After a great year in the GSL, the final season was a big letdown for Liquid, as both HerO and TaeJa fell out early and did not progress far in Code A. But hey, they're both in Up/Down matches, and with a month of focused practice for proleague, they're ready for the moment of truth in the GSL Up/Down matches. We know, you know, everybody knows that TaeJa and HerO belong in Code S; it's just a matter of executing. TaeJa goes first.





This year, there's an extra layer of protection for the up/downs, as all of the third place players get to have a final shot at Code S. But looking at this line-up, TaeJa should be able to play comfortably; he has the most results of anyone in this group. Startale's Squirtle is the other marquee name here, and his inconsistent results shouldn't hide the fact that he is a dangerous player at all times. STX's Trap has been quietly one of the better KeSPA players, but his record is worst against terran. Dream is similar player, with good results in all match-ups except for vT, where he has been abysmal. Happy isn't much better, again worst against terran, although his results are very solid overall. Shine, the group's only zerg isn't so good against terran, but it isn't his worst match-up. Unfortunately for him, he has excelled in ZvZ, and he's got exactly the wrong group for it.



Things look good on paper for TaeJa, and his results in proleague have been quite solid, if not utterly dominant. There's no doubt that he belongs in Code S. But as always, this is a system that demands that you continually prove your worth, and so once again, TaeJa and HerO will go through the gauntlet. Wish them luck! Tweet @LiquidTaeJa and post in TaeJa's fanclub to cheer him on!