FlyQuest vs Team SoloMid

To start off the day we have quite an enticing clash between Team SoloMid and FlyQuest. Now, in all fairness, this isn't exactly the most premier match-up imaginable, but it's not far off either. The most important thing is that both teams have a puncher's chance and that they're ready (and willing) to trade blows right from the very get-go. And, as far as those virtues go, we're covered.

Team SoloMid are favored, and it's easy to understand why. Right now, at the time of this writing, they're head and shoulders above most of their peers, and even though they're still not as good as Cloud9, they're not noticeably worse either. There *is* a gap between them, but it is by no means egregious in size. And sure, these nuances matter immensely at the highest levels of play, but Team SoloMid have done more than enough to warrant our benefit of the doubt. They've had huge swings in performance, but the most important thing of all is that they've shown us glimpses of brilliance. They might not be all that consistent, they might struggle both individually as well as a five-man unit, but they've delivered on more than one occasion. Their volatile nature is excusable, after all. They've only been playing as a team for mere weeks, and the fact that they're this good this early on is worthy of the highest praise. And, frankly, they haven't been getting it.

Now sure, those who believed in their potential were quickly burned at the start of the split, but the boys in black and white picked up the pace as soon as they could and are currently one of the best and most dangerous teams in the LCS. That's really saying something -- they're outperforming the likes of Team Liquid, 100 Thieves, and Evil Geniuses. That's not an easy thing to accomplish, especially once you factor in the fact that none of these five players had pre-existing synergy coming into 2021. They've been thrown into the mix and they're performing way above expectations. We all thought TSM would eventually rise to the occasion, but no one could've foreseen such a quick (perhaps even meteoric) rise.

FlyQuest, on the other hand, have been both hot and cold. They're impossible to read, and even though there's a fair bit of potential within their line-up, it just feels like they won't be able to harness and realize it in time for the playoffs. Their record tells the same tale as well. They fight for every inch of the Summoner's Rift but they're just not as good as most of their peers. They did have a couple of brilliant moments, but they were too few and far between to actually warrant anything more than a seventh or eighth place finish. Hardly spectacular, you'll probably agree. Still, be that as it may, they're a capable mid-tier challenger, and they'll grow and improve as time goes on. They want to win this game and they want it badly -- losing would all but guarantee that they're out of the playoffs.

Unfortunately, Team SoloMid have looked far better and are more cohesive which should end up being the determining factor. They're not the epitome of consistency either, but their individual talent is shining through at the most crucial moments. And, frankly, this game should be no different. FlyQuest will certainly fight back to the best of their ability, but it probably won't be enough. In any case, we should be in for quite an entertaining clash!