Matches:
Vs CeX 16:12 (cache)
Vs CSGOCasino 2:16 (dust2)
Vs fm-eSports 16:8 (cache)
Vs Team Infused 10:16 (overpass)
Stat Leaders (taken from HLTV.org):
HS: +9
MCK: -1
FejtZ: -3
nuga: -12
ca1: -14
The Yo-Yo team these guys seem to be, they go from one week being decent, to another week where they look utterly terrible. The mood swings these guys are making in ESL UK Premiership makes it hard to judge who will turn up from week to week and what is a “safe bet”, (take note betway). United Estonia are a thorn in the UK Scene’s side right now, they cockblocked EZSKINS from reaching the Promotions Tournament, and then stopped CAZ eSports from reaching it. They then went onto beating CeX in the first week of the new season, who let’s remember were one of the teams who gained an invite back due to their previous season placement. The hilarious thing was that they got absolutely stomped by CSGOCasino in a 16:2 rout. The following week they end up putting an incredible display against fm-eSports where they produced a near flawless T side on de_cache notching up 7 rounds to take the match 16:8. Yet, they can’t seem to find consistency after last night, losing to Team Infused, and at one point, UE were leading by 7:2 at one point in the match, and looking like they could pull off a big upset here in the Premiership stages.
Prior to last night’s result, they were sitting fourth in the group, and with a shot at qualification, they now sit fifth on round difference below fish123. This sets up a potentially MASSIVE meeting between the two sides in Week 6, of course with Week 5, fish123 play GLG whilst UE face Choke Gaming, so if I was a betting game, fish could extend their gap to at least 3 points going into the clash between the two sides. If anything, the fish match will make or break whether UE get to go to the finals at MCM in London in October. Obviously the added bonus is that UE would face the easiest of opponents in the final week as they would square up to GLG, and fish would end up playing Choke Gaming. If the Estonians are to make it to London, they have to target the fish123 match and prepare for them entirely.
Race for the “Finals”:
Vs Choke Gaming (Monday 14th at 9pm)
Vs fish123 (Monday 21st at 10pm)
Vs Good Looking Gamers (Monday 28th at 10pm)
Matches:
Vs Good Looking Gamers 16:2 (cache)
Vs Choke Gaming 12:16 (inferno)
Vs United Estonia 8:16 (cache)
Vs fish123 10:16 (dust2)
Stat Leaders (taken from HLTV.org):
nEiLZiNHo: +18
mikeS: +11
dephh: +5 (3 maps)
jakem: -27
fm-eSports seems to be a mix of a few players from CAZ eSports who didn’t make it through Promotions, and a couple of old players from last season’s fm lineup. It’s a rather strange mix in reality, and their poor results show it hasn’t reaped the rewards they would have hoped for. I had a small private chat with Neil from fm, and he seemed pretty relaxed about it all, but did allude to the fact that he wasn’t really bothered by the UK Scene currently and would only build a team if Whindanski were to come back and help.
I admire the fact that fm-eSports are absolutely trying to keep relevant for the minute without any proper team on the cards, but loyalty seems to be standing in the way of natural progression in our domestic scene. Results have been poor for this side, and a win against fish123 could have put them in with a shout to making the finals. They arguably have two of the toughest games yet to go, with both Team Infused & CSGOCasino ahead of them, and CeX too. I just don’t see them really achieving much, and will ultimately have to field a team in next season’s Promotion’s tournament in the hopes of getting back into the UK Premiership.
From an organisation standpoint, they still see the exposure in the UK’s biggest league currently, but from a perspective of perhaps unique eyes from the outside, it may of been better for them to have sat this season out on the sidelines, and rebuilt for an attack on the following season. It may have worked out in their favour if the right players had become available.
The interesting point to add here is how well Neil seems to be doing in the stat charts, he always seemed to be one of the questionable players of old fm-eSports lineups of the past, but he seems to be shining in the mix playground currently. Whether he can use magic dust and perform a miracle to help fm-eSports into the finals spot, is very questionable. But I won’t count them out just yet.
