows the team. They are René Skaé. However, using that same line of reasoning, they should probably rename themselves Szoirsia, because their following is massive in the entire state. René Skaé have been producing lots of talented footballers lately, like Lázár Eleonóra, Kósa Bajnok and Zsolgar Zsase, all possible NTers. If they continue churning out young talent like this, you'll inevitably see them climb the ranks of the FFL. However, last season was a huge setback. The team failed to click, and Florian's time at the helm will be coming to an end very soon if he doesn't turn things around and soon.

Simon-Pierre Virtanen in goal is solid. He is not the next best thing, or even remotely NT-calibre, but he's still pretty good by the league's standards. With Kósa Bajnok shipped off to Nephara, Florian Zsorgas will have to fill quite the void in defense. The truth is, Kósa was one of the best centerbacks in the league and the best player in the team. His replacement is academy product Jakab Laborc, who's not even half the player. He'll have to adapt quickly to the league because the league won't adapt to him. Fullbacks Jê Leâl and Fred Székely like to bomb forward often, so he'll have his work cut out for him. Bajnok managed just fine, but Laborc probably won't. The signing of Jê Leâl to replace Markus Paternoster has been met with cautious optimism from the fans. Jê is without a doubt the better player, but Rulandese players have a hard time adapting to other parts of Farfadillis these days, for obvious reasons. Still, if he performs like he did at Rülândéá Kôstä, he will find adaptation to Szoirsia to be very easy.

You'll have a hard time finding any two players that bleed the club's colors' like Temel Thayer and Gauthier Kedves. They are not good at dribbling or passing. Their passes are simple, per Florian's orders. However, they run like madmen and recover the ball very often. In a league filled with teams that aspire to make football an exciting affair that's easy on the eye, René Skaé's center midfield stands out for doing the exact opposite. They're good players, just different. Naim Sas is extremely fast and has a knack for the unexpected. He has been moved from the right flank to the left, after Denis Kardos proved that he was a bit too old for the league with his performances last season, thus being relegated to the bench. Naim is young and, maybe as a result of that, very temperamental, which is his biggest shortcoming. On the right wing, Cu Roi Garrard is the Colonels' biggest signing in the club's history. If not, he's only behind Mvouba. The Brenecian right winger will be expected to contribute in both defense and attack. He is unlike Naim in that he doesn't really have a knack for the unexpected. A much more traditional winger, if you will. Also a much better one. Finally, replacing Zsolgar Zsase, who signed for Mâ Âlâmëómë after his breakout season, we have Faragó rue Cazade. The seventeen-year-old will be the youngest starter this season. He's been called both "the next Lázár Eleonóra" and "much better than that snake Zsase." An offensive midfielder that scores very often, rue Cazade can also play on the left wing and as a striker. Unlike previous René Skaé young talents, though, Faragó has gone on record saying he wishes to stay at René Skaé for the foreseeable future, due to his undying passion for the team. He looks set to become a fan favorite. Let's just hope the fans don't place too much pressure on a player who appears very likely to become key for the national team in the future.

Gloire-Honore Mvouba was the team's second-best player last season, only behind "that snake Zsase". He also caused basically no problems in the dressing room, but some still believe he is a ticking time bomb. Hopefully, a time bomb worth it for his contribution up front. Captain and club legend Archard Rigozsoldos is old, yeah, and he may have had a pretty bad season last time around, but he is pure goalscoring quality. He is unlikely to have another season like this past one.

I believe last season was a bit of a fluke. They've got a talented squad with some bright young talent and key players in important positions considering Florian's gameplan. I don't want to be too optimistic, however, so I'll predict tenth place for them. They could do worse, as they showed last season, but they could also do better if you look at players like Garrard, Mvouba, Rigozsoldos and - why not? - rue Cazade.

Madorre De Fuego

Nickname: Madorre
Stadium: Gre Insendié (35,000)
Location: Nirtarrhe, Ferdullaele
Honors: None
Manager: Gormen Tulfasá
Last Season: 16th
Prediction: 17th

STARTING XI

GK  Úrujan der Nené
LB  Loisé Surugardé
CB  Gundes Donders
RB  Onogio Dilagaelle
LM  Yraúj de Sájajo
CM  Ger Resuisa (C)
CM  Tuy Xórtafe
RM  Manuy Águalínea
OM  Fabrifé Kanamó
ST  Hu Fer Notan'Asione
ST  Huy Guado

Madorre De Fuego fans will be biting their nails this season: their showing last season saw them steer clear of relegation by a meager two points. The truth is, hard times are ahead for them. Their team is not looking as good as in past seasons, and things really don't look on the way up. They'll have trouble avoiding the drop once again. Turús Monsó has been sacked after scoring a pathetic 55 goals last season. His replacement, Gormen Tulfasá, is very inexperienced. This is his first top flight job. He'll have a very troublesome dressing room in his hands, a lot of young talent combined with old non-talent that thinks itself to be talent and criplling club finances that make even travelling to away games a daunting task. Good luck, Gormen! You. Will. Need it.

Úrujan der Nené proved that the club made no mistake in picking him up off the streets, even though he's a goalkeeper. As rare a sight as he may be, at just twenty years of age he commanded the defense just fine and was one of the silver linings of last season. He's leaving the club soon, surely. He might be the most valuable player in this squad in terms of money. The rest of the defense has been overhauled. This is not because they played badly. On the contrary, their defense was actually fairly good. It's just the three defenders were all very old and with the change of manager came a change of the guard. This has turned Madorre's defense into the youngest in the league by a huge margin because Gormen has opted to promoted three players from the academy. Loisé Surugardé is a leftback with tons of pace and a physique that makes him hit like a truck when tackling. He likes to bomb forward pretty often, and has got an impressive workrate (and the endurance to go with it). Now, if only he was any good at bombing forward... On the right flank, Onogio Diligaelle is less pacey and, consequently, much more conservative in his approach. A more standard fullback, if you will. Centreback Gundes Donders is not good with the ball, but he compensates that by being good at reading the game. His tackling is very good, too. This defense is very inexperienced, so it will inevitably suffer, but it's looking decently talented. Madorre fans will be hoping not to go down, but doubly so because it could mean the entire defense leaving for greener pastures.

The midfield let everyone down last season. While on paper it looked like it could help the team achieve a respectable mid-table finish, severe infighting prevented that. Yraúj de Sájajo has pace, flair and scores... both goals and his ex-manager's wife. On the opposite flank, Manuy Águalínea, is not quite as good at football. Still reasonably good, and also better at scoring his ex-manager's wife. No wonder Turús lost control of the dressing room... Manuy also steals from his teammates, which cause distress. Tuy Xórtafe is very talented on the ball and a stalwart in midfield, too. His particular infidelity incident is in the past now, because it happened two seasons ago and two new scandals have occurred since. Ger Resuisa is a slight upgrade on Tuy, both on the pitch and off it. He has been given the captains armband precisely because he is not a complete idiot. Fabrifé Kanamó is very well-behaved, but not very good. He does provide some assists here and there and occasionally score, but having an offensive midfielder that is not worthy of top flight football hampers Madorre's offensive output considerably. This midfield has got talent, but it's one big mess. I hate repeating myself, but seriously: Good luck, Gorme.

After Wilker Delgadié scored a measly five goals last season, Gorme has opted for seventeen-year-old Hu Fer Notan'Sione in his stead. The youngster has been thrust into first team football way too soon, and will suffer as a consequence. He's got pace and the talent to exploit it, but it remains to be seen whether the FFL proves far too much for this frankly very much unproven teenager. His partner, Huy Guado, won't be stealing the headlines, but he does score with a certain consistency. He is a true goal poacher.

This dressing room just can't survive for much longer. However, it can survive for another season. Their defense looks like it could prove fantastic with some luck, and the truth is the midfield can be pretty good on those days when there isn't infighting. If Gorme steers them in the right direction, this squad could stop screwing everything up. I'll be optimistic and predict them to barely scrape by in seventeenth place.

Ferdullaele

Nickname: the Goats
Stadium: Gre Surisó (40,000)
Location: Ferdullaele,
Ferdullaele
Honors: 2 FFLs
Manager: Dolé Somango
Last Season: 17th
Prediction: 18th

STARTING XI

GK  Toroé Skakú
LB  Durguy Somamé
CB  Marz Saú (C)
RB  Sosiné Escasé
DM  Goasé der Flaé
LM  Orchid Bascliff
CM  Lounoi Granagua
RM  Loíc Kímé
OM  Osoé Ranco
ST  Ander Manta
ST  Friekder Santa

Anyone with an ounce of knowledge of the history of the league knows just how big Ferdullaele were... once upon a time. With those times now long gone, Ferdullaele are now aiming to stay in the top flight for as long as possible. They barely scraped by last season. Like, big time. They only stayed afloat thanks to a bureaucratic oversight. As incometent as the FFFF is, they were still very lucky. Had the FFFF not gotten the tiebreakers confused, they would've been relegated. They conceded over one hundred goals last season. Not everythinig is so bleak, however. Avoiding relegation is a realistic goal that they will surely achieve if a few things go their way.

Ferdullaele's defense, as mentioned, was in absolute shambles last season. Agundí Skakú proved completely inept in goal. Somango has replaced him in very dramatic fashion: by promoting his younger brother to the first team. Ferdullaele fans will be crossing their fingers in hope that it will help Toroé Skakú be a better player than his brother. Loé Uficiale has also been replaced after a dismal season. In his place will be playing Durguy Somamé, a player scouted off amateur football. Stranger things than an amateur footballer performing well have happened in the Farf top flight. Sosiné Escasé proved rather valuable in attack, which is probably the only reason why he has managed to hang onto his starting spot. That could very easily change if he continues to make so many mistakes, however. Captain Marz Saú was very good last season, even if his defense did concede so many goal. He's a very traditional defender, in the non-Farf sense, as well as a fantastic captain. If Toroé Skaku and Durguy Somamé prove to be good replacements, this defense could actually turn out to be good enough to score a number of goals that is merely in the double-digits.

For a player solely dedicated to defending, Goasé der Flaé's defensive performances definitely left something to be desired. His offensive contributions are not essentially non-existent. They are non-existent. Somango's fixation with playing a "true destroyer" could very well cost him the job if Goasé doesn't begin performing and soon. Definitely one of the weakest links of the team. Lounoi Granagua did a pretty good job as the team's source of creativity last season. He helps Goasé, and chances are he will do it much more this season. He's got the workrate for it. Durguy Litoralé only had his pace going for him. His performances were abysmal. As a result, the Goats have looked towards Nephara for a replacement, for no evident reason. As a result, Orchid Bascliff will be their shiny new signing, playing on the left wing. Less pacey than Litoralé, but also a lot more talented. As a Nepharim, Orchid is also relevant defensively. The same couldn't be said of Durguy. Loíc Kímé helps in defense and has got some ability. If he had Litoralé's pace, he'd probably get signed by some top team, but that's not the case. He's still a pretty good player, specially by Ferdullaele's standards. Osoé Ranco showed a lot of talent last season, but he also showed a worrying fixation on scoring goals by himself. If he added more passes to his game he could easily sign for a better team. Somango can still rein him in, but it will be hard. The midfield will likely make or break Ferdullaele's season. If players like der Flaé and Ranco perform as expected of them they could very well end up mid-table. If they don't, they'll sink.

Ander Manta and Friekder Santa share an understanding of each other, as their similar surnames hints. They're not individually talented, at least not particularly so. They are, however, pretty good when together. An injury to either of them would put Ferdullaele in a very tight position. They'll score quite a bit, Ferdullaele fans are probably not worrying about their strikeforce. It's good enough to stay up, no doubt.

After last season, it's hard to predict Ferdullaele staying up. They have tried to replace the weakest links, that's true, but I'm not convinced they've done a good job. I think they will put up a fight but ultimately get relegated. Eighteenth place is my prediction.

Frion Libertas

Nickname: the Wanderers
Stadium: Maximilian Krause
Stadium (10,000)
Location: Krauseborg, Frion
Honors: None
Manager: Jesper Gregersen
Last Season: FFL2 Champions
Prediction: 16th

STARTING XI

GK  Julius Madsen
LB  Yousef Sundberg
CB  Hugo Gustavsson (C)
CB  Josef Sandström
RB  Elias Hansen
LM  Tuomas Ketterer
CM  Sakari Hakola
CM  Tobias Sandvik
RM  Gcobani Opulukwa
ST  Mattiesko Kaurismäki
ST  Konsta Kuparinen

Say hello to Frion Libertas, who are almost-newcomers to the FFL! They're not exactly new - they had a brief stint in the league in Season 25 - but none of the players from five seasons ago have stayed. This is a brand-new team consisting of players recruited from all around the state of Frion, except for the very city of Frion. This means two things. One, this is a team of many young players with little experience in football, but that didn't seem to stop them from winning the second tier last season. Two, their names don't have even a pinch of Ferdullaelan in it. Indeed, they sound like they're Polarian or something. Except for one player, who comes from a town of Banijan diaspora. Either way, Frion Libertas is certainly an interesting new addition to the FFL. It's hard to know what to expect from them.

In defense, Julius Madsen is a madman, as his name suggests if you stretch things a little bit. He's super aggressive at leaving the goal line and tends to go all-out to stop crosses. He's got very good reflexes and is pretty tall. He was by far the best goalkeeper of the FFL2 last season. He will now want to prove himself in the first tier. Leftback Yousef Sundberg seems to have grown up completely isolated from Farfadillis, footballistically-speaking, since he rarely ever joins the attack, but he defends pretty well. Rightback Elias Hansen is similarly defensive, but he does occasionally take a few risks and join the push for goals. Frion Libertas will feature two centrebacks, not one. There's a reason they only conceded just one goal over one goal a game last season... Captain Hugo Gustavsson is absolutely massive in terms of physique. Extremely tall, extremely bulky, extremely slow... He does know how to read the game, though, and he's a great captain. He's the only relatively old player in the team at the age of twenty-eight. His partner in defense will be Josef Sandström, who is diminutive compared to him. Indeed, Josef is pretty short for a centreback, but he compensates that with a lot of speed. Josef and Hugo complement each other. Overall, this defense is probably FFL-quality. Might even be above-average, but we'll have to see that for ourselves.

Left midfielder Tuomas Ketterer has not got as much pace as most other wingers in the league, but he does have a lot more unpolished skill. He overdribbles a lot, but with good guidance, he could turn into a very interesting talent. On the opposite flank, we have Gcobani Opulukwa, the only player in the starting eleven who wasn't around last season. He comes from a small, secluded village which Banijan diaspora have made their home. He's super young at seventeen, and very little is known about him. He's extremely fast and seems to be adept both defensively and offensively. He's definitely a player other teams might be looking to snap up if the team gets relegated. In centre midfielder, Sakari Hakola is the playmaker. He's the one responsible for dictating the team's tempo. This doesn't mean that he does not put in his defensive shift, though. Tobias Sandvik is lazier, but he's got more of a surprise factor. He doesn't defend as much, but he has a tendency to launch forward and create something out of nothing. Overall a pretty standard midfield. If Ketterer and Sandvik play more defensively than they did in the FFL2 and Opulukwa turns out to be a real talent, we could see this midfield meeting the FFL's standards comfortably, even if they might end up being overly-defensive.

Up front, Frion Libertas' striker partnership was extraordinarily prolific last season, scoring basically all of their goals. Both players are very good and, very importantly, they understand each other very well. They've both got similar playing styles. Mattiesko Kaurismäki is a fast, clinical striker with very good dribbling. Konsta Kuparinen is also fast and clinical, but his dribbling's a bit worse and his positioning a bit better. They're both pretty good in the air, but also not extraordinary. This frontline is probably the Wanderer's forté.

All in all, I think this team, unproven as it is, has what it takes to stay afloat. It will be a hard task, but they're relatively solid in all areas and, while their defensive football might disgust most of us, there's no denying they've got a very solid tactical plan for this season. That plan can be summed up as follows: "Actually Defend". I know, truly outrageous, but it is what it is. I think they'll finish sixteenth.

Ñandfe

Nickname: the Rheas
Stadium: Parké Fonisá Laurarrhé
(8,000)
Location: Ferdullaele,
Ferdullaele
Honors: None
Manager: Yintíñoin Redfaer
Last Season: FFL2 Runners-up
Prediction: 19th

STARTING XI

GK  Friekder Goldaelle
LB  Gundai Kiskiero (C)
CB  Fabián Collado
RB  Tômâás Wíndèvôs
LM  Xavier Ontiveros
CM  Rüí Wíngne
CM  Óscar Otero
CM  Sâálvó Dòrrò
RM  Ferger Dandarusisé
ST  Solanó Martiné
ST  Ôskâr Gôrsôaná

Ñandfe are a familiar face in Farf football. They're not quite a yo-yo club because they stay in the second tier a lot more than they stay in the first tier, but they're close to being one. They're like that uncle that lives far away, makes a visit every now and then, stays for a fortnight, then leaves. This time around, however, the uncle has sold his soul to the Devil. While Ñandfe are a Ferdullaele-based club, they have done away with the whole culture of local football in Farfadillis. Most Farf teams recruit players from their state (sometimes just from their city and thereabouts), adding the occasional sprinkle of out-of-state talent. Ñandfe have been completely ignoring that unwritten rule for a few years now, and it has yielded results. Every traditionalist will be wanting to see them crash and burn, lest they change the way things are done in this country. They have recruited a lot of Rulandese and Faroleran players, which many view as basically cheating. With so many Ferdullaele-based club, however, some people view them sympathetically. The Ferdullaele talent pool isn't that deep, to begin with, and Ñandfe would usually have to compete with a lot of teams for players from it.

In defense, Friekder Goldaelle is one of the few Ferdullaelans in the squad. Incidentally, he's been playing for Ñandfe since before they started committing their sins. He's quite good, to the point he makes one question whether Ñandfe could've gotten by with just Ferdullaelan players. Captain Gundai Kiskiero is also a Ferdullaelan player from the times when Farves liked the Rheas. He bleeds black and white and has an extraordinary workrate despite his age, but is not entirely good at the whole playing football part of the sport. He does try, though. On the opposite flank, we have young Rulandese talent Tômâás Wíndèvôs. Offered a way out of poverty, Tômâás didn't have to think twice before signing for Ñandfe after failing his trials for the Rulandese clubs. He's a very talented rightback with explosive pace and very good dribbling. Don't ask him to defend, though. Centreback Fabián Collado was picked up off the streets of Puerto Farolero. They are admittedly far more tame than the Rulandese streets, but Fabián's upbringing still shows in his way of playing football. He's got a very short temper and is very dirty. He also knows how to dribble, despite his huge frame.

Left midfielder Xavier Ontiveros was probably the FFL2's best winger last season. With pace, dribbling and crossing ability, he's very much above-average in every aspect of the game. He and Rüí Wíngne are the best and most important players of the team. Speaking of Rüí, he is an extremely capable playmaker with a knack for bombing forward from centre midfield, but he also defends quite well. It's a shame that he was only discovered at the age of twenty-five. Who knows what could've been of him if he'd been discovered sooner? His existence does beg the question of how many wasted talents currently find themselves undiscovered amidst Rulandese poverty. Óscar Otero is a Faroleran centre midfielder that is very good at passing the ball, but bad at dribbling and defending. Sâálvó Dòrrò runs like a madman and gets carded often for his efforts, but is very rough around the edges when it comes to passing and dribbling. Right midfielder Ferger Dandarusisé's a young talent picked up from the city of Ferdullaele itself. He is viewed as Ñandfe's last remnant of dignity. He is not very good, in all honesty.

Up front, Solanó Martiné is also one of the veterans. He hasn't got any pace, but he's a great poacher. He's got good positioning going for him and not much else. This was sufficient for him to score his fair share in the second tier, but it won't be enough in the FFL. His partner, Ôskâr Gôrsôaná, is largely unknown. He has been signed for this season and nobody has seen him play yet. He's a young talented Rulandese, that's pretty much all we know.

Overall, I think this team has what it takes to stay afloat. But I want to see them burn to the ground. I want to see Parké Fonisá Laurarrhé going down in flames. I want to see their fans crying, even the kids. For that reason, I predict they'll finish nineteenth and get relegated. Because I want to believe it. Scum.

Tifón De La Costa

Nickname: the Typhoon
Stadium: Ojo de la Tormenta (15,000)
Location: Eterna, Puerto Farolero
Honors: None
Manager: Pablo Fuego
Last Season: FFL2 3rd
Prediction: 20th

STARTING XI

GK  Antonio Vallejo
LB  Tomás Maya
CB  Fernando Loera
RB  Abel Romero
LM  Felipe Solano
CM  Abel Guevara
CM  Cornelio Nová (C)
RM  Rojo Saucedo
OM  Omar Centeno
ST  Miguel Laureano
ST  Ricardo Tejeda

Just like Ñandfe, Tifón De La Costa are like a distant uncle. But while Ñandfe is that uncle everybody in the family pretends to like, but they actually secretly dislike him heavily, Tifón are the friendly uncle that brings presents and everybody loves. Yes, they rarely ever stay on the top flight for more than two seasons, and they usually take some time to return to the top flight, but they always bring attractive football to the league and a team of locals. Every neutral finds themselves kind of rooting for them. They're, in all honesty, the worst team in the league. But that will make their season all the more exciting if they manage to stay afloat, right? As a side note, it's worth mentioning that they were in danger of getting relegated to the third tier up until the last matchday last season. Because of how relegation works in the FFL2, three out of the four southern clubs has to get relegated, and they battled against Vetar Trg tooth and nail to avoid relegation. They ended up getting barely promoted instead. Yet another demonstration of how the south is better at football than the north.

Goalkeeper Antonio Vallejo is... quite leaky, in all honesty. He is tall, which helps, but his reflexes are not FFL-worthy. Leftback Tomás Maya is extremely pacey and has an impressive workrate. He isn't super talented but he might attract the attention of other clubs once the Typhoon sadly and inevitably gets relegated. Centreback Fernando Loera is also pretty pacey. He is a big aerial threat, but his tackling's often mistimed, which results in many red cards for him. Rightback Abel Romero likes to bomb forward often, for better or worse. In the FFL2, it was for better. In the FFL, it will be for worse. Overall, this is a very leaky defense that will have a few teams guarding against it because of its offensive capabilities. The better teams like Mâ Âlâmëómë and Avenida Leal will go wild against it.

In centre midfield, Abel Guevara is a very aggressive left-footed player who has a knack for creating conflict out of thin air. He's got unrivaled charisma, which makes him the de facto captain of the team. His partner in centre midfield is the actual captain, Apoxian Cornelio Nová, who is also half-Farf. He is the only player still around from Tifón's last stint in the FFL. His passing isn't that good, but he is a very good dribbler and he joins the attack very well. Left midfielder Felipe Solano is wholly uninteresting. Not that pacey, not that good at dribbling or defending... possibly one of the worst players in the league. He looked slightly out of place in the FFL2, I can only shudder thinking what will be of him in the FFL. But it's hard to find replacements for him when scouting only players born in Eterna. Right midfielder Rojo Saucedo is much pacier and offensively-skilled, but don't expect him to set the league alight. Offensive midfielder Omar Centeno will be the focus of most attacks. He is very good at creating chances, but you'd be hard-pressed to find footage of him running at full speed.

Up front, MIguel Laureano is the typical target-man. Tall and slow, but bulky and with great control of the ball. He doesn't score all that much, but he does set up his teammate Ricardo Tejeda pretty often. Tejeda is pacey. His finishing decent. Tejeda will, as a result, score most of the team's goals. This is not a strikeforce to write home about, if we're being honest.

