Now we're well and truely in the business end of the CDC, we've had time to gauge the strengths, weaknesses and form of the teams who believe they have what it takes to win this lan. But just how well are each of these teams playing?
The patched up, SRP drained squad of
dignitas is fighting fit, but have just survived a scare against Belgian outside 
cZar to set up a match with - well it had to be - 
SRP. Our FA-Cup style draw which saw seeds thrown to the wind and lady luck decide who played who has thrown together two sides who are effectively born from the same womb. The core of SRP includes ex-Idle legends Night, Holz and ferus, whilst Dignitas are of course the remains of the Idle side who were absorbed into the MGC. The question is who is playing better, and also, who wants it more.
The second question can be answered pretty easily. Dignitas have the critics to answer. Since Night's departure, and the imfamous sol games of CDC2, questions have loomed over a team who previously have achieved a status of near untouchables. Let's not kid ourselves. That was then and this is now, and things have changed. SRP did reach this stage thanks to a win over
n1ce, but speaking with 
dunno after the game, it was clear they (n1ce) were very happy with the way they played. We can be honest, SRP earned their win. Dignitas have all the pressure, while SRP and firmly enjoying themselves. If TosspoT asks me again, I'll tell him that SRP will win this game. That's not an answer I'd have given before the LAN began. Only time will tell of course, but the players who SRP needed to perform - Xpaz, Squall, Adacore - have been doing so with aplomb.
TLR player Winghaven has just paid me a visit and before pacing up and down talking to his mum on the phone told me of his team's confidence going into their next game. TLR are already on course for a major win in this CDC, having already beaten 
Kreaturen to place them in the semi-finals, at the moment the best positioned team having played their 2nd round winners bracket first. Despite all the pre-tournament talk of roster changes and a lack of unity, TLR have destroyed the rumours by letting the games do the talking.
Kreaturen are of course still involved, but their loss to TLR shows that they are not the complete unit they need to be in order to win this competition. Of course, nobody doubts their individual skill, but unlike other teams have not gelled in the same way as a prosective CDC winner needs to.
At the other end of the spectrum, cZar can be buoyed by their performances, which at times have been highly impressive, but their failure to convert this type of play into wins could well prove to be their ultimate downfall. Their game against n1ce will surely show what sort of team they are, as we have heard previously from the n1ce players how they would be ecstatic to emerge with anything above 6th place. cZar have shown real strength in taking dignitas to a 3rd map in the previous winner bracket first round, but the past waits for no-one, and cZar certainly have a job to do.
The patched up, SRP drained squad of
dignitas is fighting fit, but have just survived a scare against Belgian outside cZar to set up a match with - well it had to be - SRP. Our FA-Cup style draw which saw seeds thrown to the wind and lady luck decide who played who has thrown together two sides who are effectively born from the same womb. The core of SRP includes ex-Idle legends Night, Holz and ferus, whilst Dignitas are of course the remains of the Idle side who were absorbed into the MGC. The question is who is playing better, and also, who wants it more.The second question can be answered pretty easily. Dignitas have the critics to answer. Since Night's departure, and the imfamous sol games of CDC2, questions have loomed over a team who previously have achieved a status of near untouchables. Let's not kid ourselves. That was then and this is now, and things have changed. SRP did reach this stage thanks to a win over
n1ce, but speaking with dunno after the game, it was clear they (n1ce) were very happy with the way they played. We can be honest, SRP earned their win. Dignitas have all the pressure, while SRP and firmly enjoying themselves. If TosspoT asks me again, I'll tell him that SRP will win this game. That's not an answer I'd have given before the LAN began. Only time will tell of course, but the players who SRP needed to perform - Xpaz, Squall, Adacore - have been doing so with aplomb. TLR player Winghaven has just paid me a visit and before pacing up and down talking to his mum on the phone told me of his team's confidence going into their next game. TLR are already on course for a major win in this CDC, having already beaten Kreaturen to place them in the semi-finals, at the moment the best positioned team having played their 2nd round winners bracket first. Despite all the pre-tournament talk of roster changes and a lack of unity, TLR have destroyed the rumours by letting the games do the talking.Kreaturen are of course still involved, but their loss to TLR shows that they are not the complete unit they need to be in order to win this competition. Of course, nobody doubts their individual skill, but unlike other teams have not gelled in the same way as a prosective CDC winner needs to.
At the other end of the spectrum, cZar can be buoyed by their performances, which at times have been highly impressive, but their failure to convert this type of play into wins could well prove to be their ultimate downfall. Their game against n1ce will surely show what sort of team they are, as we have heard previously from the n1ce players how they would be ecstatic to emerge with anything above 6th place. cZar have shown real strength in taking
dignitas to a 3rd map in the previous winner bracket first round, but the past waits for no-one, and cZar certainly have a job to do.
But then again, CDC is not just about the competition, it is about having fun.
:o
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