aMenti ]

Croatia aCoZz – Israel Crozz – Spain Winghaven – France emoreJ – Latvia Clown – Belgium Dav1d - Czech Republic marv

Many disregarded aMenti off after a troubled time, both with roster problems and a recent stutter in form with loses to uQ.Gaming and idle.ee in the ESL IPS. However I personally feel this is over. The original team didn't look nor gel as well as it should/could have, having 2 natural rifle-naders in the same team for instance didn't seem right as neither could muster the same smg skill as with the rifle. And so Italy xylos departed and soon after Hungary senti was also outbound. Fast forwarding to this season, and aMenti replacements were found in the form of Latvia clown, Belgium de57, and Czech Republic marv. But not until now do i feel relatively comfortable backing aMenti again, as a old face has found his way back into the team.France EmoreJ replaces de57 who after a stint as backup returns to inactive-ness. That leaves the team looking pretty strong, 3 from the old ND team who finished last eurocup, and a wealth of eurocup experience from Crozz/ winghaven and raw talent in the form of marv whom is making the grade after upping the skill level. A 7 man squad often works but it will be interesting who starts as emoreJ gives them that pure fragging/offensive power that i feel is necessary for every team so who will be the 7th? Clown, marv or maybe even winghaven ?

Prediction: At best i see last 4 , but they should make the play offs with the skill base they have but it depends if they can mix the right ingredients together and get some form together like they so famously did last year. There in a very tough group so they need to get some momentum going soon.

Player to watch: Belgium dav1d


Abnormal Monkeys ]

Finland Tiigeri – Finland mystic – Finland et1 – Finland Xpaz – Finland torspo - Finland Jauhis - Finland Saintt

Gunslingers, mirage, Roistot, parodia, demiurge. One thing they all share in common, forgoing the obviousness that they all Finnish based, the same group of adjectives can label them; powerhouse, titans, legends of the very game we play. No amount of flattery can do justice to the amount of talent that has represented Finland in these teams, and so it comes to this seasons all star cast and a all star it surely is! First impressions of the team when the announcement was made that neither of the former parodia's 2 star players were present (mystic / Raveneye) but a twist in fortune and the game play shifting back towards 6v6 required another player, and the almighty mystic was brought back. The gaps were filled with demiurge players whom Jauhis played with last season as they fought bravely but eventually failed against idle.ee in a breath taking Eurocup semi-final, settling for 4th place overall; i.e. Tiigeri and torpso. Of the teams entered into eurocup this team has the biggest of any to beat idle, the talent base is simply sensational and they biggest/best attribute; the parodia players have beaten idle before and are certainly capable of doing it again!

Prediction: Like demiurge last season the team i feel will probably need time to get getting and will like last season suffer a set back (lost to Helix), but will do enough to qualify for the play offs, when they will really start to show what they made of. Top 3 finish, with a epic conflicts to decide which colour that they take home.

Player to look out for:Finland Mystic of course!


Cdap - pi ]

Netherlands aeq – Hungary Future – Netherlands kris – Hungary Logic – Netherlands Perfo – Hungary phobeus/fobje – Germany sNoOp – Malta toxic

Possibly the strangest team to enter this eurocup originally starting out as a Hungarian/dutch affair has quickly spiraled into a multi national side after the death of czar snoop and toxic found a new home with Germany Cdap. Picking the star of the team would be hard, Netherlands kris would must seem like the most obvious candidate finishing with Team-ND last term, at quakecon with Sweden KiH and at Crossfire Lan with team Netherlands. But his headset abusing team mate Netherlands Perfo. Who stars in his 1st eurocup will wanting to be rectify the claims that he hacks, may in fact steal his thunder. With a solid base of Hungarian players whom played together under the _underscore team last season that didn't really impress after a early qualifier win over a highly talented Sanctus team losing all but 1 game in EC XIII Group of death, and the talented Hungary future who has made eurocup play off standard for the last 2 seasons running this team really has the potential to go far.

Prediction: Has a wealth of experience, mixed in with some new talents like toxic (as rifle) and Perfo, a top 4 finish is really achievable although would depend on the draw of the play offs. Despite beating idle and aMenti earlier on in the season in the PGA qualifiers i don't think they have yet got the skill to really challenge for the main prize but with some luck you never know.

Player to watch: Netherlands Perfo


Fear Factory X-Fi ]

Poland krisek –Poland Mrozu – Poland r1co – Poland S4rna – Poland Thoro – Poland wiesiek - Poland Wrobel

One thing this team has that no other team (even idle now) is stability, losing there eurocup qualifier spot to Europe Goliath aka Team-ND quickly ended dreams of playing in the worlds best on line cup competition for this all polish lineup. However not deterred they went on there season as best as they could and strolled into a open cup premier semi final where they simply humbled United Kingdom Cdap Oddjob who were clear favorites to win the title after also losing they Eurocup qualifier to Finland #stfu?. Picking up open cup premier title pretty much ensured the team a spot in this Eurocup despite a absolutely dreadful campaign in the IPS where they finished bottom and were forced to pull out eventually. They may not even be the best team in Poland but to make matters worse they have been placed in idles group, so that means fighting for 2nd place automatically. Although this is the 1st Eurocup for most if not all of the players the lengthy preparation time will ensure they wont be humbled. Not really boasting a star player like most teams but a solid a team of all round skilled players whom grind out results.

Prediction: No amount of polish lag will stop idle.ee finishing top of this group so that means fighting it out with the 2 other finish teams to see who qualifies for the play offs, unfortunately i see this Eurocup as another learning experience for the poles who will be left in the group stages.

Player to watch: Poland wiesiek

Summary

  1. aMenti to Fear Factory X-Fi
  2. idle.ee to Murso SFX
  3. The Netrunners to Rewind
  4. Team Helix to zeroPoint!
  5. More >>