A team managed by its biggest club legend, Pablo Fuego. All players born in the club's tiny home city. They play a very entertaining brand of football. I really, really, really want them to stay. But I've gotta be a realist here. They're gonna sink like the Titanic would've sunk if it had actually existed in this universe. They'll finish twentieth.

by **Farfadillis** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 6:56 pm

Season 30

Season Roundup

The title race was very close once again this year. However, it ended as it most often does: with Mâ Âlâmëómë coming out on top. The Rulandese club saw all of their signings bring something new to the table. They barely even missed players like Fôrté Wínrôuge, Lüí Wçêíl and Eoin Killanen. They weren't stupidly dominating, but they were no doubt the best team in the league. Their best player - and the best player in the league - was Schottic Camila Soria Luna. She was the second best playmaker in the league and scored a whopping 34 goals. Did she properly replace Fôrté Wínrôuge? The answer is not a resounding yes, but it is still a yes. She had a season that would've made Fôrté feel more than content with himself. The second best player in the league was her teammate Konrad Gosforth, incidentally the only player who was better at creating chances. The Nepharim midfielder did not steal the headlines as often, but he was the heart and soul of the midfield. This has been his best season yet, or at least it has come close. On the wings, two of the new signings also consistently helped destroy opposing defenses. Euran Anthony Townsend had a better debút season than he could've imagined. He now holds a very curious record: he is the only player to have scored against all of the other teams in a single season. He scored "just" 26, but still managed to score at least once against all of the 19 teams he faced. Incredible consistency is what I call that. Xi Xe was more inconsistent, often accumulating many goals in some matches then becoming a ghost in some others, but she still amassed 29 goals and 23 assists. Seven of those goals came in the match the Greens won 11-5 against poor Lasupi. New signing Zsolgar Zsase had an absolutely commanding presence in midfield, offensively-speaking. He had lots of trouble adapting to the team off-the-pitch, but he was worth every cent spent on him. Leftback Bacary Na'Kale once again scored far too many goals for someone playing in his position, but he took on a more defensive role after La Dorotea's departure. He was fantastic at that, too. Süns Söh was very solid in defense. Strikers Fvêt Rôwé and Nârâü Hüý scored a lot, but they might not have justified a place in the starting eleven for next season. Overall, a fantastic season for the Greens, if you forget about international football. A well-deserved twelfth title for them.

In second place, Dí Maozöxê had one of their best seasons to date. They came out on top on every game in one regard: possession. They played a possession-based game this season, and it almost paid off to the point of winning the league. They didn't have any player performing to the point of excellence, unlike Mâ Âlâmëómë. However, a few players do deserve a mention for their exploits. Pasargan goalscorer Taj Zayn Bazzi did what he does best: score goals. He scored 36 of those. He was helped by a very talented midfield, yes, but he was extremely deadly in front of goal nonetheless. The other player that stood above the others a bit was young talent Vínseslâdís Wìjìnì. Everybody had watched him tear defenses apart playing for the Coast last season, but nobody expected him to play at this level at such a young age. He constantly switched positions, confusing defenders, and created most of the goals Bazzi scored. He also scored 20 himself, which is not shabby at all. Goalkeeper Íüé Tgô confirmed week-in-week-out that he is the best in the league at his job. Drì Lsôs had another season in which he fully displayed all of his talent. A call-up is looking inevitable at this point. Watch out for this team if they ever get their hands on some good foreign talent, because they'll become unstoppable with Dürs at the helm.

Avenida Leal were the worst of the three teams that were clearly a cut above the rest. Understandably, their desire came up a bit short at times, which cost them some valuable points. They played very well nonetheless and, while it was a disappointing season overall, they needn't worry about the future: Constantino Martínez is a man they can trust. Striker Nevaeh Cathar was the league's top scorer, netting 37, exactly one goal a game. Yes, having a very dominant midfield helped, but the Nepharim striker is likely the best in the league. While that is flattering, it's not as flattering as it might sound: the league is currently lacking in strikers of pedigree. This is a league where midfielders flourish, apparently. Ace Newman scored a respectable 28, which is quite a lot at his age. Ruy Monrazón was a stalwart in midfield and showed no signs of decline. Trenn Rien was a bit worse than last season, but still very much a key player. Fluctuations in form are to be expected. Avenida Leal missed Rowena Strongbow, that's for sure, but her Buyanese replacement, Carl Nyberg, terrorized defenses. Not as much as she used to, but Carl did a very good job. What probably went wrong for the Loyals this season was that, besides no longer having their best player, they no longer had Ostadar Arambilet to push them forward. Ostadar was a bit of a prick, but he was great at leading by example, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a player that loved winning nearly as much as him.

La Nueva Avenida came in fourth once again. There's little doubt that they are the fourth-best team in the league... for whatever that's worth. New signing Nora Kirkhus was their best player. Her pace, dribbling and finishing were top-notch. She netted 23 goals and assisted another 17. Most of the Vanorian's assists were goals scored by Rubén Cuervo, who had his best season yet. He scored 32 goals, more than he ever had before. Nahuel Loscampos and Enrique Delrío once again were a formidable duo that struck fear in the hearts of opposing defenses. 26 assists apiece, not too bad. Winger Roberto Milanoa played very well, too, though Nora did ecplise him a bit. He was also very helpful in defense, so his 15 goals and 15 assists don't tell the whole story. Captain Thajan Jaros wasn't as decisive as usual. Probably a result of aging.

I expected René Skaé to fare much better than in the previous season. I predicted them to finish tenth instead of fifteenth. I didn't expect them to finish fifth. The team played some very attractive football and got over a bad streak at the beginning of the season that made them look like relegation contenders. Losing five in a row is a tough blow for anyone. It's funny how they would've only finished one place higher if they'd won those five games, though. It shows just how far ahead the top three are. Anyway, René Skaé's best player was Faragó rue Cazade, the second-youngest starter in the league, incidentally. The seventeen-year-old made sure the Colonels missed Zsolgar Zsase very little, bagging 21 goals and assisting 20. He was remarkably composed for a player of his age. While every Farf club would die to sign him - yes, even Mâ Âlâmëómë would make a place for him - he has announced he will be staying at René Skaé for the foreseeable future, to help them become a team that fights for the title. A funny thought for sure, a product of a young kid's idealism, but it's still good news for René Skaé. New signing Cu Roi Garrard was very special on the wing, too. Maybe even better than Faragó, but the kid stole the headlines because of his age. Gloire-Honore Mvouba and Archard Rigozsoldos scored in the most important moments. They didn't score many, but the team's final position speaks for itself: they finished fifth despite having a negative goal difference. That means the strikers turned up when they were most needed.

Rülândéá Kôstä will be very upset to have missed out on a UICA spot because the FFFF decided to double down on their tiebreaker mistake from last season. Berrëngüé Lé Méjî may not be Wìjìnì, but he still replaced him well. A very versatile player capable of terrorizing any defense on a good day. Süy Fürgààn was, unsurprisingly, their top goalscorer. He scored 26, a personal record. They probably deserved to finish above the Colonels, especially if you look at their goal difference, but they failed to cling onto some important leads throughout the season. Just below them, Flamagua performed above expectations. A very solid season for el Fla. Eloy Norrayola might be a very-late-bloomer because he's now had the two best seasons of his career at a pretty old age. Olegario Larraz was very good at creating chances and Des Lopiño at finishing them. The last of the teams that could've qualified for the Globe Cup but didn't was Gorfalle Town. Same old story with the Canaries, no stand-out players, just eleven men who understand each other almost perfectly and play very well together. Hufer Xórtafe was their best player. The best false nine in the league (the only one).

In midtable, Avenida Victoria had a middling season. They must've expected better. Still, ninth place is not the end of the world. Ramón Fonseca was, as always, the most important piece of their tactical puzzle. The midfielder is not looking impossible to replace anymore, because this season youngster Lancelot Mojica has come out of nowhere to awe everyone with his skill. The seventeen-year-old is looking like a future key player for the national team. Prostran I Forzuda had a pretty uneventful season. They no longer look like a team that could be threatened by relegation. They're unlikely to move up the ladder, however. Jugoslav Radonjic might get snapped up by a better team if he performing like he did this season. Ausharmuj Marusi definitely have seen better seasons. However, considering they were a second tier team not even ten seasons ago, one season of midtable mediocrity won't hurt them. Xasier Lorrhili, needless to say, was their best player. The winger proved hard to contain for every defense. Only Dí Maozöxê had no troubled facing him, and that's because they held 85% of possession against the Syndicate in both games. Avenida Principal fans should start worrying about this trend of subpar seasons. The only good thing about their season was that Alfredo Pino has proven himself in the FFL at a young age, scoring a respectable 17 goals despite the team's defensive set-up.

Dô Fäéýkô seem to have turned surviving relegation comfortably while having a miserable goal difference into an art. Minus forty fucking one and twelfth place. Hard to top that. Çìríkò Ûsêtêrnìx displayed a lot of skill as an attacking centreback, at least for someone his age. Yes, his defense conceded 109 goals, but it was more the rest of the team's fault. Röbé Hüx once again saved the team's season with a lot of clutch goals. He scored only 15, but he also earned the team 10 points with those goals. This is, curiously enough, the second season in a row in which this team concedes 109 and finishes twelfth. Just below them, Ñandfe unfortunately avoided the drop with some comfort. Players like Rüí Wíngne and Xavier Ontiveros made the difference, which is a shame since it's kinda like cheating. Yes, of course, I am salty. Below them, Madorre De Fuego avoided the drop thanks to the goals of Hu Fer Notan'Asione, who is only seventeen and super fast, and Huy Guado, who scored an inordinate number of tap-ins. Goalkeeper Úrujan der Nené also stood out. Fryi Frêndê came a bit too close for comfort when it came to relegation. This is a club for which relegation would mean the loss of their identity, bear that in mind. Mousquetaire Ieu was the only player of theirs that performed consistently. Finally, the worst team not to get relegated were Frion Libertas, who barely clung on thanks to some smart though boring defensive football and the performances of Mattiesko Kaurismäki and Konsta Kuparinen, who scored 55 out of their 62 goals between the two. Young winger Gcobani Opulukwa also impressed. Some bigger teams might sign these thee.

Lasupi found themselves unable to survive another season of top-flight football. Their finances and lack of squad depth eventually caught up to them. Gosmo Gulata scored 25 goals, so he will likely leave the sinking ship. In all likelihood, Mâ Âlâmëómë will sign him. They probably already would have signed him if he weren't Ferdullaelan. Tifón De La Costa also got predictably relegated, despite every neutral cheering them on. They gave it their best. Captain Cornelio Nová had a very good season, but the Typhoon's players don't abandon the club when things go awry. That's why we all love them so much. Ferdullaele return to the FFL2. Last place is probably unfair to them - Lasupi were by far the worst team this season - but they still did themselves no favors by failing to cling onto one-half of the leads they took. Osoé Ranco is the only Ferdullaelan player I think some other team might sign after this disastrous season.

---- Team                     P   W  D   L  For   Ag  +/- Pts
- 1  Mâ Âlâmëómë             38  29  5   4  151   58  +93  92 Champions-------
- 2  Dí Maozöxê              38  28  4   6  120   52  +68  88 Champions' Cup--
- 3  Avenida Leal            38  26  3   9  142   55  +87  81 Globe Cup-------
  4  La Nueva Avenida        38  21  5  12   96   68  +28  68 Globe Cup-------
  5  René Skaé               38  19  5  14   83   88   -5  62 Globe Cup-------
  6  Rülândéá Kôstä          38  19  5  14   90   66  +24  62
  7  Flamagua                38  19  4  15   81   76   +5  61
  8  Gorfalle Town           38  18  6  14   92   76  +16  60
  9  Avenida Victoria        38  16  5  17   76   75   +1  53
 10  Prostran I Forzuda      38  15  8  15   72   81   -9  53
 11  Ausharmuj Marusi        38  15  6  17   83   86   -3  51
 12  Avenida Principal       38  13  8  17   59   79  -20  47
 13  Dô Fäéýkô               38  13  5  20   62  109  -47  44
 14  Ñandfe                  38  13  3  22   66   85  -19  42
 15  Madorre De Fuego        38  12  5  21   66   88  -22  41
 16  Fryi Frêndê             38  11  7  20   60   96  -36  40
 17  Frion Libertas          38  11  4  23   62   86  -24  37
-18  Lasupi                  38  11  3  24   63  120  -57  36 Relegated-------
 19  Tifón De La Costa       38  10  6  22   59   98  -39  36 Relegated-------
 20  Ferdullaele             38  10  5  23   56   97  -41  35 Relegated-------

Average Rating   Games Played    Player Name          Club     
-    8.25             36         Camila Soria Luna    Mâ Âlâmëómë----------
-    8.14             35         Konrad Gosforth      Mâ Âlâmëómë----------
-    7.73             37         Anthony Townsend     Mâ Âlâmëómë----------

-Goals Scored    Games Played    Player Name          Club     
-     37              37         Nevaeh Cathar        Avenida Leal---------
-     36              38         Taj Zayn Bazzi       Dí Maozöxê-----------
-     34              36         Camila Soria Luna    Mâ Âlâmëómë----------

Average Rating   Games Played    Player Name          Club     
-    7.22             35         Faragó rue Cazade    René Skaé------------
-    7.15             33         Vínseslâdís Wìjìnì   Dí Maozöxê-----------
-    6.95             29         Lancelot Mojica      Avenida Victoria-----

by **Farfadillis** » Mon Oct 22, 2018 3:10 pm

Season 31

Season Roundup

To be done.

Team                     P   W   D   L  For   Ag   +/- Pts
  1 Mâ Âlâmëómë             38  29   5   4  117   34   +83  92 Champions
  2 Dí Maozöxê              38  28   6   4  142   58   +84  90 Champions' Cup
  3 Avenida Leal            38  27   4   7  164   63  +101  85 Globe Cup
  4 La Nueva Avenida        38  22   5  11  102   67   +35  71 Globe Cup
  5 Gorfalle Town           38  21   3  14   89   62   +27  66 Globe Cup
  6 Avenida Principal       38  19   6  13  106   72   +34  63
  7 Avenida Victoria        38  18   8  12  101   79   +22  62
  8 Madorre De Fuego        38  18   7  13   90   95    -5  61
  9 Ausharmuj Marusi        38  16   8  14   95   81   +14  56
 10 Flamagua                38  16   8  14   80   80    +0  56
 11 René Skaé Colonels      38  14   4  20   80  103   -23  46
 12 Prostran I Forzuda      38  14   4  20   90  122   -32  46
 13 Frion Libertas          38  13   5  20   62   80   -18  44
 14 Deportí Agaumi          38  11  11  16   58   91   -33  44
 15 Ñandfe                  38  10  10  18   74  103   -29  40
 16 Rülândéá Kôstä          38   9  10  19   80  107   -27  37
 17 Dor Frío                38   7  11  20   47  103   -56  32
 18 Dô Fäéýkô               38   8   6  24   63  120   -57  30 Relegated
 19 Fryi Frêndê             38   8   5  25   71  110   -39  29 Relegated
 20 Sent 01                 38   7   4  27   57  138   -81  25 Relegated

by **Farfadillis** » Sun Feb 10, 2019 3:35 pm

Season 32

Season Roundup

To actually be done.

]-  Team                     P   W  D   L  For   Ag   +/- Pts
  1 La Nueva Avenida        38  29  5   4  131   46   +85  92 Champions
  2 Mâ Âlâmëómë             38  26  7   5  148   61   +87  85 Champions' Cup
  3 Dí Maozöxê              38  25  7   6  169   68  +101  82 Globe Cup
  4 Avenida Leal            38  25  6   7  138   48   +90  81 Globe Cup
  5 Gorfalle Town           38  21  6  11  107   63   +44  69 Globe Cup
  6 Avenida Victoria        38  19  6  13   97   72   +25  63
  7 Avenida Principal       38  18  8  12   89   55   +34  62
  8 René Skaé Colonels      38  19  4  15   84   83    +1  61
  9 Rülândéá Kôstä          38  17  6  15   86   87    -1  57
 10 Ausharmuj Marusi        38  17  4  17   90  102   -12  55
 11 Frion Libertas          38  15  8  15   70   80   -10  53
 12 Flamagua                38  15  5  18   72   88   -16  50
 13 Dor Frío                38  12  8  18   62   97   -35  44
 14 Prostran I Forzuda      38  13  3  22   59   91   -32  42
 15 Flying Jellyfish        38  11  7  20   78  107   -29  40
 16 Deportí Agaumi          38  10 10  18   65   97   -32  40
 17 Madorre De Fuego        38   9  9  20   53  100   -47  36
 18 Ñandfe                  38   8  8  22   65  109   -44  32 Relegated
 19 Lasupi                  38   8  4  26   64  110   -46  28 Relegated
 20 Tifón de la Costa       38   2  1  35   40  203  -163   7 Relegated

by **Farfadillis** » Wed Oct 16, 2019 8:31 pm

State Leagues

Ferdullaelan State League Standings

-  Team                   P   W  D   L For  Ag  +/- Pts
 1 Fryi Frêndê           18  14  1   3  56  24  +32  43 FFL
 2 Ausharmuj Marusi      18  11  2   5  64  30  +34  35 FFL
 3 Gorfalle Town         18  11  2   5  64  31  +33  35 FFL
 4 Lasupi                18  11  1   6  61  28  +33  34 FFL
 5 Deportí Agaumi        18   7  4   7  25  44  -19  25 FFL
 6 Sent 01               18   7  1  10  33  32   +1  22 FFL
 7 Ñandfe                18   6  2  10  36  58  -22  20 FFL Play-off
 8 Ferdullaele           18   5  4   9  32  50  -18  19
 9 Madorre de Fuego      18   5  2  11  26  51  -25  17
10 Fragardallians        18   3  1  14  17  66  -49  10

Best Player: 8.57/10, Sanguscó Matacostelas (Fryi Frêndê)
Top Scorer: 22, Maguiliní Spoheí (Ausharmuj Marusi)
Best Young Player: 8.15/10 Ezalta Arambauzá (Gorfalle Town)

Faroleran State League Standings

-  Team                    P   W  D   L For  Ag  +/- Pts
 1 La Nueva Avenida       18  14  1   3  77  17  +60  43 FFL
 2 Avenida Leal           18  13  3   2  74  19  +55  42 FFL
 3 Avenida Victoria       18  11  2   5  59  33  +26  35 FFL
 4 Avenida Principal      18   9  4   5  43  22  +21  31 FFL
 5 Flamagua               18   8  5   5  39  35   +4  29 FFL
 6 Gran Faro 70           18   7  1  10  48  57   -9  22 FFL
 7 Tifón de la Costa      18   6  4   8  30  39   -9  22 FFL Play-off
 8 Interluz               18   6  1  11  37  66  -29  19
 9 Eterna                 18   3  1  14  25  66  -41  10
10 Defensor de Gâràý      18   2  0  16  17  95  -78   6

Best Player: 8.01/10, Lancelot Mojica (Avenida Victoria)
Top Scorer: 25, Nahuel Loscampos (La Nueva Avenida)
Best Young Player: 8.01/10, Lancelot Mojica (Avenida Victoria)

Rulandese State League Standings

-  Team                   P   W  D   L  For  Ag   +/- Pts
 1 Mâ Âlâmëómë           18  17  0   1  139  17  +122  51 FFL
 2 Dí Maozöxê            18  15  0   3  121  16  +105  45 FFL
 3 Rülândéá Kôstä        18  14  0   4   75  29   +46  42 FFL
 4 Lâ Lüs                18   8  1   9   36  65   -29  25 FFL
 5 Mí Ní Sí              18   7  2   9   31  59   -28  23
 6 Dô Fäéýkô             18   6  1  11   26  34    -8  19
 7 Éspéráns dí Dögá      18   5  2  11   20  55   -35  17
 8 Vüstersgâés           18   4  3  11   26  77   -51  15
 9 Mönérés Rôs           18   4  3  11   14  86   -72  15
10 Xârëgs d'Îrrî         18   3  2  13   26  76   -50  11

Best Player: 9.45/10, Vínseslâdís Wìjìnì (Dí Maozöxê)
Top Scorer: 41, Edmün Çídh (Mâ Âlâmëómë)
Best Young Player: 9.33/10 Edmün Çídh (Mâ Âlâmëómë)

Szoirsian State League Standings

-  Team                       P   W  D   L  For  Ag  +/- Pts
 1 Torrhe del Viento         18  17  0   1   82  21  +61  51 FFL
 2 René Skaé                 18  14  3   1  102  25  +77  45 FFL Play-off
 3 La Brecha                 18  11  3   4   64  28  +36  36
 4 Rákospalotai              18   9  3   6   54  38  +16  30
 5 Interszoi                 18   8  3   7   39  39   +0  27
 6 Incendié Szoirsais        18   8  2   8   51  35  +16  26
 7 Ezse                      18   5  3  10   32  48  -16  18
 8 Gimnastique Szoirsia      18   5  2  11   30  59  -29  17
 9 Ardoint Spirité           18   2  1  15   20  92  -72   7
10 Kovic-Ovalski             18   0  2  16   11 100  -89   2

Best Player: 9.91/10 Faragó rue Cazade (René Skaé)
Top Scorer: 57, Faragó rue Cazade (René Skaé)
Best Young Player: 8.44/10, Rémy Keményi (Torrhe del Viento)

Frionite State League Standings

-  Team                        P   W  D   L For  Ag  +/- Pts
 1 Dor Frío                   18  15  0   3  57  29  +28  45 FFL
 2 Frion Libertas             18  14  2   2  79  22  +57  44 FFL Play-off
 3 Friguista Farfa            18   9  3   6  43  38   +5  30
 4 Flying Jellyfish           18   9  2   7  53  42  +11  29
 5 Isky Novara                18   7  2   9  41  42   -1  23
 6 Koloko                     18   6  4   8  40  42   -2  22
 7 Deportí Flaé               18   6  4   8  41  44   -3  22
 8 Duyrmyta Fau               18   4  6   8  27  47  -20  18
 9 Feardallis' Wanderers      18   3  4  11  25  49  -24  13
10 Atletí Ledved              18   2  3  13  12  63  -51   9

Best Player: 7.89/10, Moses Typpö (Dor Frío)
Top Scorer: 22, Herman Cílorrgué (Frion Libertas)
Best Young Player: 7.77/10, Toke Verner (Isky Novara)

Indujan State League Standings

-  Team                        P   W  D   L For  Ag  +/- Pts
 1 Ravasha                    18  15  2   1  59  19  +40  47 FFL Play-off
 2 Ferrocarril                18  12  0   6  47  26  +21  36
 3 Geyinstanles United        18   9  3   6  37  20  +17  30
 4 Gre Gran Chacó             18   9  3   6  40  34   +6  30
 5 Racing de Induja           18   8  2   8  31  36   -5  26
 6 Lounoi Gandu-Garay         18   6  5   7  31  32   -1  23
 7 Huracán de Seter           18   6  2  10  26  37  -11  20
 8 Induja Wanderers           18   6  1  11  37  54  -17  19
 9 Kalistí                    18   5  3  10  32  53  -21  18
10 Errekochoa Supernovas      18   2  3  13  30  59  -29   9

Best Player: 7.98/10, Iulian Lalá'Rrhueré (Ravasha)
Top Scorer: 19, Livaró Argona (Ravasha)
Best Young Player: 7.05/10, Jacubo Lalá'Rrhueré (Ravasha)

Karuvan State League Standings

-  Team                      P   W  D   L For  Ag  +/- Pts
 1 Prostran I Forzuda       18  11  5   2  80  24  +56  38 FFL Play-off
 2 Vetar Trg                18  11  4   3  62  33  +29  37
 3 Zestoka                  18  11  2   5  43  22  +21  35
 4 Karuvis Milajonovic      18  10  3   5  41  33   +8  33
 5 Rivijera                 18   8  2   8  34  36   -2  26
 6 Miograd                  18   6  5   7  32  38   -6  23
 7 Starroja Nuanzovic       18   5  6   7  37  40   -3  21
 8 Illyvich Farols          18   4  4  10  21  51  -30  16
 9 Old Boys                 18   3  3  12  26  61  -35  12
10 Young Boys               18   3  2  13  18  56  -38  11

Best Player: 7.65/10, Jugoslav Radonjic (Prostran I Forzuda)
Top Scorer: 28, Tomo Mrkonjic (Prostran I Forzuda)
Best Young Player: 7.10/10, Ror Aleksov (Vetar Trg)

Giotomalepan State League Standings

-  Team                    P   W  D   L For  Ag  +/- Pts
 1 Argonna Diguarâ        18  13  2   3  46  30  +16  41 FFL Play-off
 2 Giotomalepá Gots       18  11  5   2  46  19  +27  38
 3 Giotomalepá Azul       18   9  3   6  46  29  +17  30
 4 Semota dal Fesé        18   7  4   7  39  45   -6  25
 5 Racing Ní-Rakem        18   5  6   7  31  26   +5  21
 6 Giotomalepá Falla      18   5  5   8  35  37   -2  20
 7 Darfallá Vherdes       18   6  2  10  23  33  -10  20
 8 Fer-Fen                18   5  4   9  31  42  -11  19
 9 Montesol Grande        18   5  4   9  28  46  -18  19
10 Mintan Mollomote       18   6  1  11  26  44  -18  19

