The new year, new Fuel trend may have gotten old for Dallas’ followers who witnessed the team’s underwhelming first three seasons. But there’s more truth to it this time.
Dallas has had a complete roster rebuild, apart from maintaining damage player Kim “DoHa” Dongha and assistant coach Kim “Yong” Yong-Jin. All the rest are new to Dallas, but familiar with each other as teammates.
This weekend will include the first good look at the Fuel in the Shanghai Dragons’ NeXT Cup to kick off the Fuel’s preseason. The Fuel play the Dragons on Saturday at 4 a.m. CT, and again on Sunday against the Guangzhou Charge at the same time, debuting seven new players and two new coaches.
Here are five things to look out for when watching the new-look Fuel:
Stacking up
Don’t put all your eggs into the preseason basket, but the Fuel playing a Dragons team that is coming off a top-three finish in 2020 is a solid measuring stick. Dallas went 9-11 last season, with moments of potential followed by a complete collapse.
That was a different roster. This one should get a clean slate, but it will be interesting to spectate just how differently this Fuel team plays Overwatch.
A Fearless start
Euiseok “Fearless” Lee, now the Fuel’s main-tank player, was an OWL All-Star for the Dragons last year. Watching him work with the Fuel’s off-tank player, Choi “Hanbin” Han-been, for the first time could give an idea for both the pace and style the Fuel want to play with this season.
Not only that, but witnessing how the Dragons have responded to losing Fearless as a championship contender will be another highlight.
Compositions
The competitive Overwatch ladder was turned on its head with updates to Sigma, previously regarded by professionals and streamers as the most versatile tank in the game. Wrecking Ball is still strong, and that could very well be what Fearless plays, but what compositions the Fuel and Dragons run could signify a direction for the new meta.
The 2020 Dallas Fuel didn’t cave to meta picks, but that team’s championship aspirations weren’t as feasible as this team’s.
DPS lineup
Yong was stern in saying DoHa would have trouble finding playing time when the Fuel were formed over the offseason. That could be fair as Kim “Sp9rk1e” Yeong-han and Jung “Xzi” Ki-hyo were a fierce tandem with the Paris Eternal last season.
What damage dealers the Fuel pick will be just as interesting as the choice in lineup. Fuel followers have worried about their lack of two dedicated hitscan players, but others have defended that Sp9rk1e has played a whole lot of Tracer lately. Saturday could be time to find out.
Tournament win/loss
Again, it’s important to not jump ship or die on the hill with this Fuel team after one preseason tournament. Dallas will have at least three matches over the course of two weekends, though, and if it can get three or four wins that could lead to a scorching start.
This Fuel team wants to win an OWL championship. The competition will be stiff again as the Dragons and Philadelphia Fusion will still be in the mix. That doesn’t include the two-time defending champion San Francisco Shock, which made power offseason moves too.
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January 22, 2021 at 03:46AM
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5 things to watch for as Dallas Fuel plays in Shanghai Dragons’ preseason event - The Dallas Morning News
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