Evil Geniuses vs FlyQuest

A great, albeit somewhat lopsided match-up. That's perhaps the most apt way one can describe Evil Geniuses vs. FlyQuest. It's not uninteresting, though, which is the only thing that matters. Neither of these two teams is particularly impressive or layered — at least not for it to truly matter against the LCS pantheon — but they can nonetheless fight their hearts out and are bound to put on a show from the very moment they step foot on stage and start trading blow after blow.

This'll be FlyQuest very first Best of 5 of 2022 and that may or may not affect their performance. They've done more than enough to warrant our respect, but they're still not *that* good of a team. They're pretty darn capable (surprisingly so, even), but there's still an incredibly vast gap between them and their more revered contemporaries. They're just not good enough at this point in time to truly stand a chance, which doesn't mean they won't *try* to upend the status quo and exceed everyone's expectations. They're not the kind of team that'll just roll over and surrender, even though they don't really have the tools and weapons to fight back.

Too many things will have to go in their favour for them to truly stand a chance against Evil Geniuses, a flawed but still incredibly capable team. A quick glance at their starting line-up is more than enough for one to realize just how good they could become in a few months' time. They're still not "there" yet, but if they keep the course they'll definitely grow into a worthy challenger, one that'll no doubt be able to compete on even footing with the likes of Team Liquid and 100 Thieves. With Cloud9 imploding beyond measure, Evil Geniuses have sort of taken their spot in the Top 3. It's still a bit too early to make such sweeping statements, but it's definitely a sound statement, one that can, by all means, be backed up with ample empirical evidence.

FlyQuest, therefore, aren't expected to accomplish much. The sheer fact that they've gotten this far is already an impressive feat, but it's hard to envision a world in which they go any further — they're just not equipped for it, in spite of their best efforts and few (truly impressive) pop-off performances. Josedeodo and toucouille have blown us away with their stellar play, but their highs aren't consistent enough and the same goes for their teammates as well. They're well-rounded, is what they are, but they're nowhere near as versatile and capable as their forthcoming opponents -- a fact that should surprise absolutely no one.

That doesn't, of course, mean they don't stand a chance — that they very much do. They've shown a great resilience throughout the entire split and are currently in the playoffs for a very, very good reason. Their highs are quite impressive but, as already mentioned, they're not consistent enough — they happen sporadically, at random, when you least expect it. That's not exactly a good thing for a five-game series, one that'll test their fortitude in the most taxing of ways. To thrive in such an environment, a team has to prepare a wide range of strategies and contingency plans, something FlyQuest probably aren't all that proficient at. They've surely done their home work, of course, but once they step foot on stage in front of a live audience, things *will* change. It is a unique setting, one that a player simply cannot prepare for beforehand. Evil Geniuses, on the other hand, have already gotten over that hurdle thanks to their exquisite brawl with Team Liquid.

Speaking of which, we're all pretty impressed with what they've shown. They obviously didn't win, but that's beside the point — they took TL to five games and that's not something anyone thought they were capable of, so credit where credit is due. They're obviously motivated to end the Spring Split on as high as note as they possibly can and will surely start throwing wild haymakers the very moment they spawn on the Rift. They're aggressive, mechanically gifted, and fairly versatile, too. They're a top-tier team in the making, and the fact that they're still somewhat rough around the edges changes very little in that regard — they *will* challenge the LCS pantheon further down the line, once they've had a bit more time to synergize and figure out how exactly they want to play as a five-man unit. Their few inconsistencies — no matter how inexcusable and puzzling — are par for the course. They've only started playing under the same banner mere months ago so we should really be a bit more lenient whenever they fumble and fail their way around the Rift.

The same holds true for FlyQuest, of course, but their highest points were by no means as impressive as what EG showed us. Granted, they've been ever so slightly more consistent, but EG's veterancy and overall experience should, by all means, end up making the biggest difference. It's a Best of 5 and in that kind of setting Evil Geniuses will surely thrive and succeed a lot more than their adversaries clad in white and green.