The Final Super Week is here for Split 1 of 2022. The last two weeks has seen the league settle and seen all eight teams distinct themselves between title contenders and title pretenders.
By tomorrow the second round robin will be concluded, meaning every team will now have a firm grasp of where they line each up against each other in the league, and as a team their strengths and weaknesses.
Now is ample time to shore up the team whilst continuing the push towards the bracket stage and a chance for the LCO title and the trip to South Korea for the mid-season invitational that it awards.
After a week marred in off-Rift controversy, Peace looks to get back into the winning column after falling victim to a shellacking against Chiefs last Wednesday. A sub-25 minute loss is not what was needed for the defending champions, and they’ll be sure they don’t drop any more games to keep themselves in the fight for the top spot and the guaranteed bye.
Thankfully for them, they play Gravitas who should act as the perfect nucleus for them to bounce back into the winning column.
Kanga and Mammoth both come into their game Monday looking to obtain the win to keep their pushes for a playoff spot alive and healthy. Order will be looking to potentially obtain sole possession of third place as they clash with the Dire Wolves, who are still looking for the crucial first victory against a top four opponent, which will be key if they want to build the distance from the three teams currently on the outside of the playoffs.
Game of the day though belongs to the first contest, however, as Pentanet take on the new league leaders in The Chiefs.
Taylor’s Game of the Week: Pentanet.GG (7-5) vs The Chiefs Esports Club (11-1)
The battle of the preseason top dogs returns to Summoner’s Rift to open up week six of the LCO Season. With both teams having off-seasons that saw top domestic talents from overseas excursions return, as well as reintroducing international superstars to the Oceanic fold, these two teams were exacted to be the ones fighting for the crown from day dot.
Whilst this can be true of The Chiefs, this cannot quite be said of Pentanet. Sure, they find themselves tied for third coming into this game, but their league position doesn’t tell the whole story.
Pentanet, to me, has two identities. On their day, they have the potential to be titan slayers; but on others, they are a team that crumbles rather easily, succumbing to early pressure easily.
This dichotomy isn’t going to fruit them the success they strive for and is expected of them. They will have to push out the non-titan slaying half of them if they want to truly succeed.
Speaking of titans, The Chiefs can very adeptly be described as one. The team is on an absolute tear, winning seven on the bounce, seeing them beat every single team in the league back-to-back, sealed with wiping the floor against Peace last Wednesday — the team that handed them their only loss so far.
This team, from top to bottom, is absolutely star-studded. Arguments can be made that each and every player in this team is best in role, and if not first they are for sure in the top two.
This team also has one other key trait that others in this league don’t have, which is the ability to bend but not break when they are behind. On more than one occasion this split, The Chiefs have seen themselves slip behind early. Instead of just crumbling like other teams in the LCO might, they will bend and modify their plans so that they can stay with their opponents, taking every little edge they can and keeping the pressure on. This is a key to their success and puts them above the rest of the league.
Coming into this game, it is The Chiefs game to lose. If they get the early lead, another potential demolition is on the cards, and even if they don’t they will be able to warp the game state into a form where not winning early will become irrelevant.
It is not impossible for Pentanet to win this, however. Early, consistent and sustained pressure will be needed, but also they will need to not give the Chiefs even a single inch, as it can very easily become a mile, with that mile being the difference between winning and losing.
Taylor’s Week 6 Day 1 Predictions
Chiefs def. Pentanet
Peace def. Gravitas
Mammoth def. Kanga
Order def. Dire Wolves
LCO Week 6 starts tonight. Pentanet and The Chiefs clash tonight from 6pm AEDT. Catch up on all the split details in our ultimate coverage hub.
Follow @stickmansan, @ImHarryTaylor & @Ties_AU on Twitter.