Best Player: 7.86/10, Frexasander Saguzalé (Giotomalepá Gots)
Top Scorer: 15, Dugeune Budelínea (Giotomalepá Azul)
Best Young Player: 7.22/10, Rasca Ibrelaná (Argonna Diguarâ)

Pacifistan State League Standings

-  Team                             P   W  D   L For  Ag  +/- Pts
 1 La Querida                      18  12  1   5  68  34  +34  37 FFL Play-off
 2 Marineros de Neveria            18   9  5   4  38  25  +13  32
 3 Los Nudos                       18   9  4   5  36  22  +14  31
 4 La Pacifista                    18   8  4   6  38  26  +12  28
 5 La Armonía                      18   7  4   7  28  36   -8  25
 6 Racing Pacifista                18   6  5   7  29  30   -1  23
 7 Asociación Pacifista            18   6  5   7  34  49  -15  23
 8 Primera, Segunda y Tercera      18   7  2   9  35  51  -16  23
 9 Juventud de Candilo             18   4  5   9  27  35   -8  17
10 Los Gallos                      18   3  3  12  21  46  -25  12

Best Player: 8.40/10, Mauricio Segura (La Querida)
Top Scorer: 35, Mauricio Segura (La Querida)
Best Young Player: 7.40/10, Mario Girón (La Querida)

Play-offs

René Skaé 7-3 Ravasha
(rue Cazade 12', 15', 22', 25' and 50', Miross-Lezocz 5' and 72' vs Greffe 32', Sabí 57', Fepolenta 89')
Ravasha 0-2 René Skaé
(Jéreus 22' and 83')

Prostran I Forzuda 3-2 Argonna Diguarâ
(Mrkonjic 17' and 29', Skoro 47' vs Sirujano 77', Ficús 84')
Argonna Diguarâ 2-1 Prostran I Forzuda (3-1 AET)
(der Efer 2', Lagondanasó 90+2', Aenö 111' vs Radonjic 64')

La Querida 0-2 Tifón de la Costa
(Pérez López 18', Torres 70')
Tifón de la Costa 0-3 La Querida
(Segura 13', Girón 66', Granado 80')

Frion Libertas 3-0 Ñandfe
(Aukland 10', Olfosson 41', Nordlie 73')
Ñandfe 5-0 Frion Libertas
(Yapla 7', Ajosa 67', Forrheje 72' and 85', Arrheká 89')

Farf Freitball Ligá

FFL Standings

-   Team                    P   W  D   L  For   Ag   +/- Pts
  1 René Skaé              21  18  1   2  111   18   +93  55
  2 La Nueva Avenida       21  16  2   3   96   35   +61  50
  3 Dí Maozöxê             21  16  2   3   76   23   +53  50
  4 Mâ Âlâmëómë            21  15  3   3   93   37   +56  48
  5 Avenida Victoria       21  14  4   3   77   24   +53  46
  6 Avenida Leal           21  13  2   6   83   31   +52  41
  7 Rülândéá Kôstä         21  13  0   8   70   46   +24  39
  8 Avenida Principal      21  11  3   7   53   50    +3  36
  9 Ausharmuj Marusi       21  11  1   9   50   39   +11  34
 10 Gorfalle Town          21   9  6   6   68   40   +28  33
 11 Lasupi                 21   9  4   8   56   61    -5  31
 12 Ñandfe                 21   9  3   9   64   73    -9  30
 13 Flamagua               21   9  3   9   51   52    -1  30
 14 Dor Frío               21   9  2  10   57   58    -1  29
 15 Torrhe del Viento      21   7  4  10   39   58   -19  25
 16 Fryi Frêndê            21   7  3  11   41   51   -10  24
 17 Sent 01                21   4  6  11   37   63   -26  18
 18 Argonna Diguarâ        21   4  1  16   27   94   -67  13
 19 Deportí Agaumi         21   3  3  15   19   87   -68  12
 20 Gran Faro 70           21   3  2  16   29   68   -39  11
 21 La Querida             21   2  0  19   15  132  -117   6
 22 Lâ Lüs                 21   1  1  19   21   93   -72   4

Best Players: 8.39/10, Faragó rue Cazade (René Skaé)
8.05/10, Vínseslâdís Wìjìnì (Dí Maozöxê)
7.85/10, Berény Phelede (René Skaé)
7.83/10, Edmün Çídh (Mâ Âlâmëómë)
7.73/10, Elemér Miross-Lezocz (René Skaé)

Top Scorers: 45, Faragó rue Cazade (René Skaé)
39, Edmün Çídh (Mâ Âlâmëómë)
38, Elemér Miross-Lezocz (René Skaé)
31, Rubén Cuervo (La Nueva Avenida)
28, Vínseslâdís Wìjìnì (Dí Maozöxê)

Best Young Players: 7.83/10, Edmün Çídh (Mâ Âlâmëómë)
7.45/10, Lancelot Mojica (Avenida Victoria)
7.21/10, Ezalta Arambauzá (Gorfalle Town)
7.07/10, Lüdó Íàí (Rülândéá Kôstä)
6.96/10, András Zsabados (René Skaé)

by **Farfadillis** » Sat Feb 15, 2020 10:21 pm

State Leagues

Ferdullaelan State League Standings

-  Team                   P   W  D   L For  Ag  +/- Pts
 1 Gorfalle Town         18  12  2   4  69  28  +41  38 FFL
 2 Fryi Frêndê           18  12  2   4  61  25  +36  38 FFL
 3 Ausharmuj Marusi      18   9  4   5  45  32  +13  31 FFL
 4 Lasupi                18   9  2   7  38  27  +11  29 FFL
 5 Sent 01               18   8  3   7  42  38   +4  27 FFL
 6 Ferdullaele           18   8  3   7  42  43   -1  27 FFL
 7 Madorre de Fuego      18   6  3   9  26  40  -14  21 FFL Play-off
 8 Deportí Agaumi        18   4  4  10  34  59  -25  16
 9 Fragardallians        18   3  5  10  23  52  -29  14
10 Ñandfe                18   4  2  12  29  65  -36  14

Gorfalle Town had a bit of a scare in the last matchday, but they still managed to win the league in the end. Their offense, led by Ezalta Arambauzá, was the best in the state. What's most notable about this season of the Ferdullaele state league, though, is at the other end of the table. Ñandfe suffered a complete and utter collapse. From twelfth in the FFL last season to dead last in the state league in this one. To make matter worse, this is despite having had the best goalkeeper in the entire league system in Dieje Ibrelaná, who parried so many goals it became hard to count. He will have to think his options through after his team's performances.

Best player: 8.63, Dieje Ibrelaná (Ñandfe)
Top scorer: 20, Nacio Solesé (Gorfalle Town)
Best young player: 8.05/10, Ezalta Arambauzá (Gorfalle Town)

Faroleran State League Standings

-  Team                    P   W  D   L For  Ag  +/- Pts
 1 Avenida Leal           18  13  2   3  56  18  +38  41 FFL
 2 La Nueva Avenida       18  12  3   3  69  26  +43  39 FFL
 3 Flamagua               18  12  2   4  51  22  +29  38 FFL
 4 Avenida Victoria       18  12  1   5  51  26  +25  37 FFL
 5 Tifón de la Costa      18   7  4   7  34  47  -13  25 FFL
 6 Avenida Principal      18   7  3   8  40  40   +0  24 FFL
 7 Interluz               18   5  3  10  32  63  -31  18 FFL Play-off
 8 Gran Faro 70           18   3  4  11  23  37  -14  13
 9 Eterna                 18   3  2  13  25  59  -34  11
10 Defensor de Gâràý      18   3  2  13  27  70  -43  11

The state leagues give the teams the chance to try out young players against worse opposition, and that has paid off tremendously for Avenida Leal this season. Two of their best players this season have broken through as a direct result of that. In defense, Trinidad Arochi was an impassable wall: the Loyals conceded just one goal per game. In offense, Folgore Alaminos tore apart defenses despite being aged just 17. The son of Santos Alaminos is shaping up to be just as world class by the looks of it. So much so, that Jungle Strike have signed him and loaned him back for the second half of the season. In second place, La Nueva Avenida found their own diamond in the rough in winger Emiliano Gallegas. He was the reason they were by far the highest scoring team in the league. Flamagua and Avenida Victoria had similarly good seasons despite finding no mezmerizing talents in their teams. Avenida Principal will be very disappointed with their performance; if they keep up these performances they'll be lower-mid table in the FFL.

Best player: 8.35/10, Folgore Alaminos (Avenida Leal)
Top scorer: 23, Emiliano Gallegas (La Nueva Avenida)
Best young player: 8.35/10, Folgore Alaminos (Avenida Leal)

Rulandese State League Standings

-  Team                   P   W  D   L  For  Ag   +/- Pts
 1 Mâ Âlâmëómë           18  15  1   2  102  18  +84  46 FFL
 2 Dí Maozöxê            18  13  2   3   87  12  +75  41 FFL
 3 Rülândéá Kôstä        18  11  4   3   58  24  +34  37 FFL
 4 Lâ Lüs                18  10  2   6   36  30   +6  32 FFL
 5 Mí Ní Sí              18   8  2   8   30  52  -22  26
 6 Dô Fäéýkô             18   7  4   7   44  47   -3  25
 7 Vüstersgâés           18   6  2  10   23  68  -45  20
 8 Xârëgs d'Îrrî         18   4  2  12   20  72  -52  14
 9 Éspéráns dí Dögá      18   3  4  11   26  51  -25  13
10 Mönérés Rôs           18   1  1  16   12  64  -52   4

The Rulandese league followed the same pattern as last season: Mâ Âlâmëómë won it decisively, this time by thrashing rivals Dí Maozöxê in the last matchday to clinch the title. Dí Maozöxê themselves were second best team - as they're used to - but managed to pull away from Rülândéá Kôstä, specially in goal difference. The big news this season is that not only did Lâ Lüs manage to make it to the FFL once again, they also did it with a positive goal difference this time around. The reason for this was none other than break-out star Tôsgo Alxíki, a winger with blistering pace and a knack for scoring goals. With him up front, Lâ Lüs could afford to keep up their scoring rate while focusing more on defense and conceding less than half as many goals as last season. The end result was the same: fourth place. But fans will be a lot more optimistic heading into the FFL this time around, specially as they even managed to beat Mâ Âlâmëómë, courtesy of a poker from Alxíkí.

Best player: 9.40/10, Edmün Çídh (Mâ Âlâmëómë)
Top scorer: 38, Edmün Çídh (Mâ Âlâmëómë)
Best young player: 9.05/10, Tôsgo Alxíkí (Lâ Lüs)

Szoirsian State League Standings

-  Team                       P   W  D   L  For   Ag   +/- Pts
 1 René Skaé                 18  18  0   0  176   10  +166  54 FFL
 2 Torrhe del Viento         18  13  2   3   96   32   +64  41 FFL Play-off
 3 Rákospalotai              18  11  3   4   54   37   +17  36
 4 La Brecha                 18   9  3   6   46   43    +3  30
 5 Incendié Szoirsais        18   8  2   8   50   45    +5  26
 6 Interszoi                 18   8  2   8   50   45    +5  26
 7 Gimnastique Szoirsia      18   5  2  11   36   92   -56  17
 8 Ezse                      18   4  2  12   31   63   -32  14
 9 Ardoint Spirité           18   4  0  14   18  104   -86  12
10 Kovic-Ovalski             18   2  0  16   32  118   -86   6

Invigorated by their first ever FFL title last season, René Skaé started playing their first string for almost every match, in a bid to prove they could've won the state league to if they had so desired. It was not pretty. Only four goals away from scoring ten per game, even the Ferdullaele of the early days was completely eclipsed by their performances. Safe to say it's not fair to have a team that features a world class player like Faragó rue Cazade in what is, at the end of the day, mostly an amateur league. It doesn't help that most other starters would also start in any other team in the league. Up front, Miross-Lezocz and Kiss sometimes literally made their opponents cry. In second place, Torrhe del Viento had a bit of a scare because of Rákospalotai, but their six-pointer win in matchday fifteen proved enough to qualify them for the play-offs. Louis-Étienne Leloup was Rákospalotai's outstanding performer.

Best player: 10/10, Faragó rue Cazade (René Skaé)
Top scorer: 70, Yves Kiss (René Skaé)
Best young player: 8.11/10, Louis-Étienne Leloup (Rákospalotai)

Frionite State League Standings

-  Team                        P   W  D   L For  Ag  +/- Pts
 1 Frion Libertas             18  16  0   2  84  20  +64  48 FFL
 2 Flying Jellyfish           18  11  1   6  64  29  +35  34 FFL Play-off
 3 Isky Novara                18  10  3   5  48  36  +12  33
 4 Friguista Farfa            18  10  2   6  57  38  +19  32
 5 Dor Frío                   18  10  1   7  40  36   +4  31
 6 Deportí Flaé               18   8  1   9  34  49  -15  25
 7 Koloko                     18   7  3   8  37  50  -13  24
 8 Feardallis' Wanderers      18   5  0  13  28  59  -31  15
 9 Duyrmyta Fau               18   3  2  13  26  60  -34  11
10 Atletí Ledved              18   3  1  14  14  55  -41  10

After frustratingly missing out on the state league title last season by dropping points in the last matchday, Frion Libertas have run away with the title this time around. Unlike the Rulandese, Faroleran, Szoirsian and Ferdullaelan state leagues, the Frionite state league is much more passionately contested, since the teams in it have never won anything, and none of them are title contenders for the FFL. Loisé Aukland was Frion Libertas' star. The center midfielder's commanding presence made his team dominate every game. The battle for second place was fierce, but Flying Jellyfish came out on top, mostly thanks to the scoring efforts of offensive midfielder Ilimondí Hjortsberg.

Best player: 7.95/10, Loisé Aukland (Frion Libertas)
Top scorer: 20, Ilimondí Hjortsberg (Flying Jellyfish)
Best young player: 7.40/10, Lihonhegeí Puumalainen (Dor Frío)

Indujan State League Standings

-  Team                        P   W  D   L For  Ag  +/- Pts
 1 Ravasha                    18  14  2   2  55  24  +31  44 FFL Play-off
 2 Ferrocarril                18  12  1   5  59  32  +27  37
 3 Geyinstanles United        18   9  4   5  51  39  +12  31
 4 Gre Gran Chacó             18   8  2   8  32  38   -6  26
 5 Lounoi Gandu-Garay         18   6  6   6  36  26  +10  24
 6 Racing de Induja           18   5  7   6  36  39   -3  22
 7 Kalistí                    18   6  4   8  43  48   -5  22
 8 Huracán de Seter           18   5  5   8  31  49  -18  20
 9 Induja Wanderers           18   3  6   9  26  48  -22  15
10 Errekochoa Supernovas      18   1  5  12  21  47  -26   8

Once again, there isn't much to say about the Indujan state league. Ravasha, the only team besides Geyinstanles United with top flight experience, once again ran away with the title. This time around, they probably won't be unlucky enough to face the eventual champions in the play-offs. It's perhaps notable that, once again, the Lalá'Rrhueré brothers tore apart the league. They should look for a transfer to a better team if Ravasha fail to make it to the FFL, because the Indujan league does not fit them.

Best player: 8.06/10, Iulian Lalá'Rrhueré (Ravasha)
Top scorer: Jacubo Lalá'Rrhueré (Ravasha)
Best young player: 8.01/10, Jacubo Lalá'Rrhueré (Ravasha)

Karuvan League Standings

-  Team                      P   W  D   L For  Ag  +/- Pts
 1 Prostran I Forzuda       18  15  1   2  76  21  +55  46 FFL Play-off
 2 Vetar Trg                18  14  3   1  64  25  +39  45
 3 Rivijera                 18   8  4   6  38  29   +9  28
 4 Miograd                  18   8  2   8  41  36   +5  26
 5 Illyvich Farols          18   8  2   8  31  31   +0  26
 6 Karuvis Milajonovic      18   7  5   6  37  40   -3  26
 7 Zestoka                  18   6  5   7  33  45  -12  23
 8 Starroja Nuanzovic       18   5  3  10  35  59  -24  18
 9 Young Boys               18   3  3  12  39  63  -24  12
10 Old Boys                 18   1  2  15  12  57  -45   5

Once again, the Karuvan state league was one of the most exciting. Unlike last season, this time around the contest was between just two teams. A decisive 4-0 win by Vetar Trg in the classic was too little, too late as their loss against Karuvis Milajonovic in matchday twelve proved their undoing. Milos Lucic's efforts in goal were particularly notable, earning him the best player award. Ror Aleksov was once again Vetar Trg's best player, and the best young player in the league. Tomo Mrkonjic once again the goalscorer. Honestly, not much has changed since last season.

Best player: 7.54/10, Milos Lucic (Prostran I Forzuda)
Top scorer: 24, Tomo Mrkonjic (Prostran I Forzuda)
Best young player: 7.22/10, Ror Aleksov (Vetar Trg)

Giotomalepan State League Standings

-  Team                    P   W  D  L For  Ag  +/- Pts
 1 Semota dal Fesé        18  12  2  4  39  22  +17  38 FFL Play-off
 2 Giotomalepá Gots       18  10  5  3  41  17  +24  35
 3 Argonna Diguarâ        18   9  2  7  43  28  +15  29
 4 Giotomalepá Azul       18   8  4  6  44  30  +14  28
 5 Darfallá Vherdes       18   6  6  6  24  37  -13  24
 6 Fer-Fen                18   5  7  6  26  31   -5  22
 7 Giotomalepá Falla      18   5  5  8  30  41  -11  20
 8 Montesol Grande        18   6  2 10  28  39  -11  20
 9 Mintan Mollomote       18   5  4  9  28  35   -7  19
10 Racing Ní-Rakem        18   3  5 10  20  43  -23  14

After Argonna Diguarâ's shock appearance in the FFL last season they... have failed to keep up the level. A good nine points away from the play-offs, it's safe to say their fans will be very disappointed. On the other hand, Semota dal Fesé have gone from fourth to first and it's all thanks to the break out of Monuele Rená, a winger who might even be good enough to play for a team that regularly qualifies for the FFL. In Giotomalepá, that makes him the best player in the league.

Best player: 7.96/10, Monuele Rená (Semota dal Fesé)
Top scorer: 16, Frexasander Saguzalé (Giotomalepá Gots)
Best young player: 7.96/10, Monuele Rená (Semota dal Fesé)

Pacifistan League Standings

-  Team                             P   W  D   L For  Ag  +/- Pts
 1 La Querida                      18  15  1   2  72  26  +46  46 FFL Play-off
 2 Los Nudos                       18   8  4   6  38  31   +7  28
 3 Juventud de Candilo             18   8  4   6  26  22   +4  28
 4 Primera, Segunda y Tercera      18   8  2   8  30  33   -3  26
 5 Marineros de Neveria            18   8  1   9  36  36   +0  25
 6 La Pacifista                    18   8  1   9  24  49  -25  25
 7 Racing Pacifista                18   6  5   7  47  44   +3  23
 8 La Armonía                      18   7  2   9  37  34   +3  23
 9 Asociación Pacifista            18   6  3   9  34  31   +3  21
10 Los Gallos                      18   3  3  12  22  60  -38  12

After La Querida made the FFL last season, and even managed to not finish last, we stopped laughing at the whole Pacifistan league. Now, we laugh at all teams besides La Querida. Why? Because they're all horrible. La Querida had very little trouble running away with the league. Once again, Mario Girón and Mauricio Segura were the Pacifistan champions' best players. This time around, the midfielder managed to beat the forward to best player award. Sixteen year old Régulo Elizarraras also made waves and manage to win the best young player award.

Best player: 8.55/10, Mario Girón (La Querida)
Top scorer: 30, Mauricio Segura (La Querida)
Best young player: 7.75/10, Régulo Elizarraras (La Querida)

Play-offs

Flying Jellyfish 1–3 Prostran I Forzuda
Prostran I Forzuda 3–0 Flying Jellyfish

Interluz 5–1 Ravasha
Ravasha 0–1 Interluz

La Querida 5–1 Madorre de Fuego
Madorre de Fuego 0–3 La Querida

Torrhe del Viento 1–0 Semota dal Fesé
Semota dal Fesé 1–3 Torrhe del Viento

None of the play-offs prove close encounters, as all advancing teams manage to win both home and away. Interluz beating Ravasha is perhaps the biggest upset, though we still can't quite believe La Querida has made it to a second FFL in a row. Prostran I Forzuda and Flying Jellyfish was supposed to be a close encounter, but Karuvans advancing is hardly a surprise. Torrhe del Viento was perhaps expected to beat Semota dal Fesé by a wider margin, but their advancement was a given.

by **Farfadillis** » Thu Mar 12, 2020 10:54 pm

-Season 34-

Not-quite-preview-not-quite-review

La Querida

Manager: Porfirio Seijas
Nickname: los Encorvados
Home Stadium: Estadio Manolo Lapaz (8,000)
Home City: Pacifista, Pacifista
Predicted Starting XI: (GK) Eduardo Villa - (LB) Ezequiel Ortega, (CB) Noé Valverde, (CB) Andrés Perea [C], (RB) Alexis Méndez - (DM) Martín Cuellar, (CM) Arturo Malave, (CM) Mario Girón, (LW) Lucián Galván, (RW) Esteban Olvera - (ST) Mauricio Segura
Bench: (GK) Guillermo Vergara, (GK) Emilio Naranjo - (LB) Armando Marín, (CB) Benjamín Palomo, (CB) Ramón Escobar, (RB) Emilio Valdez - (DM) Eduardo Olivas, (CM) Nicolás Roybal, (CM) Ezequiel Negrón, (LW) Alan Jaramillo, (RW) Joel Granado - (ST) Martín Chacón
Background: A newly-founded club from the state of Pacifista, one of the worst states at football. The La Querida project was very simple on the outset: found a club that the whole city of Pacifista can support, and pour money into it until it works. So far, it's been working just fine. They surprised everyone last season by making it to the FFL on their first try. While their record was impossibly horrendous, they've invested heavily in scouting for young talent and they're looking like a much better team. Off the pitch, they still lack any identity not related to them being "the club from Pacifista".
State League Performance: The league is just horrible, so there's not much to be learned from their performance this season other than that it was better than last season. Though they ran away with the league, a loss against Marineros de Neveria, another against Juventud de Candilo and a draw against La Armonía can't be good signs. Any mid-table FFL team would probably René Skaé the whole league.
Strengths: They are very good at keeping possession, thanks to the technical abilities of most of their players. Everyone in the squad has good ball control and passing, specially the midfielders and fullbacks. Expect them to try to shut down the game by hogging the ball whenever they feel like they'll get something out of it.
Weaknesses: The centerbacks may know how to pass the ball, but they're slow. This is a death sentence in this league. They should probably sign non-Pacifistans to make up for this, because there doesn't seem to be a single fast-ish centerback in the whole state league.
Best Players: Mario Girón and Mauricio Segura are the stars of the team. Mario is a playmaker with a knack for the unexpected, but that doesn't mean he doesn't help out defensively. He's relatively young, so he's likely to be snapped up by some other team if he continues to perform. Up front, Mauricio Segura is the classic goal machine: fast, keen positioning and a lethal right foot.
Young Prospects: Régulo Elizarraras may only be sixteen, but he's the third best player in the team. Tireless, defensively sound and with a good amount of technique, it's really only pace that he's lacking in order to be a lock-on for the future Farfadillis NT. He'll have to adapt to his relative lack of pace in this league, and it will be tough, but he's still got a very high ceiling.
Prediction: They're probably the worst team in the league still, specially because their weaknesses are huge, so we predict them to finish 22nd. However, they'll do much better than last time around in terms of points.

