Recently, T1 faced another defeat against Hanwha Life Esports (HLE). Of course, going up against a “star-studded” team like HLE, and with Faker still absent, it’s no surprise that T1 had to accept the loss. Overall, in their last 5 matches, they have only managed to win against Nongshim RedForce. All 4 other matches ended in a 0-2 defeat, and T1 is currently ranked 5th on the leaderboard. However, T1 still has the power to decide their playoff fate.
In this context, what fans are looking forward to the most is Faker’s return. T1’s mid-laner has been injured since the match against NS in the first round, and since then, T1 has been on a downward spiral. Poby isn’t without skill, but the burden of replacing Faker has been too heavy, preventing this young player from performing at his best. The T1 star lineup without Faker is like a “headless snake” and is no longer themselves. The only one still maintaining decent form seems to be Gumayusi, but he is too lonely.
At this moment, many fans have pointed out Faker’s true role within the team. He is the captain, the mid-laner, the playmaker of T1, and a spiritual leader, that much is clear. But beyond that, Faker is also the one who instills confidence in his younger teammates. In reality, the current T1 players, despite their experience, have the oldest members only being 21 years old (Gumayusi, Keria, and Oner). Meanwhile, two players, Zeus (2004) and Poby (2006), are still too young, with Zeus even not yet 20 years old.
With Faker’s presence, T1’s young stars gain a certain confidence in their performances. After all, Faker not only knows how to command T1’s gameplay but can also correct and guide his younger teammates if they make mistakes. One viewer bluntly commented: “Without Faker, T1 feels like 5 solo queue players grouped together, each playing their own game.”
Perhaps, the day Faker returns is not far off. However, T1 fans can only hope that the team can at least showcase their talent and qualities without Faker. After all, everyone understands that Faker will eventually need to rest, and no one wants that to be the reason for T1’s downfall.