Week 1 of the Overwatch League 2020 season saw the Vancouver Titans claim two hard-fought wins. The world saw both the Los Angeles Gladiators and Los Angeles Valiant come for the Titan crown, yet both fell short despite some impressive showings from each team. The Titans showed some gaps in the armour, but still managed to come out on top. Then… silence. As the COVID-19 virus spread, the league made the correct decision to cancel homestands in areas most affected by the virus and to move matches online. Thus, the Titans lay dormant, ready and waiting for the moment they could rise once again.
The time has a last arrived with the advent of a new journey into online matches. Week 8 is here and so is the Week 8 preview.
Dallas Fuel 2020
Titans fans should go into this match with a sense of cautious confidence. The Titans in their two 2020 matchups so far showed that despite the changes made to their storied roster, they are still the same fearsome force that went all the way to the Grand Finals in their inaugural season. That being said, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. The Gladiators were able to take the Titans to a map five scenario and at times outclassed them on maps like Dorado. Even in a clean sweep of the Valiant, they got demolished when the Valiant went on the attack on Blizzard World. Despite the struggles, the team has got all-stars at each position. Their lengthy break should have given them ample time to rebuild the synergy that has granted them such immense success.
The Dallas Fuel, on the other hand, enter this game at an 0-2 record having lost both games they played at their opening weekend homestand. They fell to defending champs the San Francisco Shock and a fresh-faced Los Angeles Valiant. In these two matches, they were able to only take a map off each team, yet in these maps, the Fuel were dominant. The new DPS duo of Jang “Decay” Gui-un and Kim “Doha” Dong-Ha were outstanding. Showing that they could indeed be a fearful duo for any team to face. Newly called up flex support William “Crimzo” Hernandez also had a respectable debut performance for the team on heroes such as Ana and Baptiste. This revamped Fuel roster has the Talent to really push teams to their limit. If they can put the pieces together the Titans better be ready for a fight.
All that said the Titans should still be able to handily claim victory.
Gamsu and Note
In somewhat of a hot take, the matchup to keep a close eye in this game would have to be the teams respective tank lines. Youngjin “Gamsu” Noh and Lucas “NotE” Meissner will be going up against the Titans formidable front line of Chanhyung “Fissure” Baek and Hyeonwoo “Jjanu” Choi. Gaining advantage in the front line could be the game changer and it will be interesting to see if both of these duos (assuming that it is Gamsu and not Ashley “Trill” Powell in or a combo of the two) can find the synergy necessary for a successful tank line.
NotE and Gamsu have a storied history together coming to prominence in the Overwatch League in the 2018 season during their time together on the Boston Uprising. Here, they had synergy some could only dream of. NotE was an exceptional D.Va and Gamsu showed a mastery over Winston. However, 2018 was a long time ago and times have changed. NotE’s time on the Fuel has not shown him at his best.Following a disastrous showing with Team Canada at the 2019 World Cup, he must prove that he is still able to compete at the top level. Having Gamsu back with him could prove to be the spark he needs.
For the Titans, Fissure and Jjanu must continue to show that they are two of the best Tank players in the entire league. Combining the aggressive force of Fissure and the lethal nature of Jjanu should make for a top three tank line up in the game. They must focus on establishing the synergy that brought the Titans so much success in 2019. If they can recapture that magic, this may be an easy win.
Titans fans, it is a time to rejoice as the long night is over. The monsters from the north are ready to ride once again. A force of nature is here.
Vancouver Titans Final Roster Announcement 2020
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