LEC 2022 Spring Split Picks, Predictions, Odds February 2

• LDLC will start another round of the LFL against Team Oplon as favorites
• Rekkles will be the go to offensive weapon for Karmine Corp
• An upset on the cards for Misfits Premier against Vitality Bee

LDLC vs Team Oplon Pi

LDLC

The fourth season of France’s national league has reached an interesting stage where definitive trends are beginning to emerge. The top three are slowly beginning to surge ahead from the rest of the pack, although there is stifling competition for the next three spots. Remember, the top six after this double round robin league phase will make it through to the playoffs.

In the first of our contests on Wednesday, the heavily fancied LDLC OL will take on bottom-placed Team Oplon. LDLC are sitting pretty at the top of the standings, having won five out of their six matches. Oplon are still searching for their first points and are completely devoid of confidence. Another morale sapping loss against the table toppers could all but deliver the knockout blow.

They will want to stand up and fight, and push the toppers to the edge to come off with something to show for. Will they be able to do it, though? The punters don’t think so. It will need the bravest of the brave to put their money on Oplon, who could make you a fortune should they upset LDLC. As such, upsets are rare, and if they do manage to pull it off, it would possibly be the mother of all upsets this season.

LDLC The Team To Beat, Oplon Need A Miracle

LDLC are coming off a 1-0 loss to Team BDS Academy. But it was a kind of defeat top teams like them will want to treat as a one-off rather than go soul-searching. In terms of data, LDLC fought tooth and nail, pushed BDS till the end and ran out of steam at certain pockets to concede the match.

LDLC pocketed 74.2k gold to BDS’s 78.8k – just a marginal difference. In what was a contest of two teams gung-ho and fighting fire with fire, LDLC landed 18 kills to BDS’s 25. LDLC also managed to capture just two towers less than BDS’s 10. They managed 1 Baron to BDS’s 2. So most things point to what was a neck-and-neck battle. So LDLC really don’t have the kind of worries their Wednesday’s opponents will have.

In comparison, the numbers tell you how much of a gap Team Oplon have to bridge just to be able to compete. They conceded nearly 16k golds more than what they got to Mirage Elyandra, landed just 2 kills to Mirage’s 10, captured just 1 tower to Mirage’s 11. In short, it was a walk in the park for Mirage, a total no-contest whose winner was all but decided less than halfway into the match. When teams cops defeats of this kind, it merely exposes the difference in class and quality most times.

The Eika and Exakick Show

Two of the most prolific players in the league will be part of Wednesday’s contest. That is reason enough to watch how they plan to tackle their opponents, albeit a team struggling for plans and wins. Eika has a mighty fine kill rate of 4.83, death rate of 1.83 and assists to the tune of 5.33 on an average.

These have contributed to a KDA of 5.55, along with a creep score of 319.50, Exakick has a kill rate of 4.17, deaths of 2.33 and 5.5 assists, contributing to a KDA of 4.14 and a creep score of 381.33, among the highest for bot laners in the championship. Combine the offensive proficiency of these two along with Ranger’s terrific assist rate of 6.33 to go along with 4.5 kills, no less creditable, and you have a fine cocktail of LDLC’s dominance.

The highest kill rate from Oplon is Brusness’ 2.67 but he concedes more deaths than kills. Dark’s kill rate of 0.67 is far inferior to his rather high death rate of 4.5. And when they have a player whose kill rate is better than his death rate, the numbers are near even, pointing to his inability to seize the upper hand. Oplon therefore have a lot of work to do and a miracle to conjure if they are to just push LDLC to the edge. At the moment, this seems very unlikely. Don’t be surprised by LDLC brushing past Oplon in this one.

Mirage Elyandra vs BDS Academy Pick

 BDS Academy (moneyline)

Mirage Elyandra vs BDS Academy Predictions

In what will possibly be a closer contest, Mirage Elyandra run into red-hot BDS Academy, who will be looking to establish a slender lead at the top of the standings. Elyndra have had mixed fortunes so far, winning there and losing three. When they have won, they have been spectacular, when they have lost, the performances have been very ordinary.