Interluz

Manager: Julián Mazariegos
Nickname: los Floreados
Home Stadium: Parque Silvio Llanera (3,000)
Home City: Luz del Sol, Puerto Farolero
Predicted Starting XI: (GK) Jaime Fonseca - (LB) Raúl Delgado, (CB) Óscar Zapata, (CB) Ezequiel Zayas, (RB) Gustavo Archuleta [C] - (LM) Ángel Roybal, (CM) Antonio Rivero, (RM) Francisco Barraza - (ST) Víctor González, (ST) Felipe Domínguez, (ST) Jesús Olivera
Bench: (GK) Pablo Garibay, (GK) Mauricio Olivo - (LB) José Orta, (CB) Mauricio López Pérez, (CB) Mario Armijo, (RB) Jorge Garrido - (LM) Mario Feliciano, (CM) Édgar Blanco, (RM) Simón Sanabria - (ST) Gerardo Cabán, (ST) Ricardo Apodaca, (ST) Saúl Malave
Background: Interluz are an amateur team. Historically the best one in Puerto Farolero, in fact. With professionalism now a thing of the past in the FFL, Interluz feel much more at home. They have an acceptable number of fans, who happen to be very passionate. The only club from the city of Luz del Sol, Interluz have a bit of a Napoleon complex when measuring up with the teams from Victoria Lago, and it shows on the pitch. Politically, Interluz's fanbase is heavily in favor of Puerto Farolero's secession from the Outlandish Lands. This translates to xenophobia in their fanbase. Expect heavy racism towards the Rulandese.
State League Performance: They didn't set the world alight. In fact, they did quite badly. Still, they have got to be stoked to have made it to the FFL. The teams that finished above them were all, after all, FFL material. Their stomping of Ravasha gives them enough credibility for teams to not field a B team agains them.
Strengths: Interluz are not afraid to get dirty. They'll try to trick the referee, and then succeed. They'll also err on the side of recklessness when going for the ball. They rely on heavy pressing at all stages of the game, and are decently good at scoring from the chances they get from this pressing.
Weaknesses: They lack patience when they have the ball, and have very little agency in midfield. When facing teams that are good at keeping possession, and are not afraid of being pressed, they'll struggle. As a result, expect them to concede heavily against the top teams.
Best Players: Felipe Domínguez is the team's main threat in attack. The striker is at his peak, and has demonstrated he is good enough to score against the best Faroleran teams - the rest of the league can't be that hard. The experience of Gustavo Archuleta will be vital. This is, after all, the team's first foray into the top tier, and they'll need their captain to be particularly inspiring. Ezequiel Zayas is a fast centerback who knows how to pass the ball and put in a good tackle. He's also the best at getting away with the odd career-threatening tackle.
Young Prospects: The very same Ezequiel Zayas is probably the player with the most potential in this team. It is likely he will be snapped up by one of the Avenidas in the near future. Right midfielder Francisco Barraza is the only other promising youngster in this team. He has got blistering pace, but not much else. It will be up to Mazariegos to turn him into a threatening player. The pace is there.
Prediction: They're not good enough to finish any better than bottom three, it feels like. However, they'll probably get more points than a team of their quality should, by virtue of their dirty style of play. 21st.

Frion Libertas

Manager: Nathan Olofsson
Nickname: Wanderers
Home Stadium: Maximilian Krause Stadium (10,000)
Home City: Krauseborg, Frion
Predicted Starting XI: (GK) Nisse Ohlin - (LB) Monuele Nurminen, (CB) Elias Nygaard, (CB) Ronnie Hemmingsen, (RB) Hjalmar Thrane - (LM) Bendt Thiessen, (CM) Göte Sandell, (CM) Loisé Aukland, (RM) Claes Olofsson [C] - (ST) Jannik Nordlie, (ST) Dugeune Kroon
Bench: (GK) Jangui Silvennoinen, (GK) Joans Derrané - (LB) Lasse Lind, (CB) Thure Eriksson, (CB) Huju Bruíneng, (RB) Jim Eriksen - (LM) Ronald Jolst, (CM) Jyri Jerdsen, (CM) Tønnes Hemmingsen, (RM) Hugo Fjeldstad - (ST) Herman Cílorrgué, (ST) André Nindiesk
Background: Over the last years, Frion Libertas has slowly become the best team in the state of Frion. This has, unfortunately for them, coincided with Frion becoming considerably worse at football. The only notable thing the entire state has achieved football-wise in the last ten years has been producing Oskar Holsteiner - who by the way started his career playing for Ausharmuj Marusi, a Ferdullaelan club. The Wanderers are from a small city just outside Frion, and thus have a relatively small following compared to other teams. Politically, they're a bunch of idealists. They believe in liberty, as their name indicates, and believe every state should have self-determination and we should all live in peace and whatnot. No wonder they don't have many fans. And yes, the kid's the captain.
State League Performance: They were by far the best team in a pretty bad league. Flying Jellyfish, who finished below them, were destroyed by Prostran I Forzuda both home and away. As a result, they come to the FFL essentially untested.
Strengths: They don't overthink things. A traditional 4-4-2, with two of everything except goalkeeper. Physical, with the typical Farf attacking flair. They'll try to counterattack a good bit, and will hope to exploit Aukland's tirelessness in midfield to not get completely overrun in that area.
Weaknesses: This might be a bit of an unusual weakness but... what the hell is the manager's son doing as a right midfielder? The kid's sixteen and, judging by his state league performances, unequivocally shit. Seriously, how are they allowing this?
Best Players: Loisé Aukland is undeniably the most important piece of the very simple puzzle that is Frion Libertas. He runs a lot, recovers the ball a lot, and is a prety good playmaker. He carries this team, and he carries it hard. Only youngster Dugeune Kroon can claim to be truly pulling his weight (at least for his age), having scored a respectable 15 goals in the state league. We will see how he will fare against better defenses.
Young Prospects: The very Dugeune Kroon is the only one worth mentioning. His pace is biggest asset, but he's also very solid in the air. He will have to work on his consistency, though.
Prediction: We know they're bad, but not how much. We'll settle for 20th, but acknowledging they could finish anywhere between 16th and 22nd.

Sent 01

Manager: Yung Ibrahim
Nickname: los Dargonés
Home Stadium: Multisportivé Friekder Fergomo (20,000)
Home City: Ferdullaele, Ferdullaele
Predicted Starting XI: (GK) Merreseió Soteí - (LB) Darfondí Fargá, (CB) Terenzyé Dandeluneí, (CB) Frion Liferhe, (RB) Marrhe Lalakarrhemé - (CM) Shersar Leíc, (CM) Iulian Mené, (LW) Elasomé Farrháteré, (OM) Sisaí Marrhego [C], (RW) Gurielefre Aixenxó - (ST) Seracondí Litoralé
Bench: (GK) Napané Montaná, (GK) Pierrhe Santa - (LB) Serrhelenger Kímé, (CB) Mazurisele Farrháteré, (CB) Lihonhegeí Ficús, (RB) Edé Aesöhu - (CM) Gundai Legre,
(CM) Joë Fargá, (LW) Seracondí Racadó, (OM) Cubí Fayuds, (RW) Mualé Manta - (ST) Urrhese Szoló
Background: Without a doubt the blandest team in all of Farfadillis. They are a team completely lacking in identity. They don't have many fans, and the ones they do have are just run-of-the-mill Ferdullaelans. Their fanbase is neither too loud nor too quiet. They don't stand for anything politically, though they do quietly agree with the other Ferdullaelan clubs sans la Sindica. Historically, they've always been mediocre. They've always been a yo-yo club - except in their "golden age", in which they avoided relegation for a good few seasons and managed to become average - though not anymore thanks to the lack of relegation.
State League Performance: An uninspiring performance that still let them qualify because Ferdullaele gets. Too. Many. Spots. They finished on 27, level with Ferdullaele and 6 points above the play-off spot.
Strengths: Their four attackers are brilliant, at least compared to the rest of the starting eleven. They've got a lot of dynamism, speed and technique. What's more, they've also got a lot of chemistry. If their center midfielders were decent, they'd probably score as many goals as an upper-mid-table team.
Weaknesses: And speaking of those center midfielders... well, they're the weakest links, and it's not up for debate. Shersar Leíc is slow and uninspiring when he does have the ball, and Iulian Mené would be best described as a headless chicken. What's worse, their options on the bench are even worse.
Best Players: The aforementioned front four, obviously. Seracondí Litoralé is a fast and clinical striker, Gurielefre Aixenxó is a very good traditional winger, Elasomé Farrháteré is an inside forward with a lot of dribbling skills... and a useless left foot, and Sisaí Marrhego is a good old playmaker, in the mold of Matías Delafuente if anyone remembers him. All hopes of a decent season will lay on them.
Young Prospects: Terenzyé Dandeluneí is only 18, but he plays like he's 32 (but fast). He's also a technical player, as far as centerbacks go at least, which helps since the midfield is not gonna be doing the playmaking. He'll likely be tried out in center midfield at some point.
Prediction: In a league like this one, you can't afford to give up control of the center. Even though they've got a great forward line, the best they can do is 19th.

Torrhe del Viento

Manager: Árpád Lagrange
Nickname: la Torrhe
Home Stadium: Stade Yves Grignard (10,000)
Home City: Szoirsia, Szoirsia
Predicted Starting XI: (GK) Roméo Ángyács - (LB) Ernest Árvai, (CB) François Aubochetyhe [C], (CB) Farkas Favre, (RB) André Foullon - (CM) Árpád Hatvani, (CM) Gergely Barbier, (TK) Mátyás Töröz, (LW) Rémy Keményi, (RW) Odilon Deniaud - (ST) Gusztáv Stuart
Bench: (GK) Daniel Ybl, (GK) Farkas Dallaire - (LB) Atilla Gumberkeszé, (CB) Gérald Csalfa, (CB) Agénor Szibegh, (RB) Miklós Király - (CM) Gilbert Frossard, (CM) Lázár Michaud, (TK) Baptiste Aradi, (LW) Jenő Gallois, (RW) Boldizsár Alexics - (ST) Louis Desportes
Background: Torrhe del Viento is the other club from Szoirsia. Unlike René Skaé, though, they were founded (and are mostly supported) by Ferdullaelan migrants. This translates directly to a small fanbase but a disproportionate amount of money relative to it. Emphasis on the small fanbase, though, specially after opinions about the capital state have turned very sour the last few years. As any team supported by Ferdullaelans, they tend to have a right-wing streak. However, unlike them, they seem to mostly shut their mouths about it, since they live in one of the states most agitated by the crisis, and they don't agree with them. They're also one of the few fanbases that believe in a unified Farfadillis where all states are viewed as equals, probably as a result of being a club of people who migrated from one state to another, which also happens to field almost exclusively Szoirsians.
State League Performance: They were the second best team by a good margin, but were also so far away from René Skaé it was almost funny. Last seaosn, they'd managed to surprise everyone by winning the state league. This turned out to be a case of René Skaé not putting in the effort. This season (and in the last FFL), we saw just how far from René Skaé this team is.
Strengths: Szoirsia has been producing a lot of talented players lately, for whatever reason. Their midfield is mostly composed of young players, unlike their other areas, so it's unsurprising that it's also their biggest strength. It is filled with energy, and can play a very fluid style of football whenever the youngsters show any consistency.
Weaknesses: Stuart just doesn't cut it as an FFL striker. La Torrhe had a lot of trouble scoring last season, and it was mostly down to not having a good enough striker. In fact, Keményi scored more than him from the wing.
Best Players: Árpád Hatvani is a very complete midfielder. He's good defensively, but his most important task is being the team's main source of creativity. His playmaking skills are good enough to play for one of the top clubs. The other player who could play for a top club is Mátyás Töröz, who will be playing as a takilante this season if the state league is anything to go by. He's tireless, aggressive when tackling, and has everything needed to score goals by arriving late at the box. He'll be the most important piece of the offense.
Young Prospects: Gergely Barbier is a bit green, perhaps, being only 18 years of age. However, he's good enough defensively to allow the rest of the midfield to focus on their attacking duties, which is not something any other 18 year old in the league can say. He's, unfortunately, not very good in other aspects, but he's likely to end up at some bigger club. René Skaé are rumored to be interested in him...
Prediction: They're just not that good. Their defense is slow and their striker is very sub-par. Their midfield can only carry them to 18th place, we reckon.

Tifón de la Costa

Manager: Vincenz Zarabozo
Nickname: el Tifón
Home Stadium: Ojo de la Tormenta (15,000)
Home City: Azureña, Puerto Farolero
Predicted Starting XI: (GK) Julián Abeyta, (LB) Víctor Berríos, (CB) Leonardo Trejo, (CB) Omar Preciado, (RB) Víctor Perea - (CM) Emanuel Viera [C], (CM) Simón Toledo, (OM) Saúl Portillo, (OM) Abram Palomino, (OM) Ruben Pérez López - (ST) Simón Torres
Bench: (GK) Luis Álvarez, (GK) Emiliano Carrion - (LB) Óscar de Anda, (CB) Orlando Alfaro, (CB) Alonzo Arteaga, (RB) Abel Puga - (CM) Óliver Padilla, (CM) Andrés Vaca,
(OM) Nicolás Sepúlveda, (OM) Manuel Gutiérrez, (OM) Ricardo Acuña - (ST) Adán Salinas
Background: Tifón de la Costa are an inherently likeable club. They started off as an amateur club founded by a group of friends, who turned out very talented and things sort of snowballed from there. Unsurprisingly, though, this means they've got far more sympathizers than actual fans, and their 15,000-seat stadium has never had a filled home stand. Nonetheless, in a political climate like the current one, it's good having a likeable club that stands for nothing but football. They're also traditionally a team that plays very attacking football, so watch out for that.
State League Performance: They were very, very bad, but somehow managed to overperform in terms of points. Nonetheless, we all know the Faroleran league is the strongest, so it's not a huge knock on them.
Strengths: Their offensive midfield. Their three best players play in that position, so they've opted for playing all three. Safe to say their attacking efforts will be mostly through the center. They've also got two fast fullbacks that are quite adept at overlapping if they ever want to play wider, so it's not like they're giving up too muc for a packed offensive midfield that is likely to catch many teams off-guard.
Weaknesses: Preciado and Trejo are a complete liability at the back. It's not that they are bad. They are, but it's not that. They're just very easy to wind up, and get sent off inexcusably often. This is a thin squad, and the centerbacks in the bench are nowhere near FFL-quality, so fans will have to cross their fingers for Omar and Leonardo t behave.
Best Players: Saúl Portillo is the team's playmaker. He's got impressive vision, and the passing ability to make use of it. He's very lethargic, though. Ruben Pérez López is a classic shadow striker, arriving late and looking to score like a striker. He's got an impressive shot and lots of speed, as well as a keen sense of positioning. Abram Palomino is a mixture of the two. The last two will probably score more than Torres.
Young Prospects: Ruben Pérez López is only twenty, so he's got a very high ceiling. He's still rough around the edges - specially his decision making on the ball - but the potential for a starter in one of the top teams is clearly there.
Prediction: This is, on paper, their best team in history. It doesn't mean much, but it does mean they'll probably manage at least 17th place.

Ferdullaele

Manager: Flaé Asojoré
Nickname: las Cabras
Home Stadium: Gre Surisó (30,000)
Home City: Ferdullaele, Ferdullaele
Predicted Starting XI: (GK) Elipí Síemprevíe - (LB) Liberté Saguzalé, (CB) Anviungar Danderrhafé, (CB) Seracondí Arghanarrhe [C], (RB) Efraín Barbá'Rrhé - (LM) Sanguscó Ezoli, (CM) Marcander Gromáé, (RM) Damusmundy Aroyo, (OM) Aëmiliano Arqueán, (OM) Neguimbelefra Manfelleý - (ST) Alasemy Maes
Bench: (GK) Monuele Serrha, (GK) Cundoistar Maes - (LB) Stulpá der Efer, (CB) Dieje Águalínea, (CB) Ramburrhe Dandesolé, (RB) Caémenó Asalia - (LM) Damusmundy Dandeguerrhe, (CM) Edé Lalá'Rrhueré, (RM) Gurielefre Lbanaló, (OM) Josey Grerlera, (OM) Shersar Alagueí - (ST) Damully Diserrhé
Background: Ferdullaele was originally the best club in Farfadillis, specially before the professional era. The rise of the Faroleran and Rulandese clubs, thanks to their vast talent pool, ended up leaving them behind. Their fans are a great reflection of this bitterness. Mostly old, mostly xenophobic and vehemently anti-Ruland. However, being Ferdullaele's biggest club historically - in fact, the only one to have won the FFL - they actually attract a sizeable number of non-old non-rich Ferdullaelans. They just don't get a say in what the clubs does or promotes.
State League Performance: Pretty disastrous. They qualified comfortably, as they had to because of the unfair number of spots Ferdullaele gets. Yet, they somehow managed to finish with negative goal difference in an okay-at-best league. They'll get found out against Rulandese and Faroleran teams, much to their supporters' chagrin.
Strengths: Their wingbacks make very good overlapping runs, and their offensive midfielder duo has a very good connection, though it's a bit lopsided in Arqueán's favour. Their biggest strength, though, is that all their players are very fast.
Weaknesses: They'll get overrun in midfield by any half-decent team. Their only truly good midfielder is Aëmiliano Arqueán, and it will show. Besides that, Alasemy Maes is not a clinical player, and their defense is relatively inexperienced.
Best Players: Aëmiliano Arqueán is a talented playmaker who scores fairly often. He'll find himself carrying the team most of the time, with the only teammate truly pulling his weight probably being Elipí Síemprevíe, who is a fairly good goalkeeper by the league's standards.
Young Prospects: Their entire defense is under-23, so it had to be them. They're already better than their midfielders sans Arqueán. We'll see what the FFL hold for them, though, because their failure to make it to the FFL last season (which wasn't on the defense, really) left them completely untested.
Prediction: They are bad, but referees tend to favour them, and there's worse teams out there. We think they'll finish 16th.

Fryi Frêndê

Manager: Crouxé Mansino
Nickname: los Lleiones
Home Stadium: Casa del Lleion (20,000)
Home City: Eferrhe, Ferdullaele
Predicted Starting XI: (GK) Felragi Granagua - (LB) Matí Dohás, (CB) Shin Guado, (CB) Marrhe Rená, (RB) Caémenó Cílorrgué - (LM) Caémiró Saguzalé, (CM) Nadufoí Dohás, (RM) Gianluigi Escasé, (OM) Sanguscó Matacostelas - (ST) Chusí Rrhambú, (ST) Iulian Boté [C]
Bench: (GK) Gudió Torre, (GK) Dieje Fadeivá - (LB) Caémiró Ágdiren, (CB) Ezelefra Sherrha, (CB) Sarrovelstri Filís, (RB) Dangué Fadeivá - (LM) Neguimbelefra Aesöhu, (CM) Garrego Gorsó, (RM) Reimoundé Panderrhé, (OM) Feien Budelínea - (ST) Erfaon Lalá'Rrhueré, (ST) Edé Gondadola
Background: Fryi Frêndê is the most traditional team in Farfadillis, in a sense. They're the one and only team to have played in every FFL season, and they're very proud of that record. They've got one of the biggest fanbases in Ferdullaele, but since it's composed mostly of affluent suburban Ferdullaelans, it's not a particularly loud or aggressive fanbase. Their lukewarmness off-the-pitch is reflected by their results on the pitch: no major titles to speak of. Politically, they're one of the most hardline anti-Ruland teams in the league, behind only Interluz and Ferdullaele. Much like Interluz's fanbase, they're in favor of the secession of their home state. Their anti-Ruland stance is somewhat ironic, as they're a club named after their founder, a Rulandese man.
State League Performance: Their precious record makes them fight fiercely in the state league. Much more fiercely than any other team. As a result, they overperform considerably. Last season, they won the state league outright. This time, they came just short. The fact that they couldn't do better than Gorfalle Town, who rotated heavily, is not a good sign for them.
Strengths: Sanguscó Matacostelas is an impeccable offensive midfielder, and will make the difference in many matches. He's inconsistent and somewhat injury-prone, though. Fryi Frêndê will suffer heavily when he is not on the pitch.
Weaknesses: The rest of the midfield is... quite dreadful. Nadufoí Dohás is remarkable for having no remarkable talents, Saguzalé has pace and that's literally all there is to him and Escasé is clueless defensively. Not clueless in the sense that every Farf is. No, he's much more clueless.
Best Players: Besides the already-mentioned Matacostelas, Felragi Granagua is a very capable goalkeeper. Rrhmabú and Boté up front are good enough to make something out of Matacostelas' playmaking.
Young Prospects: Feien Budelínea is a bit unlucky; he's a very talented offensive midfielder, and he'd likely start if he were just as talented in any other position save goalkeeper. He won't bench Matacostelas, though. Still, Mansino might choose to adapt tactically to fit him into the starting eleven if he impresses.
Prediction: They're not that bad... but also not very good. 15th place sounds about right.

Lasupi

Manager: Iulian Dirsenren
Nickname: las Gaviotes
Home Stadium: Samupi (5,000)
Home City: Lasupi, Ferdullaele
Predicted Starting XI: (GK) Joan Fer Muus [C] - (LB) Aspar Escasé, (CB) Felragi Shontarí, (CB) Mageuely Grrhonomó, (RB) Lihonhegeí Gromaé - (LM) Feien der Reneska, (CM) Yung Aerrhenené, (RM) Soirelí Dandegorgá, (OM) Elasomé Rossi (OM) Elasomé Banderíyi - (ST) Joséy Xórtafe
Bench: (GK) Gugiundo Donederfía, (GK) Sacubó Uficiale - (LB) Bertami Onsemú, (CB) Elasomé Spoheí, (CB) Bambarrheiré Aresueduiraé, (RB) Joséy Fellay - (LM) Rancisc Banga, (CM) Ezalta Guado, (RM) Mazurisele Greffe, (OM) Aspar Mondé, (OM) Benjaminí Karuvanó - (ST) Dangué Deltuarrhe
Background: Lasupi are a very, very small club. From the town of Lasupi, in Ferdullaele, they have the smallest following in the league. This gives them a rather low ceiling economically, but they're managed so well they can still perform at an FFL level. The two or three thousand fans that turn up every week must feel very special, because no team this small has ever been this big in Farfadillis. Nobody in the country really dislikes them, except when it's because of ethnic tension.
State League Performance: They did themselves quite proud: Lasupi at their best were just as good as Ausharmuj Marusi not trying very hard. It might sound bad when put that way, but that's a good level to be at for a club like them.
Strengths: They never take a match for granted. The management knows that, as a small club, and with how volatile Farfadillis has been in recent years, they really can't afford to not play at their best week in, week out. Consequently, they've drilled into the player's heads that they have to give it their all every match, something Farf teams rarely if ever exhibit.
Weaknesses: Their players may give it their all, but the problem might lie in what "all" constitutes in this case. It's undeniable that their only truly good player is their goalkeeper. They'll likely get overrun by the better teams, even if they manage to play the game of their lives. Against similarly-talented opposition, though, this won't be as big a problem.
Best Players: Joan Fer Muus is, as already said, their only quality player. He is one of the best goalkeepers in the league. Great positioning, great reflexes, not a howler in his career and a great leader. He's only lacking more of the skills he already has to be a world class player, but he's still a complete package.
Young Prospects: Lihonhegeí Gromaé is one of those rare defensive fullbacks. He's a great tackler, can run tirelessly and know how to position himself and make up for the centerbacks' mistakes. The kid certainly has a bright future.
Prediction: 14th, they're not very good, but there's certainly worse teams out there.

