Is Faker really the “culprit”?
The captain of T1 is indeed the reason for the defeat in game 4, that is completely true. But let’s not forget that prior to that, T1 was trailing 2-1. And given the state of that game, when DK was not too far ahead, and the Dragon score was close, there’s no guarantee that if Faker hadn’t made a mistake, T1 would have “auto won”. Even if they won, it would only prolong the match to game 5.
Therefore, saying that Faker is the one who caused T1 to lose the Finals has its basis, but claiming he is the sinner of the entire season is too far off the mark. Faker was the best player in the match against Gen.G, and he is the T1 player with the highest MVP points in the group stage. It’s not an exaggeration to say that T1’s achievement of reaching the LCK Summer 2021 Finals was 50% thanks to Faker.
But on the flip side, this isn’t the first time T1 has been knocked out just because of a moment of mistake from Faker. At the 2019 World Championship, he was also the one who made a mistake when trying to clear vision and got taken down by G2, leading to T1’s elimination in the Semifinals. A glaring truth is that Faker’s level is no longer what it used to be, and to conquer titles, T1 needs more than just a star who is on the decline in his career.
Getting rid of Faker? No way!
As mentioned, without Faker, T1 shouldn’t dream of the Finals. Their lineup would be nothing more than sheep if their captain wasn’t guiding them. It’s true that Faker has not been able to maintain the necessary stability. Personnel changes have forced Faker to adjust to calling the team and map movements more. Coupled with age, his reflexes and ability to trade blows are diminishing.
But currently at T1, no one can replace this guy. Faker certainly must take responsibility for his wrong decisions, but he is also the only one with enough skill, experience, and decisiveness to make dozens of other correct decisions. Keria may be the future leader of T1, but that’s a story for 1-2 years down the road; for now, no one can take on the responsibilities that Faker is shouldering.
In terms of expertise, that’s the case, and regarding other issues, we’ve certainly talked about them many times. Faker’s value lies not only on Summoner’s Rift but also in his influence across all other areas. Faker’s brand is twice as strong as T1’s, and there’s no reason for this organization to dare to let go of a name that brings them millions of USD in revenue each year. T1 can only part ways with Faker when he retires; otherwise, if he transfers to another team, it would be like an earthquake.
In Memory of Easyhoon
There are two moments when Faker hit rock bottom in his career. One was in the 2018 season, and the other was in the 2015 season. As known, in 2015, Faker did not perform well during the Spring Split, but SKT still became world champions, while 2018 was a disaster story. The difference between these two periods lies in two names: Bengi and Easyhoon.
T1 has been trying to find a replacement for Bengi for almost 5 years, but only faced failure. Because no one has that connection with Faker like Bengi did. Clid was a promising name, but unfortunately, he left SKT too hastily after just one failed World Championship season.
But if we talk about the impact of the current mid lane position, T1 certainly needs someone like Easyhoon more than Bengi: A perfect backup solution for Faker in crucial matches. In 2015, Easyhoon wasn’t a flashy mid-laner like Faker, nor did he have the same game reading ability and strategic insight as his younger counterpart. But in return, Easyhoon possessed an astonishingly refined basic skill set. With T1 developing a playstyle that spreads to the flanks, with Canna being the main carry, their mid lane needs a shield like Easyhoon to maintain balance during moments when their primary plan becomes stagnant.
Similar to Duke or Gimgoon, Easyhoon is the type of player who “never loses lane” and has a farming ability that is off the charts. Of course, a player like that in the current meta can easily get overwhelmed. What T1 needs here is someone with qualities similar to Easyhoon: A high-level super substitute who can easily bring a change in the team’s playstyle when they come onto the stage, and especially a player who always opts for safe choices, never engaging unless sure to win.
Faker once shared about how when witnessing Easyhoon play, the opponents of SKT revealed their strategies. This means that even when sitting behind the scenes, Faker could still draw valuable lessons from that match. T1 currently still has a quality mid-lane substitute in Clozer, but the problem is that this guy is still too inexperienced, while the pressure to succeed is increasingly mounting over time.
Of course, saying they need Easyhoon is one thing, but finding a player like him is a far-fetched idea at this time. T1 is no longer the powerful SKT of the past, so there won’t be any world-class star willing to join just to rotate. The only hope to improve and rectify T1’s weaknesses is to wait for their young talents to showcase their skills in the future.