Note that these matchups are not official, merely predictions as to what I think the matchups will be. Actual matchups will be decided on the day of the match by the LCS team. All games are best of 5.
So, let's examine the teams, their strengths and weaknesses and who will come out on top:
Ninjas in Pyjamas
Morten “ZoroZero” Rosenquist (Top)
John “hyrqbot” Velly (Jungle)
Erlend “NukeDuck” Holm (Mid)
Ales “Freeze” Knezinek (AD)
Alfonso “Mithy” Aguirre Rodriguez (Support)
VS.
Supa Hot Crew
Mimer “Mimer” Ahlstrom (Top)
Matthew “Impaler” Taylor (Sub Jungle)
Amaury “Moopz” Minguerche (Mid)
Haiday “Haydal” Mezidi (AD)
Maxime “migxa” Poinssot (Support)
The Setup:
I think that Ninjas in Pyjamas will chose Supa Hot Crew to face as their relegation opponent. The teams share weaknesses and NiP’s superior experience should allow them to capitalize on mistakes made by the SHC team, which has only been together for a few days.
The History:
This Ninjas in Pyjamas squad bears little resemblance to the one which competed in the last LCS split, with Freeze as the only remaining member. Over the break, the organization added three ex-Lemondogs members and former SK jungler hyrqbot to round out the roster, creating a team that is both experienced and talented. An interesting note is that the Lemondogs members left their former team to join NiP despite the fact that they faced relegation to do so. Clearly the team feels confident that this new roster will succeed on the back of their skill and will have a strong focus and positive atmosphere. However, their debut performance at IEM Cologne did not inspire confidence. After taking down TCM 2-1, they were handily beaten by the Copenhagen Wolves 2-0 in the Amateur Tournament Final. Following the even, they decided to skip out of Dreamhack Winter, opting instead to practice on the 3.14 patch in preparation for their relegation showdown.
Supa Hot Crew entered the Promotion Tournament Groupstage as a relatively unknown dark-horse, but have since proven themselves as a fearsome contender in the face of stiff competition, taking down rivals Kiedys Mialem Team and TCM Gaming to secure their passage out of the group. The team was initially formed by former Against All Authority top-laner fredy122 and Ninjas in Pyjamas jungler Svenskeren alongside a handful of talented players, but they have undergone some significant changes since then. Both fredy and Svenskeren left to join the re-formed SK Gaming squad, so SHC added former NiP top-laner Mimer. Their replacement jungler K0u’s spot, due to the fact that he is too young to compete in the LCS, has been taken by Dignitas UK member Impaler. Despite their short time together (Mimer and Impaler having only come onto the team December 5th), SHC has shown nothing but strength throughout the group stage of the Promotion Tournament.
The Play:
There is no question as to the experience and talent present in the current NiP squad. All their members have at least one LCS split under their belts, and all three Lemondogs players attended the Season 3 World Championship. Since joining NiP midway through the Summer Split, Freeze has been impressive, and is widely regarded as one of the best marksman players in Europe. Another star on the NiP squad is Mithy, who’s shot-calling, drafting and strategies helped turn Lemondogs around after their rough start to the Summer Split. While their play at IEM Cologne wasn’t as strong as expected, they have the benefit of time to work out the issues present in their play. However, their short time together might be a hindrance, and they have yet to play a competitive match on the 3.14 patch. They have difficulty closing out games, a syndrome which seems to be inherited from the ex-Lemondog players on their roster. Overall, this new NiP squad is a bit of a mystery. It remains to be seen how they will adapt to the new patch and if they will be able to effectively work together as a team. They certainly have the skill to be one of the best in Europe, and only time will tell if they fulfill their promise.
Since they are so new, it is difficult to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of Supa Hot Crew. That being said, Mimer and Impaler joining the team have injected a fair dose of experience into the already talented crew. Moopz, the former mousesports player, has shown his skill with Morgana, landing Dark Bindings from seemingly impossible angles. It is also hard to argue with the skill Mimer brings to the team – while he did not find success with NiP, his solo-queue prowess and LCS experience make him a valuable addition. Despite their obvious strengths however, SHC seems to have trouble closing out games. Against TCM, it took them over 40 minutes to push into the base despite a massive gold lead. They also allowed Kiedys Mialem Team to capitalize on a few late-game mistakes, stretching the game far beyond 50 minutes. They will have to close the door quickly if they wish to compete against teams with LCS experience. This is not to say they have not looked strong over the course of the Promotion Tournament, they have. But the true challenge lies ahead and it’s on them to prove their success wasn’t just a fluke.
