Team Liquid take on FlyQuest on April 7! Despite being the #1 team of the 2019 Spring Split, TL ran out of steam towards the end of the season. Meanwhile, FlyQuest gained some much-needed momentum after their victory over Golden Guardians. Now that the two meet each other in the semifinals, let’s see who has the best odds of winning this LCS playoffs 2019 matchup!
Team Liquid are a weird squad to evaluate. They towered above the competition for the majority of the 2019 Spring Split, yet they faltered towards the end of the regular season. Granted, they still have some of the best players and shot callers in the region, but they’re no longer the clear-cut favorites to win the LCS title.
FlyQuest have already challenged them in the past. They might not have Team Liquid’s firepower, but they make up for it with strong macro and potent teamfighting. Combine that with how great they are at working together as a unit, and FlyQuest might very well give TL a run for their money.
Team Liquid vs FlyQuest Match Breakdown
Top Lane Matchup
We kick off our Team Liquid vs FlyQuest match breakdown in the top lane. Impact is the rock of Team Liquid. With a 4.3 KDA and 8.1 CS per minute, he’s a seasoned tank player that knows exactly what he needs to do to set his carries up for success. And while his laning isn’t great, he makes up for it with well-timed initiations and impeccable frontlining.
V1per is his polar opposite. Holding a 3.0 KDA and 8.7 CS per minute, he’s a carry top laner in every sense of the word. This makes him quite potent when he gets his hands on aggressive picks like Jayce or Irelia, and it’s common to see V1per securing CS leads and converting them into strong side lane pressure. His playmaking can be hit-or-miss, though, so he will struggle to put a dent into someone as solid as Impact.
VERDICT: TL Impact outmaneuvers his opponent in the top lane.
Jungle Matchup
Things get more interesting in the jungle. Sporting a 4.3 KDA and 5.5 CS per minute, TL Xmithie is a perfect example of a selfless jungler. His playstyle revolves around highlighting the strengths of his teammates, and while he can sacrifice himself in the process, he usually finds a way to make his carries shine. Usually is the key word here, and the fact that Xmithie had a rough time getting anything going during the final weeks of the regular season leaves us worried for this LCS playoffs 2019 match.
This is especially evident when you consider that he’s going against Santorin. With a 4.6 KDA and 4.2 CS per minute, FlyQuest’s jungler had a standout performance in the 2019 Spring Split. His playstyle mirrors that of Xmithie’s, but he’s much more reliable when it comes to finding ganks and pulling off mechanical outplays. And in the end, it’s this combination of skill and strategy that puts Santorin ahead of his opponent.
VERDICT: FLY Santorin claims the jungle as his own.
Mid Lane Matchup
It will be interesting to follow the Team Liquid vs FlyQuest mid lane. Despite what his 14.2 KDA and 9.2 CS per minute might indicate, TL Jensen had one of the worst splits in his career. Most of it comes from the way he approaches the game. In the past, Jensen used to contest every creep and punish the slightest positioning mistakes, however, he’s recently adopted a very reactionary playstyle where he sits back in lane and waits for a chance to outmaneuver his opponents in teamfights.
Pobelter is on the opposite trajectory. Sporting a 4.4 KDA and 8.8 CS per minute, FlyQuest’s mid laner went from a good-but-not-great role player to someone who’s actively looking for ways to take over the game. His mechanics have also gotten shaper throughout the regular season, and while we would still give the edge to Jensen, it’s not as large as Team Liquid would’ve liked.
VERDICT: TL Jensen takes the lead in the mid lane.
Bot Lane Matchup
The bot lane will be the most exciting part of this matchup! With a 7.4 KDA and 10.3 CS per minute, TL Doublelift is an AD carry powerhouse that seeks to overwhelm his opponents at every stage of the game. Yet, for the first time in a while, he’s overshadowed by his lane partner. CoreJJ (6.1 KDA) is an absolute monster in the support position, and his combination of acute game sense and razor-sharp playmaking makes him a perfect fit for Doublelift.
FlyQuest also have a strong bot lane on their hands. With a 3.5 KDA and 9.9 CS per minute, WildTurtle is a veteran marksman that’s always looking for ways to pull off daring outplays and outmaneuver his opponents in teamfights. Unfortunately, JayJ (2.9 KDA) doesn’t bring much to the table other than decent defensive play and solid synergy with his AD carry.
VERDICT: TL Doublelift and CoreJJ reign supreme in the bot lane.
Team Liquid vs FlyQuest Quarterfinals Prediction
FlyQuest are outgunned here. Team Liquid can outmuscle them in every single lane matchup and their only hope is playing around Santorin. That’s a very narrow win condition in a Bo5 setting, though, so we’re going to have to predict a 3-1 victory for Team Liquid!
You can bet on TL winning the Team Liquid vs FlyQuest series with a 3-1 score for odds of 2.90 at ArcaneBet.
