Fnatic and KOI are down in the standings: Is the new LEC format destroying the league? Fans of Fnatic and KOI have to be especially brave lately, as the two popular teams have been struggling quite a bit in the Winter Split so far. Last season, both of them were among the top teams – along with G2 – so expectations were especially high for them.
The pressure on Fnatic is also particularly high because of the signing of legendary AD Carry Carl Martin Erik “Rekkles” Larsson. But unfortunately, it hasn’t been felt yet that the new team is harmonizing well. The results are also uncharacteristic for KOI, after all they are the team that won the LEC Summer Split Final against G2 with a 3-0 score. Could the new format of the league also be partly to blame for making it even harder for teams that are not well-rehearsed?
Fnatic and KOI playing below their capabilities
The LEC Winter Split 2023 is only two weeks old and the last week of the regular season is already upon us. Because of the new format, there are three Super Weeks at the beginning with three matchdays each where every team plays. Compared to last season, the teams now have one day less for scrims and at the same time one day more in competition. So less time for practice and more crucial games.
All in: let's end Week 2 with a banger. #FNCWIN pic.twitter.com/VUtvU2sVRo
— FNATIC (@FNATIC) January 30, 2023
Many players don’t like the new format because it gives them less time to improve as a team and analyze mistakes. After the regular season comes the Group Stage and if KOI and Fnatic lose the remaining matches of the third week, they won’t even make it to the Group Stage. The teams are on the 7th place of the table after only six matches, while Team Vitality managed to finish on the first place and SK Gaming shares the second place together with G2, MAD Lions and Team BDS.
What’s going on with the teams?
Fnatic is struggling to build a lead in the early game and has the second lowest average gold differential in the LEC after 15 minutes, according to Oracle’s Elixir. They can’t build enough pressure, don’t play the lane aggressively enough to pull off risky plays, and the ganks and dives usually don’t help snowball the game either. Also the usually so strong KOI doesn’t look cohesive. After a good start with two won games against Excel Esports and Team BDS, came the Losing Streak.
We sadly fall to MAD in today's match but we will never stop fighting
Tomorrow we face SK determined to end the week on a high note 😤 #LEC | #KOIUnited pic.twitter.com/OIwWj5V5Os— Rogue (@RoguexOfficial) January 29, 2023
Now they have matchups against Vitality and G2 coming up, which doesn’t make the whole thing any better. It feels like the team is missing their former toplaner Andrei “Odoamne” Pascu, who now plays for XL. The LEC continues on Saturday at 6pm and is the last Superweek. We can only hope for the teams that they somehow manage to rally, communicate better in matches and win some games in the last week.