Prostran I Forzuda

Manager: Djoko Ljotic
Nickname: Divljaci
Home Stadium: Bojno Polje (40,000)
Home City: Prostran, Karuvis
Predicted Starting XI: (GK) Milos Lucic - (LB) Filotije Milinkovic, (CB) Mladen Tirnanic, (RB) Jugoslav Radonjic [C] - (DM) Vidak Berovic, (CM) Vlatka Ojdanic, (CM) Kalinik Musovic, (LW) Zlatko Pistalo, (RW) Vuk Pavkovic - (ST) Vladislav Skoro, (ST) Tomo Mrkonjic
Bench: (GK) Aleksa Radosevic, (GK) Andrija Sasic - (LB) Djoko Dimitrijevic, (CB) Slaven Markovi, (RB) Radojko Momcilovic - (DM) Bosko Vlatkovic, (CM) Milko Belacevic, (CM) Stanko Topalovic, (LW) Savatije Prodanovic, (RW) Svetislav Cirkovic - (ST) Neven Perisic, (ST) Radovan Jokanovic
Background: A team from the twin cities of Prostran and Forzuda, hence the name, Prostran I Forzuda have one of the biggest fanbases in all of Farfadillis, and it is for very similar reasons to René Skaé: they're the only good team in their state. Their state being one of the most ethnically divergent from the Farf norm, their fanbase is naturally one of the most passionate as well. If a Rulandese equivalent were to exist, they'd win just about every league title; Divljaci have a monopoly on Karuvan talent. So much so, that they can afford to only allow Karuvans to play for the club. Beyond their passion, their fans have ties with the military, religious institutions, and fascist movements. Even the Ferdullaelans find them a bit too extreme at times.
State League Performance: They barely beat their rivals Vetar Trg to the title, just like last season, which is a huge disappointment for them. Unlike last season, however, they didn't suffer a massive upset in the play-offs. They comfortably sailed past Flying Jellyfish instead. Argonna Diguarâ still haunts their memories, though.
Strengths: For many Karuvans, playing for Prostran I Forzuda is a dream. Perhaps even moreso than playing for the national team. The passion the team displays on the pitch is a direct consequence of this. They've also got many tall and strong players - a Karuvan stereotype, perhaps, but one that's certainly true for this team - that will be a menace in the air. Their wingers are pretty fast and can cross well, so expect them to abuse this combination.
Weaknesses: The team may not be slow, but it's definitely the slowest in the league. Farf footballers are typically very, very fast, regardless of their actual quality. This is not true for the Karuvans, who usually have to get by on strength, technique and brainpower instead. Watching kids like Tôsgo Alxíkí and Emiliano Gallegas scorch their defense with pure, searing speed will be frustrating for them.
Best Players: Milos Lucic's efforts in goal earned him the best player award in the state league. Much of Divljaci's hopes will rest on his shoulders. Captain Jugoslav Radonjic, capped at youth level, is a fan favorite who, while getting a bit old, is still very capable both on defense and offense, and would likely have played for better teams were he not such a nationalist. Up front, Tomo Mrkonjic is a tall menace, and will bang in at least a dozen headers this season if his state league performance is anything to go by.
Young Prospects: In the bench, wingers Savatije Prodanovic and Svetislav Cirkovic are expected to get a healthy amount of playtime, and fans are hopeful they'll break into the starting eleven and become key players for the team for over a decade. Savatije's a traditional winger; much like the starters, he runs fast and crosses well, and that's all there is to him. Svetislav, on the other hand, is much more fond of cutting in and trying to make something happen with his gifted left foot. We have yet to see him use his right foot, though.
Prediction: In terms of quality, they're an upper-mid table team. However, their one weakness is fast teams, and every team in Farfadillis features very fast players. Seeing as they're hard countered by 21 out of 21 teams, we'll have to predict them to finish in a respectable 13th place.

Lâ Lüs

Manager: Ülì Çôçô
Nickname: Rëvôlüsìnârs
Home Stadium: Dês Käìds (4,000)
Home City: Ômên, Ruland
Predicted Starting XI: (GK) Wilsrë Râsáás - (LB) Lôrénsé Jâtíêsà, (CB) Trî Gânö, (CB) Lînó Xösá, (RB) Mâáx Gôreýl - (CM) Bêlá Düjân, (CM) Blâás Sârátêgí, (LW) Ríqué t'Ômixés, (OM) Mâáx Lâçâlânzoô, (RW) Tôsgo Alxíkí [C] - (ST) Váyárdö Jôùjárânneá
Bench: (GK) Trî Jíí, (GK) Pâás Tûto - (LB) Ôrelí Dü Sêr, (CB) Jérôn Gínê, (CB) Yülàáê Tlâhu, (RB) Tômâás Hrushór - (CM) Lídôr Érêgê, (CM) Pînô Mêsdepël, (LW) Sàntîó Mêjor, (OM) Mâxímö Sírspâl, (RW) Émílíâno Símaurêné - (ST) Çè Quîrijá
Background: One of the youngest clubs in the league, Lâ Lüs was founded about twenty years ago, when the Rulandese revolutionary movement was beginning to gain traction. They were founded by revolutionaries and their sympathizers, in the run-down city of Ômên, which is like Ruland but a bit worse. The city of Ômên has already fallied behind them, so their small stadium will be filled every game. With the revolutionary sympathies (or, rather, fanaticism), and with Ômên being on the frontier with Puerto Farolero, you can guess just how heated games against Faroleran teams will get. It is worth noting that, due to Rulandese infrastructure being rather suboptimal, the city of Ômên has rarely produced FFL footballers. This effectively means Lâ Lüs has a monopoly on a Rulandese city with untapped potential, and it's already showing with some of the players coming through being better than the previous starters... to the point that only three starters from last season have remained.
State League Performance: Very encouraging: they managed to finish with a positive GD, which is something teams outside the top three hadn't managed last season. The difference between this team and last season's is clear as day.
Strengths: They've got a very fiery attitude, perhaps owning to their average age, and it tends to translate to good things like running fast and giving 100% in every 50/50. Besides that, they're a surprisingly technical team, specially the attackers. Most team will face them thinking this is the same Lâ Lüs as last season, and get completely found out by the front four.
Weaknesses: They're all very inexperienced, and it's likely to show in big games, as well as holding leads. We saw some of it in the state league already. The centerbacks are also not that good, two of the three leftovers from last season, in which they conceded 93 goals in 21 games.
Best Players: The front four. Ríqué t'Ômixés is a technical winger that has a very lethal shot from outside the box, as well as great pace. Mâáx Lâçâlânzoô is a fantastic playmaker. He'll pull off passes that would surprise any defender, though he is a bit lazy. An Alex Terán type, basically. Tôsgo Alxíkí is, simply put, uncontrollable. The winger tore apart even the best teams in the state league, so it's unlikely any team will be able to contain him. Striker Váyárdö Jôùjárânneá has pace and clinical finishing while being an aerial threat.
Young Prospects: Leaving aside the fact that 9 out of 11 of these players are under twenty-five, Tôsgo Alxíkí is clearly the most exciting of this bunch. The seventeen year old looks like a future world beater. He has it all, but more than anything, he has pace and an astonishing goalscoring record. He isn't even one of those midget wingers that are super fast can't do anything in the air. No, he's fairly tall and good at heading.
Prediction: This will be controversial, specially after their terrible performance last season, but this is effectively a new squad. We think they'll manage to finish in 12th place.

by **Farfadillis** » Thu Mar 12, 2020 10:54 pm

Ausharmuj Marusi

Manager: Ey Farrháteré
Nickname: la Sindica
Home Stadium: Multisportivé Joan Roaré (17,000)
Home City: Bolanos, Ferdullaele
Predicted Starting XI: (GK) Giolehe Inflax - (LB) Valdo Kímé, (CB) Horacéi Xúrkaroá, (CB) Gianlei Bula, (RB) Soirelí der Reneska - (CM) Liberté Salogadó [C], (CM) Madusmé Ukén, (LW) Danoé Anders, (OM) Anviungar Fuadé, (RW) Alexon Rrhefé - (ST) Maguiliní Spoheí
Bench: (GK) Erazem Askanter, (GK) Garrehemí Crenago - (LB) Herrhemengaúl der Ezse, (CB) Somuemundé Andaní, (CB) Gurmund Carrhéteré, (RB) Kaé Fargá - (CM) Ordonó Tribulanté, (CM) Onder Lanké, (LW) Nerianeknoé der Reneska, (OM) Féipé Cronologó, (RW) Garrego Loalé - (ST) Bertami Boté
Background: The only left-wing team in Ferdullaele, the wealthy capital state that had control over Farfadillis until only a few years ago. Why are they the only left-wing team? Because the team is still heavily associated to the syndicate that founded it, so the have by far the biggest working class fanbase outside Ruland. Left-wing as they may be, though, they're very much Ferdullaelan nationalists like almost all other teams in the capital. They're hated outside Ferdullaele for this, and hated inside Ferdullaele for their other political views. They relish this.
State League Performance: They coasted their way to FFL qualification. It was very obvious they didn't care enough to challenge for the title, because they're definitely at least the second best team in Ferdullaele, and perhaps even the best one. We'll see how they fare when they shift gears for the league.
Strengths: They have a very talented midfield that can adapt to their not-as-good other areas. Their midfield can play possession and counterattack very naturally, and they're all at the peak of their physical conditions. Their two center midfielders, in particular, are completely tireless.
Weaknesses: Maguiliní Spoheí is not clinical, and the wingers aren't good enough to pick up the slack. As a result, they'll have much more trouble scoring than they should with their midfield. Beyond that, Giolehe Inflax is untested at this level, and there's no worse position for that than goalkeeper. It could come back to bite them.
Best Players: You need to look no further than Liberté Salogadó. World Cup winner with a total of five minutes played (but a World Cup winner at the end of the day), it says a lot about how loyal la Sindica's players are that he hasn't moved to another team despite having the quality to play for the big teams, or indeed some Nepharim or Euran team. He's tireless, his passing is very good, and he can put in a good defensive shift when it's needed. He's only slightly lacking in dribbling skills, but he's otherwise the complete package.
Young Prospects: Soirelí der Reneska and Valdo Kímé may be young, but they're proven at this level despite barely cracking twenty years of age. They've got pace in spades, and the technique to make them dangerous on the attack, like any good Farf wingback should be. They'll be key when Ausharmuj Marusi play wide.
Prediction: They're a very solid team, but it's hard to see how they could do better than the best Faroleran and Rulandese teams, as well as René Skaé and Gorfalle Town. We'll go with 11th place.

Avenida Principal

Manager: Fons Argáez
Nickname: los Caballeros
Home Stadium: La Gran Avenida (60,000)
Home City: Victoria Lago, Puerto Farolero
Predicted Starting XI: (GK) Rafael Perales - (LB) Abram Aguayo, (CB) Ramón Gonzales [C], (CB) Orlando Soria, (RB) Sebastián Montalvo - (CM) Lucián Saldivar, (CM) Óliver Tijerina, (OM) Adrián Raya, (LW) Andrés Valdez, (RW) Alonzo de Anda - (ST) Joel Cotto
Bench: (GK) Emiliano Aguirre, (GK) Alejandro Montes - (LB) Lucas Valdés, (CB) Ricardo Pedroza, (CB) José Henríquez, (RB) Rodrigo Terrazas - (CM) Abraham Mondragón, (CM) Adrián Fajardo, (OM) Jorge Varela, (LW) José Orta, (RW) Iván Cervantes - (ST) Emiliano Barreto
Background: Avenida Principal is, you guessed it, one of the Avenidas. They are following in Avenida Victoria's footsteps: they've been in a clear downturn for about ten seasons now. Bizarrely, they're generally agreed to be the richest team in the country. In the past, they used to have the most foreigners in the league. Nowadays, well... they've had to change plans, and it hasn't helped them one bit. The good news is they've started funding their academy a lot more, and a few talented youngsters have appeared in their ranks. Politically, as the most affluent team in the nation, and having some of the most affluent fans outside Ferdullaele, you can guess what their allegiances are...
State League Performance: Pathetic. Completely pathetic. They rotated a lot, yes, and sometimes they looked like they weren't even trying. But we're not sure they weren't really trying. They finished below Tifón de la Costa! That's not gonna happen in the FFL itself, but it's still a terrible sign.
Strengths: They've got a very young team, and it shows both in how much they run and in how fast they do it. Alonzo de Anda, Óliver Tijerina and Abram Aguayo, in particular, are among the fastest players in the league. Teams with slow defenses will struggle tremendously against this team.
Weaknesses: Their pace makes them naturally tend towards a vertiginous playstyle. Teams that can soak up this pressure and counterattack effectively will generally beat them. Teams that can hang onto the ball indefinitely, tolerate their pressing, and slowly expose their defensive fragility? Those will destroy them.
Best Players: The aforementioned Óliver Tijerina is an extremely pacey center midfielder with an endless supply of bangers. He's also a very good playmaker. Alonzo de Anda is, we think, the second fastest player in the league. He isn't specially good at dribbling, or indeed crossing, but he makes up for it by always, always beating his man if given half an inch.
Young Prospects: The whole team is very young, but Adrián Raya particularly so. He's an offensive midfielder that likes to pretend he's a striker, and does it very convincingly. He's only eighteen, so there's no question many top teams will come calling if he bangs in more than fifteen goals this season.
Prediction: We can't just ignore that terrible state league performance. They'll finish around 10th place.

Gorfalle Town

Manager: Sisaí Vilá
Nickname: los Canarís
Home Stadium: Parque Erfaon Lisdiren (10,000)
Home City: Gorfalle, Ferdullaele
Predicted Starting XI: (GK) Damusmundy Sasca - (LB) Liberté Conosjeró, (CB) Berrhemengar Eregro [C], (CB) Bertami Asalia, (RB) Fonás Filosufé - (CM) Reimoundé Maludé, (CM) Gianluigi Sabí, (LW) Felragi Deltuarrhe, (OM) Madusmé Strela, (RW) Ezalta Arambauzá - (ST) Nacio Solesé
Bench: (GK) Ifarmé Barbá'Rrhé, (GK) Chusí Conosjeró - (LB) Neguimbelefra Indujanó, (CB) Dangué Aquilé, (CB) Cubí der Riviska, (RB) Arfibiá Rulandeo - (CM) Hu Okno Dandesolé, (CM) Kaé Gangerda, (LW) Vili Dubalá, (OM) Garrego der Nos, (RW) Garrehemí Altamirano - (ST) Giolihonsada Kímé
Background: A small club from the town of Gorfalle (no points for guessing that), Gorfalle Town have a history of overachievement. They're most famous for producing one of tge most capped Farf players, Erfaon Lisdiren, and for giving Ichi Tuzzio his first job as manager. Their management is one of the best in the nation. They've gotten by on a heavy emphasis on youth development and good football, as well as getting value for money on their transfers. All of those things are easier said than done, and not particularly innovative ideas, but the important thing is that this club does them very well. They're among the most politically apathetic clubs in the nation, largely because management thinks any kind of political allegiance might backfire in the long run.
State League Performance: They won it on goal difference while barely even trying. They're clearly the best team in Ferdullaele, but doubts remain over whether they're better than some of the good Faroleran and Rulandese teams.
Strengths: Of the teams in the league, they are probably the most adept at playing wide. Their fullbacks are not specially pacey, but they've got impeccable positioning and can read the game very well. Their wingers are extremely fast and will terorize every defense in the league. Their center midfield are adept at compensating for their teammates playing very wide. Any team with slow fullbacks will get wrecked against them.
Weaknesses: Damusmundy Sasca - Groaré Sasca's cousin - is a solid goalkeeper... if you ignore his tendency for shocking mistakes. He make a couple every season, and many of them lead to goals. His consistent inclusion in the starting eleven is a point of contention among fans, with many accusing Groaré Sasca of promising to return to Gorfalle Town eventually if his cousin continues to start. It's likely not true, though.
Best Players: Felragi Deltuarrhe and Ezalta Arambauzá, without a doubt. The left winger is a nightmare to defend against for compact teams, since he is just impossible to stop once he is given half a meter of space. He is not that good a dribbler, but it hardly matters when he is given space. He's also a fantastic crosser of the ball. Arambauzá, meanwhile, is a much more flexible winger, and overall the better player. While not as good as Deltuarrhe at running down the flank, his ambidexterity makes him very dangerous at cutting in, since he can choose between the two options at any time.
Young Prospects: Ezalta Arambauzá is also only twenty years old, so he's the young player to watch. Mâ Âlâmëómë, Dí Maozöxê and La Nueva Avenida are said to be interested in him.
Prediction: They're a good team, but there's also lots of good teams. We think they'll finish 9th.

Rülândéá Kôstä

Manager: Fêrm Égéré
Nickname: tâ Kôstä
Home Stadium: Âréné Délékôstä (10,000)
Home City: Ruland, Ruland
Predicted Starting XI: (GK) Horâcio Mâ Mórsna - (LB) Pâb Bílísô, (CB) Jôk Kêsê, (RB) Ülì Bláór [C] - (CM) Sâlömão Xeró, (CM) Gëngüdó Îmiév, (TK) Émérí Dü Ârusânìrá, (LW) Güs Rêndô, (RW) Çè Sêwansé - (ST) Naclé Wôr, (ST) Röémün Çídh
Bench: (GK) Jâv Tulipão, (GK) Jê Êrgön - (LB) Éskïr Lûoo, (CB) Tè Leâl, (RB) Vínseslâdís Nêxvêrsôlöká - (CM) Mâánü Düsnans, (CM) Kârl Víçâr, (CM) Çìríkô Tlísnadâ, (LW) Fonás Nêndêlögâö, (RW) Nâáçó Nêxvêré - (ST) Kâákî Bênano, (ST) Drö Dírrôùjýâ
Background: Rülândéá Kôstä are massive in Ruland's coast. When we say massive, we mean truly massive. Most everyone in the city's coast suport the team named after the city's coast which, to be fair, is probably not shocking. Their supporters have very strong ties to the revolutionary movements of the last two decades, and are violent even by Rulandese standards. Their stadium, partially destroyed by bombings, will probably pack twice its capacity every game. Surpisingly, tâ Kôstä has a very friendly relationship with all other Rulandese clubs, seeing them more as family than rivals. Teams from outside Ruland, though? That's a very different story.
State League Performance: They did relavtively well. It's no secret that they're the third best Rulandese team; the state league reflected that. They famously go rather easy on their fellow Rulandese, so it will be interesting to see how passionate they'll be playing teams from outside the state.
Strengths: An extremely fluid tactical set-up, as well as players with great physical attributes. They run a lot, they run fast, and they don't get tired. They can and will completely switch tactics mid-game and change the pace of the game completely at a moment's notice. They don't have too much in terms of individual quality, at least not compared to the heavyweights of the league, but this is one of those wholes that is better than a sum of parts.
Weaknesses: They sometimes hesitate to go for the kill. They'll be a goal ahead and start playing a patient (Farf definition) game of possession only to concede inexplicably, when they would've easily thrashed their opponents had they stuck to kamikaze attack. Beyond that, their strikers are young and inexperienced, which could cost them a lot in big games.
Best Players: Émérí Dü Ârusânìrá is who makes the team tick. The young-ish midfielder is usually employed as a takilante, a "new" position Ichi Tuzzio claims to have invented, which Égéré seems to have been impressed by after Faragó rue Cazade's performance for the Farfadillis National Team at the World Cup. Essentially, Émérí will be playing as a slightly advanced center midfielder who will press like a madman, foul a lot to stop counterattacks, and attempt to arrive at the box as if he were a shadow striker. It's physically very demanding, but he's up for the task. He's also got good dribbling and finishing, which helps make him one of the most versatile and dangerous players in the team. Beyond him, Sâlömão Xeró and Gëngüdó Îmiév are very good at taking control of the midfield, and will be expected to do so in every game.
Young Prospects: Çè Sêwansé is a pacey winger with a lot of flair. He's still very raw - his finishing, in particular, could use a lot of training - but the potential is clearly there. Without better options in the bench, he's been thrust into the starting eleven. We'll se how he fares. Up front, meanwhile, there's Röémün Çídh, the younger brother of Edmün Çídh, one of Farfadillis' brightest prospects. Unfortunately for him, he's essentially a poor man's Edmün. Fortunately for him, that's pretty good by the league's standards.
Prediction: They've got the talent, but their mentality has to change. They could be challenging for IFCF spots, and should begin to show it. Because of this, we'll have to predict 8th, though it's hard to see them finishing any lower than that.

Avenida Victoria

Manager: Eurico Corrillo
Nickname: Victorianos
Home Stadium: La Gran Avenida (60,000)
Home City: Victoria Lago, Puerto Farolero
Predicted Starting XI: (GK) Lucián Medrano - (LB) Nicolás Delatorre, (CB) Fabián Rubalcava [C], (CB) Enrique Resurrección, (RB) Rubén Hinojosa - (LM) Héctor Parra, (CM) Lancelot Mojica, (CM) Ramón Fonseca, (RM) Enrique Lauricella - (ST) Matías Soria, (ST) Alexis Guerra
Bench: (GK) Omar Serrano, (GK) Carlos Verdugo - (LB) Abram Rascón, (CB) Miguel Espinosa, (CB) Fernando Manzanares, (RB) Elías Rodríquez - (LM) Édgar Urías, (CM) Abraham Escobar, (CM) Alex Benavídez, (RM) Joel Madera - (ST) Antonio Collado, (ST) Daniel Gastélum
Background: The first big Avenida team. Of the big ones, the smallest. Most Avenida Victoria fans are still proud of how their team helped destroy the Ferdullaele monopoly of the league back in season 3, after decades of total hegemony from the capital city's club. Success was short-lived for Avenida Victoria, though: they only won the FFL in seasons 3 and 4. Their fans are hopelessly optimistic, though, and one can see why: they continuously produce some very talented footballers. They have a very intense rivalry with La Nueva Avenida - the only rivalry in Farfadillis comparable to lâ Rülândéá Kâlâsïk. El Clásico, as the fans call it, is always a very heated affair, and red cards tend to fly.
State League Performance: They finished fourth, but it was very tight at the top. They're definitely not far off Flamagua's level, at the very least. They never looked good enough to take on Avenida Leal and La Nueva Avenida, though. El Clásico was specially disastrous: they got thrashed 6-0.
Strengths: Like so many other teams, it's the midfield. But this one, in particular, is particularly good. Ramón Fonseca is an experienced veteran, and one of the best playmakers in the league, Lancelot Mojica is a World Cup-winner, and Héctor Parra and Enrique Lauricella are among the most dangerous wingers in the league. However, it should be pointed out that their defense has some very good players in Enrique Resurreción and Rubén Hinojosa.
Weaknesses: While half of the defense is good, half of it isn't: Fabián Rubalcava, while once very good, is way too old to not consider him a liability, and Nicolás Delatorre is way too young, so the same applies. Also, Matías Soria and Alexis Guerra have a very shaky relationship, and that translates to bad performances on the pitch for a few weeks at a time.
Best Players: The star of this team is clearly Lancelot Mojica. The lad is a complete midfielder in every sense of the word. He'd be a starter for the Farfadillis NT if it hadn't switched from playing one complete midfielder to two complementary ones. He'd be able to walk into any team in this league. Rubén Hinojosa is the second best player nowadays: the veteran has also been capped, though at a time when Farfadillis was lacking right backs. Still, in this league, being capped for la Vherderoja means being a cut above the rest.
Young Prospects: Héctor Parra is an astonishingly fast winger with good dribbling and crossing. In other words, he could very easily be world class one day. It's a shame that he's injury prone and very one-footed, as well as very suspect disciplinary-speaking. He's only nineteen, so he could turn into a world beater anyway, but those are never good signs.
Prediction: 7th place seems fair enough for a team like this. They're very solid, but not quite as good as some other team in the league. They could sneak into IFCF spots, though.