The Result:
Both teams share a common weakness: difficulty in late-game scenarios. This is compounded by the 3.14 patch, where games tend to go longer and 40 minute games are standard. Stalling games is easier than ever, making late-game stand offs and comebacks more possible. The team that comes out more focused, prepared and determined should grab an advantage and ram it home before late-game jitters set in. Setting the tempo early will be key in gaining enough of an advantage to leave no room for comebacks. In this respect, I think Ninjas in Pyjamas have the edge. They have had plenty of time to plan and practice their strategies, and the ex-Lemondog players should be eager to prove that joining a team in relegation wasn’t an error. Their LCS history should lend itself to a stronger, more concise laning phase. Furthermore, they have intel on Mimer, who was not only a team-member of Freeze’s in the Summer Split, but an opponent for Zorozero. Supa Hot Crew cannot say the same – Mimer has never faced this iteration of NiP, and they have very little research to go on. If NiP can keep Morgana away from Moopz and use their superior experience to their advantage, they should be able to come out ahead of the Supa Hot Crew.
Ninjas in Pyjamas edge out Supa Hot Crew 3-2.
SK Gaming?
Simon "fredy122" Payne (Top)
Dennin “Svenskeren” Johnsen (Jungle)
Jesse “Jesiz” Le (Mid)
Adrian “Candy Panda” Wubbelmann (AD)
Patrick “Nyph” Funke (Support)
VS.
Kiedys Mielam Team
Marcin “Xaxus” Maczka (Top)
Marcin “Jankos” Jankowski (Jungle)
Remigiusz “Overpow” Pusch (Mid)
Pawel “Celaver” Koprianiuk (AD)
Oskar “VandeRnoob” Bogdan (Support)
The Setup:
No one wants to face Copenhagen Wolves, so expect SK to choose KMT as their opponent. This matchup should be the most even of the three: SK has LCS experience and has already beaten KMT once at Dreamhack Winter, but KMT have been together far longer and have looked strong recently.
The History:
SK Gaming is another team that underwent many changes during the off season. With Kev1n moving to ALTERNATE, Ocelote leaving the main lineup and hyrqbot joining up with NiP, the new look for SK is quite different. Former NiP jungler Svenskeren and Against All Authority top-laner fredy122 were picked up, along with talented Tricked eSports player Jesiz. Since the changes, SK has experienced mixed results, taking first at Dreamhack Winter but only landing in 4th place in the IEM Cologne Amateur tournament. The new SK looks strong, but they will have to overcome their short time together if they have any hope to recapture their LCS spot.
Despite several changes of sponsor over the past year, Kiedys Mialem Team is a Challenger squad which has continually found wins. The roster has been playing together for about a year with many of their players hailing
from Anexis eSports, and they have taken gold at several ESL events, Cybersports League, and Dreamhack Bucharest. Most recently they took second place at Dreamhack Winter, falling to SK Gaming 2-1. Many of the team’s members have long histories of competitive play, but no matter where they land the members seem to find victory. It isn’t often that a squad which changes sponsors so many times is able to remain together, but KMT has proven that a dedicated core of players who work well together will always find success on the Challenger scene. Now they will have to take the next step and prove themselves if they are to enter the LCS.
The Play:
Much like NiP, SK Gaming have the benefit of experience. They are led by bot-lane duo and LCS veterans CandyPanda and Nyph, whose shot calling and decision making come from years of play at the top level. The rest of the squad is no less tested – both Svenskeren and fredy122 have at least one LCS season under their belts. Jesiz is the only member with no professional experience, but he has proven himself a talented mid-laner in only a short while. In the two events they have played with their new roster, SK has shown that their experience and Nyph’s shot calling creates results. Their teamfighting was excellent and the objective control was solid. However their laning has not been spectacular, especially when they fall behind, a weakness which they’ll have to patch up if they hope to compete in the LCS next split. It is often difficult to judge a new team based on a few matches, but it is safe to say this SK Gaming squad shows promise. If they can leverage their solid teamfighting, remain calm and use their experience to their advantage and trust in the shot-calling that Nyph provides, they should be able to claim victory.
Kiedys Mialem Team’s best strength is their teamwork – they have been together for a while, and it shows in their coordination and smooth map movement. Overpow has been impressive lately, and his Nidalee, Kassadin and Gragas play during the Promotion Tournament were instrumental in securing victory. Celaver has also been strong, and his laning with Caitlyn was dominant. When they are focused, KMT is as strong as any team in the Challenger scene, and they have the ability to perform under pressure. In the do-or-die final promotion game against TCM, they showed their dominance, crushing TCM with impunity. It would be a mistake to underestimate this team – they have the talent and the coordination to rival an LCS team.
The Result:
Like I said, this should be the most even matchup of the three. Both SK and KMT have players who have been tested in tough competition, although the LCS experience is in favor of SK. However, the new roster of SK Gaming has only had a month together to prepare, while KMT has been together for a year. KMT has risen to the top of the pack in Poland, and have bested rival LCS team MYM on several occasions. This is a hard match to call, but I suspect that KMT’s strong team dynamic will win out.
KMT squeaks by SK Gaming 3-2.
Meet Your Makers
Jakub “Kubon” Turewicz (Top)
Konrad “Mokatte” Kukier (Jungle)
Krystian “Czaru” Przybylski (Mid)
Marek “Makler” Kukier (AD)
Marek “Libik” Kregiel (Support)
VS.
