T1’s performance so far can be described as underwhelming, especially considering their status as championship contenders. Faker and his teammates are still struggling with their strategies. The hard-fought victory against G2 Esports and the recent devastating loss to Bilibili Gaming have highlighted numerous issues within T1. Strong opponents have always known how to exploit their problems to the fullest extent. G2 nearly caused an upset, while BLG has shown they are no longer the team that lost 0-2 to T1 at last year’s Worlds.
T1’s issues may stem from various reasons, such as slow adaptation to strategies, performance problems, or picks and bans… However, it is clear that T1 needs to recover as quickly as possible and must undergo significant changes. They are not entirely without hope, but the lower bracket is not filled with teams that T1 can easily “bully.” Team Liquid, G2 Esports, and Top Esports are all ready for revenge. Moreover, if they perform like they did against BLG, T1 could very well be saying goodbye to the tournament early, even against opponents who were rated as weaker.
But of course, when it comes to the performance of T1’s players, the issue lies with each individual player. It’s the same lineup that has gone through the highs and lows of 2023, yet they are playing no differently than when Faker was absent due to injury. BLV Hoàng Luân candidly remarked during a recent stream: “Banning 5 Mid Lane champions (of Faker) and T1 still loses means the other 4 members had no impact in the match.” Meanwhile, even before the T1 – BLG match took place, SofM had a more scathing observation: “Zeus hasn’t reached his peak performance. It seems like Zeus is just playing to fill in the roster.”
In reality, the observations from BLV Hoàng Luân and SofM seem quite accurate. Once the opponents focus completely on the Mid Lane position, logically, T1’s other positions should have more freedom in picks and bans. Yet, they completely fall short compared to their opponents. Even when the opponent picks nearly identical champions, the difference becomes even clearer.
As for Zeus, since the beginning of MSI, this player has yet to show he has truly regained his form from the 2023 Worlds. Even against an opponent that can be considered a “veteran” like BrokenBlade, Zeus struggles, so it is no surprise that he lost to Bin. In fact, if he has to face 369, it’s uncertain that Zeus could even secure a winning lane against this player, let alone during team fights.
Time and opportunities for T1 still exist, but they are running out. If they do not come up with a plan to save themselves, Faker and his teammates may have no one to blame but themselves if they face another defeat.