While first and second seem pretty secure, the scores are closing in on third and fourth place. Even the last place Golden Guardians have started knocking teams down left and right, showcasing how fragile the standings currently are. This doesn’t just show that players are fitting in better with their respective teams. It’s also about getting a feel for opponents and identifying their weaknesses. Week 6 is going to be a lesson in the teams that can adapt to the new challenges, and those that will fall behind.

Match to Watch: Team Liquid vs flyquest

FlyQuest has two big matches this week – first against 3rd place Team Liquid then against 5th place 100 Thieves. Both of these teams sit directly above FlyQuest, and a win against either could indicate that FlyQuest is ready to make serious plays for a spot in the finals in April. Team Liquid might be the better match to watch if only because Xmithie has been a more aggro jungler than Meteos, and if someone can match AnDa in style, it’s probably him.

What to Expect:
Normally, we would say Doublelift and Olleh would dominate the bot lane, but these guys have slipped hard. TL needs to play around this power duo, and they simply aren’t. Instead, mid lane will be the place to watch. AnDa and Fly have had insane synergy, consistently getting kills mid or roaming for others. Pobelter will need to match or crush Fly for TL to have a chance – unless we finally see Doublelift and Olleh pop.

Match to Watch: cloud9 vs clutch gaming

Cloud9 has only lost to one team – Echo Fox. There have been some close games here and there, but Fox is the only team that has really given them trouble. Meanwhile, Clutch Gaming has been rising in the ranks and winning based off consistent, solid, map control. Versus C9, who are the masters of macro plays, this should be a good test of how far Clutch has come.

What to Expect:
LirA is known for his aggro jungle style – probably more than any other jungler in NA. This has sometimes worked great, and sometimes not. If Clutch lets LirA loose, we can expect he might hard target either Licorice or Jensen. Licorice is an amazing rookie, but Dardoch proved that he can’t handle consistent jungle pressure, and Svenskeren is unable to protect his top lane from constant pressure. LirA could also go mid to pressure Jensen, especially since Febiven has been playing great and could really challenge C9. Clutch hasn’t exactly played around their mid, but with how he has been doing, it wouldn’t be the worst idea.

Player to Watch: Febiven

Season 8 is not a mid meta, which is tragic because there might be more quality midlaners in NA now than ever before. Still, some midlaners have had a chance to flex their stuff. Last week it was Fly – who has not disappointed – but this week we have to look at the EU mid that Clutch has been orbiting around. Febiven has consistently won in CS against nearly every midlaner he’s been against – even Bjergsen – and he has played with the kind of quality we expect from the best. We are expecting Huhi to have a tough time with him this weekend, and even if C9 might beat Clutch at the macro, we are curious to see if Jensen can handle this EU king.