Copenhagen Wolves
Joey “YoungBuck” Steltenpool (Top)
Maurice “Amazing” Stuckenschneider (Jungler)
Viktor “cowTard” Stymne (Mid)
Konstantinos “Forg1ven” Tzortziou (AD)
Petar “Unlimited” Georgiev (Support)
The Setup:
As the lowest seed, Meet Your Makers will be left to face the strongest team the Challenger scene has to offer: the Copenhagen Wolves.
The History:
Meet Your Makers is a team with a long history behind them: the current team has been playing together for over two years, earning mild success along the way, with first place finished in ESP Poland and IEM Singapore (2012). Pulling out a miracle comeback against DragonBorns in their promotion series, the Meet Your Makers team entered into the European LCS Summer Split. While they started out strong, MYM quickly fell to the bottom of the pack, ending the season a miserable 8-20 (with four of those wins coming in the first week). During the break MYM didn’t fare much better: they took first at the World Cyber Games Polish Qualifier, but failed to make it out of the group stage, only managing a 2-2 record.
The Copenhagen Wolves came together in May, and have been top of the Challenger scene ever since. Notable achievements include first place finishes in seven straight EU West Challenger Series events, as well as major tournament victories such as Dreamhack Summer, Gfinity London and the IEM Cologne Amateur division. While many people attributed this success to Fnatic AD player Rekkles, who was on loan to the team, his departure has not slowed their winning ways. In fact, the addition of Forg1ven and jungler Amazing (replacing Shook v2) has only made the team more fearsome, as they have gone undefeated since that time, besting both SK Gaming and NiP 2-0 at IEM Cologne and scoring a perfect 5-0 record in the Promotion Series group stage. They enter into the series as the most feared Challenger team in Europe bar none.
The Play:
Known for their strong teamwork and coordination over their individual skill, MYM’s strength lies in patient team-play and structured plans. Given the time to prepare and study their opponents, MYM can be one of the deadliest squads in Europe (their strong first week performance is proof of that), but they lack improvisational skill and struggle to recover when behind in a game. Their mid-laner Czaru has gained a reputation for his love of the Teleport Summoner Spell, which he uses to great effect. His skill with Ahri is also notable, and he often carries MYM all by himself. Support player Libik is also recognized as a very strong Zyra player, and Kubon’s Elise was impressive during the Summer Split, drawing bans in most matchups.Do not underestimate this team: years of playing together has honed them into a solid unit. While their play of late has not been as impressive as it was to start the Summer Split, they have the potential to come out strong. Victory of defeat all depends on which MYM shows up – the focused unit who stick to their guns and execute their carefully laid plans, or the disheartened squad that falls behind early and flounders in the face of adversity.
CW’s strength lies in their massive individual skill and focus, hammering opponents into submission with strong laning and teamfighting. YoungBuck is widely recognized as a very talented Renekton player, and cowTard has overcome initial criticism for his limited champion pool to become a well-rounded mid-laner. He initially was known for his Zyra, but he has recently been playing very well on Ziggs and Gragas. The new core of the team, it must be said, is Forg1ven, who stepped into Rekkles’ shoes without missing a beat. His Caitlyn and Lucian play has been outstanding, and backed up by Unlimited’s solid play on Fiddlesticks or Annie, the CW bottom lane has never looked better.
The Wolves’ success is sometimes their own downfall, though – they play like they’re ahead even when they aren’t. Overconfidence can be their bane, and this occasionally leads to overextension and unfavourable fights. They also rely heavily on Forg1ven to carry them through the late game, as Youngbuck and Amazing often play more utility or split-pushing roles rather than damage dealers. That being said, CW are both experienced and talented enough to overcome even large deficits to achieve victory, and they possess both varied champion pools and strategies; Copenhagen Wolves are a force to be reckoned with.
The Result:
It’s hard to imagine the next season of the LCS without the Copenhagen Wolves in it. Meet Your Makers have a long history of success, but their recent performances have been lackluster at best. But, MYM are known as miracle workers, and they play the best when the odds are stacked heavily against them, so it would be wrong of me to count them out (note that they beat DragonBorns despite being down 0-2 in a best of five). They have also had plenty of time to study the Wolves and plan accordingly, so another upset is possible. On the other hand, I find it hard to believe that MYM’s play will back up their research. Simply put, no challenger team has even been as dominant for as long a period of time as CW, and it shows. With a perfect record leading up to the series even after a roster change, Copenhagen Wolves just look too strong to falter at this moment. Much like Cloud 9 rolled over the unprepared Complexity in the North American relegation this summer, expect the Wolves to make their presence felt early against MYM.
Learn their names, you’ll be seeing them a lot from now on.
Copenhagen Wolves beat Meet Your Makers 3-1.
And that's my preview and predictions for the EU Promotions, taking place from December 13th-15th. Do you agree? Disagree? Let us know in the comments.
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I'm Nicholas "Endspark" Doucet. Follow me on Twitter @GGEndspark, on reddit or right here on GosuGamers.net