Flamagua

Manager: Cayo Punta
Nickname: las Llamas
Home Stadium: La Fogata Mojada (25,000)
Home City: Gran Farol, Puerto Farolero
Predicted Starting XI: (GK) Julio Miranda - (LB) Hugo Sisneros, (CB) Alex Enríquez, (RB) Jaime Tejada - (DM) Ernesto Arguello, (LM) Ramón Gómez, (CM) Josué Montemayor, (RM) Gabriel Tovar, (OM) Noé Salazar [C], (OM) Jesús Armendáriz - (ST) Armando Heredia
Bench: (GK) Jorge Arellano, (GK) Pablo Roque - (LB) Rafael Madrigal, (CB) Ernesto Gamboa, (RB) Gustavo Ruelas - (DM) Víctor Adorno, (LM) Leonardo Uribe, (CM) Alejandro Tovar, (RM) Adrián Barreto, (OM) Hugo Lerma, (OM) Jesús Colón - (ST) Fernando Campos
Background: Flamagua is the least successful of the "big" Faroleran clubs. All the (good) Avenidas have won the FFL more than once, yet Flamagua only have two bronze medals to their names. This hasn't stopped them from having massive (and violent) support, however. They are, after all, the only relevant club from a big working-class city. Their supporters are refreshingly uninterested in politics, though they don't shy away from xenophobic chants, knowing full well it riles up the Rulandese. In short, Flamagua are a football club that concerns itself with football only, and so do their fans. Unfortunately for them, they have never been that good at football, but that doesn't mean the fans can't dream.
State League Performance: Very good signs here. They came in third, but were only three points off third, and were clearly playing at a level similar to that of Avenida Leal and La Nueva Avenida, the two teams that finished above them.
Strengths: The offensive midfield features two quick-thinking dribblers that are sure to prove nightmare-ish for their opponents. They're both fast and good at playmaking, too. Easily the scariest part of this team. It's safe to say Heredia won't have trouble finding chances to bury.
Weaknesses: Actually burying those will be the problem, though: Heredia is a notoriously bad finisher. He is good at finding space. He is quite fast. He can dribble. But he is just so frustratingly wasteful. Give him some finishing and he'd be a very good striker, and Flamagua would likely be a lock-on for Globe Cup spots.
Best Players: Noé Salazar and Jesús Armendáriz, of course. We've already described them a good bit, so let's point out the little differences in their playing styles: Noé is faster and has a bigger tendency try and dribble his way into the box, as well as dritf wide, while Armendáriz has more of a tendency towards focusing on playmaking.
Young Prospects: Alex Enríquez is a tall, fast and bulky centerback who knows how to pass the ball. He's also shown signs of being adept at dribbling. He's not exceptionally talented, but there's certainly a potential top team player to look out for here.
Prediction: As always, they are lacking something. This time, the something is much more concrete: a good finisher. We expect them to barely miss out on IFCF spots, which means they'll finish 6th.

Avenida Leal

Manager: Constantino Martínez
Nickname: los Leales
Home Stadium: Lealtad y Fuerza (30,000)
Home City: Victoria Lago, Puerto Farolero
Predicted Starting XI: (GK) Noé Perea [C] - (LB) Lorenzo Apodaca, (CB) Trinidad Arochi, (RB) Leonardo Orellana - (DM) Simón Franco, (CM) Julián Rodríquez, (CM) Adán Ávila, (LW) Abel Terrazas, (OM) Folgore Alaminos, (RW) José Córdova - (ST) Elías Arredondo
Bench: (GK) Joel Irizarry, (GK) Óscar Castro - (LB) Esteban Ojeda, (CB) Armando Villaseñor, (RB) David Luján - (DM) Tobías Santacruz, (CM) Julio Jaimes, (CM) Jesús Espino, (LW) Julio Cornejo, (OM) Matías Marín, (RW) Lorenzo Cruz - (ST) Salvador Bahena
Background: Though Avenida Leal arrived comparatively late to the whole successful Avenida thing, they're nowadays undeniably the second best one historically, and some might argue the best one at the moment. They're a club of working class roots, much like La Nueva Avenida. In this case, they're heavily tied to the wood industry. This rather bizarrely puts them at odds with the rest of the Avenidas which, while more right-leaning, are much more environmental, going so far as to have their shared stadium in the forest. Silly chants about deforestation ensue. While the relationship between the Avenidas is bizarre, Avenida Leal can boast the title of "not very hated outside home state", thanks to their many charitative efforts during times of crisis.
State League Performance: They won the Faroleran state league, which means they're candidates to win the FFL. We think they weren't quite as impressive as La Nueva Avenidas, but they were very close.
Strengths: Their defense is very well organized compared to the rest of the league. Constantino Martínez has been managing the club for about two decades; he's had the time to build the defense from the ground up, and it shows. Interestingly, one could argue Constantino is stuck in his old ways: while the rest of the league seems to be moving towards a four-man defense, Constantino swears by the traditional Farf system. There is more than meets the eye, however: Constantino's defensive midfielders tend to do a much more extensive defensive jobs than others in the league. He's effectively playing with a four-man defense and having half an extra man in midfield, some would argue.
Weaknesses: This is a very solid team, so it's a bit harsh calling it a weakness, but here it goes: their attack could be more effective. They're still decidedly above-average in this area, but there's little problems everywhere: Arredondo is a bit too slow and will struggle against fast defenses, Córdova is too selfish, Terrazas is too inconsistent, Alaminos is too good for the league and will get fouled way too often. Furthermore, they all seem to be having trouble understanding each other when faced with a solid defense. They're all individually good enough to start for any team not challenging for IFCF spots, though.
Best Players: Noé Perea is arguably the best goalkeeper in the league, and also arguably a World Cup winner. Little else needs to be said about him. In defense, Trinidad Arochi may be only twenty-two, and relatively inexperienced, but he's just incredible. Fast, tall, strong, technical and very tactically-aware. Rumours of a call-up for the AOCAF Cup abound. Folgore Alaminos is another talented youngster, having already signed for Jungle Strike. He'll try to show his worth in this loan-back deal. He's a very complete offensive midfielder; he seems to lack nothing of importance for his role.
Young Prospects: The very same Folgore Alaminos is, of course, their biggest prospect. It might be worth mentioning he's the son of Santos Alaminos, who started for Farfadillis for many years as a rightback. He's got world class football abilities in his veins. It is rather curious, though, that what makes him a good footballer is completely disconnected from what made his father a good one. Except speed, of course.
Prediction: A great team, no doubt. But lacking that something up front, Alaminos aside, to make them better than the other four teams that one could even argue to be better. This means, if you've understood the confusing phrasing, that we predict Avenida Leal to finish 5th.

Dí Maozöxê

Manager: Blâás Âgínsôgnó
Nickname: lôs Rébélés
Home Stadium: Rülândéá Çölíséá (35,000)
Home City: Ruland, Ruland
Predicted Starting XI: (GK) Íüé Tgô [C] - (LB) Xíxì Jóf, (CB) Drì Lsôs, (CB) Yülàáê Hösiré, (RB) Jïnbawín Ohfânâ - (DM) Váásîlóénün Tulipão, (CM) Güimarr Grérê, (TK) Çè Löjámangó, (LW) Sâkras Dü Sêr, (RW) Çês Rêó - (ST) Kâyetá Serö
Bench: (GK) Jâáko Kâíxìró, (GK) Émérí Dü Sêr - (LB) Lís Rüg, (CB) Spïr Tör, (CB) Ôrelí Târâjâs, (RB) Jôsüé Lâ Léspér - (DM) Xíriêrín Wísnèvüs, (CM) Râúl Êçar, (TK) Lèón Dr Sêlvüâr, (LW) Sâlömão Ôsgân, (RW) Türó Kögánk - (ST) Lôpë Wâmarüh
Background: The second biggest club in Ruland in terms of success, and the one with the biggest fanbase, though Mâ Âlâmëómë would never admit it. Dí Maozöxê is a club founded by uranium miners, which means thay have massive following in all of Ruland, specially in the capital. Their fans are some of the most passionate and violent in the country. Though they lean heavily left, as does most of the state nowadays, they lean more towards chaos than anything else. Their rivals are Mâ Âlâmëómë, and their clashes always end up with people injured. They also have a huge enmity with, well, the rest of the league, much like their rivals. Being Rulandese and successful will tend to do that.
State League Performance: Trailing their rivals will always stink, but they still showed signs of being able to mount a title challenge. Their defense, in particular, showed unexpected solidity.
Strengths: Their defense is the best in the league. Their goalkeeper is Íüé Tgô, who managed to deny one of the best teams of all time a record sixth World Cup title. In defense, Drì Lsôs is another World Cup winner. The rest of the backline is a blend of youthful vigor and veteran experience. This defense is not just good at defending, though: Lsôs and Ohfânâ are very dangerous when going forward, and could probably make a living playing as wingers. Lsôs bombing forward is one of the secret weapons of this team, and most teams are not good at dealing with it.
Weaknesses: This team hasn't many weaknesses, but if there's one, it's their lack of squad depth. If they manage to keep their first string healthy throughout the season, they've got very good chances of winning the title. Otherwise, they could drop as low as 8th or 9th with a bit of bad luck in that regard.
Best Players: Íüé Tgô and Drì Lsôs are without a doubt the two best players. The experience they bring to this team is difficult to match, as well as the quality. Váásîlóénün Tulipão is an underrated deep-lying playmaker that makes this team tick without many people noticing, and Çè Löjámangó is a takilante that's already displaying great proficiency in the role despite his age.
Young Prospects: Çè Löjámangó is, therefore, their best young prospect. The 18-year-old is fast, precise with his passing, tireless, passionate and very good at exploiting defensive gaps. He's got it all to become world class; time will tell if he does.
Prediction: This is an impressive team, and will likely challenge for the title, but the truth is that, on paper, there are three better teams in this league. We think 4th place is the most likely scenario.

La Nueva Avenida

Manager: Grant Pickton
Nickname: los Novanos
Home Stadium: La Gran Avenida (60,000)
Home City: Victoria Lago, Puerto Farolero
Predicted Starting XI: (GK) Tobías Granados - (LB) Fabián Saiz, (CB) Gerardo Ulises, (RB) Gabriel Delgado - (DM) César Montemayor, (CM) Julio Palomino, (CM) Daniel Murillo, (LW) Emiliano Gallegas, (OM) Enrique Delrío, (RW) Nahuel Loscampos [C] - (ST) Rubén Cuervo
Bench: (GK) Orlando Bétancourt, (GK) Benjamín Gaona - (LB) David Guajardo, (CB) Emanuel Altamirano, (RB) Fabián Malave - (DM) Alfredo Luján, (CM) César Blanco, (CM) Rafael Bueno, (LW) Furia de Jesús, (OM) Arturo Briseño, (RW) Simón Delvalle - (ST) Martín Pickton-Suárez
Background: The most successful of the Avenida clubs, and the second most successful in the nation, La Nueva Avenida are a club focused on success. While their supporters have a bit of a xenophobic right-wing (ecological) streak at times, the truth is people of every type support them in their home state, purely because of how successful they've historically been. After a dark period of not winning anything, they finally managed to win the league again two seasons ago, and they're building on that to retake the crown that Mâ Âlâmëómë stole from them. Expect their matches with Avenida Victoria to be very heated because of their historical rivalry. Nowadays, their games against Mâ Âlâmëómë are surprisingly heated, too, probably due to both teams being by far the most successful.
State League Performance: They didn't do as well as they might've wished, but they were a bit better than Avenida Leal, even if the table didn't reflect it.
Strengths: They're the most experienced team in the league, boasting veterans like Granados, Delrío and Loscampos. Don't expect this team to give up if it falls behind. They've also got a fearsome front four, which will cause problems to any team in the league.
Weaknesses: It's not really a weakness, and more of a not-strength, but their two center midfielders wouldn't stand out in a mid-table team. They aren't as fast as their fans wish they'd be, and are fairly inconsistent. It will prove problematic against teams with great midfields like Mâ Âlâmëómë, Avenida Victoria and René Skaé.
Best Players: Rubén Cuervo has been a reliable goalscorer for years, and he doesn't look like he'll be stopping for a few more years. Fast and lethal, and that's more than enough. Enrique Delrío has been capped for Farfadillis, and even scored in World Cup 83. He's a very good playmaker, but can switch towards a more striker-ish role if the situation calls for it. On the left wing, Emiliano Gallegas is a youthful winger with a lot of pace and enthusiasm, the latter generally translating to a lot of crosses, some of which Cuervo heads in. Nahuel Loscampos has been terrorizing leftbacks in this league for years and years; he's not gonna stop this season.
Young Prospects: Emiliano Gallegas looks like a future NTer. He's only 19, but is already among the best wingers in the league. He's a very complete traditional winger, with a bit of Farf flair to boot. La Nueva Avenida will want to hang onto him for as long as they can, but he's likely to leave soon anyway.
Prediction: This is a great squad, and it wouldn't be surprising to see them win it. Nonetheless, René Skaé and Mâ Âlâmëómë just about edge them, so we predict them to finish 3rd.

René Skaé

Manager: Louis-Étienne Hevesi
Nickname: les Ezrenels
Home Stadium: Grand René Skaé (25,000)
Home City: René Skaé, Szoirsia
Predicted Starting XI: (GK) Berény Phelede - (LB) Camille Auguste, (CB) Denis Szibóth, (CB) Béla Yannick, (RB) Botond Zsabados - (LM) Lajos Éwanjé-Épée, (CM) András Zsabados, (RM) Amable Crarmoud, (TK) Faragó rue Cazade [C] - (ST) Elemér Miross-Lezocz, (ST) Yves Kiss
Bench:
Background: René Skaé finally demonstrated last season that Szoirsians are here to stay. Ever since René Skaé got promoted to the FFL, Szoirsian football has slowly and very steadily risen through the ranks. First they produced NT caliber players like Zsolgar Zsase, Kósa Bajnok and, most famously, Lázár Eleonóra. Then, René Skaé started climbing the ranks. Last season, they unexpectedly won it all. And what's more, their stars all stayed, and the squad is looking better than ever. They feature three World Cup winners, two if you care about playing time, one if you really care about playing time. Off-the-pitch, René Skaé is quite the sensation in Szoirsia, with most anyone supporting the club. They're the second most left-leaning state, so their fans naturally lean that way as well. Their fans are remarkably mild, perhaps owing to the temperatures of their state, which is 90% a huge fucking desert.
State League Performance: One word: scary. Torrhe del Viento finished first last season because René Skaé didn't care about the league, and this season is proof of that. Just look at those numbers. Ridiculous.
Strengths: Their attack is scary. Scary like no other attack is scary. Faragó rue Cazade as takilante, where he played in Farfadillis' World Cup win, being one of the team's best players. He'll tear defenses apart. Up front, Miross-Lezocz wasn't fielded in the World Cup final for nothing. Sure, he was underwhelming, but there's a reason Ichi Tuzzio trusted him. A pure goalscorer. His off-the-ball movement stands out in particular. Yves Kiss is a more traditional "fast run, strong shot" kind of striker, but the kid's very good at scoring goals. We don't expect any team to contain these three.
Weaknesses: Lajos Éwanjé-Épée has a lot of potential, but he's still very green, while Amable Crarmoud is probably the team's weak link with his subpar positioning and speed. What's more, Hevesi seems fixated on playing with a wide formation, which just doesn't make sense since these two don't provide András Zsabados any cover.
Best Players: It'd be unfair to even metion anyone in this section along with Faragó rue Cazade. The man is a passionate fan, which is the only reason he hasn't left for a club in the Premiership or the Euraleague. Devilishly fast, decent at marking, tireless, great at pressing, good passing, great dribbling, astonishing scoring rate... simply put, the best player in the league.
Young Prospects: András Zsabados is a very complete center midfielder for his age, he could maybe aspire to become an NT substitute one day. Lajos Éwanjé-Épée is supposedly actually a center midfielder, but he shows great potential for his age even as left midfielder. Up front, Yves Kiss is way too good at scoring for his age. In the bench, Archard Ezaa Robé is being taught how to replace rue Cazade effectively. It's a tall order, but the fact the manager even thinks he might pull it off says enough about the kid.
Prediction: On paper, probably the best team. However, they are new to the whole "being a top team" thing, and we expect the excitement of having won the league title last season to have taken some of the hunger away from them. 2nd place sounds like a fair prediction.

Mâ Âlâmëómë

Manager: Drì Kâíxìró
Nickname: lôs Vhêrdês
Home Stadium: Rülândéá Çölíséá (35,000)
Home City: Ruland, Ruland
Predicted Starting XI: (GK) Lídôr Wôsó - (LB) Drö Yorópëlrío, (CB) Süns Söh [C], (RB) Kândé Lütéré - (DM) Ôlégà Atsé, (CM) Râúl Nógíngo, (CM) Zsolgar Zsase, (LW) Mâáx Wínsâár, (OM) Dîmás Ósîn, (RW) Rêgül Dörngâo - (ST) Edmün Çídh
Bench: (GK) Drö Âloré - (GK) Bâjâ Töxól, (LB) Gëngêçío Quîrijá, (CB) Gëngüdó Pìgulôçô, (RB) Rímân Dòrrò - (DM) Rüí Xühî, (CM) Ígnîgo Çí Xôrí, (CM) Éskïr Òmâgrûtá, (LW) Çüs Aluansöó, (OM) Çè Êréçênsér, (RW) Éskïr Tütélvögás - (ST) Horâsio Wôndôji
Background: The most successful club in Farfadillis, and it's even close. Almost twice as many league titles as their next competitor (La Nueva Avenida), and the team that has historically had the best squads. Long gone are the days of Mêndêlöíndçêl, Einarsson, Kâí, Etezadi, Aurora, Wínrôuge, Rainsford, Gosforth, Campbell, Zubiri, Shrike, Tzâín, Röènôùjýâ, Na'Kale, Söh, Wçêíl, Killanen, Soria Luna... you get the point. They've had some insane squads over the years. With foreigners now gone, they've turned towards their trustworthy academy for talent, and it hasn't let them down. They've still got one of the most fearsome squads in the league. Their fans? Only a little less violent than Dí Maozöxê's, generally adherent to a pagan religion that venerates Mâ Âlâmëómë - roughly translated as Mother Earth. They don't like the whole uranium mining thing. And yes, of course they have revolutionary sympathies, like everyone else in the state.
State League Performance: They beat Dí Maozöxê to the title, and that's all they'll care about. However, even if they managed a healthy five point difference over them, they didn't look much better than them.
Strengths: You won't beat them unless you play wide. They've got some of the best players in the league in every central position, three of them capped for Farfadillis. Their front four may not have many caps - only Çídh's, and he's nineteen - but they're still a battering ram. Furthermore, every player is very technical, which means they're very good at keeping the ball away from their opponents.
Weaknesses: Their fullbacks are not quite top team material, and it could come back to bite them against teams with very good wingers, of which there's quite a few. Wôsó is also not as good as some past goalkeepers the team has had, though definitely good enough for a team challenging for IFCF spots.
Best Players: Zsolgar Zsase is one of the best midfielders in the league at controlling the game. He's also quite the aerial threat. Overall, a very complete midfielder who makes up for his lack of speed by being very good at everything else. Up front, it's hard not to imagine Çídh banging in over 30 goals this season. The wunderkid has talent in spades, and is now officially a World Cup winner.
Young Prospects: Besides Edmün Çídh, literally half the bench could pluaisbly turn out to be world class. Gëngêçío Quîrijá reminds people of Drê Röènôùjýâ, Gëngüdó Pìgulôçô of Ivaktör Bârr, Ígnîgo Çí Xôrí of nobody but he's still very good, Éskïr Òmâgrûtá of Sürgân t'Öéséné, Çè Êréçênsér of Ichi Tuzzio (and Faragó rue Cazade for the young'uns), and Horâsio Wôndôji of Täjó Çíânföné. In all likelihood, not even half of them will turn out good. But if a few of them fulfill their potential, both Farfadillis and Mâ Âlâmëómë will have a bright future ahead.
Prediction: This is maybe not the best team. Maybe it is. But there's something that makes Mâ Âlâmëómë win anyway, and we're counting on that to predict them to finish in 1st place.

by **Farfadillis** » Thu Apr 02, 2020 4:04 pm

With a thump, Faragó won the 50/50 with ease. While a few years ago it would've been unthinkable, his pressing was now a nightmare for his opponents. No midfielder or defender in the league could claim to feel at ease with Faragó close by. He paused. He usually liked playing with dynamism - the ball rarely stayed long at his feet, for better or worse - but it would mean running up the score even more, and he feared Sent 01 would start looking to injure him.

Dandeluneí stepped out of position to mark him, lunging at him with a dangerous challenge. A quick sidestep later, the Szoirsian looked ahead of him. The defensive gaps were obvious. They were winning by ten goals already, so no surprise there. Liferhe was marking Yves, but with Dandaluneí having botched his tackle, the centerback was now not in an ideal position: he could either leave Yves unattended, or Faragó.

As he realized that Liferhe would stick to Yves, he let his pride get the better of him. In an instant, he surged towards the box. What looked like a heavy touch proved just heavy enough for him to reach the ball before Liferhe - who had by that moment realized his mistake - and be left one-on-one with Soteí. With a fifth touch, rue Cazade slid the ball past him. An efficiency that struck fear in the hearts of most, if not all, defenders in the multiverse.

He sighed, and headed toward his own half. Eleven-nil. A remarkably boring game, and it was only the first of the season. He was so clearly above the league's level - partially because he was world class, but partially because the league was not what it used to be, as well - that he no longer found football fan.

As much of a René Skaé fan as he was, he was going to find it hard to stay motivated throughout the season. Save for the games against the big clubs, most games would be routine routings. He'd won the league the previous season, so the dream of guiding his team to its first title had already been achieved. He won the World Cup right after. What was there left for him to achieve? Maybe something at another club, in another country, he figured.

The Nepharim league maybe? Gruelling, but undeniably the most prestigious in the multiverse. It had turned Xíxì Êns into an even better player, so maybe it could even improve his game. There was also the Euraleague, the second strongest in the Multiverse. Fôx, Wçêíl, Eleonóra... many Farves had left their mark there. Joining that list didn't seem like a bad idea. Perhaps the V-League? The Härlighet Ligan? The A-League? The National League? All enticing prospects.

The referee blew the whistle, snapping him out of his daydreaming. René Skaé 11-0 Sent 01. He really hoped they'd win the title again, because the season would prove mind-numbingly boring otherwise.

He sighed as he watched a couple of Sent 01 players approaching him, all intent on swapping shirts with him. The crowd chanting his name no longer even scanned.

Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ

The Avenida derby may feel like an ambiguous name at first, but it really isn't: no two Avenida teams hate each other's guts nearly as much as Avenida Victoria and La Nueva Avenida. Their rivalries is one of the oldest in the country - due to the idiosincracies of Farf culture, nobody is sure quite how old, though - and as such the fans feel it to be the most "legitimate" one, so to speak. They may be two teams that have had very different trajectories since the early days, but their hate for each other has only escalated with time.

For a kid like Emiliano Gallegas, a born and raised, dyed-in-the-wool Novan, there isn't a more important match in the calendar, at least not unless the team's challenging for the title. And even then it's arguable.

As a 19-year-old who'd just recently broken through, this was Emiliano's first Avenida derby. A matchday 10 clash was about as unremarkable as it could get, specially with both teams having had rather disappointing seasons until that point. Yet Emiliano didn't feel even a little less nervous, or excited.

With La Gran Avenida filled to the brim with fans from both sides, with both teams playing at home, since the stadium's shared between them and Avenida Principal, and with all of Farfadillis watching, the match began.

The Avenida derby is always a high-intensity clash. Cards fly. So do the players, both when sprinting and after getting kicked down. Every fifty-fifty ball is fought for, injuries are not a rare sight, and small seisms would be registered after important goals if such a fancy thing as a seismometer existed in Farfadillis.

Emiliano Gallegas was being man-marked by Rubén Hinojosa, one of the best players in the league, and also a capped player. The veteran was giving the youngster no space, and cutting him down whenever he looked like he would manage to do anything fancier than a short pass back. Frustratingly, Loscampos was having similar problems against his much less experienced marker. Cuervo and Delrío were not managing to get past Rubalcava of all people. The veteran was doing a fantastic job of rallying his team. Emiliano was getting increasingly frustrated by this. He'd watched his fair share of Avenida Victoria games that season, and it looked like Rubalcava was about to get benched.

But these games can change in an instant, something Emiliano wasn't experienced enough to know yet. In the fortieth minute, Rubén Cuervo changed everything with a small flick. As he received a pass from Delrío, the striker turned around while simultaneously flicking the ball over Enrique Resurrección. The centerback couldn't help himself, and two-footed Rubén from behind. A red anywhere else in the multiverse; a clear yellow in an Avenida derby. But things didn't end there. After getting up, Rubén swang at Enrique, who tanked the hit with his... face. This quickly devolved to a full-on fight that ran out of steam thirteen minutes later. The result? Two players sent off on each side. Enrique and Rubén, obviously, plus Daniel Murillo and Lancelot Mojica.

Needless to say, this opened up the game completely. For the rest of the game, both offenses would surely run riot, right? Apparently not. After the two sending offs, La Nueva Avenida completely dominated the midfield, most likely as a result of Mojica's sending off, since he was the Victorian midfield's glue.

With his midfield controlling the game and facing a debilitated defense, it was finally Emiliano's time to shine, and boy did he shine.

