I want to say CLG will learn from their mistakes, but TL are
on Blue side. However, CLG will be able to counterpick the midlane, which will
help, and potentially the duo lane too. Not much else going from them after the
Game 1 clinic. They desperately need a better early-game comp and more peel and
initiation for teamfights. And their performance throughout the regular season
gives me hope that they’ll get back in this.
Picks and Bans – Could we see a Maokai for Darshan? Nope, he
goes back to Ekko with an Elise for Xmithie after TL first-pick Kindred (jungle
heavily banned). TL go Karma/Corki then Kalista/Poppy – Fenix cannot be late to
the fights as he is wont to do. CLG finish with Soraka/Lucian and go back to
Ryze. Lucian will help CLG early but Xmithie needs to play better against
Dardoch. I almost feel Red side helped CLG by allowing them to counter-pick the
mid lane.
Early Game – Dardoch steals a red and gets a mark on the
scuttle on the way out. RNG. Oh wow, then Xmithie abandons the opposite red
because Fenix has Huhi shoved HARD. Knowing Dardoch is on his side, Darshan
avoids a gank but burns his flash. On the bot side, Matt’s Karma is poking
aphromoo HARD – if they can’t get Stixxay going, this could turn into an ugly
game for CLG. Huhi is going to take some time to scale, Darshan is flash-less,
the duo lane is shoved, and Xmithie is playing scared. Not good.
18:20 – This will get you back in the game! Xmithie, knowing
CLG’s win condition in the duo lane, ganks it, but Dardoch is there too. Lourlo
TPs in and flashes for a kill on Xmithie but Soraka is able to keep everyone
alive (Xmithie barely survives Piglet’s Rend). Safe under turret, CLG call a TP
from Darshan and have Huhi roaming (Fenix had just TP’ed). Darshan picks off
Piglet with a Timewinder and it’s a 3-0 for CLG.
22:30 – Not sure what Xmithie is hoping for here. CLG see
the gank coming and recall their duo lane but Xmithie tries to go hard on
Dardoch? Lourlo comes in a with an extremely well-timed TP and it’s 2 kills for
Liquid. C’mon, Dardoch has been outplaying you hard, is owning the jungle and
has a big CS lead and has Kindred ult, why are you trying to kill him? They do
kill Dardoch a few minutes later with superior vision but it’s still a big
relief valve for TL. The good news: despite ceding kills, CLG are pushed in all
lanes, a complete reverse of the previous game. And Xmithie has been on-time to
the lanes.
28:50 – This is an easy gank to execute on a flash-less
Lourlo but it’s still a solid call that they couldn’t execute in Game 1. Fenix,
losing time with the package, uses it on Huhi at 29:20 and finds himself in
no-man’s land. Darshan TP’s in and that’s a kill and mid lane outer for CLG.
30:55 – 1/0/4 Darshan is a monster. They can’t even sacrifice Piglet to save
Matt. I like CLG’s pivot to aggressive teamfights in this game – Fenix is
traditionally a very safe laner and Lourlo isn’t always where he needs to be.
Roam in packs with vision, force Fenix to the side without TP, and have Xmithie
take advantage of Elise’s CC. Nidalee is super powerful but is a much different
style.
The next few minutes decide the game. First, at 34:10,
Liquid take the mid lane outer but CLG counter with both teleports.
Dardoch is cocooned, silenced, and assassinated by Stixxay before he can use
his ultimate! Matt, Piglet, and Lourlo are running different directions and
it’s a 3-0 for CLG. The TPs really screwed up TL’s target switching, resulting
in a clean fight and Baron for CLG. After the buff wears off, TL start another
fight at 36:20. An incredible package by Fenix is nullified a bit by an early
Lamb’s Respite – I think Dardoch popped early as a result of not being able to
use it last time. Xmithie is allowed to continue damage inside the area and
even though he is insta-killed when it pops, he brings multiple Liquid members
low. For a second I thought TL might turn it but Fenix is out of the fight and
Dardoch and Lourlo don’t have enough damage. They keep CLG off the inhibitor
but their base is wide open.
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