LCS 2022 Spring Split Picks, Predictions, Odds February 26

• Cloud9 will fancy their chances against Dignitas in week 4 of LCS
• Liquid should be far too strong in their contest against Golden Guardians
• Evil Geniuses another team to consider in your betting slip for Saturday’s games

Dignitas vs Cloud9 Pick

 Cloud9 (moneyline)

Dignitas vs Cloud9 Predictions

Week four of the 2022 LCS Spring Split gets underway with a mid-table clash. Cloud9 are looking to consolidate their position in the top three, and are primed to do so, having won four games out of six. Dignitas started well, but are in the midst of a mid-season slump. They’ve lost two games on the bounce to currently remain fifth with a 3-3 record. It can all turn around starting Saturday. The odds are stacked against Dignitas on the basis of current form and also that of their opponents, who finished on top of the standings at the 2021 Spring Split. Logic points to Cloud9 being the overwhelming favourites for this one.

Cloud9 Hit Reset In Bid To Bolster Results

Last week, prior to their clash against Counter Logic Gaming, which they lost quite comprehensively, Cloud9 parted ways with head coach Nick “LS” De Cesare. In the hot seat now is former assistant coach Max Waldo. The move didn’t play out the way it should have, with “LS” tweeting his disappointment of being told of his release a mere four hours prior to the start of the match. The move once again merely underlines the ruthless world of competitive gaming, where results and success guarantee continuity.

There is scope, however, to argue Cloud9 may have reacted in haste, because they had a 3-1 record at the time. Such bold calls during the season can have a deflating effect on a team, can make players, especially the ones underperforming, have seeds of doubt. It’s over to the new coach and the team ownership to allay such concerns, because there’s a long way to go yet in the 2022 Spring Split. They have the personnel, like MVP Jungler Blaber, mid-laner Fudge or top laner Summit. It’s just a question of rallying them together as one and building forward.

Dignitas Show Positive Signs in Defeat

Dignitas are coming off a loss to FlyQuest and Golden Guardians, and have to quickly pull their socks up. A hurt Cloud9 is a team they wouldn’t have wanted to run into while on a bit of a downswing, but they have to find ways to formalise new plans because you can’t fight the luck of the draw. The loss to FlyQuest was particularly deflating because there were several moments in the game where Dignitas had the upper hand, but they were unable to seize on key moments.

The story somewhat played itself against the Golden Guardians too, where they were neck-and-neck for much of the contest before keeling over. From that point of view, they can take solace from the fact that they weren’t blown over by any means. Neo and Biofrost are key to their offensive proficiency, and will be expected to land the big kills and play key roles in capturing enemy towers.

Team Liquid vs Golden Guardians Pick

 Liquid (moneyline)

Team Liquid vs Golden Guardians Predictions

Team Liquid are on a roll. They began the spring split with a loss, but are now on a five-match winning streak to currently be joint toppers with FlyQuest. This makes them a formidable team and the overwhelming favourites against Golden Guardians, who are right now looking to make an upward move with a 3-3 record in the mid table.

Six games in, they have won already as many as they did over the entire season in 2021 – definite signs of improvement. Now, for them to try and maintain a top six berth to try and make it to the playoffs. All said, Team Liquid look best placed to win this clash on current form. No wonder the punters have them pegged as the favourites.

Eyla To Step In for CoreJJ at Team Liquid

Team Liquid will bring in Bill “Eyla”, the support from the Team Liquid Academy, to the LCS week five to replace Jo “CoreJJ” Yong-in, who is currently away on personal leave.

CoreJJ has had a tough few weeks, first with the uncertainty over his green card in the USA. That issue resolving itself earlier this month allowed Team Liquid to finally run their 2022 line-up of Gabriël “Bwipo” Rau, Lucas “Santorin” Larsen, Søren “Bjergsen” Bjerg, Steven “Hans sama” Liv and CoreJJ. His initiation into the set up was memorable as they pulled off big wins over Evil Geniuses and Counter Logic Gaming.

Eyla, who is set to start now, helped earn the team their 3-1 start earlier, something that has impressed the man he will be replacing. Eyla comes back in at a crucial week of the LCS, with every team set to play three matches over three days. Team Liquid have Golden Guardians, Dignitas and TSM to round off a busy week that could further establish a definitive trend on the leaderboard.

Golden Guardians Look To Consolidate

Golden Guardians will be buoyed by their win over Team Dignitas, where they picked up 76.7k gold in all, nearly 9k more than their opponents, apart from landing right kills more, along with capturing 11 towers to Dignitas’ two. Ollesh was proficient in the mid lane, enabling assists as they sifted the map aggressively. He ended with 10 assists and one death, while Ablazeolive was proficient in the bot lane, landing 5 kills, 1 death and 4 assists, to go with a creep score of 336.

TSM vs 100 Thieves Pick

100 Thieves (moneyline)

Team SoloMid vs 100 Thieves Predictions

100 Thieves – Champion Material?On paper, this is a clash of unequals. TSM are firmly rooted to the bottom, having managed just one win in six games. With another 12 games to go, they have an opportunity to turn it around. But they need to get moving now, before their season reaches a point of no-return. Up against them ate the 100 Thieves, who have done wonderfully well to start with a 4-2 record heading into week five.

For a long time now, they have been a middling team that has shown promise, without being able to convert it into a title-winning aura. This spring split gives them yet another chance to turn it around and take that step further from being contenders to champions.