Race for the “Finals”:
Vs CSGOCasino (Monday 14th at 7pm)
Vs Team Infused (Monday 21st at 8pm)
Vs CeX (Monday 28th at 8pm)
Matches:
Vs United Estonia 12:16 (cache)
Vs fish123 11:16 (cache)
Vs Good Looking Gamers 21:19 (inferno)
Vs Choke Gaming 4:16 (inferno)
Stat Leaders (taken from HLTV.org):
vertiGo: +8 (3 maps)
mvicK: -6 (3 maps)
chron1c: -10
AndrewIsGod: -13
resu: -21
Another team suffering from roster changes galore, problems in the team, and having such terrible results is CeX. They managed an incredible run last season reaching the finals and then going under the name EZSKINS for LAN purposes only, but this season, they have been dire. They’ve managed one single win, with an overtime win over GLG which in all fairness to GLG, should have been their win to take, but CeX managed a fightback of epic proportions to force overtime and take the match in overtime by a scoreline of 21:19. CeX got absolutely blown off the map last night against Choke Gaming, whilst they put up a more respectable fight against both United Estonia & fish123.
If CeX want to qualify, they face a tough ask having to play in form CSGOCasino, out of sorts fm-eSports and solid as a rock Team Infused. It’s certainly not out of their reach, but they are going to need some inspirational performances from both their arguable best players, resu & chron1c who were their key to success last season in the group stages. If I’m being realistic though, I don’t see them really picking up anymore points from their next three games, and the GLG game will most likely end up being their only win this season. It’s brutal, but last season they had some brilliant momentum that carried them through, they had the epic 88 round thriller with XENEX in their group, and then brought their A game out against Perilous which spurred them onto beating the current Choke Gaming lineup (then under MALiK eSports). Momentum is something that all writers tend to talk about when it comes to Counter Strike, and this season, considering it’s a Bo1 scenario over 7 group games, it has proved incredibly difficult for CeX to pull out any big scores against any of the big opponents currently.
I’d like to think this “underdog” story is incredibly possible, but they would need serious help with results going their way to pull off a massive shock by making the finals for a second consecutive season.
Race for the “No Man’s Land”:
Vs Team Infused (Monday 14th at 8pm)
Vs CSGOCasino (Monday 21st at 7pm)
Vs fm-eSports (Monday 28th at 8pm)
Matches:
Vs fm-eSports 2:16 (cache)
Vs Team Infused 1:16 (cache)
Vs CeX 19:21 (inferno)
Vs CSGOCasino 3:16 (cache)
Stat Leaders (taken from HLTV.org):
Req: -27
ShiGerU: -30
Jack: -30 (3 maps)
Stannly: -37 (3 maps)
I’ll be frank, it’s been an absolutely poor season for GLG this season, they’ve done well getting to the group stages after having to re-qualify through the Promotions tournament, but they have looked incredibly underprepared in this run, and they’ve looked average at best. They managed one pretty decent performance against CeX on de_inferno, but somehow screwed up a 15:8 lead and capitulated in overtime to hand CeX their first win of the league season. As judged by last night’s match against CSGOCasino, they remained the “Wooden Spoon” favourites and the whipping boys of the UK Premiership.
There is some hope though, they have faced CSGOCasino & Infused already, which means they arguably have one really strong team yet to face out of their three remaining matches, which would be Choke Gaming. They could go out there and restore some pride with the attitude of “nothing to lose, everything to gain” but a Finals appearance is definitely off the cards for now I would personally say. They would have to have a miracle to get out of this rut they seem to be in right now.
It’s safe to say the constant lineup changing isn’t seeming to help them either, which leaves them in a rather precarious position, I also think the cpr quit from the “friendly mix” helped just a week into the Premiership season.
With their remaining matches against Choke, fish123 & United Estonia, it’s going to be a tough ask for these guys to get anywhere needed to winning them, the team I could see them beating though seems to be United Estonia, they have beaten them before, and whilst that doesn’t mean they will do it again, UE are just on a poor run of form currently, if they get a favourable map, they could score their first win of the season earning them £142* (approx).
Race for the “Wooden Spoon”:
Vs fish123 (Monday 14th at 10pm)
Vs Choke Gaming (Monday 21st at 9pm)
Vs United Estonia (Monday 28th at 10pm)
