Fnatic vs Origen

For our third match of the day we have an incredibly exciting clash between the former “kings of Europe” Fnatic, and the second-best team from the 2019 Spring Split Origen. This is as good as it gets basically – at least if we exclude G2 Esports from the overall equation.

A clash between two exceptional teams, and insanely stacked rosters. What’s not to like? This is, without a doubt, the best game of the week, and if things go “according to plan”, we should be in for one heck of a match, to say the least.

Both teams are entering today’s clash with a fair bit of hype and momentum, and it’s hard to fairly judge who’s the favorite. Fnatic were finally able to start off on the right foot and are currently riding a solid two-win streak. That might not sound like much, but considering their most recent Spring Split, that’s spectacular.

And both wins came against top tier opposition as well. They registered their first win against SK Gaming in 2019, and their prolonged war against Misfits Gaming last Saturday was equally as spectacular. Fnatic finally looked great, in every sense of the word. They were proactive, aggressive, willing to throw down and trade blows regardless of the state of the game, and they all played incredibly well on an individual level as well.

Perhaps most surprisingly, Broxah turned the Fnatic script on its head. No longer did he focus solely on the bottom lane. Instead, he was constantly giving support to Nemesis in the mid lane who did unexpectedly well with the leads he accrued. He was commanding when ahead, and it was a shade of Nemesis we hadn’t seen prior to this point. He wasn’t exactly as mechanically spectacular or flashy as his predecessor, but he didn’t need to be. He made no mistakes, his team fight impact was fantastic, and he played an integral part in Fnatic’s success.

It was a brand-new strategy and playstyle from the boys in black and orange, and it showed us that they were not only alive and well (as a top tier competitor), but also that they’ve adapted to the current meta, at least ever so slightly. The fact that they actually have a threat in the mid lane and an additional avenue towards success is absolutely huge for the storied European organization. While it’s still too early to fully give them any benefit of the doubt, it seems like they made the right adjustments coming into the Summer Split and are looking to leave a mark this time around. They know they have a chance to lock down a ticket to the 2019 World Championship and are making the right moves in order to make solidify their spot as a Top 3 LEC contender.

But across them stands Origen. A team whose stock rose tenfold last week, and that’s saying something considering the fact that they ended in second place last split. It seemed like there wasn’t much room for improvement, and yet they found a way to better themselves, both individually as well as a five-man unit. In fact, that’s maybe an understatement. Origen were absolutely spectacular last week, and even though they eventually lost to G2 Esports, it’s important to highlight that they gave the LEC champions a run for their money.

Everyone still remembers Origen falling pray to G2’s immense mechanical skill and flexibility back in the 2019 Spring Split finals. They succumbed to the overwhelming pressure in less than an hour and a half – and that was a Best of 5 match, mind you.

So it felt like G2 had a perfect read on what Origen could do, and how high they could eventually soar.

But Origen did what no one really expected. They diversified their arsenal and actually become a much stronger team – all in a month-long time span. Admirable, to say the least. They traded heavy blows with G2 from the very get-go, and it was a spectacular sight. They were aggressive and commanding – they knew what they had to do and how they had to play if they wanted to stand any chance of taking the champs down. They ultimately failed, but they came incredibly close.

So they’ll go back to the drawing board, they’ll analyze what they did wrong, and they’ll work on their faults. They’ll fix their issues and come back stronger next time. Origen have one of the best and most stacked coaching staffs in the entire West, and the fact that they improved so much so quickly shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone.

If they play against Fnatic like they did against G2 Esports, then they’re the obvious favorites. They’re sound across the board and have a great read on the meta. They’re also more dangerous than Fnatic in the current meta, even though they might not look like it.

In the end, even though it’ll surely be an insane, back-and-forth game, we simply have to side with Origen. There’s no reason not to, really. They deserve everyone’s benefit of the doubt at this point, and even though they’ve been playing for a shorter amount of time as a five-man unit when compared to Fnatic, they were still able to adapt far quicker and attain more success over the last six months.

The fact that they beat Fnatic when it mattered the most last split in the playoffs should further strengthen our prediction. That said, this isn’t going to be an easy or one-sided game. Both teams are playing some fantastic League of Legends and they both have what it takes in order to emerge victorious.