They will quickly need to find a middle path where they can remain in the contest for long, keep the opponent’s at bay and then swoop in at the first available opportunity to land kills and make an overall difference. BDS Academy are five wins in six, and have no real worries to speak of. But with Vitality showing glimpses of their dominating form and breathing down their neck, they can ill afford a slip up.

“Support us, it will be rewarding”

Damien “Damles”, Mirage’s head coach, is quite revealing when he says their goal at the start of the summer split was to be realistic. He believes Kcorp and Vitality are their biggest competition, and the anxiety factor when they face the big teams has completely vanished.

We have the potential to make unique accomplishments and pull off upsets,” he told the team’s website. “I think that every game will be different and I think supporting us is a good idea because we are one of the teams that can take victories away from the bigger teams, whether it is in the mental aspect or in our will to win. Supporting us may be more difficult than teams like Kcorp or Vitality but it will be more rewarding.

Cody Sun Has Experience, RangJun for Support

In RangJun, they have a mid laner with potential. He averages 4 kills per map, has a death rate of 2.17 and assists of 4.33. His KDA of 3.85 and creep score of 323.5 is indication of his ability. He has a terrific henchman in Memento to build towards kills; his mighty fine assist rate of 6.67 makes him an X-factor, even if he may not be a proven performer when it comes to landing the big kills.Rarely do North American players move to other regions, but Cody Sun’s moving is a sign of how much he’s valued. As a starting ADC, Cody is expected to be one of their key members over the course of the coming season along with RangJun.

Cody Sun’s numbers are impressive: 2.5 kills, 1.33 deaths, 5.55 assists along with a KDA of 5 and creep score of 326. These are mighty fine numbers, even if not world beating. What Cody Sun also brings to the table is immense experience, having already gone to the World Championship twice with Clutch Gaming and Immortals. He has also performed in multiple LCS playoff series. And experience is a key currency in a top competition such as this.

BDS Look To Crownshot

The counter to Cody Sun’s experience is Crownshot’s numbers and ability. He lands 4.33 kills. 1.67 deaths and has a tremendous assist rate of 7.83, leading to a KDA of 7.3 and creep score of 332.67. In Erdote, he has a fine mid laner with an assist rate of 10.33. This is significant against an aggressive side that has at times shown the tendency to slip in between lanes.

Karmine Corp vs GameWard Pick

Karmine Corp (moneyline)

Karmine Corp v GameWard Predictions

Time is slipping by for Karmine Corp, who have stumbled and stuttered their way to four losses in six matches to be joint-eighth. GameWard, on the other hand, are only slightly better off, with three wins in the same number of games. On the face of it, the contest may be GameWard’s favour, but punters believe Karmine is capable of pulling off victory. Let’s peel through the layers to understand why they are bullish on the team.

How Karmine Have Slipped

They began the summer split with two dominating wins, but have suddenly slipped to badly. They’re currently on a three-match losing streak, which they will badly want to arrest right here, right now. They were blown away in their most-recent outing against Solary, who landed 20 kills even as Karmine managed just three.

It spoke volumes of the team’s confidence levels currently. Against toppers LDLC, they landed just three kills but saw their opponents effect 12, captured two towers to their opponent’s eight. They simply haven’t been able to stay long enough in the contest to trouble the opponents. When they have lost, the fall has been so swift that they haven’t given themselves a chance to recover. This needs to change.

Who Can Change It?

Rekkles is among the bigger stars in the draw. He possesses a kill rate go 4.5, death rate of 2 and assist rate of 5 – all terrific numbers for a bot laner. These amount to a KDA of 4.75 and a creep score of 369.5. What Rekkles has often lacked is some kind of support from his teammates. And this is an area opponents have done well to pounce on.

Rekkles has been marked off, and is clearly a big fish, whose movements have often been followed tactically to the hilt. Karmine haven’t helped matters by being predictable in this area. By placing all their eggs in one basket, they have allowed matches to drift toward a predictable path. It’s time to change that and do so very quickly. Rekkles aside, there is very little to speak of in terms of offensive proficiency.

