Misfits vs Rogue

For our third match of the day we have a rather fascinating clash between Rogue and Misfits. Now, by all accounts, this isn't a must watch. It is a fight between a team that'll almost certainly reach the playoffs -- a solid, well-rounded contender -- and a team that's bound to become a bottom-tier dweller. That, in itself, isn't particularly exciting.

But seeing how we're at the very beginning of the season, seeing these two challengers for the first time is more than enough reason to tune in and watch them perform. That holds especially true if you were a fan of Rogue's late Summer Split resurgence. Once they got on the same page they started wrecking house. Heck, they didn't even look like mid-tier gatekeeper, but a bona fide titan in the making. They were so unafraid, so proactive and confident in their play, it really didn't make much sense. Normally, when you see a team with potential, they're rough around the edges and then they gradually improve. With Rogue, however, things took a 180 in the span of a week or two. Or at least that's the way it felt.

No one was quite sure what to think or feel. On the one hand, we were all expecting them to roll over and basically surrender, but they fought their hearts out and it left no one indifferent. The fact that they had ample mechanical prowess and synergy to back their miracle run made things that much more exciting. All of a sudden, Rogue were no longer this "okayish" low-rank team but a serious threat, one that was taking games off of many LEC mainstays. And when they won, they didn't just eke out a victory either -- they dominated far beyond what anyone expected.

So naturally, everyone's excited to see them compete in 2020. They made just a single change to their starting line-up, and it's definitely a positive one. By bringing over Hans Sama (of Misfits Gaming fame), they upgraded in the one aspect they needed to. Woolite was always solid, but they needed consistency and firepower, and that's exactly what they're getting with Hans. While his last couple of splits didn't impress as much as his amazing debut, it's impossible to blame him for anything in particular as Misfits Gaming imploded across the board.

We've seen him play, and we've seen what he's capable of. With the right infrastructure and guidance, Hans Sama is definitely one of the best and most talented AD carries in the LEC. He'll be accompanied by a skilled veteran in Vander -- yet another confident, experienced, and aggressive playmaker who's both a seasoned veteran and a shotcaller.

There's a lot to like with Rogue at the moment, and if they play as well as they did last year there's no telling how high they'll climb throughout the season. They definitely bring something unique to the table, and watching them sync up and perform will be an absolute delight.

Misfits, on the other hand, is entering the split without much momentum. After an abysmal 2019, the organization decided to field brand-new up-and-coming talent and while that's commendable to a certain extent, it'll seriously hurt their chances of finding success. The LEC is stacked at the moment and it feels like Misfits Gaming simply don't have anything to offer.

Because of this, siding with Rogue feels like the only natural (and logical) decision.