I would be very pleased with a Liquid victory and it's not impossible, but it'll be way harder than expected this time.

And here's why I have some doubts, since I don't have any inside source from TL or whatever and I don't know how they are running things (actually if some insider could prove me wrong I'd be happy): GSTL requires a different kind of preparation.

Thanks to interviews etc. we know that when a team prepares for GSTL the coach studies the opponents and decides for the strategies:
-every player gets to play a single, or just a couple of maps and studies a well planned build order
-some players are trained to snipe another key opponent
-probably the team decide the transition of the players according to the oppoent's race

Here's when the troubles come, and here are the reasons why I think that while TL may be favored on the paper in reality they are in a difficult position.

1 coach
Do they physically have a coach with them who can study the opponent and to talk with?
Because ZeNEX have, and be sure that he has a lot of replays to study.
2 replay analysis
Actually ZeNEX is the most mysterious team to study since the lack of code A/S players.
Liquid on the contrary has always been present in almost every tournament, with more players than just the single ace.
3 the lineup
Taeja is far away, and that's a big trouble.
Not an unsolvable one since there's Hero, and most of the lineup had some experience in playing on this kind of stage.
But the lack of Taeja means something way more troublesome than the simple lack of a great player: it means that the lineup is P(ace), Z, Z, Z and only a T.

ZeNEX just need to prepare a couple of snipers for Hero, one or eventually two according to the map for Jinro and just practice against Z for anything else.
Meanwhile the guys in blue must face a completely various lineup full of unpredictable dark horses.

Good luck Liquid, prove me wrong.

Archile

United States403 Posts

May 29 2012 00:27 GMT

#45

TLOkill incoming

GraFx

United States429 Posts

May 29 2012 00:28 GMT

#46

Looking forward to seeing the Liquid boys in the GSL booths again.

mistsifter

Australia44 Posts

May 29 2012 00:32 GMT

#47

This is going to be hard for Liquid, but I still believe!!
Liquid Hwaiting!

iYiYi

United States489 Posts

May 29 2012 00:33 GMT

#48

First time I have read one of these and the op didn't put it in liquids favor. Anyways life all kill.

Acidosis

United States172 Posts

May 29 2012 00:33 GMT

#49

HerO all-kill gogo

Nuclease

United States1049 Posts

May 29 2012 00:39 GMT

#50

I HATE zeNEX, so I really hope they get smashed.

Gogo Liquid!

shabby

Norway6402 Posts

May 29 2012 00:43 GMT

#51

Think Zenex has got this, and I fear there will be quite a few low level matches. But I also think it will be a really exciting match because so many of the players are hard to call. Sometimes they can play really well, others/most times they can play mediocre or bad. I feel that there are 5 players in total that can go beastmode and swing the whole thing (HerO, Life, Line, Treme and maybe TLO).

Also: WTB Liquibets for GSTL.

Lozos

United States36 Posts

May 29 2012 00:56 GMT

#52

No faith in Zenio? He'll get 2 kills, HerO will get 2 kills and TLO will get 1 kill. Liquid Fighting!

CrappyHippo

Canada275 Posts

May 29 2012 01:01 GMT

#53

Everyone knows HerO is the best TL player.

Bagration

United States18282 Posts

May 29 2012 01:03 GMT

#54

Alas, if Taeja were playing, I'd say it would be a pretty good advantage for Liquid, but now it is definitely going to be difficult. Also, I hope Sheth and Ret eventually come to Korea to compete as well.

Talin

Montenegro10532 Posts

May 29 2012 01:04 GMT

#55

I don't think expectations are as big as the preview suggests tbh. Losing certainly won't be a crushing disappointment, especially if the series are good/close. Especially taking into account that Liquid basically plays with 50% of the roster, excluding 3 of our top players + Nony and Nazgul whose presence alone would be a huge deal at events like this.

Our advantage lies in our players giving their absolute best effort to prepare for GSTL, and the other teams' players going into it with some degree of complacency. But out of all the teams in the group, Zenex is least likely to be complacent. They're also the team that will be most disappointing to lose to, and that expectations are highest against. All these things probably make them the most difficult team in the group to play against in the first ever GSTL match.

Twistacles

Canada1327 Posts

May 29 2012 01:15 GMT

#56

Even with a full roster, I think it's difficult considering zenex will be studying replays (There's a lot; heck, TL uploads replay packs all the time) and Taeja gone is a huge blow. Hero/Zenio are powerful, but its gonna be rough asking them to KO everyone. A good vZ player on nex could roll through Haypro/TLO...

I do think people are underestimating jinro. Sure, he hasnt been getting results but hes been literally a single game/mistake from qualifying to code a numerous times. Most foreigners wouldnt come close.

I say:
Hero gets sniped
Zenio pulls out 2 kills
TLO goes out and loses
then JInro goes beastmode and wins the series

5-3

CrappyHippo

Canada275 Posts

May 29 2012 01:18 GMT

#57

On May 29 2012 10:15 Twistacles wrote:
Even with a full roster, I think it's difficult considering zenex will be studying replays (There's a lot; heck, TL uploads replay packs all the time) and Taeja gone is a huge blow. Hero/Zenio are powerful, but its gonna be rough asking them to KO everyone. A good vZ player on nex could roll through Haypro/TLO...

I do think people are underestimating jinro. Sure, he hasnt been getting results but hes been literally a single game/mistake from qualifying to code a numerous times. Most foreigners wouldnt come close.

I say:
Hero gets sniped
Zenio pulls out 2 kills
TLO goes out and loses
then JInro goes beastmode and wins the series

5-3

lol, I count on Chinro too.

polishedturd

United States505 Posts

May 29 2012 01:18 GMT

#58

god that picture of qxc is just perfect

mrRoflpwn

United States2618 Posts

May 29 2012 01:20 GMT

#59

Liquid has a strong chance of winning as long as zenio and TLO each get 1 win, Hero can clean up shop

Harrad

1003 Posts

May 29 2012 01:35 GMT

#60

I'm afraid they (TL) will have a very hard time against any GSTL team. But I doubt any TL player will go down without a fight, or even taking a game or two. Liquid fighting!