Topic is exactly the title. Who goes to Play-Ins? Any upset from the minor regions? What major region representative underperforms? Who takes it all?
Imo, Phong Vu and Vega escape their groups. Liquid gets pushed to 5 games by the Buffalo to win in. Flash Wolves upset by Vega. Flash get in through the loser bracket. Then everyone gets beat up by IG and SKT who play for the trophy.
Semifinals are coming, here's my predictions.
IG maul TL 3-0. With ad dominant as IG has been and pedestrian as TL was, I don't think they put up much of a fight.
SKT win 3-1 over G2. Yes, I know G2 beat SKT each time in groups, but after SKT ended groups with a beatdown of IG, I think we can say they used Groups to warm up before getting super serious. If G2 have another odd strategy to use like the Pyke top game up their sleeve, I could see a five game series happening and maybe then G2 winning.
For Play-In, I've been invested in the past into giving Latam (notably Lyon/R7) the chance to advance and they just always seem to lose out on from group draws. This is absolutely no exception. Mind wants Fener, Heart wants Isurus.
As for Group B, I don't have much faith in INTZ, and MEGA's road to MSI felt too easy with little to make a true test. Voting Vega Squadron to break out of the pack.
Rolling into Round 2, Liquid's in, hands down. Normally I'd be on the LMS hype train...but I want to see more regions represent! Sorry Flash Wolves; I rooted for MAD Team.
Now for the group stage: I can't find a reality where it isn't a IG vs SKT final. However the road to said final should be fun. The only prediction I'm setting in stone for me: G2nd. Either IG or SKT is not going to show up on one or two days; Khan will shoot his team in the foot to net losses or IG will just get read like a book one or two good times and one of them will wind up 3rd. The rest of the pack I need proof; don't care how they end up.
Vega comes from a league that considered having Vaevictis compete was acceptable. I can't take the CIS or any team that comes from it seriously. They're not making it out of groups.
Group A is anybody's game.
I've never understood hype around the LMS. They're a mediocre region over hyped because FW beat SKT like... 4 years ago?? And this FW isn't even the classic team, which was disbanded after making a fool of themselves at Worlds (yet again) and it wouldn't surprise me to see them not even make it to the Group Stage proper.
G2 are literally a wild card. I don't think they're very good. I think Wunder and Caps are legit monsters that enabled them to play whatever they wanted in the LEC, but I'm not sure they can get away with that against IG. I still believe Perkz can't play late game team fights in a standard scenario, and the fact that OG let them get away with a funnel comp in Spring 2019 really makes me doubt about how good both OG and FNC really were, particularly Origen (FNC play well then go suicide under enemy towers and lose) and I really don't know if G2 will be able to pull that crap against Invictus Gaming. I think they're about to get a rude awakening. I think Perkz is about to get blasted. Also, if it's PromisQ playing and not Miky, then they won't even be able to beat SKT and maybe not even TL. Remember what FNC did to them (Before they tower dove top, suicided and extended the game for no reason) in the second round? G2's success depends on how bad Perkz may play. Will Wunder and Caps be able to carry the other 3 duds through the tournament? I personally don't think so.
SKT's success depends a lot on how G2 do. I don't trust Jankos, I don't trust Perkz, but I'm also not sure about SKT's new members. I don't think Khan is better than Wunder and I think there's scenarios where Caps beats Faker. Caps is better than what the best version of Febiven ever was, and Febi killed Faker by himself several times with Faker in his prime in 2015, so I don't put it pass Caps to beat this version of Faker.
Or not... https://i.imgflip.com/11e8zh.jpg I don't like G2 and I hope they won't make it out of groups.
IG's way above everyone else. TheShy and Rookie can beat anyone and the only liability could be Ning in a Bo1, but not in a Bo5. FNC took two games from them in Groups at Worlds, but then Bo5 came and there was no stopping IG anymore. I think this IG is only comparable to SSW from 2014. I don't know what form they'll be in for Worlds, but for MSI, they're a league above everyone else. Get ready for a 3 - 0 finals, doesn't matter if it's SKT or G2.
GLFH TL
My prediction? Play in groups are competitve and interesting but once we get to the main stage IG, SKT, and TL/G2 going to win one-sidedly in that order of best to worst.
TL vs G2 should be a good matchup, but i don't think either of them would be able to take IG or SKT to 5 games. Prediction for the Final: IG 3-0 over SKT. I expect IG to win this decisively b/c the current meta favors the LPL super fast paced style of play and the other contenders in the tournament aren't going to be prepared for such a high level of early aggression.
Well Group A is the Group of Death. As a Vietnamese I could predict that Phong Vu will meet TL and make it out of groups
Topic is exactly the title. Who goes to Play-Ins? Any upset from the minor regions? What major region representative underperforms? Who takes it all?
Imo, Phong Vu and Vega escape their groups. Liquid gets pushed to 5 games by the Buffalo to win in. Flash Wolves upset by Vega. Flash get in through the loser bracket. Then everyone gets beat up by IG and SKT who play for the trophy.
Right.
Uh no
Wrong again.
Another one Wrong.
We'll see.
Group A.
Phong Vu Buffalo 5-1
1907 Fenerbahce 4-2
Isurus Gaming 3-3
Bombers 0-6
Group B.
Vega Squadron 5-1
INTZ E-Sports 4-2
MEGA 2-4
Detonation FocusMe 1-5
Team Liquid def Phong Vu Buffalo 3-1 Vega Squadron def Flash Wolves 3-1 Phong Vu Buffalo def Flash Wolves 3-0 ................................................................
SK Telecom T1 9-1 Invictus Gaming 7-3 Team Liquid 6-4 G2 Esports 4-6 Phong Vu Buffalo 2-8 Vega Squadron 2-8 .....................................
SKT def G2 3-0 IG def TL 3-1 .......................... SKT def IG 3-1
III BAKURYU III 5/7/2019, 9:48:11 PMAfter "Play-In" stage my new predictions
