Galatasaray Esports
TCL
15-3 (1st in TCL)

In reviewing the minor region teams that will be participating in the play-in stage play and I think GS has been one of the most consistent teams in their domestic league which could really help them in reaching new heights in international play. They were the only team in the TCL Summer Split not to go 0-2 to a team in the regular season which means they won every single series against every team. They definitively proved that they were the strongest team in Turkey and it will be interesting to see how well their very teamfight centric approach will stack up against other teams in the tournament.

TOP: Crazy/Luana: Make no mistake, while I added Luana onto this lineup the actual top laner for GS is Crazy. Crazy may have the highest pedigree in terms of previous teams he has played on. The Korean journeyman has played for bbq Olivers, SK Telecom, and the Rogue Warriors before landing in the TCL. This technically skilled player has a huge champion pool he can pick from and plays each of them at high level. In fact in summer, he didn’t have a single champion pick (8 in total over 18 games) that had a KDA under 3. Crazy will challenge the heavy hitting top laners in Fudge and Morgan and will be a big value pick up during the play in round. 

JUNGLE: Mojito: My man Mojito was a man possessed in the TCL Summer playoffs. With 16 deaths in 7 games Mojito had a team kill participation rate of 73% and 35 kills. If Mojito can get aggressive picks that can take advantage of agency that GS can make in lanes, Mojito should have a big payoff. He is my 2nd-3rd best jungler in the opening round as of now and I am curious to see if he performs at a level that some major region teams look to pick him up. 

MID: Bolulu: Somehow Bolulu found a way to make getting a 7+ KDA in playoffs look like a step back in performance. In the Summer Split for the TCL Bolulu had a 11+ KDA with only 19 deaths in 17 games. In the same amount of games he had 160 assists and was one of the most participatory mid laners in the TCL and he will need to perform at this level to get GS into the group stage round. 

ADC: Alive/Padden: This may be the most risky player on GS but domestically he is the most technically sound so he gets away with it. He hasn’t had under a 6 KDA all year but is one of the bigger contributors to team deaths for GS and that could be a liability for the Turkish squad. He likes playing champions with agency and can make plays without relying on Zergsting and Mojito. On slates with GS playing against weaker teams like PEACE or RED, I would jump all over this pick. But unlike Crazy and Bolulu I would fade him into the better teams. 

SUPPORT: Zergsting: Zergesting is like most supports around the world right now and opting into more of the playmaking/initiation supports. What sets him apart are some of his choices to fit this role. He has played 4 games on both Blitzcrank and Gragas which are both seen as niche picks. His unique champion pool could be a game changer and keep even the most established teams on their toes. He likes to roam a lot and work with Mojito in the mid lane and get Bolulu ahead which could make him a valuable pick up to earn cheap points. 

I don’t have super high hopes for the Turkish squad in the larger tournament. I think the skill issues across the lineup could prove to be too much to overcome, especially if they make it into the group stage. That being said some of the World’s most prolific players have come from the TCL and on the whole have found ways to make big splashes at the World Championship in the past. I think this team has more than enough talent to push themselves through to the next round and possibly even win a majority of their early matches. 

Cann’s Final Prediction: Play-In Stage Winner, Group Stage Participant