Brice’s EU Call of Duty Power Rankings - Part Two
So, it’s time for me to reveal who made the list and who didn’t. It’s time to finally find out who the ‘Top 5’ players in Europe are, based on current form.
While these five players will be riding high, it is worth noting that at points, it was incredibly close. However, one main theme did appear, almost everyone top ten list submitted by pro players contained all five players.
Now, before we dive into the list, I would like to acknowledge a few honourable mentions, who narrowly missed out on their spot within the power rankings.
Honourable mentions!
Wuskinz: With an incredible event at CWL Paris behind him, part of me was expecting to see to see Wuskinz on this list. Already, his SnD performances have given him a solid and loyal fan base. However, due to his inconsistencies, people are still not 100% sold on him.
Nevertheless, if he can maintain this high level of performance at MLG Dallas, he should secure his place on this list.
Nolson: Although he may be the least known name on Team Infused, Nolson is another player who narrowly missed out on this list. While his smaller profile may have hurt him within the voting section, Nolson played a significant role in Infused’s recent run of good placements. Unfortunately, so did his teammates.
5 – Adam “Peatie” Peate (Infused)
Since the days of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, this man has always been associated with ‘raw’ talent, regardless of his reputation as a tempered and reckless player. Which in-turn has made him into the fantastically speedy player he is today.
While Peatie may still be accused of being ‘first blood Peatie’ due to his incredibly aggressive playstyle on Search and Destroy, in recent years he has matured into a much smarter player. He has added pressure, speed and slaying power to the Infused line-up and as a result, it’s not uncommon to see him fill the entire kill feed upon entering a hill.
I don’t think it’s too bold to say that this may be the best Peatie we’ve ever been, which for a player who has been competing at the top of the European scene for several years, is no small feat. The entire Infused squad will once again be looking for him to dominate on American soil and outdo his personal best placement of third at Anaheim, alongside two of his teammates at the time, MarkyB and Moose.
4 – Jordan “Jurd” Crowley (Splyce)
The man who does what wants. Jurd is another name that will never surprise me when included on any top ten list.
In regards to statistics, Jurd may not seem to be a standout player, but this list isn’t based on stats… They lie. Jurd is probably the best playmaker in Europe, who pulls off incredible plays out of nowhere, while hurling himself at objectives as if it is his personal mission to frustrate the enemy team.
I was once told by a fellow caster that he was “over” the hype around Jurd and that he didn’t understand why Jurd was so revered. Although I disagreed with him, I could somewhat understand his point. If you speak to Jurd himself, he will tell you that he is sick and tired of being referred to as an objective player, as he prefers to act as the main slayer. The only problem is that while there are a fair number of top level slayers, you would be hard pressed to find someone who applies as much pressure and plays the objectives like Jurd.
Typically, Jurd is always the furthest player forward on the map, baiting out trades for his team. He is the definition of a player who most pro’s hate playing against. In addition to this, he has also been described by his former teammates as ‘everything you want in a teammate.’
If you are still doubting Jurd in any way, then please read this next sentence very carefully.
As far as I’m aware, there are no players in Europe that wouldn’t team with Jurd if they had the opportunity to.
This doesn’t even include the fact that the vast majority of North American pro’s hold Jurd’s skill in high regard.
3 – Trei “Zer0” Morris (Splyce)
Honestly, this is probably the most controversial entry on this list. While I personally get on well with Zer0, his recent placements at the las two international events have been less than impressive. Fortunately, this list isn’t solely based on placements, but rather who is playing and performing well.
After last year, Zer0 and Bance were the two clear breakout players from Europe, and now they are finally teaming together under Splyce. The fact that Zer0 was the top candidate to complete the European ‘God Squad’ only reiterates his high level of skill.
Having been a standout player on the old Red Reserve team, Zer0 has now joined some very storied names on Splyce. While his individual skill has gotten him onto this list, Zer0 will have a lot of pressure on his shoulders as Splyce head to CWL Dallas. Not only is he replacing the infamous BSport Josh but everyone will now be looking at Zer0 as the factor that propels Splyce to a high placement. If they fail to do this, the team will have ran out excuses.
Zer0’s place on this list will either be justified at Dallas or he will suffer a massive fall from grace.
2 – Ben “Bance” Bance (Splyce)
As a result of his heavy slaying power, Bance quickly became a fan favourite last year. This was all topped off when Splyce secured second place at CoD XP, following a massive Loser Bracket run.
Since then, Splyce has shed their entire roster, with Bance surviving as the only remaining member. The fact that rumours have started circulating that Bance is now confident enough to shot call and guide his current team, only shows the focus and dedication he has invested into improving himself as a player.
For me, the most interesting part of Bance being second on this list is the fact that even though he is now teaming with players who are renowned for their excellence, Bance is still shining. MLG Dallas will be the perfect opportunity for Bance to show everyone that he isn't a fluke and that his recent success had nothing to do with his ex-teammates.
Speaking to Bance at events is always an interesting experience, as he is very critical of himself and those around him. Even if his team simply drops a map, it will leave a bitter taste in Bance’s mouth, that can only be replaced by the occasional wry smile when he has performed above and beyond expectations.
Although I’m not quite sure how Bance will feel about this comparison, but his attitude and general approach to competing reminds me of Swanny. Hopefully he takes this as the compliment it’s intended to be.
1 – Tom “Moose” Handley (Infused)
It gives me great pleasure to write this name as the top player in Europe for so many reasons.
Personal relationships aside, I had a good feeling about Moose as soon as I saw him at the Gfinity CWL London Invitational. To me, he looked way more confident than he ever has before and he even stood a little straighter.
What was to follow at that event and subsequent ones was a string of incredible performances, which led me to call him #NewMoose.
Now, while I could easily be accused of hyperbole, Moose has more than proved himself. Although I haven’t talked an awful lot about the player voting system and how it was conducted, I think it’s worth pointing out that Moose was placed in the top three by 80% of his peers and had more first place votes than any other three players combined. Ultimately, Moose was first on this list by a significant margin.
In comparison to his time on Advanced Warfare, where he teamed with Teepee and Aches, and almost destroyed his reputation and morale, Moose has done more than just bounce back. This is almost a rocky montage of feelings, but I believe that a large part of this is down to how Moose interacts with his teammates. Moose has always been a player who relies on confidence and therefore he needs the right people around him in order to feel comfortable.
When this happens, it’s magic.
For instance, this current roster is only one player short of the TCM roster that came third at MLG Anaheim (Nolson for Gunshy).
It’s now up to Moose to prove that this placement is not a joke and once again bring the fire and thunder that’s needed to propel Infused to the highest European placement at an international this year.
I hope you enjoyed this series and I would love to hear your feedback on the idea of a consistent power ranking system in the comments below.
Also, if you want to keep up with me on social media you can do so by either following me on twitter; @Bricetacular or on YouTube; Bricetacular1.
Thank you for reading.
-Brice
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