In the fifty-second minute, he got the ball from Delrío. He proceeded to dribble past Hinojosa - for the first time in the game - and enter the box, then cutting in, leaving an unprepared Rubalcava on the floor. Finding himself with enough space to do whatever he wished to, but being a quick thinker, Gallegas gave the Victorians no time to think, immediately curling the ball to the far post. A golazo.

Ten minutes later, a great run from Loscampos ended with a cross which nobody managed to head into the goal, but Emiliano arrived at the other end and smahed it into, yes, you guessed it, the goal. Going for it wasn't the best decision, just like curling the ball also hadn't been the best decision, but nobody could say the youngster wasn't catching the Victorians by surprise.

"Emiliaaaaano. Emiliaaaaano. Rompeaaaaanos." The crowd could be heard chanting for minutes on end after that goal, making the lack of a prepared chant for the youngster quite evident. I do not wish to translate, and you do not wish me to translate.

With fifteen minutes to go, the winger dropped back and proceeded to set up Loscampos with a beautiful through pass that split Avenida Victoria's defense. Loscampos tidily slotted it in, turning the game into a thrashing. In his celebration, Loscampos pointed at Emiliano, and more chants broke out. The game was proving to be a baptism for him, and a baptism unlike any other the club had seen.

Further incidents saw another Avenida Victoria player - this time Enrique Lauricella - sent off. With nothing left to do but try to score a consolation goal, the Victorians went all-out.

In injury time, La Nueva Avenida scored the fourth and, yes, it was on a counter and, yes, of course it was Gallegas. A long ball from Saiz, an astonishing display of pace and an open goal was all it took for him to complete his hat-trick. Unlike the last two goals, he didn't celebrate like a madman. Instead, he quietly looked at the Novan stands, and kissed the badge.

An otherwise unremarkable Avenida derby was thus forever etched into the memories of both sets of fans.

Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ

In recent years, many historical clubs have fallen victim to the larger political and socioeconomic situation in Farfadillis: many clubs tried to stay professional, found themselves with no money, and promptly went bankrupt. This meant, in turn, that for the most part only the richest and the best-run professional clubs survived. With the advent of the state league format, however, there weren't nearly enough clubs to make a fully professional league system. As a result, some amateur clubs have been given the chance to show off, eyeing the chance to become professional if fortune favours them. Two such clubs, Interluz and La Querida, faced off in matchday ten.

Generally agreed to be the two worst teams entering the season, they weren't doing nearly as badly as predicted: Interluz were 18th, and La Querida 8th! However, there was more than met the eye: neither team had been playing well, and a mix of luck and referees favoring them because of pity had led to some matches going their way when they shouldn't have, most notably Interluz tying 1-1 with Avenida Leal.

Neither team had much to play for, if you limit yourself to the league itself. With no relegation and no chance in hell either would challenge for the title, one would imagine it would've been hard to stay motivated for the players. But, again, there was more than met the eye: the FFFF handed out nifty bonuses in actual money to teams based on their league placement, in what was perhaps the first smart decision by the FFFF in all its history. With most professional clubs looking like they could opt for amateurism at any moment, and most amateur clubs looking like they could make the jump to professionalism, this resulted in players giving their all in every match. Their wages in a ravaged country were on the line, after all.

The game had the intensity of a derby, with both teams looking for a goal incessantly, while shying away from no tackles. None of the players would lose sleep for breaking another's leg(s). However, unlike the Avenida derby that same day, this game featured a lenient referee. One of those that doesn't know how to control a heated game and begin handing out yellows and reds.

The first half finished with Interluz's Domínguez scoring after a counter in which La Querida's players insisted he was blatantly offside. In reality, it was hard to tell. The game had gotten more aggressive after that, but nothing a competent referee couldn't manage.

But you see, the problem was that the referee really did nothing to stop things from getting out of hand. In the first play of the second half, Óscar Zapata and Ezequiel Zayas teamed up to injure Chacón: Zapata tripped him and Zayas not-very-subtly stomped on his hand while on the floor. The referee did not see a foul. Chacón went out injured, and all hell broke loose.

Flying tackles, elbows to the ribs... and then the face. Kidney punching on corners. The complete package. In between the fighting, Interluz managed to somehow score two goals. They were the masters of the dark arts, unlike their opponents, who were much more comfortable actually playing football. A header from an illicit corner and a free kick goal from a dive were how they scored. Safe to say this only escalated things.

Things came to a head in the ninety-second minute, when La Querida's Alexis Méndez had the ball on the right flank and Interluz's Víctor González, for reasons that still escape everyone, since they were three goals ahead, decided to add insult to injury by going for a criminal kung-fu movie flying kick, which we'd come to find to have severely injured Méndez. A fight between both teams broke out: including all players, managers, and most fans. Though no deaths had to be lamented, a few people had to be taken to Luz del Sol's one still-functioning hospital.

The FFFF issued a strongly-worded letter as a result of the incidents.

Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ

A pop in each knee and very, very intense pain. That's what he felt after that terrible tackle. Mâ Âlâmëómë would pay for the best doctors outside Ruland to treat whatever his injury was. Or, at least, so he thought. And he was right, for a time.

Mâ Âlâmëómë hadn't seen a kid as talented as him in their academy since Fôrté Wínrôuge, so they did indeed pay for him to go scan his knee in Ferdullaele. Things changed when the results came back: an ACL tear on each knee. A death sentence for his career, in the eyes of the Mâ Âlâmëómë management.

Falling out of love is usually much less intense than falling in love, but sometimes it isn't. Before playing for them, Tôsgo used to accompany his dad to every single Mâ Âlâmëómë match. His room used to be filled with picture of Fôrté Wínrôuge, Konrad Gosforth and Camila Soria Luna. He wore only black and/or green shirts. His father was delighted, being a bigger fan than him.

Yet Tôsgo found himself stranded after a stupid tackle on a friendly youth match. Mâ Âlâmëómë prided itself in supporting their community, so they still paid for his treatment. They paid, however, for a second-rate Rulandese doctor, and promptly informed him that he would no longer be receiving his youth player wage.

Tôsgo was thus left out to dry. A fifteen year old whose only income was a pension given to orphans in Ruland. It was barely enough to feed him and his little sister. He asked Mâ Âlâmëómë to arrange for his treatment to be done in Ômên, his home city. Mercifully, they accepted.

A Rulandese young lad with barely any education, a football prodigy with two torn ACLs, and an orphan. Many stories similar to his exist, but you won't ever hear of them. The only reason you'll ever hear about this one is because he's the lucky bastard that made it.

After his recovery, in a desperate bid to earn some bread, Tôsgo started looking for any club that would let him play football. Ômên had no professional clubs, but scouts from Rülândéá Kôstä occasionally scouted there, he knew.

The club that eventually took him in was Lâ Lüs, a club that had the community outreach Mâ Âlâmëómë claimed to have. A group of ex-revolutionaries intent on maintaining the revolutionary fervor in their home city, Lâ Lüs were a club that provided housing and food for all that formed a part of them. They bombarded their members with propaganda, and that included Tôsgo. It didn't matter; he had a plate of food to put on his table every day. And also had said table.

At Lâ Lüs, he flourished. His speed was not gone, and he was now playing like his life depended on it, because he now knew it did. He now shied away from tackles similar to the one that destroyed his knees, but otherwise played with a passion that was dificult to match. Season 34 was his breakthrough; all of Farfadillis now knew of Tôsgo Alxíkí. Lâ Lüs had stunned the entire country by fighting for the title until the very end, with him leading the attack.

With René Skaé having won the previous day, only Mâ Âlâmëómë now stood a chance to stop them from defending their title. For that, they had to win their game against Lâ Lüs, to force a final. With a win, Lâ Lüs would qualify to the Champions' League in Mâ Âlâmëómë's stead.

You know how this one ends.

by **Farfadillis** » Sat Apr 04, 2020 6:23 pm

-Season 34-

Review

The season has ended, and René Skaé have managed to defend their title, making a statement: they're here to stay. Led by the one and only Faragó rue Cazade, the Szoirsians were the better team by a considerable margin, even if the title race had to come down to the last matchday. Faragó himself was, unsurpisingly, by far their best player. He simply tore the league apart at almost every opportunity, and made it look effortless. It's no secret that the league's quality has tanked heavily in the last decade or so, but rue Cazade's dominance is indicative of him being good enough to walk into the line-up of (almost) any team in the Multiverse. Faragó probably (and we do literally mean probably) couldn't have won the league title alone, though. Youngster Yves Kiss was lethal up front, while Berény Phelede was once again brilliant in goal.

In second place, easily the biggest surprise of the season: Lâ Lüs. We all knew the Rulandese minnows had a new line-up filled with promising youngsters, but their performance obliterated all our expectations. Led by the brilliant Tôsgo Alxíkí in attack, lês Rëvôlüsìnârs performed well enough to qualify for IFCF spots; luck made them go a step further and qualify for the Champions' League. The winger's performances, in particular, came completely out of nowhere. We haven't seen a kid this young terrorize the league since Fôrté Wínrôuge himself. Mâáx Lâçâlânzoô, Ríqué t'Ômixés and break-out youngster Çè Quîrijá were also stand out performers. Çè, in particular, was notable for benching one of the team's a priori best players in Váyárdö Jôùjárânneá. Overall, a fantastic season for Lâ Lüs, who will no doubt make the jump to professionalism after this season.

In third place, Mâ Âlâmëómë fans will be very sad to have choked the way they did in the last matchday. An Alxíkí masterclass: three goals in the last fifteen minutes, robbed them not only of a final against René Skaé, but also of a Champions' League spot. Their defense, in particular, was shaky at times. Not all was terrible for them, though, as Edmün Çídh once again had a fantastic season, being named third best player after rue Cazade and Alxíkí. The young striker really came onto his own this season. It is clear Mâ Âlâmëómë will have to change their approach after this season, though: they hadn't gone three seasons in a row without winning the league since they won the league in Season 14. Yes, you read that right. They definitely have an unbelievable amount of young talent, so things shouldn't be too bad for them, but they have to adapt.

The two other teams that managed to qualify for IFCF competitions were Avenida Leal and Dí Maozöxê, to the surprise of nobody. Avenida Leal were guided there by Folgore Alaminos, who will no longer be with them next season as he leaves for Jungle Strike. The offensive midfielder controlled almost every game, despite his age. It's hard to think how they'll adapt to not having him, specially considering they scored relatively few goals with him. Dí Maozöxê mostly relied on having the best defense in the league (by one goal, but still). One of Farfadillis' biggest World Cup heroes, Íüé Tgô, was vital in that area. In attack, lôs Rébélés will be cautiously excited about Çè Löjámangó, but will also be expecting more from everyone else next season. Also, they didn't tie a single game.

A few of the teams that failed to qualify for IFCF competitions also had remarkable seasons, for better or worse. La Nueva Avenida, in particular, had a very bad season. For a team with such a scary attack, they looked completely toothless. Their age, in particular, showed quite a lot. It should come as no surprise, therefore, that Emiliano Gallegas, their young winger, was their best player this season.

Interluz also had a remarkable season. Were it not for Lâ Lüs, we would've focused on them a lot more. The truth is, it's become clear some of these previously unknown teams are actually much better than expected. Felipe Domínguez and Ezequiel Zayas were outstanding. Also, boy are they now the most hated team in the league. Impeccably immoral football, the one they play.

La Querida also improved massively, though they weren't quite as good as their Faroleran counterpart. It's hard to imagine them keeping Mario Girón next season with the performances he put in match after match. With the Pacifistan football market untapped, we might be seeing them make the jump to professionalism.

Finally, at the other end, Avenida Victoria fans will be... exhausted. They've been very, very slowly spiralling towards mediocrity for decades now, and now they've reached a lowest point. 17th! This was unthinkable even at the start of the season. Lancelot Mojica was their only good player.

-    Team                     P   W  D   L For  Ag  +/- Pts
- 1  René Skaé               21  17  1   3  98  25  +73  52 Champions----------
- 2  Lâ Lüs                  21  16  3   2  81  45  +36  51 Champions' League--
- 3  Mâ Âlâmëómë             21  16  1   4  97  38  +59  49 Challengers' Cup---
  4  Avenida Leal            21  15  2   4  53  25  +28  47 Challengers' Cup---
  5  Dí Maozöxê              21  15  0   6  63  24  +39  45 Challengers' Cup---
  6  La Nueva Avenida        21  12  3   6  60  39  +21  39
  7  Rülândéá Kôstä          21  10  4   7  52  37  +15  34
  8  Avenida Principal       21   9  4   8  40  34   +6  31
  9  Ausharmuj Marusi        21   8  3  10  48  48   +0  27
 10  Flamagua                21   8  3  10  33  33   +0  27
 11  Interluz                21   8  3  10  44  53   -9  27
 12  Tifón de la Costa       21   8  3  10  38  52  -14  27
 13  Fryi Frêndê             21   8  2  11  31  44  -13  26
 14  Gorfalle Town           21   7  4  10  35  37   -2  25
 15  Prostran I Forzuda      21   8  1  12  32  52  -20  25
 16  La Querida              21   7  4  10  34  56  -22  25
 17  Avenida Victoria        21   6  5  10  33  43  -10  23
 18  Ferdullaele             21   7  2  12  38  61  -23  23
 19  Sent 01                 21   6  5  10  31  68  -37  23
 20  Lasupi                  21   4  2  15  25  74  -49  14
 21  Torrhe del Viento       21   4  1  16  30  57  -27  13
 22  Frion Libertas          21   3  2  16  23  74  -51  11

Average Rating   Games Played    Player Name          Club     
-    8.85             19         Faragó rue Cazade    René Skaé-------------
-    8.65             21         Tôsgo Alxíkí         Lâ Lüs    ------------
-    8.26             20         Edmün Çídh           Mâ Âlâmëómë-----------

-Goals Scored    Games Played    Player Name          Club     
-     36              19         Faragó rue Cazade    René Skaé-------------
-     34              20         Edmün Çídh           Mâ Âlâmëómë-----------
-     27              21         Yves Kiss            René Skaé-------------

Average Rating   Games Played    Player Name          Club     
-    8.65             21         Tôsgo Alxíkí         Lâ Lüs    ------------
-    8.26             20         Edmün Çídh           Mâ Âlâmëómë-----------
-    8.05             21         Folgore Alaminos     Avenida Leal  --------

by **Farfadillis** » Thu Jun 04, 2020 7:21 pm

State Leagues

Ferdullaelan State League Standings

-  Team                   P   W  D   L For  Ag  +/- Pts
 1 Fryi Frêndê           18  11  3   4  51  32  +19  36 FFL
 2 Gorfalle Town         18  10  5   3  52  22  +30  35 FFL
 3 Lasupi                18  10  5   3  54  33  +21  35 FFL
 4 Ausharmuj Marusi      18  10  4   4  48  28  +20  34 FFL
 5 Ñandfe                18   8  3   7  46  43   +3  27 FFL
 6 Sent 01               18   8  2   8  30  42  -12  26 FFL
 7 Ferdullaele           18   6  3   9  26  34   -8  21 FFL Play-off
 8 Deportí Agaumi        18   5  4   9  34  45  -11  19
 9 Madorre de Fuego      18   3  3  12  23  38  -15  12
10 Fragardallians        18   1  4  13  17  64  -47   7

It is clear this season will feature four good Ferdullaelan sides - the four at the top - as well as two or three mediocre ones. No team really impressed their fans; many Ferdullaelans are worried Ruland, Puerto Farolero and Szoirsia are leaving them behind, and for good reason. New signing Matt Hall proved valuable for the champions and got a best player award for his efforts, while Ezalta Arambauzá keeps turning heads with the talent he displays at his age.

Best player: 8.24, Matt Hall (Fryi Frêndê)
Top scorer: 18, Ezalta Arambauzá (Gorfalle Town)
Best young player: 8.19/10, Ezalta Arambauzá (Gorfalle Town)

Faroleran State League Standings

-  Team                    P   W  D   L For  Ag  +/- Pts
 1 Avenida Leal           18  13  3   2  70  21  +49  42 FFL
 2 Avenida Victoria       18  13  3   2  45  18  +27  42 FFL
 3 La Nueva Avenida       18  13  2   3  69  21  +48  41 FFL
 4 Avenida Principal      18  11  1   6  48  37  +11  34 FFL
 5 Flamagua               18   9  1   8  47  31  +16  28 FFL
 6 Interluz               18   6  2  10  32  46  -14  20 FFL
 7 Tifón de la Costa      18   6  1  11  33  52  -19  19 FFL Play-off
 8 Defensor de Gâràý      18   5  3  10  25  66  -41  18
 9 Gran Faro 70           18   3  3  12  24  48  -24  12
10 Eterna                 18   0  3  15  14  67  -53   3

Two last-minute goals against nine-man Interluz (they really should dial back the violence a bit...) gave Avenida Leal a rather heroic state league title. Their brand new midfield proved vital. Nonetheless, it can't be said that they looked better than Avenida Victoria or La Nueva Avenida. Indeed, all the Avenidas showed a pretty good level. Might we be about to witness a Faroleran resurgence? Only time will tell. And yes, Nevaeh Cathar is even deadlier now than when he left. Best player and top scorer, the only reason he didn't win best young player is that he's actually old. Vyacheslav Khavarin, the first Savojar in the league, picked up the award in his stead.

Best player: 8.75/10, Nevaeh Cathar (Avenida Leal)
Top scorer: 40, Nevaeh Cathar (Avenida Leal)
Best young player: 8.13/10, Vyacheslav Khavarin (La Nueva Avenida)

Rulandese State League Standings

-  Team                   P   W  D   L  For   Ag  +/- Pts
 1 Mâ Âlâmëómë           18  14  2   2  113   26  +87  44 FFL
 2 Lâ Lüs                18  14  1   3   88   24  +64  43 FFL
 3 Dí Maozöxê            18  13  1   4   92   29  +63  40 FFL
 4 Rülândéá Kôstä        18  11  5   2   79   27  +52  38 FFL
 5 Dô Fäéýkô             18   7  1  10   57   63   -6  22
 6 Éspéráns dí Dögá      18   7  1  10   33   77  -44  22
 7 Mí Ní Sí              18   5  1  12   28   68  -40  16
 8 Xârëgs d'Îrrî         18   4  3  11   21   53  -32  15
 9 Vüstersgâés           18   4  1  13   22  108  -86  13
10 Mönérés Rôs           18   2  2  14   27   85  -58   8

Nobody's quite sure what has gotten into Lâ Lüs lately, but it's now clear last season was not a fluke. This young team is stunning spectators playing incredible free-flowing attacking football whilst paying their players by giving them a roof over their heads and decent food. Don't get me wrong, both Mâ Âlâmëómë and Dí Maozöxê displayed better football, even if the table doesn't show it in the case of the latter (though the 3-0 thrashing at home didn't help), but it's still quite incredible. Leaving them aside, Mâ Âlâmëómë add yet another item to the list of their bragging rights over their biggest rivals: winning the state league in the last matchday, when a loss would've handed the title to their rivals and a tie would've handed it to Lâ Lüs. Tôsgo Alxìkì was now both the best young player and the best player. And the top scorer. He scored half his team's goals from the wing.

Best player: 9.55/10, Tôsgo Alxíkí (Lâ Lüs)
Top scorer: 44, Tôsgo Alxíkí (Lâ Lüs)
Best young player: 9.55/10, Tôsgo Alxíkí (Lâ Lüs)

Szoirsian State League Standings

-  Team                       P   W  D   L  For  Ag   +/- Pts
 1 René Skaé                 18  17  1   0  145  10  +135  52 FFL
 2 Torre del Viento          18  13  2   3   71  24   +47  41 FFL Play-off
 3 La Brecha                 18  12  0   6   48  42    +6  36
 4 Rákospalotai              18  10  1   7   47  33   +14  31
 5 Interszoi                 18   9  2   7   36  27    +9  29
 6 Incendié Szoirsais        18   7  4   7   39  41    -2  25
 7 Ezse                      18   5  2  11   32  47   -15  17
 8 Kovic-Ovalski             18   4  1  13   23  96   -73  13
 9 Gimnastique Szoirsia      18   1  5  12   19  64   -45   8
10 Ardoint Spirité           18   2  2  14   10  86   -76   8

René Skaé obviously sorely miss Faragó rue Cazade - he was by far the best player in the league - but that doesn't mean they're still way too good for this league. Besides their draw against Rákospalotai, they steamrolled the league. All of their signings have performed incredibly, but they've only been flat-track bullies for now. We'll have to see how they fare in the FFL. Tulaki Rauogba earned a best player and best young player award, while another youngster in Archard Ezaa Robé scored the most goals.

Best player: 9.71/10, Tulaki Rauogba (René Skaé)
Top scorer: 65, Archard Ezaa Robé (René Skaé)
Best young player: 9.71/10, Tulaki Rauogba (René Skaé)

Frionite State League Standings

-  Team                        P   W  D   L For  Ag  +/- Pts
 1 Frion Libertas             18  14  2   2  86  26  +60  44 FFL
 2 Flying Jellyfish           18  11  2   5  60  29  +31  35 FFL Play-off
 3 Dor Frío                   18  10  2   6  56  34  +22  32
 4 Friguista Farfa            18   9  2   7  52  50   +2  29
 5 Koloko                     18   8  2   8  42  51   -9  26
 6 Isky Novara                18   6  5   7  28  42  -14  23
 7 Duyrmyta Fau               18   6  3   9  34  48  -14  21
 8 Deportí Flaé               18   6  0  12  27  45  -18  18
 9 Atletí Ledved              18   4  4  10  29  49  -20  16
10 Feardallis' Wanderers      18   4  2  12  20  60  -40  14

Frion Libertas are still clearly the best team in this state, and Flying Jellyfish are still the second-best team. We'll see if they win in the play-offs this time. Dor Frío's absence from the FFL is now extremely worrying for the fans: they'd been the best team in the state for decades. Artak Voskanyan from Iskandervale (who?) proved to be an inspired signing, with the youngster scoring a whopping 25 goals. The best player award still went to Loisé Aukland, though, because he bossed every midfield this season as well.

Best player: 7.96/10, Loisé Aukland (Frion Libertas)
Top scorer: 25, Artak Voskanyan (Flying Jellyfish)
Best young player: 7.60/10, Artak Voskanyan (Flying Jellyfish)

Indujan State League Standings

-  Team                        P   W  D  L For  Ag  +/- Pts
 1 Geyinstanles United        18  14  0  4  64  29  +35  42 FFL Play-off
 2 Ravasha                    18  11  2  5  59  27  +32  35
 3 Gre Gran Chacó             18   8  4  6  46  40   +6  28
 4 Ferrocarril                18   8  3  7  38  37   +1  27
 5 Racing de Induja           18   8  2  8  31  42  -11  26
 6 Lounoi Gandu-Garay         18   7  3  8  36  39   -3  24
 7 Kalistí                    18   6  3  9  24  28   -4  21
 8 Induja Wanderers           18   5  5  8  32  44  -12  20
 9 Huracán de Seter           18   4  4 10  31  42  -11  16
10 Errekochoa Supernovas      18   4  4 10  23  56  -33  16

Geyinstanles United mildly surprised by winning the title over Ravasha. Santiheje Ymexjar was their main goalscoring threat up front, the young player ending up the league's top scorer and best young player, while Ravasha's Iulian Lalá'Rrhueré, somehow still at Ravasha despite being good enough to sign for a much better team, predictably got the best player award. He's a leftback. That's how much better than his competition he is.

Best player: 8.14/10, Iulian Lalá'Rrhueré (Ravasha)
Top scorer: 18, Santiheje Ymexjar (Geyinstanles United)
Best young player: 7.65/10, Santiheje Ymexjar (Geyinstanles United)

Karuvan League Standings

-  Team                      P   W  D   L For  Ag  +/- Pts
 1 Prostran I Forzuda       18  13  3   2  74  32  +42  42 FFL Play-off
 2 Vetar Trg                18  10  5   3  54  23  +31  35
 3 Miograd                  18  10  4   4  45  27  +18  34
 4 Zestoka                  18  10  3   5  39  36   +3  33
 5 Karuvis Milajonovic      18   8  4   6  52  40  +12  28
 6 Rivijera                 18   6  6   6  51  38  +13  24
 7 Illyvich Farols          18   5  3  10  42  54  -12  18
 8 Starroja Nuanzovic       18   5  2  11  29  45  -16  17
 9 Old Boys                 18   4  1  13  24  64  -40  13
10 Young Boys               18   3  1  14  18  69  -51  10

Prostran I Forzuda have now cemented themselves as the best team in Karuvis. It is unfortunate that this state league doesn't get more spots, because Vetar Trg are better than some teams that will make it to the FFL this season. Anyway, Svetislav Cirkovic and Savatije Prodanovic have predictably earned a place in the starting eleven, and were key to the team's title. The former was crowned the best young player of the league, while Milos Lucic once again got the best player award for hanging on despite Divljaci adopting a much more attacking tactical set-up.

