The DPC (2021-22) Tour 1 has been a bumpy road for Team Secret. They barely endured and remained in Division 1, which isn’t exactly an accomplishment for the runner-up at TI10. We are in trying times for the team and fans after their worst DPC performance thus far. This is not unexpected, considering Secret’s roster changes which removed two pillars who contributed so much to Team Secret’s iconic playstyle.
While Secret is arguably among the most accomplished Western European powerhouses, an iconic pillar at that. Fifth place for a team of such calibre is shameful, to say the least.
What comes next for this European superteam?
Team Secret’s current roster at DPC2021-22 WEU Tour 2 Division 1
The second Tour of DPC2021-22 begins today for the WEU region, where Team Secret shall compete with other promising opponents, namely Team Liquid, OG, Gladiators, and Tundra Esports. These are the top-four candidates that surpassed Team Secret last Tour to participate in DPC WEU Regional Finals.
Although the rivalry will remain as challenging as ever for Team Secret, fans are betting on the revamped Dota 2 Patch 7.31 to favor the lather. After all, Team Secret’s Puppey is notoriously known as the pioneer of new Dota 2 meta, regardless of which update. Hence, the more refreshing the patch is, the more advantageous Puppey’s drafts become.
On a similar note, Team Secret’s poor showing last tour received backlash from fans calling out Syed Sumail “SumaiL” Hassan to be a bad fit for Team Secret. In the haters’ defense, SumaiL does have a history of incompatibility with many teams, such as OG and Quincy Crew. So far, Evil Geniuses has been the prodigy’s best fit in a team.
Regardless, Team Secret’s stance on the current problem seems to be that their roster isn’t at fault. They don’t need to consider a revamp on their roster, which we can’t say the same for Alliance’s recent shuffle.
Team Secret kicks off the DPC2021-22 WEU Division 1 with a tough opponent, Team Liquid. The runner-ups at DPC WEU Regional Finals, remains a formidable competitor in the eyes of Team Secret. Their success has much to do with the former duo Team Secret players, namely Lasse Aukusti “MATUMBAMAN” Urpalainen and Ludwig “zai” Wåhlberg. These two have always been exceptional players, but Liquid’s decision to bring them in together, instantly made Liquid an unstoppable force.
Despite being familiar foes, it’s unlikely that Team Secret poses any threat to Team Liquid’s victory. However, if Puppey somehow manages to pull it off, it’s a good sign of aTeam Secret return to form in DPC Tour 2.
Besides Team Liquid, other teams also stand out as must-watch teams in DPC2021-22 WEU Tour 2, such as OG. Although OG is hailed as two-time champs, their current roster is no longer its founding line-up. Instead, OG rocks a class of fresh talents, which has showcased their overwhelming talent back in the last Tour. The young blood from OG shall compete with the seasoned pack, Liquid on the first week too. On paper, OG does seem to be more quick-witted to give Liquid a run for their money, better than Team Secret that is.
OG’s execution is relatively polished for a young team, which coupled with Johan “N0tail” Sundstein’s mentoring, makes for the upbringing of a strong team.
Gladiators, the most recent powerhouse in Europe. Formerly Team Tickles, they shocked the crowd by defeating fan favorites, Liquid and OG in the regionals.
Of course, Gladiators aren’t an overnight success themselves, as their team featured high-profile players, such as Marcus “Ace” Hoelgaard and Melchior “Seleri” Hillenkamp. As the DPC WEU Regional Finals winner, Gladiators head into the second Tour as the new unrivaled candidate. Their first match versus the Greek team, Brame isn’t too high stakes, so Gladiators likely got this in the bag. However, it will be eye candy for us on week 3, when the two eventually clash.
It’s certainly unusual to see Team Secret in a position of the underdog, especially in their home region, the DPC 2021-22 WEU Division 1. But it’s also the most crucial Tour for Puppey and his team to score DPC points. That goes the same for any team in DPC2021-22 Division 1 bracket, as a relegation this Tour will be a death sentence for any team hoping to qualify for TI11.
The DPC WEU Division 1 matches span across six weeks’ worth of Dota 2 betting action. Hence, if you got a knack for analytically betting on the better teams to win each match, consider checking out these curated Esports bookmakers.
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