LEC Week 3 – Fnatic can bleed, G2 arises, and Rogue dominates

We are almost at the middle of the split, and the standings are slowly progressing to their final shape. Some teams have continued to perform, while others have been going downhill. We at Jaxon present you with our takeaways from the third week of the LEC.

Fnatic can bleed

Fnatic started the split as one of the favorites in the league, but they have struggled in their games so far. Despite the 5-0 start throughout the first two weeks, they were shaky, and their performances were not impressive. 

As Fnatic faced Rogue’s uprising and old rivals G2 Esports on Week 3, many of their problems came into light. During both games, they looked lost on the map and never came close to contesting their opponents. It was as if, rather than improving, they were stagnating since the start of the split. 

As for the games that Fnatic won, they have struggled in the early game, and they have given a lot of opportunities to their opponents. Even when they won, it felt like the other teams were bad, not Fnatic doing something extraordinary. 

Regarding the team’s individual performance, most of the members have struggled. Humanoid had a disastrous week, and his synergy with Razork looks off for the moment. 

Regardless of the bad results, Fnatic is still second in the standings with a 5-2 record. On paper, Fnatic has one of the strongest teams in the region, and the results reflect that. However, if we look at their gameplay, that is certainly not the case. 

Not our weekend. On to the next one, with much to learn from. GG’s @G2esports. pic.twitter.com/pXX99Oj3j3

— FNATIC (@FNATIC) January 29, 2022

G2 arises 

Despite the slow start of the split, G2 are learning how to play as a team, and their Week 3 performances were evidence of their development. 

In the last two games, G2 faced the unpredictable Misfits and the Fnatic superteam. G2 almost thew the game against Misfits but still picked up the win after a tense base defense. Then, in a matchup where they were the underdogs, they exploited Fnatic’s early-game mistakes and stomped them one-sidedly. 

G2 worked well as a team and showed us that they can improve week by week. They are currently on the right track for the Top 4 fight, tied in second place with Fnatic at 5-2. 

Gone is the criticism G2’s botlane received on Week 2 as they silenced the haters with their great Week 3 performances. Their future is bright—as is G2’s. Time will tell if the team grows to dominate Europe once again. 

2-0 WEEK SECURED 💪 pic.twitter.com/5woYOAFGyX

— G2 Esports (@G2esports) January 29, 2022

Rogue’s dominance continues 

So much for “losing the offseason”: as we approach Week 4, Rogue have yet to lose a game in the 2022 LEC spring split. The team looks clean in their games, and the chemistry between the players is top-notch.  

Rogue will bleed out their opponents until there is no chance of a comeback. They know exactly how they want to play and they do it together. There are no selfish plays and the risk taken on the map are minimized. 

Each member is performing individually to the desired level, and laning has not been a problem so far. Malrang is always playing for his laners and Comp has been a great addition to the team–as if we are watching the next Hans sama. 

Can this Rogue form transition to the playoffs? We have to wait and see but one thing is certain – they are the best team in the LEC now.

7-0. #LEC #GoRogue pic.twitter.com/jIRiCsn45k

— KOI English (@KOIxENG) January 29, 2022

The bottom keeps on sinking

While BDS managed to jump off the sinking ship at the bottom, SK and Astralis are still struggling to find their way. Both teams have struggled to find their form, and it has affected their current results and goals. 

Both are slowly getting beyond the playoff event horizon, and their split might be over before it begins. Astralis is last with a 0-7 record, and SK is second to last at 1-6. They are behind the pack of potential playoff teams sitting at 3-4. 

SK and Astralis have similar issues: Despite being fine during the teamfights, Astralis and SK lose their early games very often. The leads that other teams create are almost impossible to recover from, leading both to lose before they can showcase how good they can be as a team. 

There is always the talk of it being too early to tell, but it is different in the case of those teams: they just don’t click. In addition, changes within their squads might follow soon. 

Can either of them somehow make the playoffs? Schalke 04 Esports’ infamous miracle run happened, but for both teams, it must be even bigger than a miracle: they need a supernatural occurrence.

The results are far from what we want. Times like these happen to all esports teams, and right now, we sure are in a slump.

However, seeing your uplifting messages and support means so, so much. Thank you for taking the time to write to us. Much appreciated. ❤ #AstralisFamily

— Astralis League of Legends (@AstralisLoL) January 29, 2022