EU LCS Playoffs Preview

After 11 weeks of intense fighting, the top six European teams are just a couple of games away from determining the winner of the EU LCS Spring split. Just as in the last edition, we witnessed many comebacks, slumps, winning streaks, cries of joy and sighs of disappointment, the only difference being the lack of tie-breakers. We have a lot to look forward to coming into this week's final clashes.

For starters, pros will unveil what they have come up with in patch 4.5. The shift in rune set-ups, swaps of summoner spells and different champions on bot lane and the notorious Feral Flame are just some of the changes which the patch brought onto the pro scene. Since then, the competitive community has been split in two, with one side claiming that such a drastic change can prove disastrous during the playoffs, while the other argued that creativity is a part of being a competitor.

The other very interesting aspect is the rather unexpected match-ups. At the beginning of the split, many argued that Gambit Gaming, Alliance and Fnatic will cruise through the season and achieve high placings with ease. While the latter did those predictions justice, the third and fifth place finish of Alliance and Gambit, respectively, did put them in an uncomfortable position. Now, they have to face the Copenhagen Wolves and Team ROCCAT in order to advance further where the surprise of the split, SK Gaming and the evergreen Fnatic await.

Alliance versus Copenhagen Wolves

After the last two weeks, the Wolves cemented themselves in sixth place and were hoping to avoid playoff monsters such as Gambit or Alliance which were fresh of a hot streak. Unfortunately, ROCCAT snatched the fourth spot and consequently, Amazing's team now has to face the well-oiled machine of Alliance.

Taking a good look at the stats, we can observe that Froggen's team outclasses their counterpart in almost every single aspect with a few minor exceptions. However, this is nothing new for the Wolves, a team that has faced an uphill battle throughout the split. The squad had a period full of mixed results and plays, but that was more than enough to put them ahead of Supa Hot Crew and Millenium, teams which could not adapt or display a level of execution required to stay among the best.

While numbers do tell a good story, the Wolves pack a punch like no other team. With an experienced leader like YoungBuck and two ever-present threats in the faces of Amazing and Forg1ven, the team cannot simply be written off in this match. Obviously, the Wolves will be looking to keep the bot lane safe, while providing cover for one of the two solo lanes, a task which only a jungler of Amazing's caliber can fulfill. Never willing to back down, the Copenhagen Wolves will do all in their power to avoid the possibility of relegation and hopefully, upset a confident Alliance.

Player to watch: Maurice 'Amazing' Stückenschneider

The MVP of weeks 6 and 7 will be looking to spearhead his team into the lead early in the match. Known for his excellent execution and precision in ganking, Maurice has to hit all the right timings in order to throw the enemy off balance. A quick blow to Shook's confidence could prove vital once those timings are hit. Given that in most cases, the bot lane is the primary target, the German Lee Sin maestro has a clue where to start. The second part of his task is to dedicate the spare time that he has to helping one of the two solo lanes. With Froggen and Wickd as opponents, CowTard and YoungBuck could definitely use a hand.

Speaking of Alliance, the team that was once bottom 4 has now fulfilled its destiny and entered the playoffs with a thirst for blood. After barely missing on a ticket to the Season 3 World Finals, Froggen and Wickd are now back with a vengeance. Aided by three excellent teammates, the Danes are looking to reclaim what was lost during Season 3.

What is interesting to note is how much playoff experience every member of Alliance has with Shook being a minor exception. Both Tabzz and Nyph have had their fair share of international tournaments and best-of-three matches, in Nyph's case even dating back to the Season 1 Championship in Stockholm, Sweden. The high-caliber bunch is now not only fully functioning, but also knows what to expect and how to prepare for it.

Having a strong laning presence is an immense plus and Alliance will seek to establish their dominance as early as possible. Should all go right, Shook will be landing blow after blow and making Amazing's task a living nightmare. On the other hand, Alliance should be wary of any incoming "cheese" as they have demonstrated in the past that mind games do affect even seasoned players. Without a doubt the favourites in this clash, Froggen's men will seek to prove that their high placing in the last couple of weeks was no fluke, but a sign of things that are yet to come.

