Dear GoSu Pepper: You've got this
Dear Edward "GoSu Pepper" Abgaryan, can we talk about your Alistar? Because those plays were just bonkers. I’m not sure Fnatic was ready for anything like that! Especially after the unfortunate H2K game.
Folks are well aware of how good Alistar can be with that ridiculously powerful ultimate throwing down 70% damage reduction and bringing a forceful end to any idea of further engagement. Not that it keeps people from trying to kill you anyway.
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But honestly, I don’t even care about Unbreakable Will (R) right now. When it comes to you, it’s everything else in his kit that makes me desperately pine for you to make this a mainstay of your champion pool.
Let’s be real: that Alistar play with the help of Danil "Diamondprox" Reshetnikov’s Gragas where you 1) used Flash to get in and then 2) hit Pulverize (Q) to toss Martin "Rekkles" Larsson’s Ezreal into the air before 3) finishing the combo off by triggering Headbutt (W) to send Rekkles into the waiting, unforgiving arms of Konstantinos "FORG1VEN" Tzortziou’s Sivir was incredible to watch.
That’s the moment where I said aloud, "Sure, he was standing on a ward, but that… that was fantastic! More of that!" I mean, how’d you even make the call that you needed to Flash first to get in? Was it just instinct? That split-second timing is amazing to watch no matter how many times I’ve seen it.
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On top of all that, the major cow play came after a particularly well-placed assassination by Fabian "Febiven" Diepstraten’s Azir with a little help from Bora "YellOwStaR" Kim’s Morgana on Felix "Betsy" Edling’s Ahri. Like, it’s not as if you folks were in an exceptionally good position to completely blow someone up. The opportunity just presented itself and the three of you were smart enough (and talented enough) to take it. It’s hard to imagine the kind of coordination required to pull that off, and it gives me hope that you and FORG1VEN can keep the trick shots up going forward.
Some folks will point at this and say, "Okay, sure, flashy play, but that ward," and wave it off as a lucky break. To these people, I say, "Then what about that top lane inhibitor turret play?"
Less than 10 minutes after the Rekkles dunk, you performed what I can only describe as the sneakiest of plays by using Headbutt (W) to minion taxi directly in front of Fnatic before hitting Flash and then Pulverize (Q) to stun both Rekkles and Febiven. There was nothing about that one that anyone could point to as a fault of Fnatic’s -- no wards being stood on, and they even had the Baron buff to help them out. That’s just mechanics, pure and simple.
You may have ultimately lost the game, but it was genuinely a joy to watch. Like everyone was saying, the game definitely didn’t feel like you folks were operating at a deficit for as long as you did. Judging by a few of your tweets, it’s clear you know that you gave Fnatic a run for their money.
I know roster swaps can be tough. Sometimes you go 0-4, but that doesn’t mean you're down and out. I don’t feel like this season is really any different than the early losses last split. And look how that ended: 10 wins, 8 losses, and those wins are the product of a lengthy split where you all eventually found your footing. I think you’re getting there, though I’m sure we probably both agree that progress is a long road.
Hopefully the experience ends with a net positive as you face Copenhagen Wolves and SK Gaming this coming week.
Maybe prioritize the Alistar pick in some instances. Please? For me?
Sincerely, Rollin "onlyixon" Bishop
