Among the 4 opponents, all of whom are current national champions, it can be said that Team Liquid is the “easiest” opponent that T1 could face at this time. Many predictions believe that T1 will be able to secure a victory, even with a significant score margin to regain their spirits after the tough matches against G2 Esports and Bilibili Gaming. However, TL has also shown improvement recently. Therefore, we will only know the final result when the two teams face off directly.
And the result did not disappoint many as T1 chose to take the match against TL as a springboard to boost their morale, laying the groundwork for the more difficult opponents ahead and especially mastering the lane swap strategy that is trending at MSI 2024. The LCS representative did manage to create some trouble for Faker and his teammates at the start of the games. But ultimately, thanks to superior skills and macro play, as well as a timely awakening after losing the advantage, T1 successfully completed the first hurdle in the “Four Symbols” smoothly.
However, on forums, T1 fans are still worried. In the first match, T1 lacked damage, while in the second match, there were too many Marksmen with only Jarvan IV being somewhat tanky. Indeed, the second match was perhaps the hardest for T1. Many even pleaded for Faker and his teammates to abandon such a risky draft strategy. Especially when the opponents were ready to play “odd” compositions like the inclusion of Samira.
However, the ultimate goal is victory, and in reality, T1 has achieved it with a somewhat surprising score, as TL has clearly shown that they performed well and improved after their match against Fnatic. Additionally, T1 has also demonstrated some understanding of the meta lane swap and has started to operate effectively. Perhaps these are the greatest highlights that T1 needs to further enhance.
The upcoming opponents for T1 will be much tougher than TL. Addressing the recurring weaknesses while maximizing the strengths they have demonstrated is perhaps the best path for T1 to take in their quest to conquer this year’s MSI.