Team Liquid vs Golden Guardians

This is actually a very interesting match-up (in spite of what the oddsmakers think). Team Liquid going up against the Golden Guardians might not be all that competitive on paper, but they, too, are both fallible *and* prone to underperforming. The Guardians, on the other hand, have every reason in the world to play and fight like their lives depend on it.

Team Liquid might be ranked in second place, but they haven't been nearly as consistent (or commanding) as we expected. Now, to be fair, they did have a few incredible performances, but on the whole they haven't done enough to warrant our benefit of the doubt. They're a top-tier team, there's no doubt about it, and they *are* one of North America's finest representatives, but they don't seem to be cohesive enough to challenge for the LCS throne -- Evil Geniuses seem more capable across the board. This gap we speak of might not be large, but it *does* exist, and it's definitely something we'll have to keep track of going forward.

The first round robin is about to conclude which means there are only four more weeks of play left. That's... a meager amount, all things considered, and unless Team Liquid find a way to fix their flaws and finally harness their staggering potential, they'll run the risk of getting leapfrogged by the likes of 100 Thieves and Cloud9. The margin for error has shrunk quite a bit. Fortunately, they have the tools to weather the proverbial storm and come out on top, so now all they need to do is tap into their vast experience and deliver.

The Golden Guardians, on the other hand, are on the verge of attaining a .500 record. That's... okay. Nothing too impressive but certainly an acceptable tally for a mid-tier gatekeeper and a team with such specific flaws and deficiencies. They've had some very good moments so we're interested in seeing how high they'll be able to soar, but we don't necessarily have any real expectations. They're good but still lack in certain key areas, and that's perhaps most visible whenever they go up against the LCS pantheon -- an exclusive club Team Liquid definitely belongs to.

Team Liquid have surely used this most recent hiatus to work on their flaws and fix what needed fixing. We don't expect them to come out and beat the Guardians to a pulp, but they *will* win. Of that we're certain.