Predictions for LCS

[quote=Mooninites]So following the reddit thread, what are you predictions for LCS NA: 1. Cloud 9 - dominated Fnatic and looked really good 2. EXD.GG - Zuna is their only problem, but they can play off Mandatory Cloud/Xmithie/Bloodwater again 3. TSM - A lot of talent across the board, Reginald not there to send the team on tilt 4. EG - Looked pretty strong, only weak link seems to be Innox 5. Coast - Very strange team that wins with unconventional picks/strategies, they surprise people and take games off them 6. Dignitas - KiWiKiD is no Patoy, I can't really see Dignitas succeeding with KiWi at support even though i love him 7. CLG - "Potential, we could have won if X, we'll win with this line-up now" whatever it's bullshit. CLG has been a terrible team since the end of season 1, stop believing that they are a top tier team, they aren't even a top team in NA 8. Curse - Struggled against COG, Dominate might be on meth? Quas is severely overhyped, their bot lane is kind of weak, same curse problems, also liquid is a moron, if that guy is at the helm you can pretty much guarantee Curse will never be a top 3 team EU: 1. Fnatic - Rekkles looks good, They were sloppy against C9 but hadn't practiced, if they're in form they'll probably be better than Gambit 2. Alternate - They lost Forellenlord which was big but they were still robbed of a spot in worlds last season, they'll be good. People are probably exaggerating the win against a terrible CLG team, but Jree will prove that he is the best support in Europe (again) 3. Gambit - They got edward back, seems like mainly a mental thing, but they're not as dominant as they used to be 4. Copenhagen Wolves - new team with lots of recent practice, will probably go on a run like MYM and Curse did after their promotions only to fizzle out 5. Alliance - Froggen is still going to have to pretty much carry, Tabzz is an upgrade, but Wickd isn't as dominant, probably just a role filler, Kazmitch is a clear downgrade from Krepo in gameplay, strategy, and game knowledge 6. KMT - New team, will start off hot, but probably fizzle out. 7. Lemondogs - Arguably the worst team going in, but they have a lot of upside because they're relatively new, I think they'll be able to scratch up a few wins 8. SK Gaming - clear downgrades in every single position they replaced. Freddy is worse than Kev1n, Svenskeren is a good jungler but not as good as Hyrqbot, Jesiz was anything but impressive. It's hard to imagine an SK team performing worse than last split but wouldn't surprise me what are your guys predictions?[/quote]

[quote=Crows foot]I think that your top 3 predictions on both sides of the pond is a fair assessment. Question is whether any of these teams can handle Asia when worlds is coming? I believe in Fnatic though, they need to be more persistent and more consistent![/quote]

[quote=Wayne3100]NA: 1. TSM 2. C9 3. EG 4. CLG 5. XD.GG 6. Curse 7. Dignitas 8. Coast EU: 1. Fnatic 2. Gambit 3. Alternate 4. Alliance 5. Wolves 6. KMT 7. SK 8. Lemondogs In the EU list, I'd like to place KMT higher because they really impressed me, but I'm just not sure whether it's realistic. New Alternate really impressed me which is why I placed them pretty high, however the question of course is whether they'll be able to keep it up over the course of a whole season. Also Wickd a "role filler", wtf? I don't think any other EU team has a better top laner apart from Fnatic. As far as NA goes I have to say I'm mostly guessing, I haven't followed the scene at all last season, though I will now that EG are in. I could easily be very wrong about some of the teams in there though. XD.GG hasn't impressed me at all in the games I've seen from them which is why I placed them a bit lower than others might. I agree CLG isn't a top team and won't be fighting for the #1 spot, but I don't think they're worse than most other teams in there so spot 4 or 5 would seem realistic for me.[/quote]

[quote=Crows foot]No way tsm top NA. Top 3 is a stretch for me, but not first. The top NA teams are not what they were season 2, season 3 was bad and I don't see that changing![/quote]

[quote=Wayne3100]Eehm, if I remember correctly TSM won the LCS spring split in NA last season and finished second in the summer (officially that is, they were 3rd or 4th before the playoffs started). Not sure why they wouldn't be able to make it to the top this season with their new lineup (which is stronger imo). The real question is whether C9 will dominate the NA LCS again like last season; personally I have to say I doubt it.[/quote]

