LEC Spring Split 2020: Week 4 Team Power Rankings
G2 let their lead at the top of the table slip as they lost to Misfits and Schalke 04 last week. Here’s a look at how those results impacted the Week 4 LEC Power Rankings.
Just one more set of games before we reach the halfway mark of the 2020 LEC Spring Split! The standings remain as tight as ever with seven teams all within two wins of each other at the top of the table, mainly due to G2’s failings in Week 3. As a result, the LEC Power Rankings are a little hard to judge at the moment.
Level with G2 are Origen, who look most likely to challenge the defending EU champions this season, and Misfits Gaming, the surprise package of the Spring Split. Just below our top three are another threesome of Fnatic, MAD Lions, and Rogue who have all looked impressive so far this season with refined, exciting playstyles.
Further down the table, you’ll find Excel Esports who linger right behind the leading pack with just one win separating them from playoffs. Then you reach the bottom three, all of whom have been a disappointment in 2020 and will all want the Spring Split to end sooner rather than later to rebuild during the midseason break.
That’s what the standings look like, but what do the power rankings look like? Here’s our take:
1) G2 Esports
Record: 6 – 2 | Change: =
It’s not often you’ll see a team go 0-2 and retain their place at the top of the LEC standings and power rankings, but G2 are a special case.
Not only can we allow the two-time LEC champions and 2019 Worlds runners-up a few slips throughout the season, but we can also expect that they’re not playing at 100% all the time due to the skill disparity between themselves and the teams below them.
In Week 5, G2 will face Excel Esports and MAD Lions, two very beatable but talented opponents. Both sides are fighting for the playoff places and have displayed some excellent performances in the first four weeks of the split. Nevertheless, it would come as no surprise if G2 used Week 4 as a wake-up call and resumed their domestic domination with a convincing 2-0 this weekend.
2) Origen
Record: 6 – 2 | Change: =
As mentioned previously, Origen are a force and one of the most promising teams in Europe right now. If any team looks likely to challenge G2 for the LEC title and compete at the top internationally, it’s Origen and their incredible new-look roster.
Despite adding two new players during the offseason and having just four weeks of competitive play together, the Origen line-up have seemingly adapted perfectly to the OG playstyle already, as illustrated by their comprehensive victories over Excel and MAD Lions in Week 4.
SK Gaming and Fnatic are next up for Origen, one is expected to be a walk in the park, while the other could prove a challenge. That being said, if OG can perform anywhere near the standards they set last weekend, then two victories will come easily, regardless of opposition.
3) Fnatic
Record: 5 – 3 | Change: =
Although it may not be represented in the standings, Fnatic are probably the third-best team in the LEC right now, even after their surprise loss against MAD Lions in Week 4. This isn’t because of their performances so far in the Spring Split, nor is it about their relative player quality, rather it is due to the vast experience on the Fnatic roster when compared to their competitors.
Needless to say, Fnatic will be extremely disappointed with their showing against MAD Lions in the Match of the Week as they were over-aggressive, forced engages, and played right into their opponents’ hands.
However, if this is just a bump in the road, then it’s clear that Fnatic have made excellent progress so far with their new jungler and are on course for a very successful 2020 season.
4) Rogue
Record: 5 – 3 | Change: =
A second 2-0 weekend of the season means Rogue retain their fourth-place spot in the LEC power rankings as they continue to showcase extraordinary map control throughout the game on a level comparable to Origen.
The only criticism you could have of Rogue so far is that they’ve yet to fully integrate new signing Hans Sama into their playstyle and, as a result, the Frenchman has less of an impact on games when judged against his AD Carry counterparts.
5) Misfits Gaming
Record: 6 – 2 | Change: +2
Misfits Gaming finally climb our LEC power rankings as they’ve proven their win streak wasn’t just a fluke with comprehensive victories over Team Vitality and, of course, G2 Esports in Week 4.
The fact that it could be argued that these power rankings are too harsh on joint first placed Misfits is testament to the level of maturity these rookies have developed in such a short space of time on the LEC stage.
Who knows how high this promising roster’s ceiling is?
6) MAD Lions
Record: 5 – 3 | Change: =
The MAD Lions continue to impress the LEC audience week on week with their exciting rookie line-up and look set to secure themselves a place in the playoffs come the end of the Spring Split.
While they may have (expectedly) fell against Origen in a disappointing display on W4D1, they immediately bounced back with a huge victory over Fnatic in one of the most surprising results of the season so far.
What wasn’t surprising was the level of control and team cohesion MAD showed throughout their win as they’ve quickly become an established LEC side capable of competing with the very best Europe has to offer.
7) Excel Esports
Record: 4 – 4 | Change: -2
Perhaps undeserved after Week 4’s games, but it’s about time Excel lost their ownership of fifth-place in our LEC power rankings.
By no means have this team been disappointing, in fact, they’ve showcased some of the most controlled early gameplay of any line-up in the league. However, they’ve failed to convert their complete control of games into wins, as evidenced by their struggle to cling onto a playoff qualification spot in recent weeks.
8) SK Gaming
Record: 2 – 6 | Change: =
SK Gaming have yet to beat a competitive LEC team and are nowhere near the required level to reach playoffs. Their two wins have come in a coinflip game against Team Vitality in Week 1 and a pretty unconvincing performance facing a dejected Schalke 04 in Week 3.
Fortunately for SK, they face Vitality again in Week 5 and have an opportunity to increase their total victories to three. Though it would come as no surprise if SK fell to the only winless team in the LEC and cemented themselves as a bottom three side this weekend.
9) Schalke 04
Record: 1 – 7 | Change: +1
In a recent statement, FORG1VEN claimed that the current Schalke 04 roster was not competitive and stepped down from his starting position as a result. In the Greek’s absence, Schalke have become a competitive roster after picking up their first win of 2020 against defending LEC champions G2 Esports.
Correlation does not necessarily equal causation, but going from 0-6 with FORG1VEN to 1-1 without FORG1VEN is certainly not a good sign for the marksman and his place on the starting line-up.
The question is: Can Schalke maintain their revitalized form heading into Week 5 with two very winnable fixtures against Team Vitality and Excel Esports? Only time will tell.
10) Team Vitality
Record: 0 – 8 | Change: -1
Even Schalke have a win now, come on Vitality…
In all seriousness, if you ignore Schalke’s win over G2 in Week 4, the current tenth-placed LEC team have been the stronger of the bottom three as they’re the only team willing to make early game moves with Skeanz often creating plays and ganking for his laners.
Unfortunately, Vitality are let down by inferior map movements, objective trading, and shot-calling in the early game, alongside some questionable individual errors from the likes of Cabochard, Saken, and Jactroll.
Adding Steeelback to the starting line-up was a positive change, but Vitality need a miracle if they want to make playoffs now.
dark. Next. LEC Week 3 Recap