The LEC Playoffs are at its end as all that remains is the Lower Bracket Finals and the Finals of the Summer Split Playoffs.
The LEC Playoff have been a banger with so many exciting series that we witnessed thus far. In the end, we have MAD Lions, Rogue, and Fnatic going to Worlds to represent Europe. The only thing that is left is the seeding for the teams and deciding who is the winner of the split. Without further ado, let’s jump right into it.
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Lower Bracket Finals
We will start by talking about the Lower Bracket Finals between Fnatic and Rogue first. Fnatic has had quite a run in the playoffs so far playing 3 full series against Vitality, Misfits, and G2 and coming out victorious. They knocked out G2, one of the teams that were expected to make it to Worlds. On the other hand, Rogue has had a shaky playoff run. They beat Misfits, but the difference was just one play by Inspired in Game 5. Things did not go well against MAD Lions as well when MAD 3-0’d them in the semi-finals. Let’s dive into the specifics by starting with Rogue first.
Rogue
Rogue has been one of the top teams in this season. They have always looked like the clean team that got solid leads early and put away opponents that way. However, their flaws were somewhat obvious as their mid-game was poor in this split. Some even labeled it as “Rogue Time” and it is truly a problem for them. Compiled with the fact that Rogue looks worse in the playoffs is a cause for concern.
To dissect why this happens, understanding Rogue’s style of play is paramount. Rogue is the best team at playing with priority in order to gain insurmountable leads. Often times, their lead cushions their lack of a mid-game, and it was never really a big issue. However, with the LEC getting better as a region, teams started to pressure Rogue more and their mid-game issues were being exploited by most teams.
Their early game is often consistently good, and they use the priority lanes to allow Inspired to set the pace of the game. In games where Rogue gets control is usually the games they win. However, they have had problems with teams that liked to play a more proactive and fight heavy style of play. G2 and MAD Lions have given them the most fits and Fnatic has the style that could also cause them problems.
The problems with Rogue arise when they do not get the leads they want, and they don’t have the lane priorities they need. MAD vs Rogue in the last week showed that perfectly. MAD exploited all of Rogue’s weakness and tendencies to get a 3-0 dominant series.
Inspired has been playing well and is their best player without a shred of doubt. Hans Sama has been decent these playoffs, but his mistakes are something that needs to be cleared up. On the negative end, Larssen and Odoamne have to step up. They have not looked the same in the playoffs, and it’s a worrying sign for Rogue. Trymbi has also been struggling a lot and that is another problem that Rogue will need to address vs Fnatic. Tomorrow will be the day that Rogue will have to prove that they can play well in the playoffs and prove their doubters wrong.
Fnatic
Fnatic has been riding high especially winning 3 close series to go to Worlds. This is the best scenario Fnatic could have hoped for at the start of the split, and now it has become a reality. The entire team has played splendidly. Hylissang and Upset are the best bot lane duo in the LEC as they kept stomping any bot lane duo so far in the playoffs.
Nisqy has stepped up big with him being a big part of the team, roaming around and making plays. Adam has come into his own in the playoffs and has showcased that he can be a great player in this league. Bwipo’s switch to the jungle has worked well, but he still has room to improve as a jungler. Combined this team has played exceedingly well with aggressive plays, communications, roams and the likes.
As for weakness of Fnatic, it’s their over aggressiveness. They tend to push too far and that can give away leads to the opponent teams and G2 has punished them in that regard to push to 5 games. They also have some moments where they just collapse and fall apart in one game. However, their mental is strong enough to come back and beat any team. The upcoming series vs Rogue will be a series to watch tomorrow.
Rogue vs Fnatic
This is a series that will be a redemption for one team and ascension for the other. Rogue has to prove that they are better than how they played against MAD and Misfits. Fnatic has to keep playing better and secure a top 2 Worlds spot. Fnatic matches up well against Rogue.
Both teams are bot side focused, and whichever bot lane wins is going to have the edge in this series. Trymbi and Hans Sama has to step up to match Hylissang and Upset, who has been outstanding thus far. Rogue does have an advantage in the jungle department, and they can try to get leads through that as well. However, Bwipo has shown that he can be fantastic in those clutch situations, so Rogue cannot take relax.
The main point of this series will be whether this series will be a controlled one or will it be devoured by chaos. Fnatic feeds off the chaos and thrives in it while Rogue plunges and cannot keep hold of games that way. All in all, this should be a fun series to watch and could go either way.
Can Anyone Beat MAD Lions?
Forecasting into the Finals, MAD are sitting there awaiting their opponents from the Lower Bracket Finals. So far, MAD has looked like the clear-cut best team in the LEC. Against Rogue, they showcased that they can win games by snowballing and win teamfights with any composition. When all else fails, MAD can rely on their teamfighting to win a game, even a series.
Also, gold difference does not matter for this team as time and time again, they win fights even if they are behind in hold. Even being behind in gold does not bother them as they are mentally the strongest team in the LEC. Individually, they are a good team but combining the strengths of all the players, they are a team that is capable of winning most games.
Humanoid and Kaiser are the clear standouts from this team. Humanoid has been dominant in lane and proactive with his roams. Kaiser is simply one of the best roaming and flanking supports and is the first point of engage for this team. Armut has been shaky in the regular season, but he has stepped up massively in the playoffs. Barring Game 3 against Rogue, he has had a good playoffs run, and he is a huge part of MAD’s teamfighting style.
Elyoya is a solid jungler and makes plays where he needs to. The best thing about MAD is that Elyoya can go to any lane and pressure that lane to get them ahead. MAD has shown the capabilities to play through any lane. Carzzy is often labeled as the weakest link of the team, but his value in the team is often underestimated. He is their main shot caller and in their voice comms, you can hear that he is the most vocal one, and he calls out targets often.
This team is the strongest team in the LEC and potentially one of the strongest teams in the World. We are expecting MAD Lions to win the split and carry over their exemplary play to the Worlds stage.
In Conclusion
LEC Playoffs Final Week will be hype as we can get 2 close series depending on how things turn out. With that said, This is one of the best ways to cap out a playoff tournament that has met expectations and has been exciting to watch.
To catch the LEC Playoffs Final Week, tune into to LoLEsports.com for the schedule and the livestream.