Player to watch: Henrik 'Froggen' Hansen

The Danish dynamo behind the line-up of stars, Henrik, is undoubtedly the best mid laner in Europe at the moment. Solid in every aspect of his play, the ace is confident in his ability to inspire and carry his squad to victory tomorrow. Criticized last Season for sticking to traditional mage champions, he has now expanded his champion pool and has demonstrated his abilities with assassin champions, much to the delight of the viewers and fans.

Team ROCCAT versus Gambit Gaming

Poland versus Russia. The disappointing last week performance of Gambit led them to a fifth place finish, something which many did not expect. Following a split of ups and downs, visa problems and questionable in-game decisions, the bright side is that they made it to this stage after all. Alex Ich's men have been on a rough patch and this is a perfect time to return to their roots as beasts of the best-of-X format.

The LCS is a familiar playground for the Russians. Twice runner-up to Fnatic, they continue to impress and add more top 4 finishes to their records. However, this time their task is a bit tougher. The Polish threat that looms over the Russians is real and their fourth place finish in the regular season serves as proof to their good adaptation to the LCS and cohesion as a team.

The bootcamp in Ukraine has historically helped the team once again regain their momentum and confidence once they are faced with important matches. Their head-to-head record, on the other hand, is in favour of the Poles. In order to establish control over the match, the Russians will have to shut down both Overpow and Jankos. Luckily the only player that can gladly accept the task is already on their team!

Player to watch: Danil 'Diamondprox' Reshetnikov

The beast that is Diamond has never fallen out of favour and his ability to read the game and execute ganks out of nowhere still holds him on his throne as Europe's best jungler. The aggressive, but calculated style of the Russian is just what the team needs against a solid line-up such as ROCCAT. With the introduction of patch 4.5 and the brilliant minds at work in the Gambit corner, we can be sure that surprises are coming and hopefully, they can once again leave us breathless.

On the other hand, we have team ROCCAT who despite having a mid-season "crisis", managed to get their act together and finish in fourth place, leaving both Gambit and Alliance behind them. The newcomers to the LCS surprised everyone and silenced the critics who claimed that their victory against NiP was nothing short of luck or bad play from the opposition.

Possessing an excellent mix of players from top to bottom, Overpow and his crew will be looking to make history in their debut season. Should they win, the giants of Fnatic await as the last challenge prior to the finals. However, as the Poles have fulfilled their task of staying in the LCS, there is no clear indication of what they will bring to the table. Statistically, they do hold a better record against Gambit and just as the Russians, they are not afraid of a playoff match, be it best-of-three or best-of-five.

Finally, the Poles are known to bring interesting and new concepts to the Summoner's Rift. This makes patch 4.5 an excellent playground for them and a chance to surprise the Russian overlords and take them out of the tournament. Should this happen, Gambit will have to add an unsuccessful top 4 campaign, something which they do not have the habit of doing.

Player to watch: Remigiusz 'Overpow' Pusch

The mid laner and arguably the strongest individual player in the ROCCAT line-up will prove to be the biggest problem for the Russians. Versed in both traditional mages and assassins, his deep champion pool and excellent execution make Overpow deadly and unpredictable. Being a key player during the regular season for his team and even winning an MVP award in week 2, Remigiusz will be looking to land an alarming defeat to Gambit and continue marching towards the EU LCS Final in his debut season in Europe's most competitive league.

A tale of winners and losers

The winners of both matches will go on to face SK Gaming and Fnatic respectively, in the semi-finals of the tournament. The losers will have to play a match for 5th and 6th place, which will decide who gets to stay in the EU LCS and who goes to relegation along with Supa Hot Crew and Millenium. The only glimmer of hope for the 6th place team is the fact that he is presented with a choice of opponent form the Challenger scene, a factor which brings at least some convenience.

The playoffs of the European LCS begin tomorrow, Tuesday 15 April at 16:00 CET. Tune in to lolesports.com to find out who will be crowned as champion of Europe.

Images copyright of lolesports.com

Data collected with help by the onGamers Stats team: Daniel 'Spellsy' Biery, Derek 'Kathix' Adams, Steven 'whedgehead' Falgout, Kent 'Traepoint' Frasure, Jake Morales, and James 'PelkaSupaFresh' Pelkey. Design by Ben 'Sarcasmappreciated' Li.