GameWard’s Bets

GameWard have won two games on the bounce, against Vitality.Bee and Misfits Academy. Against Vitality, they collected nearly 9k more gold than their opponents, landed 17 kills to Vitality’s 8 and captured 10 towers, six more than their opponents. Against Misfits, this margin was even bigger. They collected 70.7k gold to their opponent’s 61.9k, landed 23 kills to Misfit’s 13 and captured 8 towers to the opponent’s four.

Against Misfits, Akabane was the star player, sifting through lanes with the kind of efficiency to die for. He landed 9 kills, 1 death and 10 assists to finish with a creep score of 237. Against Vitality, Akabane aside, Innaxe performed exceedingly well. Once again, these two players will be key to their fortunes.

Vitality Bee vs Misfits Premier Pick

Misfits Premier (moneyline)

Vitality Bee vs Misfits Premier Predictions

In the betting stakes, very little separates these two teams. It is true of where they are placed in the points table, too. Vitality are third, with four wins in six. Misfits are joint-fourth with three wins in six. So a win here and they can easily vault into the top three.

What Vitality Need To Consistently Do Better

Jeskla, the bot laner, has produced an average of 4 kills per map. Skeanz, the mid laner, has chipped in with3 kills per map. These two are key to how quickly they’re able to sift through the map. Also, ideally they’d not want their jungler and top laner to produce the same kills.

This could leave them with some work to do so produce more kills consistently. While Vitality may still hold the edge here, these returns can’t be banked on against top teams in the lanes. Misfits are good in their defence, which means Vitality will still have to work hard to land kills.

Woolite Key For Misfits

Polish player Woolite holds the aces for Misfits Premier. A bot laner with pedigree and a proven track record, he lands 5.17 kills on an average, and concedes just 3.93 deaths on an average per map. Add to it his assist rate of 5.5 and he delivers on most fronts. A KDA of 2.78 combined with a creep score of 313.17 merely reiterates the team’s dependency on him. If he can combine with Vander, whose assist rate of 10.17 is one of the best in the league, then they will be in an excellent position to better their offensive proficiency.

Solary vs Gamersorigin Pick

Gamersorigin

Solary vs Gamersorigin Predictions

It is a sign of how competitive the league is when there are four sides are jostling for the fourth spot. Technically, one win separates fourth placed Solary from eight-placed GamersOrigin. Solary have three wins in six’ Gamersorigin have two in six. It is that closely packed.

Solary Need To Deliver better Returns

Solary have a solid line-up and an experienced coach in ‘Just Jon’ Ellis, who has previously been associated with Excel Esports. Munster Rugby Gaming and Godsend. Their player roster last season included French top laner Eyliph and jungler Djoko, Austrian mid laner Scarlet, Dutch ADC Asza and French support player Steeelback.

But in terms of fortunes, it didn’t help that Solary finished seventh in Summer 2020 and sixth in Spring 2021. This split too, competition is fierce and they can’t afford to let their guard down for much longer. When you players of the calibre Solary do, fans will tend to expect better. This is as good a time as any to set things right.

SMILEY’s Chance To Shine Again

SMILEY’s entry from Team Vitality has added some zing to Gamersorigin. The Swedish player has been competing since the age of 17, having delivered stellar performances for major European Regional League clubs, including KIYF eSports Club, Ninjas in Pyjamas and G2 Heretic. He also competed for a year and six months with GamersOrigin. Now, he returns older, with more experience and a better understanding of his own game.

In both splits last year, Gamerorigin finished seventh, this missing the playoffs bus. But SMILEY himself has made it to EU Masters five times across three different teams. Now it’s time to up his game, and hope his teammates pull along with him.

The Glue That Holds Gamersorigin

Solary will bank on Asza and Scarlet, who have similar but impressive numbers. Their kill rate of over 5 stand out, as foes their death rate of 2.5 and 2 respectively. Their assists are also eerily similar. It’s as if each one is a mirror of the other. These two’s offensive proficiency is one of the reasons why Gamersorigin have remained afloat in the competition this long. They have been the glue that has held the team together. Can they deliver again?

How to Watch LFL 2022 Spring Split