GOATS meta is here to stay, at least for the time being. GOATS meta, as previously described in this article, is a comp that consists of three tank and three support Heroes. Typically, Reinhardt, Zarya and D.Va are the tanks, while Lucio, Moira and Brigitte are the supports. There are many variations of this comp, with supports such as Ana or tanks such as Roadhog swapped in.
That being said, how will the defending champions fare in this comp? The London Spitfire have a tough test ahead of them, being the first team to attempt to defend the Overwatch League title. With GOATS being so prevalent, will we see them conform to the norm, or stand out and defy? Here is a look into how the London Spitfire might fare if they decide to run GOATS.
Courtesy of the Overwatch League
Seung-tae “Bdosin” Choi and Jong-seok “NUS” Kim are the two support players for the Spitfire that are returning for Season 2. They are joined by Yung-hoon “Krillin” Jung, who previously played in Open Division in Korea, and was signed after impressing the Spitfire in a tryout. Bdosin has experience on Zenyatta, Moira and Ana. Nus is a very skilled Mercy, and can play Lucio and Ana as well. Krillin, while he has not been tested at anywhere close to an Overwatch League level, specializes in Zenyatta, Moira and Ana, just like Bdosin.
Bdosin’s Moira, along with the Lucio play of Nus, makes up a good portion of the GOATS comp. These two are considered one of the best support duos in the league. Their ability to heal and keep their teammates alive was one of the key aspects to their championship run last season. Depending on their third healer, Nus and Bdosin have the ability to dominate again for Season 2.
The tank line for the Spitfire consists of Jun-ho “Fury” Kim and Jae-hee “Gesture” Hong. Fury, the Spitfires’ off tank, plays D.Va, Zarya and Roadhog. Gesture is the main tank, playing Winston, Reinhardt and Orisa. Regarded as one of the best main tank players in the league, Gesture has the ability to change games in London’s favor. On top of being a great main tank, he is the shot caller for his team as well. For more on Gesture, check out the Top 10 Main Tanks article put out here on The Game Haus.
Courtesy of Esports.net
With Gesture and Fury, one of the great tank duos in the league, many would think that the Spitfire would dominate in a GOATS meta. Whether Fury jumped on the D.Va, which he dominated on in the Overwatch World Cup, or the Zarya, he will help the Spitfire win games. The only problem that the Spitfire are facing is finding another player to line up as a tank.
The Spitfire’s DPS lineup consists of Ji-hyeok “birdring” Kim, new addition Hee-dong “Guard” Lee and Grand Finals MVP Joon-yeong “Profit” Park. Birdring is known for his Widowmaker, Genji and McCree, while Profit dominates on Tracer, as well as Junkrat and Hanzo. Birdring and Profit can play a majority of the same Heroes, with a few exceptions. Newest addition Guard brings a new element to the Spitfire: Sombra. Sombra comps, such as the Sombra-Tracer dive, might suit the Spitfire more with the current pieces in their roster.
The only player who has shown the ability to flex onto a non-DPS Hero consistently in competitive play is Profit with Brigitte. He played Brigitte during the teams run through the finals, including the Grand Finals against the Philadelphia Fusion. Other than Profit, who would occupy the third support Hero slot in the GOATS meta, the other members of the Spitfire do not have any history of being able to play that third tank Hero.
Courtesy of Dexerto
This may mean a few things. First, it could mean that fans will not see the Spitfire running GOATS during the first stage of the Overwatch League. Second, the Spitfire may be training either Guard or birdring to be able to play in that last tank slot. During the finals of the first season, birdring did jump onto the Zarya and Roadhog, though it was not for a substantial amount of time. Finally, the most extreme option would be to sign another tank player. There is less than a month until the return of the Overwatch League, so this option seems very unlikely. However, if the Spitfire deem that GOATS truly is still the meta to play with, they may find it to be their most viable option.
The Overwatch League kicks off Feb. 14, where the London Spitfire will take on the Philadelphia Fusion in a rematch of the Season 1 Finals. The Spitfire’s roster remains relatively unchanged, while the Fusion let four players go. For a look into the Spitfire’s first Stage games, click here.
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Featured Image Courtesy of the London Spitfire
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