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The battles in the most prestigious competitive league in League of Legends, LCK 2024, continue. Teams are still playing the group stage to determine the fate of the 6 spots in the LCK Spring 2024 play-offs.
Opening the new stream of games will be T1 and Nongshim RedForce. It's a matchup of teams of completely different levels, but nevertheless important, because there are slots in play-offs and two tickets to Mid-Season Invitational 2024 ahead.
Let's see if Nongshim RedForce will be able to counter T1, or if we're in for a real beating like the ones that T1 has with almost all other participants of LCK Spring 2024.
Let's go.
T1 Form
Let's open the match with an analysis of T1's form. In this match, the title club plays the number one, with odds to win at around 1.1.
A win at LCK Spring 2022 followed by three consecutive top 2s: MSI, LCK Summer and Worlds 2022.
The curse of top-2s carried over to the 2023 season as well. At the Long Run of the Year, Faker and company took 2nd place at LCK Spring 2023, and then finished third at MSI 2023.
- T1 line-up: Zeus, Oner, Faker, Gumayusi, Keria.
LCK Summer 2023 was a real challenge for T1. The team made it to the play-offs, but did it with difficulty, taking 5th place in the group stage with the score 9-9.
There were problems for the main protagonist - Faker. The legendary mid laner injured his hand and it obviously affected the overall playing conditions of T1. But now Faker is kind of back on track.
The Faker factor has played out. T1 defeated a serious opponent in the person of Dplus and made their way to the next round, where their opponent will be KT Rolster. The latter, by the way, chose T1 as their opponent.
Next up was no less capable opponent than Dplus. Faker and company played against KT Rolster and won that match with a score of 3-2.
The opponent in the match for the play-offs for T1 was Gen.G. The first tried, and even started the game with the score 2-1, but it didn't work out: Gen.G camebacked, and Chovy was better than Faker.
In the grand final match T1 almost lost to KT Rolster after an excellent Long Sogpeg 2-0. They were saved by Gumayusi, who pulled it off on the 5th map with his Xayah.
However, it didn't allow them to win the final. T1 faced their nemesis Gen.G, where they crushingly lost 0-3.
T1 opened Worlds 2023 with a game against Liquid. Being the clear favourite of the series they closed the match against Liquid in their favour, but it was not an easy win: Liquid held on for 36 minutes and Ledge only 1 kill. Everything was decided in the final midlane brawl, after which T1 closed the series.
In a 1-0 basket, T1 ran into their own kryptonite - Gen.G. Faker and company started great, but the first LCK team was the first to adjust the pace of the game to their own and eventually win the match.
Next up, T1 faced Cloud9. Perhaps, it was the most defeated match of all that I had the chance to watch on this Worlds. Naturally, it ended in T1's favour.
After trampling Cloud9 T1 started to beat Bilibili Gaming, and they succeeded. T1 easily defeated the vice-champions MSI 2023 with the score 2-0.
In the play-offs, T1 played against LNG. Scout, who was not unreasonably named the best player of Worlds 2023, was like that until the 5th of November: T1 wiped LNG out, closing the series with a score of 3-0.
In the Worlds 2023 semi-finals, T1 faced arguably the top contender to win the championship, JD Gaming. As formidable as the Chinese were, they were unable to outplay the experienced T1. As a result, Faker and company won the match with a score of 3-1 and T1 for the sixth (!) time made it to the grand finals of the most important League of Legends tournament. And then they won it for the 4th time, which is an absolute record in competitive League of Legends and in esports in general.
Before the match with Nongshim RedForce, T1 had 8 matches under their belt and 7-1 statistics, with only 3 given away maps. They lost to Gen.G and gave away a map to KT Rolster, the rest of them have no chance.
The most popular T1 champions
Fiora (5 games, 60% wins) was the most frequently sent to the top line. There was also Jax (3 games, 100% wins), Camile (2 matches, 100% wins), Irelia (2 matches, 100% wins).
In the forest Maokai (7 matches, 85% wins), Sejuani (4 games, 75% wins), Viego (2 matches, 100% wins).
The centre line was occupied by Azir (5 matches, 80% wins), Sylas (3 games, 66% wins), Kassadin (2 matches, 100% wins), Ryze (2 games, 50% wins).
Shooters: Varus (4 games, 50% wins), Lucian (4 games, 100% wins).
Sapports: Nami (3 games, 100% wins), Ashe (3 games, 0 wins), Varus (2 games, 100% wins), Miss Fortune (2 matches, 100% wins).
Form Nongshim RedForce
We continue our match analysis with a look at Nongshim RedForce's form. In this match, they are playing as the number two team, with odds to win around 13.
Nongshim Red Force is a team with no stars from heaven. It is a solid mid-table team in Korea, or rather one of the worst teams in the best region.
In the arena LCK Nongshim RedForce have been in the LCK Nongshim arena since 2021. It also became the best in the not yet long history of this particular tag: at that time Nongshim RedForce managed to take Top 6 at LCK Spring 2021 and Top 4 at LCK Summer 2021, and there was also Top 3 at Regional Finals, but it was not enough to pass to Worlds.
Things started to get worse in 2022. Nongshim RedForce finished top-8 at both LCK Spring 2022 and LCK Summer 2022.
In the 13 competition season, Nongshim RedForce can be called the worst team in the region. At LCK Spring 2023 the team took the last, 10th place, and at LCK Summer 2023 they were not far away - TOP-9.
- Nongshim RedForce roster: DnDn, Sylive, FIESTA, Jiwoo, Peter.
The only member of Nongshim RedForce from last season is Jiwoo. The remaining 4 players are newcomers to the team.
Nongshim RedForce will play against DRX in the first match. In that match I expect Nongshim RedForce to win. Next will be a game against Gen.G, where RedForce has no chance not only to win, but to take at least a map.
Nongshim RedForce are on the 8th line with a score of 2-6 before Long Sogpeg in the 5th week of LCK Spring 2024. Only a miracle will help them make it to the play-offs.
The most popular champions of Nongshim RedForce
The most popular champion on the top line is Gnar (10 games, 90% wins). Jayce appeared 8 times and had a winrate of 87%. Kenen was played 4 times and won all matches, KSante 4 times and 3 wins, Renekton 4 times and 2 wins.
In the forest were Vi (11 matches, 72% wins), Sejuani (10 games, 80% wins), Wukong (7 matches, 85% wins), Le Sin (6 games, 83% wins).
On the centre line it was Azir (13 games, 69% wins), Gragas (6 matches, 100% wins), Kassadin (5 games, 100% wins), Viktor (4 matches, 75% wins).
The most popular ADC is Lucian (12 matches, 83% wins). Next are Varus (8 games, 87% wins), Caitlyn (5 games, 100% wins), Zeri (4 matches, 75% wins).
Nami (13 matches, 84% winrate). Ashe and Lux have 4 games and 4 wins each.
History of head-to-head meetings Nongshim RedForce - T1
T1 have not lost to Nongshim RedForce for at least several years. In the last 5 matches (starting from LCK Spring 2022) T1 have won all of them, giving up only 2 wins.
Predicted result of Nongshim RedForce vs T1 at LCK Spring 2024
Everything is pretty clear in this match. T1 will take the series 2-0, and we will have a look at Keria and learn how to play SoloQ. Support Ezreal was there, support Sion was there, maybe it's time for Shaco?
Bottom line: a 2-0 win for T1.
