T1 in LCK Spring 2021 is a lineup that gathers almost entirely young players, with perhaps only 2 of the “oldest” names being captain Faker and AD carry Teddy. However, with Teddy and Faker playing very few matches, it can be seen that T1 is in a complete rejuvenation phase, ready to put their “Chairman” on the bench for more than half of the matches played up to now.
Replacing the Demon King in the mid-lane position is player Clozer, born in 2003. He was identified as a replacement for Faker since late 2020, but at that time, Clozer had not yet shown much. LCK Spring 2021 is perhaps the first peak season where Clozer has played so much since venturing into the professional path.
Youth cannot avoid mistakes, and Clozer is no exception. Moreover, in a team where the number of frequently playing players is too young (the oldest is Cuzz who just turned 21 in February), it is truly overwhelming for Clozer to bear one of the most important positions in League of Legends, especially the mission of succeeding Faker. Although he still had some miraculous plays that brought victories for T1, when facing talented and experienced players like ShowMaker or Chovy, Clozer was no different from a rookie.
A prime example is in the match against DWG KIA (DK) on February 27th. While ShowMaker on the other side, with experience and skill, consistently performed well, Clozer, on a not-so-good day, made mistakes in all 3 games. He still farmed slightly better, but that was all; in team fights or critical situations, the 2003-born player of T1 continued to make things difficult for himself and the team with plays that were somewhat… disastrous. A notable example is the R – Cosmic Pull that dragged the whole T1 team straight… onto the scoreboard right at the Dragon pit.
After the defeat against DK, player Clozer, with all his regret, changed his introduction on his personal Instagram page to “I apologize.” The sincere remorse of the young player, of course, has not yet appeased the demanding fans of T1, especially Faker’s hardcore fans, but it has been enough for everyone to understand that Clozer has tried his best.
T1 is in the process of “rejuvenation”; mistakes are unavoidable. But the players also need the support of the fans, even though sometimes, defeat and disappointing fans are things that cannot be avoided.