IMT vs C9

Sunday has a bunch of matchups with huge implications on the standings as playoffs looms closer and closer. C9 Vs IMT had the biggest as a win for C9 would crowd the battle for 1st, and a loss from C9 would blow the gate open for NV and DIG to take the 4th spot. Right off the bat im going to re-open something i said yesterday about a tank top laner and tank jungler on the same team. C9 did it in game 3 and left them without much damage threats against a double marksman comp. I know people will have opinions about this, and casters will say "This is a good comp to pick people off and turn" but far too often, no matter what region, this kind of comp fails more than it succeeds. I dont like cinderhulk Rek'Sai, she scales really well with AD and giving her something like Warrior, Cleaver, Maw, GA, Boots and some kind of defensive item is best for what she does, because in this game, such a huge damage dealer in the Rek'Sai was relegated to the flash, knockup bot that she used to be when C9 needed backup damage. Jensen being taken advantage of when not roaming and wanting to dominate lane was something that cost them the game against NV, Nisqy was able to shrug off Jensen and not let him build a lead in lane and he was almost useless, IMT did the same thing to him in both Corki games and Pobelter is the mid laner you want when trying to find a way to screw over Jensen's mindset. Pobelter struggles but he is almost like Hai in where he will forego a lead in mid to help strengthen his side lanes, and with Sneaky and C9's top laners struggling, it was going to be a disaster when IMT decided to pull the trigger. C9 seems to be a team where they cant decide if they want to play through top or mid, and more often than not, when they play through top, they win. You saw in game 3, they put Ray on Shen and left him alone, and it cost them. Game 2, they attacked Flame and controlled top lane and couldve won if not for the Baron throw. They need to trust in the fact that both Ray and Impact need backup, they need the support Jensen gets to really open up and when C9 actually does give them the resources and time, they are both monsters. Jensen has proven he cant really carry and translate his leads when C9 plays through him this split. I feel like a broken record when i say i want to see Jensen get his side lanes going at this point, even on the Taliyah, he didnt roam around much, pre-15min.

For IMT, im impressed about a few things but still worried about more. Flame has been hovering around godly to meh and while he's consistently reliable, IMT needs him to step up more like he has against C9 today. Pobelter actually got the nod to step up and see if he can put the team on his back, and gifting him the Corki pick in games 2 and 3 was so good for him, he can stabilize lane against Jensen and still get off good roams, especially with the teleport triple kill in game 2. Xmithie on Gragas, like Dardoch on Gragas, is becoming a story im worried about hearing because im feeling like "What else does he have once Elise and Gragas get banned?" His Rek'Sai doesnt look to great, Lee Sin isnt really good for this meta unless you are Peanut or Svenskeren. It may be nothing but for now it causes me to think its a crutch pick. As far as Cody Sun goes, one of my favorite things was looking at him play and thinking "Where does this guy fall as far as the tiers of ADCs in NA goes?". He is like Sneaky in a way of he's going to do everything for the team, he isnt a mega-mind like DoubleLift, he isnt always looking for the sick MLG-420 plays like Wildturtle, and he isnt going to look to desperately win lane at all costs like Piglet. He is going to play the lane by the numbers and set up amazing things for his team and only really go super aggro if he is sure he can kill you 100% and try not to blow any sums if he can while doing it. He is a purist ADC, he's going to play with the team in mind first. Which can really be great with a playmaking support like Olleh. Olleh, speaking of, really stepped up in other ways than just being "lol Trolleh on weird or roaming picks", he showed he can do what few supports besides 3 in NA can do which is teamfight very well on picks like Bard and Thresh. All in all, i think this can be signs of maybe not IMT being number one again, but i think this is signs of IMT being a group of players ready to step up and perform internationally if they can hold on and continue to play like they did this week throughout the rest of this split. Solid #3 in my eyes. C9, i think they have a lot of problems deciding where they want to play, Jensen looking like a benefit obviously, and a detriment in the way of maybe not letting C9 try other things with his "Mid lane is my island, pls keep out" style of play.

All in all, bad picks from C9 in game 3, throws in game 2 and signs of being able to pull off what they are trying so hard to do in game 1 and 2 still made them fall 0-2 this week. IMT playing like they are trying to wash the stink of the bad week that took them out of first place out of their minds. 4th place looks like its going to be a hot prize that C9, DIG and NV will murder eachother for until the split ends.