Best player: 7.72/10, Milos Lucic (Prostran I Forzuda)
Top scorer: 22, Tomo Mrkonjic (Prostran I Forzuda)
Best young player: 7.32/10, Svetislav Cirkovic (Prostran I Forzuda)

Giotomalepan State League Standings

-  Team                    P   W  D  L For  Ag  +/- Pts
 1 Giotomalepá Gots       18  12  3  3  56  19  +37  39 FFL Play-offs
 2 Argonna Diguarâ        18  11  3  4  50  25  +25  36
 3 Fer-Fen                18   9  3  6  43  43   +0  30
 4 Darfallá Vherdes       18   9  2  7  39  52  -13  29
 5 Giotomalepá Falla      18   6  5  7  37  41   -4  23
 6 Giotomalepá Azul       18   5  5  8  33  35   -2  20
 7 Montesol Grande        18   6  2 10  28  40  -12  20
 8 Semota dal Fesé        18   4  6  8  27  35   -8  18
 9 Racing Ní-Rakem        18   4  6  8  25  38  -13  18
10 Mintan Mollomote       18   4  5  9  28  38  -10  17

Easily the least predictable league, it's a shame it's just so poor in quality. Giotomalepá Gots will get trounced in the play-offs. However, there's an interesting angle to that: winning the state league made the fans party for an entire week. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Frexasander Saguzalé will never have to pay for a beer again.

Best player: 8.15/10, Frexasander Saguzalé (Giotomalepá Gots)
Top scorer: 22, Frexasander Saguzalé (Giotomalepá Gots)
Best young player: 8.03/10, Monuele Rená (Semota dal Fesé)

Pacifistan League Standings

-  Team                             P   W  D   L For  Ag  +/- Pts
 1 La Querida                      18  12  3   3  51  26  +25  39 FFL Play-off
 2 Racing Pacifista                18   9  6   3  41  30  +11  33
 3 Marineros de Neveria            18   8  6   4  41  29  +12  30
 4 Los Gallos                      18   7  5   6  28  33   -5  26
 5 Primera, Segunda y Tercera      18   7  4   7  36  38   -2  25
 6 Los Nudos                       18   7  2   9  44  46   -2  23
 7 La Armonía                      18   6  4   8  42  41   +1  22
 8 Asociación Pacifista            18   5  3  10  40  47   -7  18
 9 La Pacifista                    18   5  2  11  33  49  -16  17
10 Juventud de Candilo             18   4  5   9  29  46  -17  17

La Querida predictably won the title a third time in a row, but a lot less comfortably than people expected. Let's remember they managed a respectable 16th-place finish in the FFL last season. Might the Pacifistan league have gotten better? My guess is La Querida have gotten worse. Well, mostly worse; their shiny new Astograthian signing Anartz Salayeta was clearly a cut above the rest of the league.

Best player: 8.75/10, Anartz Salayeta (La Querida)
Top scorer: 27, Anartz Salayeta (La Querida)
Best young player: 8.75/10, Anartz Salayeta (La Querida)

Play-offs

La Querida 2-0 Giotomalepá Gots
Giotomalepá Gots 3-2 La Querida
La Querida advance 4-3 on aggregate.

La Querida continue to show signs of decline as they have trouble dispatching a terrible team in Giotomalepá Gots. Fans will be stoked to be in the FFL again, however; not getting demolished is just an extra... which they might not enjoy this season.

Geyinstanles United 0-0 Flying Jellyfish
Flying Jellyfish 2-0 Geyinstanles United
Flying Jellyfish advance 2-0 on aggregate.

Jeers. Lots of jeers. Two goals in two games. An utter disgrace. But the favorite team of every foreigner (most of whom are not aware flying jellyfish exist in Farfadillis, and are the national animal) will be back in the FFL, at least. Let's just hope they play less negative football.

Prostran I Forzuda 4-1 Torrhe del Viento
Torrhe del Viento 6-4 Prostran I Forzuda
Prostran I Forzuda advance 8-7 on aggregate.

Now this was exciting. Torrhe del Viento were unfortunate to get drawn against the toughest team possible; they would've likely beaten any other opponent.

Tifón de la Costa 3-0 Ferdullaele
Ferdullaele 2-2 Tifón de la Costa
Tifón de la Costa advance 5-2 on aggregate.

Tifón de la Costa manage the upset and leave Ferdullaele without participating in the FFL. But this is hardly a surprise nowadays. It's not Ferdullaele scoring over a hundred goals nowadays.

by **Farfadillis** » Wed Jun 10, 2020 5:13 pm

-Season 34-

Not-quite-preview-not-quite-review

Flying Jellyfish

Manager: Arnfinn Halmqvøg
Nickname: the Flying Jellyfish
Home Stadium: Den Mytologiska Maneter (50,000)
Home City: Frion, Frion

Predicted Starting XI: -GK-

Soirelí Erichsen -LB-

Laust Hodne -CB-

Kristofer Abildgaard -CB-

Benny Anderson -RB-

Søren Dahl -CM-

Jonatan Wisløff -CM-

Thomas Heyerdahl -LW-

Caprakan -OM-

Ilimondí Hjortsberg -RW-

Eskild Lütken -ST-

Artak Voskanyan

Bench: aGKa

Ezelefra Määttä aGKa

Petri Backstrom aLBa

Santiertairó Tirkkonen aCBa

Odd Aanderaa aCBa

Wilhelm Suomalainen aRBa

Lauge Thiessen aCMa

Mattias Thorsell aCMa

Werner Andersen aLWa

Arfibiá Rautio aOMa

Ander Lindegaard aRWa

Clas Särkkä aSTa

Viktor Tveten

Background: Once one of the league's best teams, time has not been gentle to Flying Jellyfish fans. They are nowadays distinctly mediocre. Nonetheless, they have the biggest following in the state of Frion - easily ten times the size of Frion Libertas' - and a distintcly violent and left wing one at that. Expect political violence and terrible football, as well as flying jellyfish near the stadium. Again, yes, they very much exist, and the one in the crest is a faithful protrayal of what one looks like. Yes, they are dangerous.
State League Performance: Pretty bad, really. Barely second and very far from first in a state that should probably be awarded fewer spots. They had trouble getting past Geyinstanles United in the play-offs.
Strengths: Heyerdahl and Wisløff can keep a pretty tight hold on the midfield on a good day. They're both pretty complete, with Heyerdahl a bit more of a playmaker and Wisløff a workhorse. Up front, Voskanyan and Caprakan have shown flashes of brilliance and craziness, but harnessing their talents is likely to prove a difficult task, specially with the rest of the team sucking so much.
Weaknesses: Their tactical set-up is way too defensive, and so they look rather toothless up front, even when their defense is a clear weakness. Arguably, however, it is their complete lack of talent in the defensive department that is their weakness: they can't afford to play traditional Farf football because they'll get battered, but they can't score either cause their focus on defense won't allow it.
Best Players: On a good day, Voskanyan proved unstoppable in the state league. But inconsistency will make or break his season, and with quality chanes in short supply, we'll have to see how he fares... Caprakan will find himself in a similar situation, though he takes on a more proactive role on the wing.
Young Prospects: Besides Artak Voskanyan, who doubles as their potential best player, they've also got... nobody, really, but Wilhelm Suomalainen is twenty and he looked pretty decent whenever he took the pitch in the state league. Might he snatch the starting spot from thirty-four-year-old Benny Anderson this season? Honestly, if he doesn't, disregard this section completely; he'd just be another mediocre player.
Prediction: 22nd place. They're trash.

La Querida

Manager: Porfirio Seijas
Nickname: los Encorvados
Home Stadium: Estadio Manolo Lapaz (8,000)
Home City: Pacifisita, Pacifista

Predicted Starting XI: -GK-

Eduardo Villa -LB-

Ezequiel Ortega -CB-

Horazio Buriain -CB-

Raul Hoyo -RB-

Alexis Méndez -CM-

Arturo Malave -CM-

Mario Girón -LW-

Lucián Galván -RW-

Esteban Olvera -ST-

Anartz Salayeta -ST-

Mauricio Segura

Bench: aGKa

Guillermo Vergara aGKa

Emilio Naranjo aLBa

Armando Marín aCBa

Andrés Perea aCBa

Noé Valverde aRBa

Emilio Valdez aCMa

Eduardo Olivas aCMa

Nicolás Roybal aLWa

Ezequiel Negrón aRWa

Alan Jaramillo aSTa

Plácido Pumarejo aSTa

Ramiro Alvardez

Background: A newly-founded club from the state of Pacifista, one of the worst states when it comes to the quality of the football. The La Querida project was very simple on the outset: found a club that the whole city of Pacifista can support, and pour money into it until it works. So far, it's been working just fine. They've been surprising everyone: this is their third straight season in the FFL, and they didn't look that bad last time. Off the pitch, they still struggle to find an identity not limited to being a club that is from Pacifista.
State League Performance: Many had predicted them to steamroll the competition, thinking they'd outgrown the Pacifistan league. Well, not quite. They were still clearly the best team, but they also showed they're still very much a Pacifistan team, and in the bad sense.
Strengths: They're still very good at shutting down games by keeping possession - a strategy that saw them go from pitiful to decent last season - and to that they have added a strong Tequiloan backline. Their Tequiloans don't mind getting their hands dirty, something the team sorely lacked last season.
Weaknesses: They no longer struggle due to slow centerbacks, but they now struggle to create chances for their front four. They've focused so much on keeping possession that the frontline has been left to starve.
Best Players: Anartz Salayeta is clearly way too good for the Pacifista state league. This doesn't saw much about his actual quality beyond "eh, probably decent", but it does mean he's the best player in the team. A tall, physical striker with surprisingly explosive pace and decent finishing. Don't ask him to pass the ball, though, he ain't about that. Mario Girón and Mauricio Segura are still every bit as moderately decent as last season, too.
Young Prospects: Besides Anartz Salayeta, Régulo Elizarraras is a fast wingback with great crossing ability and surprisigly good dribbling. Not quite as pacey as some other wingbacks in the league, but he beats most of those by being competent defensively.
Prediction: One reason La Querida fared well last season was that most were caught by surprise. That won't happen this season. 21st.

Frion Libertas

Manager: Nathan Olofsson
Nickname: Wanderers
Home Stadium: Maximilian Krause Stadium (10,000)
Home City: Krauseborg, Frion

Predicted Starting XI: -GK-

Antón Toca -LB-

Monuele Nurminen -CB-

Elias Nygaard -CB-

Thure Eriksson -RB-

Hjalmar Thrane -LM-

Bendt Thiessen -CM-

Jyri Jerdsen -CM-

Loisé Aukland -RM-

Claes Olofsson -ST-

Jannik Nordlie -ST-

Dugeune Kroon

Bench: aGKa

Jangui Silvennoinen aGKa

Nisse Ohlin aLBa

Lasse Lind aCBa

Ronnie Hemmingsen aCBa

Huju Bruíneng aRBa

Jim Eriksen aLMa

Ronald Jolst aCMa

Ferdinand Nykänen aCMa

Werner Nygaard aRMa

Elmeri Puhakka aSTa

Patrik Grieg aSTa

André Nindiesk

Background: Over the last years, Frion Libertas has slowly become the best team in the state of Frion. This has, unfortunately for them, coincided with Frion becoming considerably worse at football. The only notable thing the entire state has achieved football-wise in the last ten years has been producing Oskar Holsteiner - who by the way started his career playing for Ausharmuj Marusi, a Ferdullaelan club. The Wanderers are from a small city just outside Frion, and thus have a relatively small following compared to other teams. Politically, they're a bunch of idealists. They believe in liberty, as their name indicates, and believe every state should have self-determination and we should all live in peace and whatnot. No wonder they don't have many fans.
State League Performance: Once again they made short work of the rest of the league, and once again that tells us basically nothing about them.
Strengths: They've got solid-ish players in every line... theoretically. We said the same thing last time around and they finished dead last. They're likely to have learned not to underestimate their opponents cause of steamrolling the Frion league, though, so expect this supposed solidity to translate more faithfully to the pitch this time around.
Weaknesses: As we saw last season, the team struggles to adapt to stronger opponents. Losing 7-0 to Mâ Âlâmëómë in the very first matchday was great foreshadowing. Also, again, the manager's son is terrible and he shouldn't be starting. He cost the team like ten points last season.
Best Players: Antón Toca's crazy sweeper keeper shenanigans, coupled with solid reflexes, okay-ish agility and hilariously bad sense of opportunity when it comes to trying to catch crosses have made turned him into a fan favorite. We'll see how he fares against the much better strikers the FFL has to offer. Also, Loisé Aukland is by far the best player in the team and should definitely be playing for a better team. A complete midfielder whose potential is being wasted in a team like this.
Young Prospects: Seriously, Nathan, somebody has to tell you this, and management apparently isn't doing it, so here it goes: I'm sure your son is lovely, but the whole kicking balls thing? Not his forté, by a long shot.
Prediction: They could do better than 20th, but they've got too many things holding them back, so 20th it is.

Ñandfe

Manager: Yintíñoin Redfaer
Nickname: les Avestrusés
Home Stadium: Parké Fonisá Laurarrhé (8,000)
Home City: Ferdullaele, Ferdullaele

Predicted Starting XI: -GK-

Gudió Coruarogó -LB-

Meúrsazó Leíc -CB-

Vili der Nos -CB-

Sarrovelstri Iurifí -RB-

Giviu Sirujano -LM-

Agundí Xórtafe -CM-

Aneiendano Arrheká -CM-

Kaé Banderiyí -RM-

Serafiní Forrheje -OM-

Mazurisele Ajosa -ST-

Mâxímö Álbárrâó

Bench: aGKa

Corneliú Ócandefé aGKa

Lounoi Geórtafe aLBa

Santiertairó Vilá aCBa

Nacuémiró Lindo aCBa

Gianlei Groviviús aRBa

Dieje Dandeluneí aLMa

Hu Okno Morsón aCMa

Feien Banga aCMa

Onder Tibanagogó aRMa

Soirelí Shojerciané aOMa

Onder Aroyo aSTa

Terekderaló Rupalpia

Background: Ñandfe are a familiar face in Farf football. They've been around since the beginning, and not once have they not been mediocre. They had a brief stint in which they were notable for selling their sould to the Devil and signing players from out of state (read: Farolerans and Rulandese) to achieve moderate success. Everyone hated them for it, management was voted out, and now we have a run-of-the-mill mediocre Ferdullaelan team to add to the pile. But hey, the rhea's pretty cool.
State League Performance: Surprisingly decent, but there's a world of difference between 4th and 5th place in the Ferdullaelan state league, and 5th place is what they managed.
Strengths: Their centerbacks are tall, strong, fast and very aggressive. If they knew how to pull off basic short passes, they'd be good enough for a top team. Seriously, I don't expect many of the top players in this league to attack through the center. They don't want to risk injuries.
Weaknesses: While the centerbacks might even be good, the fullbacks are just way too focused on attack, and leave huge holes in defense that der Nos and Iurifí can't cover. Expect them to suffer against teams with great wingers.
Best Players: Agundí Xórtafe is another youthful winger with a lot to prove and the attitude and pace to prove it. He'll cause a lot of damage against slow teams. Aneiendano Arrheká is a great destroyer, a rare breed for a Farf. He will recover the ball very often, and lose it pretty often too, but not often enough to not be a good player.
Young Prospects: Besides the aforementioned Xórtafe, there's Rulandese striker Mâxímö Álbárrâó (might Ñandfe be going back to their old ways?), who is technically capped after representing Farfadillis in the Eagle's Cup. He can run fast, dribble and score, which places him above most Ferdullaelan strikers.
Prediction: A bad team, from a decadent state (not just when it comes to football). 19th.

Sent 01

Manager: Yung Ibrahim
Nickname: los Dargonés
Home Stadium: Multisportivé Friekder Fergomo (20,000)
Home City: Ferdullaele, Ferdullaele

Predicted Starting XI: -GK-

Merreseió Soteí -LB-

Darfondí Fargá -CB-

Terenzyé Dandeluneí -CB-

Frion Liferhe -RB-

Marrhe Lalakarrhemé -CM-

Tereferrher Lazzia -CM-

Iulian Mené -LW-

Elasomé Farrháteré -OM-

Sisaí Marrhego -RW-

Gurielefre Aixenxó -ST-

Seracondí Litoralé

Bench: aGKa

Napané Montaná aGKa

Pierrhe Santa aLBa

Fabrifé Viresoré aCBa

Mazurisele Farrháteré aCBa

Lihonhegeí Ficús aRBa

Edé Aesöhu aCMa

Gundai Legre aCMa

Joë Fargá aLWa

Erameunoi Mergosé aOMa

Cubí Fayuds aRWa

Damusmundy Cansún aSTa

Urrhese Szoló

Background: Without a doubt the blandest team in all of Farfadillis. They are a team completely lacking in identity. They don't have many fans, and the ones they do have are just middle class Ferdullaelans. Their fanbase is neither too loud nor too quiet. They don't stand for anything politically, though they do quietly agree with the other Ferdullaelan clubs sans la Sindica. Historically, they've always been mediocre. They've always been a yo-yo club - except in their "golden age", in which they avoided relegation for a good few seasons and managed to become average - though not anymore thanks to the lack of relegation. Their nickname, which is Ferdullaelan for 'the Dragons', is not fitting in the slightest.
State League Performance: Quite terrible. Negative goal difference in the Ferdullaelan league? The only reason we're not predicting them to be worse than Ñandfe is that they are more experienced.
Strengths: Most Sent 01 teams in history have had something in common: a quite good front four completely undone by a terrible everything else. This is not the exception now. Expect them to make do with what little service they get, but they're not quite NTers either, so don't expect them to score too many goals.
Weaknesses: The everything else. Last season showed just how inconsistent and at worst simply bad the rest of the squad can be. Without the front four we'd be predicting them to finish dead last.
Best Players: Litoralé is still fast and clinical, Aixenxó is still very fast and devillishly technical, Farrháteré can still make something happen out of nothing and Marrhego is still a very good playmaker. What's keeping them in this team? Who knows, maybe some witch cursed them.
Young Prospects: After we predicted Terenzyé Dandeluneí to be good last season, please take this with a pinch of salt but: Tereferrher Lazzia came out of nowhere this season, and the twenty-year-old showed a lot of promise when taking the pitch, to the point of earning himself a starting spot. He's fast, technical and decent defensively. One to watch.
Prediction: 18th, only because their attack can carry them there.

Tifón de la Costa

Manager: Vincenz Zarabozo
Nickname: el Tifón
Home Stadium: Ojo de la Tormenta (15,000)
Home City: Azureña, Puerto Farolero

Predicted Starting XI: -GK-

Julián Abeyta -LB-

Víctor Berríos -CB-

Leonardo Trejo -CB-

Omar Preciado -RB-

Víctor Perea -CM-

Emanuel Viera -CM-

Simón Toledo aOMa

Nicolás Sepúlveda -OM-

Abram Palomino -OM-

Ruben Pérez López -ST-

Ruperto Cuza

Bench: aGKa

Joaquin Gonzaba aGKa

Emiliano Carrion aLBa

Óscar de Anda aCBa

Orlando Alfaro aCBa

Alonzo Arteaga aRBa

Abel Puga aCMa

Pedro Espaillat aCMa

Andrés Vaca aOMa

Armando Meras aOMa

Geraldo Ceralde aOMa

Ricardo Acuña aSTa

Marcial Tundidor

Background: Tifón de la Costa are an inherently likeable club. They started off as an amateur club founded by a group of friends, who turned out very talented and things sort of snowballed from there. Unsurprisingly, though, this means they've got far more sympathizers than actual fans, and their 15,000-seat stadium has never had a filled home stand. Nonetheless, in a political climate like the current one, it's good having a likeable club that stands for nothing but football. They're also traditionally a team that plays very attacking football, so watch out for that.
State League Performance: Terrible, quite frankly. Just one point above a team with a -41 goal differential in 18 games. Their victory over Ferdullaele was celebrated across the nation, but they still performed quite badly.
Strengths: Their offensive midfield is still their biggest strength, despite the retirement of fan favorite Saúl Portillo. Their new striker Ruperto Cuza is also an upgrade over Torres, and someone to watch out for. And to think that last season they finished 12th with a striker that barely scored!
Weaknesses: Trejo managed to reign himself in last season, so now Preciado is the team's only liability. He got sent off five times last season, in twenty-two games!
Best Players: Rubén Pérez López proved last season that he is not to be underestimated. He caught team after team completely off-guarde arriving late at the box, occasionally from the wing. He's a bit of a sniper, but he's also not afraid to smash it into the net when the situation calls for it. Julián Abeyta was quite spectacular last season, as well.
Young Prospects: Besides Rubén, you've also got Marcial Tundidor on the bench. He's a fast striker with very good finishing and fantastic dribbling. Watch out for him, because he might just break into the starting eleven.
Prediction: Usually, we'd predict them to finish lower than this, specially after their state league performance, but it's hard to ignore the fact that they finished in 12th place last season. So, 17th place.

Interluz

Manager: Julián Mazariegos
Nickname: los Floreados
Home Stadium: Parque Silvio Llanera (3,000)
Home City: Luz del Sol, Puerto Farolero

Predicted Starting XI: -GK-

Jaime Fonseca -LB-

Raúl Delgado -CB-

Óscar Zapata -CB-

Ezequiel Zayas -RB-

Gustavo Archuleta -LM-

Ángel Roybal -CM-

Luis Torregrosa -RM-

Francisco Barraza -ST-

Víctor González -ST-

Felipe Domínguez -ST-

Jesús Olivera

Bench: aGKa

Pablo Garibay aGKa

Mauricio Olivo aLBa

Lorencio Irizzary aCBa

Mauricio López Pérez aCBa

Gabino Ricarte aRBa

Jorge Garrido aLMa

Mario Feliciano aCMa

Édgar Blanco aRMa

Simón Sanabria aLWa

Gerardo Cabán aRWa

Ricardo Apodaca aSTa

Saúl Malave

Background: Interluz are an amateur team. Historically the best one in Puerto Farolero, in fact. With professionalism now a thing of the past in the FFL, Interluz feel much more at home. They have an acceptable number of fans, who happen to be very passionate. The only club from the city of Luz del Sol, Interluz have a bit of a Napoleon complex when measuring up with the teams from Victoria Lago, and it shows on the pitch. Politically, Interluz's fanbase is heavily in favor of Puerto Farolero's secession from the Outlandish Lands. This translates to xenophobia in their fanbase. Expect heavy racism towards the Rulandese. They're banking on having a good season to turn professional.
State League Performance: Very bad, yes, but better than last season, when they did really well in the FFL! We know not to trust their state league performances, so there's little else to say, really.
Strengths: Last time around we said their biggest strength was how willing they were to get dirty. We now have to slightly revise that: their biggest strength is just how much bullshit referees in this league are willing to put up with.
Weaknesses: Their biggest weakness this season is that teams will know what to expect: racist dipshits who are willing to end your career with a nasty tackle. We'll see how they fare now. New signing Luis Torregrosa has also looked quite fantastic in the state league, a much more complete midfielder than a team like this has any right to have.
Best Players: Felipe Domínguez and Ezequiel Zayas much better than we predicted - and we predicted them to be the team's best players. Felipe is a goal machine, while Ezequiel is a fearsome, young centerback that could get snapped up by a big club very soon.
Young Prospects: Much like last season, Ezequiel Zayas and Francisco Barraza are talented young prospects who are looking better by the day. But now there are rumors that Raúl Delgado will see his starting spot challenged by another young prospect, Lorencio Irizzary. The young leftback is supposedly very technical and a bit of an overly aggressive piece of shit, so he should fit right in.
Prediction: After last season, we can't underestimate them again. 16th.

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