TL;DR
- Team Liquid’s rigid champion selection and predictable lane assignments made them easily counterable
- Santorin’s 88% kill participation highlighted team dependency on jungle coordination
- Fandex investors profited by timing purchases during Liquid’s early-week performance spikes
- The team’s over-reliance on standard playstyles without adaptation proved costly internationally
- Successful Fandex strategy focuses on teams that overperform expectations rather than tournament winners
Once considered the dominant force in the LCS following league franchising, Team Liquid has experienced a noticeable competitive decline in recent seasons. Rival organizations like Cloud9, TSM, and 100 Thieves have consistently outperformed them in crucial matches. The 2021 competitive season proved particularly challenging, with the team failing to secure any major trophies despite their impressive roster construction. Their Worlds 2021 campaign ended disappointingly, eliminated during the group stage despite the tournament’s historic four-way tie scenario. What strategic deficiencies prevented this talented lineup from achieving international success?
Examining the roster composition reveals world-class players across multiple positions. Top laner Barney “Alphari” Morris demonstrated exceptional individual skill throughout his LEC tenure, often carrying matches with suboptimal team support. Lucas “Santorin” Larson evolved into one of North America’s most reliable junglers, earning consistent praise from analysts and community members for his methodical approach and minimal errors.
Mid lane veteran Nicolaj “Jensen” Jensen finally captured his first domestic championship after transitioning from Cloud9 to Team Liquid. His previous international experience included multiple impressive Worlds appearances with his former organization.
Support specialist Jo “CoreJJ” Yong-in brought world championship credentials to the lineup, creating stability in the bottom lane. The roster’s perceived weakness, AD carry Edward “Tactical” Ra, had already established himself as a domestic standout. Talent deficiency wasn’t the primary issue preventing Team Liquid from reaching their MSI finals-level performance. The core problem centered around their transparent strategic approach that opposing teams consistently anticipated and countered.
Enemy teams read Liquid too easily
Team Liquid’s strategic tendencies became particularly evident through their champion preferences during Worlds 2021. CoreJJ consistently selected engage-oriented supports that could initiate combat while protecting Tactical in teamfights. Tactical preferred low-risk marksmen such as Ezreal and Tristana, enabling CoreJJ to assist other lanes without sacrificing bottom lane stability. Jensen favored control mages that provided lane dominance, coordinating with CoreJJ to create map pressure while Alphari operated independently in the top lane until larger engagements developed.
Alphari demonstrated champion diversity, repeating only Gnar selections while maintaining flexibility across his pool. Most Team Liquid members followed similar patterns, choosing specific champions twice before diversifying to maintain draft flexibility. Santorin achieved an impressive 88% kill participation percentage, though his damage output metrics remained comparatively modest.
This approach represents a conventional League of Legends methodology, but it depends heavily on individual outplays to secure critical advantages. When opponents thoroughly analyze your patterns, these essential maneuvers become transparent and simple to anticipate. Teams that successfully countered Liquid often prepared specific compositions targeting their predictable rotations and standard teamfight setups. Understanding these Class Guide principles about role specialization and team composition could help identify similar patterns in other competitive titles.
Team Liquid’s surprising Fandex journey
Despite their early tournament exit, Team Liquid delivered substantial returns for Fandex participants who invested during specific timing windows in the first or second competitive weeks. Team Liquid shares began trading slightly above $10, then experienced rapid appreciation during the initial week. The optimal acquisition period occurred between the first week’s conclusion and second week’s commencement, before the three-way tie dramatically increased their market valuation.
Team Liquid’s profit potential demonstrates that tournament victory isn’t necessary for Fandex success. Instead, target organizations that exceed expectations, even marginally, and strategically time your investments. This approach mirrors strategic thinking in our Complete Guide to maximizing returns in competitive gaming markets. Savvy investors monitor teams showing unexpected competency spikes or strategic innovations that market valuations haven’t fully incorporated.
Fandex continues operating throughout the remaining playoff matches. The semifinal rounds recommence on Saturday, October 30th. Understanding weapon dynamics through our Weapons Unlock guide can provide additional insights into player performance metrics that influence these markets.
Action Checklist
- Analyze team champion diversity and role specialization patterns
- Identify predictable gameplay sequences through VOD review of first 10 minutes
- Monitor Fandex markets for teams showing unexpected early-tournament performance
- Time investments during valuation gaps between perceived and actual performance
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