You would be correct to worry about this game as both TSM and Echo Fox had a sloppy showing in their game against each other during the tiebreakers. Both teams were trying to see which one could throw the game harder, with several mistakes, but in that there's solace for both teams, as fans of either side should have hope to win this game. The win conditions for TSM and FOX are quite different from each other and that’s what makes this match all the more intriguing. Here I will breakdown both team’s victory conditions, whether that be from veteran experience or rabid ferocity. TSM: The Old Dogs of War • Get in their personal space You know that guy at parties that ends up talking far too close to your face? That’s what TSM needs to do. Be that annoying guy that invades the comfort zone of FOX and therefore disrupt them (just brush your teeth beforehand). Lost has played Varus 15 out of 40 games in the OPL during 2017. This split, it’s his most played champion at 5/10 games. If this isn’t a tell-tale sign to get this kid off of Varus, maybe I need to bring more neon lights. Get him off of Varus, force him onto any other pick and make him play into your style. Damonte is renowned for his Syndra, so it would be wise to get him off of the comfort pick. He’s also proficient on Cassiopeia, and while it’s not as worrisome, it’s worth considering when going into this matchup. • Punish their aggression Dardoch and Huni are players which play incredibly poor from behind. They go for risky plays often and it’s no wonder that Huni and Dardoch lead the league in most combined deaths out of any top/jungle duo. Baiting these guys works well. Play off of their aggression and make sure they’re punished for every greedy play that they make. • Give Grig some breathing room Grig is by no means a rookie. This is a player which has been hovering around the competitive scene for a long time and most of his nerves should be out of his system, but that doesn’t mean there can’t be some hesitation still within him. Allow Grig to play at a comfortable speed and don’t pull him apart, forcing him into situations which he might originally find unfavorable, but is only wilting under pressure because of his other teammate’s tenure. TSM need to give him space to make judgement calls or hang low, while also giving him additional resources to bolster his morale. Echo Fox: Crazy Eyes Intimidates Them • Destroy Grig Make Grig regret not picking Trundle and forcing him on Nocturne to use his first ult 20 minutes into the game. simply because his bot lane fell apart. Force him off of Trundle and watch him and his team squirm. With taking Grig off the map, this also allows you to have more mid lane control, which is another big concern as Bjergsen against Damonte is a big mismatch. Which brings me to my next point. • Don’t let Damonte get destroyed Damonte against Bjergsen is a big ask, hell, it would be a problem for a majority of mid laners in the entire world. There are two choices that you can make if you’re FOX, sacrifice Damonte and get a lead elsewhere, or try to stabilize mid. As the famous phrase goes, don't gank a losing lane. As a forewarning, Bjergsen is back with assassins, and while we’re on a new patch which has less damage, I wouldn’t put it past TSM to play to their unmatched strength in the mid lane. It might be wise to throw a respect ban towards Akali. • Lost, goosefraba Lost is an ADC that is reminiscent of a young WildTurtle. He’s full of aggression and good mechanics, but once you let him out of your sight, he goes for ridiculous plays or is simply not paying attention to the rest of the map. A word of the wise would be to keep him at attention and allow him to keep pace with what the rest of the team is currently trying to do. Keep him informed of the plan and this should shore up his weakness. These teams are looking to usurp not only each other but hunting for the championship. This series depends on which version of each team shows up. The unprepared TSM? The inting Echo Fox? One thing everyone should consider is that this is a best of five. That should mean that TSM have the advantage, even though this isn’t exactly the same TSM of old, the organization should have faith in Parth, Hauntzer and Bjergsen. Echo Fox need to bring the volatility that’s expected of them, because they’re like a bottle of lightning; this team is harnessed power that could still explode at any moment. Give them enough freedom and they would bet $1000 on orange even though it’s not on the board. Get your chips ready and toss them in the ring. This series is one that could either be full of travesty or enticement. I just hope you all have your quarters ready to flip after champion select. ___ Izento has been a writer for the LoL scene since Season 7, and has been playing the game since Season 1. Follow him on Twitter at @ggIzento for more League content. Images courtesy of Lolesports Flickr.