TSM Struck Down By Off-Field Woes

TSM have Zhu “Keaiduo” Xiong and Wei “Shenyi” Zi-Jie, who have been built up as players for the future. But their current levels of performance have been well below par. Here is an opportunity for them to turn the tide without having any pressure of expectation, because when you’re at the bottom of the table, the only way is up.

Form of key personnel is among many other issues the team has had to contend with. They were unable to complete planned training due to visa and COVID complications. Getting players to the same location, thereby ensuring quality practice, hasn’t been possible. Then there is the issue of team camaraderie. Players speaking different languages and coming from different cultures at short notice haven’t been able to gel well and develop a rapport that comes with having spent time together as a team.

While the common sentiment is that they understand the ‘League of Legends’ language, that is easier said than done. They have appointed a new vice-president of ESports, Dominic Kallas, who comes over from Gen G. He brings with him the hope and promise of ensuring such issues don’t hamper the team going forward.

Immortals vs CLG Pick

Immortals (moneyline)

Immortals vs CLG Predictions

This is a contest that pits two teams in the bottom half, looking to desperately rustle up some kind of form and confidence to at least push for a top-six. On the evidence of what we’ve seen so far, it seems difficult, if not impossible. Both Immortals and CLG have lost more than they’ve won. Immortals sit at 2-4, CLG are at 1-5.

There are still 12 games left this spring split, but unless they get on a roll like Team Liquid, they can kiss goodbye to their hopes of making the playoffs. The disappointing thing for both teams is how they’ve struggled for any kind of consistency. They’ve been riddled with the same issues that bothered them last year in having them finish seventh and ninth respectively. Now is the time to wipe the slate clean and move ahead. On current form, CLG have the odds against them, but not by a lot.

Immortals And Overcoming A Chronobreak

For Immortals, it is important to ensure the after-effects of their controversial clash against Evil Geniuses don’t boil over, even if there may have been much written and said. Immortals wrested control right through the game despite a Chronobreak forcing both teams to reset. Chronobreak is essentially a situation where referees can stop a game and ask both teams to reset if a bug is found during a match. If the teams agree, the game is reset and replayed again.

When a Chronobreak is taken with a team in complete control, like Immortals were, it has the potential to completely kill any momentum they may have had until then. This however didn’t seem to affect Immortals as they sustained pressure even after restart to beat Evil Geniuses. Xerxe left his imprint over proceedings for the Immortals. Between Xerxe and PowerOfEvil, they boasted a combined 11 kills, 5 deaths and 17 assists, and an almost outstanding kill participation percentage that led their victory surge.

Jenkins & Contractz Need To Step Up for CLG

CLG are at that stage where they’re counting on positives from each game, like they did against Team Liquid where they fought wheel to wheel. They managed 49.4k to Team Liquid’s 56.7l. Landed 10 kills to their opponent’s 15.

They however lost out on towers captured, inhibitors and dragons. But even in defeat, they had some positives to take back in the form of Jenkins and Contractz. Jenkins landed 4 kills, 2 deaths and 2 assists, along with a creep score of 237. Contractz had a K/D/A of 2/6/2. These two players will once again need to remain proficient and rise above their potential to challenge Immortals.

Evil Geniuses vs FlyQuest Pick

Evil Geniuses (moneyline)

Evil Geniuses vs FlyQuest Pred

And finally to round off what promises to be an action-packed Saturday, seventh-placed EG take on table toppers FlyQuest in a lop-sided battle. EG have been devoid of any momentum, having lost three on the bounce to currently have a 2-4 record at seventh spot. FlyQuest are now looking to make it three wins in a row, and are the overwhelming favorites heading into the match.

FlyQuest Are Good, But Not Unbeatable

In many ways, FlyQuest have comfortably exceeded expectation following an eighth-place finish at the 2021 Spring Split. They are one of only two teams – Team Liquid being the other – to secure five wins so far this season.

In their previous game against 100 Thieves, there were many instances where FlyQuest seemed to have overstepped with their lead, but Toucouille and Aphromoo shifted attention to themselves and let the rest of their carries tear down towers and inhibitors from other lanes while 100T were trying stay in the game. Though FlyQuest remained ahead for much of the second half, there appeared to be traces of vulnerability in some team fights which EG will have done well to take note of.

Overall, Aphromoo has a success rate of 33.33, which he’ll want to improve. He lands 0.83 kills, 2.5 deaths and 5.17 assists, along with a KDA of 2.4. These aren’t the best numbers by any means, but you can’t discount a player of such potential either. It’s another opportunity for him to enhance his credentials.

Evil Geniuses Need To Rebound Quickly

Evil Geniuses haven’t been the same after a terrific beginning at the Lock-In tournament. How quickly they bounce back from the reversal against Immortals will determine where they stand after this week’s matches.

After the Chronobreak, EG attempted several breaks-ins around the mid lane, but didn’t breach through. This allowed the opponents to feed a seizable quantity of gold. They will however take back some positives from there. Danny’s offensive play was encouraging as he finished with 5 kills, 5 deaths and 5 assists.

Vulcan and Inspired played key roles in the defensive, leading the way with as many as nine assists. Yet you get the sense that they haven’t yet combined to play to potential. Can they do so going forward? It’s a tall ask.

How to Watch LCS 2022 Spring Split