Analysing the Teams at IEM Cologne
New rosters arise, the old ones still prevail. Experience and practice time are more important than a shiny, talented lineup. The pre-season tournament offered a chance to see how teams would synergize and what their strategies would revolve around. The meta has been set, play styles have been shown, and players have proven themselves. In this article, we will discuss the strengths, weaknesses, and key players to watch for each team.
EVER
EVER, the slayers of World Champions, made a name for themselves in the KeSPA Cup tournament. Despite not winning their promotion series into the LCK, EVER performed exceptionally well in the tournament, beating top Korean esports teams. Their botlane duo, Key and Loken, stood out with their exceptional mechanics and playmaking abilities. EVER’s draft phase was also top-notch, setting the meta for IEM Cologne. However, the future of EVER is uncertain, as there are offers for individual players, and it is unlikely that they will make it to LCK.
Qiao Gu
Qiao Gu, the second-placed team in the Chinese summer split, showcased their teamfighting skills at IEM Cologne. Despite a shaky start, they adapted well throughout the tournament. Their midlaner, Doinb, needs to improve his consistency for the team to succeed. Qiao Gu has the potential to adapt to the upcoming splits, and their teamfighting skills could serve them well in the future.
Fnatic
Fnatic underwent roster changes, adding Gamsu and Spirit while losing Huni and Reignover. Their strategy at IEM was centered around Spirit as the carry, supported by Noxiak, Febiven, and Rekkles. While they performed well considering the circumstances, Rekkles’ playstyle may limit the team’s potential. Febiven needs a secondary carry to rely on when he has a bad performance. Fnatic’s shotcalling, led by Spirit and Noxiak, showed promise for the team’s future.
H2K
H2K, the new super team of Europe, showcased their early game dominance at IEM. Jankos stood out with his performance in securing first blood in many of the games. H2K’s duolane performed well, and Odoamne and Ryu were solid and consistent. However, their strategy in transitioning the lead into the midgame was lacking, resulting in enemy comebacks. With more practice, H2K has the potential to shine, especially when Forgiven returns to his prime form.
In conclusion, IEM Cologne was an entertaining tournament, showcasing the potential, qualities, and synergy of the teams. The spring split holds promise for these teams, and it will be interesting to see their next steps.
IEM Cologne, teams, rosters, strengths, weaknesses, key players, EVER, Qiao Gu, Fnatic, H2K, League of Legends analysis.