How will Pobelter and CLG do in the 2021 LCS?

William Davis Published 12/01/2021

Counter Logic Gaming is not the organization it used to be. Ever since the franchising, CLG has only achieved one significant result, finishing third place during the 2019 Summer split. In the 2020 offseason, CLG invested big in two imports, but all eyes are on the man in the mid lane, Eugene “Pobelter” Park.

The mid lane is what sets apart the teams in the LCS. While some organizations go for young and upcoming talent, others invest in big names that bring the results. Right off the bat, Cloud9, Evil Geniuses, Team Liquid, and Team SoloMid stand out from the rest. All four organizations have imports in the mid lane, or an import turned resident in Liquid’s case.

CLG went on a different route and invested in the jungle and top lane, deciding to trust Pobelter for another year. A wise choice, considering that Pobelter was the best performing member of his squad during 2020. But in the upcoming season, Pobelter will have his work cut out for him.

Out of the 10 starting mid laners in 2020, only three remain with the same team in 2021. Pobelter will face some new opponents, but also others he already knows.

Pobelter 2020 LCS stats

Pobelter’s stats in 2020 left a lot to be desired. On paper, Pobelter was the worst-performing mid laner in the entire LCS. This isn’t surprising, considering the team only won five matches in the entire season.

Despite the poor numbers, Pobelter managed to hold his own ground and showed up for the team when it needed him the most. If there’s one thing that Pobelter has in his favor it’s consistency. Week after week, Pobelter had a solid performance, even if it didn’t translate into victories for the team.

Pobelter is not the type of player that becomes a nuisance for his teammates. That trait kept CLG afloat in 2020 and will help the team in 2021. The key for Pobelter will be his teamwork with jungler Mads “Broxah” Brock-Pedersen. Broxah is known for playing a highly aggressive style.

Broxah and Pobelter are the keys for CLG’s success in 2021, not an easy task for a team that most analysts are already placing eighth.

LCS Lock-In groups are ready

CLG’s first challenge will be the LCS Lock-In tournament that starts on January 15. CLG got seeded into Group A alongside 100 Thieves, Golden Guardians, Team Liquid, and TSM. The first opponent in the schedule is Team Liquid, perhaps the toughest adversary in the group.

Although it might look like a secure fourth place in groups, that’s good enough to advance to the next round. CLG is not one team to be underestimated, especially because every member of the team has something to prove.

CLG returns to the stage on January 15.

Where is WildTurtle?

As of January 2021, Jason “WildTurtle” Tran is the starting bot laner for Counter Logic Gaming.

What team is Pobelter on?

As of January 2021, Eugene “Pobelter” Park is the starting mid laner for Counter Logic Gaming.

Who is competing in the LCS?

There are 10 professional teams currently competing in the LCS. Each team owns a franchise slot, partnering directly with League of Legends developer Riot Games. These franchise slots are permanent, so participating teams can never be demoted from the league. The 10 teams are as follows: