After a disappointing performance at MSI 2022, it’s safe to say that the young squad of T1 has been under immense pressure from both the media and fans. Even though they secured victories in their first two matches of LCK Summer 2022, T1’s lackluster performance drew criticism. The players themselves admitted that they had yet to regain their peak form and faced challenges adapting to patch 12.10.
However, as they entered the second week of LCK Summer 2022, T1 delivered a resounding 2-0 victory over LSB. Not only in terms of score, but the performance of T1’s players in this match also demonstrated their improved synergy and smoother execution of strategies. In an interview with Inven, T1’s rising star – Keria shared that their excellent performance was thanks to patch 12.11.
Q: How do you feel after the recent victory?
T1 Keria: I remember that LSB played incredibly well in the early game against DK. So, I thought a lot about how to counter them, and I’m really happy that the entire team played exactly as I hoped and secured the win.
Q: You and the team performed exceptionally well today, what’s the secret?
T1 Keria: In patch 12.10, we faced quite a few difficulties in champion selection and strategy execution. However, after the tournament adopted patch 12.11, we have performed much better because the strong champions are familiar to us. Additionally, in patch 12.11, damage from towers has been reduced compared to the previous version, so our playstyle has become effective again.
One of the most significant changes in patch 12.11 from Riot Games is the reduction of tower damage, making it easier to execute dives. In the second game between T1 and LSB, we can see Faker and his teammates applying this playstyle effectively with successful dives on Dove and Crocco to take down a key member of the opposing team, Fiora. If we were still playing in patch 12.10, T1 might have had to sacrifice at least one player in those situations.
With the current meta favoring them, T1’s unbeaten streak (along with Gen.G) is hardly surprising. In the remaining match of the second week, T1 will face a very strong opponent in DK. For neutral fans, they surely hope DK can score against T1 to make the race for the top spot in the group stage more exciting instead of just a duel between T1 and Gen.G.