FunSpark Ulta Finals Picks, Predictions, Odds January 19

• Fnatic will fancy their chances against BIG in the third upper bracket quarter-final
• World No. 2 Gambit are massive favorites against Extra Salt
• Fnatic, Gambit expected to cruise through to the semis of the upper bracket

Fnatic vs BIG Pick

Fnatic

Fnatic will face BIG in the blockbuster matchup of the day from the FunSpark Ulta Finals on Wednesday. Both teams have been at No. 1 in the CS:GO rankings at some point in the last year, which means they are both terrific teams with great depth.

Both teams have then undergone periods of awful form, which has seen them drop down further in the rankings in the last few months. In fact, they have now dropped to No. 12 in the CS:GO rankings after struggling to find consistency and depth in the last few months.

That is also the case with BIG, who have now dropped to No. 15 in the rankings. BIG have been a solid team but they have been unable to find much consistency in the last few months, which has seen them drop down in the rankings too. Overall, Fnatic seem to have just a bit more depth, which will leave them likely winners of this upper bracket quarter.

Krimz, Brollan Old Dogs In New Team

This Fnatic team has undergone a raft of changes in the last few months. Several of their players have departed the team but they have brought in three England players to strengthen their offensive depth. Of these changes, only Krimz and Brollan are part of the old squad of players. Both those players had a massive part to play in Fnatic’s rise in 2021.

Brollan has continued to play his part in the improvement of this team. He has averaged 0.71 kills with 0.65 deaths per round in the last three months of CS:GO action. Krimz has not been as effective at offense but has a much lower death rate, which is currently at 0.60 per round. His kill rate of 0.67 per round.

Two of their acquisitions have actually made quite a splash in this same analysis period. Smooya has been in sensational offensive rhythm but has matched that defensively as well, producing 0.56 deaths per round but on the offensive end, he has put up 0.77 kills per round. Mezii has not been anywhere near bad either, with averages of 0.71 kills per round with just 0.60 deaths per round too. These two have provided able support to Krimz and Brollan, thereby protecting the team’s in game economy.

Faven’s Recent Form Makes BIG A Worthy Contender

Faven has been in amazing recent form. He has generated 0.83 kills with just 0.65 deaths per round in the last three months of CS:GO action. That K/D ratio creates a wonderful situation, where BIG need not go all in for every round, but they can choose to deploy a concerted, calmer approach to rounds.

BIG have additional players that can make an impact as well, such as Tabsen, who has put up 0.73 kills per round in the same analysis period. Apart from Tabsen, Syrson has been one of the key players for BIG. He had a massive part to play in BIG’s rise to No. 1 in the rankings all those months back. The hard part for BIG will be to sustain that excellence.

BIG will have to overcome their head to head issues against Fnatic. These two have faced each other in nine maps in pro CS:GO. Fnatic have won seven of those. That is quite an advantage when it comes to recent form. BIG have also struggled for fluency as they have lost six of their last seven matches. All of those defeats were in best of three clashes. There are bigger issues at play, which need to be fixed urgently.

Gambit vs Extra Salt Pick

Gambit

Gambit vs Extra Salt Predictions

This is a massive mismatch between these two teams. Gambit have been one of the best in the world in the last few months. That run of sparkling form has seen them climb to No. 2 in the world rankings presently.

Extra Salt, on the other hand, are not a team that match up well with the might of this Gambit team. There is a huge difference in rankings between these two teams as well, with Extra Salt presently at No. 28 in the world. Extra Salt have been in impressive recent form but most of those wins have come against teams placed lower in the CS:GO rankings.

In this particular matchup, you have two strong betting options. One is add Gambit to a parlay because their odds are simply not high enough. However, that reduces the risk significantly. On the other hand, you can increase your risk position and back Gambit to win 2-0, without dropping a map. There is a chance that Extra Salt could win a map but even that outcome seems unlikely at this point.

Sh1ro The Leader For Gambit

Sh1ro has been in sensational form in the last few months for Gambit. In fact, he has been so proficient that he will be in the reckoning for one of the best players of 2021. He led his team to No. 2 in the rankings with excellent effectiveness, both offensively and defensively.

He has averaged 0.77 kills per round, which is great but not absolutely stunning. His value comes with his death rate, which is presently at just 0.55 deaths per round. That takes his K/D ratio to unprecedented heights. This is a player to watch for closely in the coming days.

Apart from Sh1ro, Gambit have other players that they can rely on for offensive proficiency. Hobbit has been in decent form, producing 0.73 kills with just 0.64 deaths per round with an average damage per round of 81. He will need to complement Sh1ro well with different types of weapons, including rifling and long range weapons.

Gambit’s Recent Commendable Form

Gambit have made a splash in the CS:GO world by beating some of the best in the world, and doing that consistently. They have won five of their last seven matches, which includes victories against Vitality, Liquid, Heroic, Fnatic and Faze. These are some consistent teams that have been in and around the top 10 for a while now.

This level of form puts Gambit in a strong position to capitalize on the lower quality and depth of their upper bracket quarters opponents in Extra Salt. They have the edge in several factors, including form, confidence and momentum.

Extra Salt are currently on a 11 match winning streak but none of those opponents have been of the ilk of the ones that Gambit have played against. That will be a big factor down the stretch when this match gets tight. Overall, you can expect Gambit to be simply too strong for Extra Salt in both maps, irrespective of which maps are eventually chosen.

Grim, Floppy Key For Extra Salt

Extra Salt have some players that have been in fine form in the last few years. Several of their players have played for higher-profile teams like Cloud9 and Liquid. Grim has been moving around the circuit for a while before eventually settling for the new Extra Salt.

He has been averaging 0.57 kills with 0.71 deaths per round in the last few months, and has struggled to find his best in the last few years. Junior, on the other hand, has been in sterling recent form. He has averaged 0.81 kills with 0.56 deaths per round at an average damage per round of 80.7. Extra Salt will need his best desperately against a team as good as Gambit, especially in these conditions.

Floppy has also been in admirable form, producing 0.74 kills with a low death rate of just 0.59 per round. The depth of these two players as they cover the map will be the crucial factor in deciding whether this Extra Salt team has the chance of winning at least one map against a team as solid and consistent as Gambit. They are No. 2 in the world for a reason.

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