[quote=Khazem]NA: 1. Cloud 9 - They looked solid as ever against Fnatic and I fully expect them to take first in NA again, though probably not as dominant as last split. 2. TSM - Now that they've adapted to playing with Bjergsen instead of Regi they looked really good, but I think they'll still fall a bit short to cloud 9. 3. CLG - I believe that with Dexter cleaning up their early game and Doublelift carrying them through late game CLG should be able to get a top 3. 4. EG - Pete, Krepo and Snoopeh have a ton of experience and are good players, though I'm not sure Pobelter and Innox can quite fill the shoes of Froggen and Wickd.. I expect them to be good but not great. 5. Coast - Impressed me in the promotion tournament. I was expecting them to lose to TWZ but their new AD carry is a huge step up from Dontmashme. The competition is bigger than ever now though so I put them 5th. 6. XD.GG - I just think they have too big of a weak spot in Zuna. Sure Mancloud and Xmithie are amazing, but other the competition for both roles in this split seems way higher overall so I don't think they'll be able to carry as hard as they did last split. 7. Curse - They seem 'meh' in every lane. Quas is a really good player but didn't look great in the promotion tournament. Probably a bit overhyped indeed. 8. dignitas - Cruzer doesn't look to be on par with most other top laners in LCS, Scarra has been looking worse and worse every split, same with Crumbzz.. Only player I think looks consistently good is Qtpie but with a new support that imo is just a straight downgrade from Patoy I don't see them doing very well in this split. EU: 1. Gambit - Looked extremely solid at recent events. If they keep up that level of play I feel like they'll take 1st. 2. Fnatic - They have looked better in the past but I fully expect them to step right back up when LCS starts and be a strong contender for a top spot. 3-6: These teams just look so difficult to call.. I feel like it's going to be a super close race for 3rd between Alliance, CW, KMT and Alternate. If I had to rank them I'd probably say: 3. Alliance 4. Alternate 5. Wolves 6. KMT 7. SK - Solid team but I think the current competition is just too high.. I don't think they'll do awfully but I'm not expecting much from SK. 8. Lemondogs - If BOTA was any indication then we shouldn't expect anything from this line-up. They might improve as the split goes on but they've got a long way to go.[/quote]

[quote=Pheyniex]NA: 1-TSM: they have always been rather solid players, Regi being the weakest link. In my opinion, the only thing that this team lacked was a mid player that could do stuff on his own. Bjergsen doesn't require theoddone to snowbal, leaving him free to play a more important role. Also, there is a very good shotcalling. Hopefully Dyrus and theoddone won't sleep during the game. 2-C9: Either here or 1st. I guess I have a bit of a Bjergsen hype. However, the team hasn't changed and they are still good, proving to be able to adapt easily (Lemonation picking [[Leona]], wutt???) 3-XDGG: I really only like Mancloud but they have proven to be good. If they don't make the mistakes they make at worlds, they'll end up higher. However, EG and CLG migh give them a though break. 4-EG: Krepo will be the driving force of this team and Pobelter was quite a surprise for me. I wonder what happens if he doesn't get [[Ziggs]]. Either way, 40% is new to the team and it has a bit of the old CLG.EU DNA into it, so it will be easy for them to not adapt and fall behind. 5-CLG: I belive in their strategy but they often show up with these comunication issues. Will easily falter to the wildcards, imo EG and Coast. 6-Coast: they are good, I just don't think last split was fair to them (C9 and stuff) 7-Dignitas: I really don't feel KiWikid has ever been for the caliber of a pro team. they had a decent spring split and were taken also by surprise in the summer split. I dunno about scarra, but crumbz seems fine, especially when he feels he has something to prove. they seem to have some catching up to do though. 8-Curse: I liked nyjacky, he just doesn't make the best decisions on his own out of his lane. I really think the team's problem was Saint. Either way, I don't expect much. this was a rather large overhaul, just like CLG had from S2 to S3, up to summer split. Quas can be surprising, I just don't see the guys that came from academy doing stuff... EU: 1-Gambit: Knowing how to stall a game is a very good weapon. Back to an all russian team is probably the best for them and I see no reason for them not to challenge the top place. there may be some surprises, namely from CW and I predict this will be a very contested split, but GG can easily overcome that. 2-Alternate: yeah, I quite don't know why i've placed them, but It has more to do with the next ones than themselves. I also feel I am placing these guys a bit high, but might be capable of doing so. 3-Fnatic: Here are my thoughts on this team since they played against Royal: FFS, why did you stop the [[teleport]] spam???? this was the strategy that won them a bunch of games and they have been dropping it since their loss at worlds. HELL, I think they lost at worlds because they tried to win the game in lanes with no plan B! Either way, they seem rather solid. Puszu was decent, but Rekkles seems way better, even though he needs some polishing. they will contest 1st place if they bring up the [[teleport]]/splitpush again, once in a while. 4-SK: Unfortunatly ocelote retired but he'll probably will be around with a hammer to mash some hands anf fill in their place. Botlane i feel is one of the best around. Jungle and top seem better as I never felt they made good decisions/were hyped and I expect them to do well. 5-CW: they are beasts. they make good calls most of the time and it seems hard to force them into a mistake. Hopefully they arent a challenger one-trick-pony 6-Alliance: I feel reluctant to place them 6th, but I would end up having nowhere to put them. A team 60% new is quite a deal and judging from springsplit EG, they will have a hard time adapting. Dignitas was an easy test (there were some other easy tests into EU LCS S2 spring) 7-KMT: I liked their playstyle but I feel they had an easy test against NIP (RIPNIP, get it?). this team, in it's current form is 3 months old (so it seems) so I belive the lack of experience will show itself in due time. 8-Lemondogs: Being part of one of the most stupid deals i've seen will prove to be a huge blow. from a team that went to worlds to get rid of them (and getting a new team) is suicide. this team has no perspectives on the long run, imo.[/quote]