The victory between T1 and Gen.G showcased many elements of a top-tier showdown, as Faker and his teammates demonstrated their superiority over their opponents in every aspect. However, there were crucial factors in T1’s gameplay that were almost entirely different from before. And perhaps, it is these factors that will help the reigning 2023 World Champion successfully defend their title in the upcoming final against Bilibili Gaming – which is also the last official match in the professional League of Legends scene for 2024.
T1 Abandons Their Ingrained “Stubbornness”
In the past, a characteristic gameplay of T1 was allowing opponents to secure their comfort champions, then finding ways to counter them. This contributed to T1’s bitter defeat against DRX in 2022 when they refused to ban Kingen’s Aatrox, which had a very high win rate. This continued into 2024, during the LCK, where T1 let champions like Smolder or Yone slip into the hands of opponents multiple times. However, in the crucial match against Gen.G, T1 completely abandoned their “ingrained” habit.
In all four games, T1 targeted strong champions from Gen.G, such as Nidalee, Yone, Aurora, and Smolder. And in game four, when T1 decided to “give up” Canyon’s Nidalee, Keria immediately picked Pyke and Oner picked Skarner to counter. This draft strategy shows that T1 has changed significantly, and this needs to be repeated in the finals, especially when players like Bin or Knight also have some “signature champs” ready to go whenever their team encounters issues.
T1’s Bot Lane Shines
It can be said that throughout the past season, while Gumayusi was consistently underrated and often had to play a supporting role for his teammates, Keria’s performance plummeted significantly. Hot meta champions like Rakan or Rell were not well executed by the 2002-born support. Meanwhile, Gumayusi, although still performing well, found the meta and T1’s gameplay did not provide him with many opportunities to shine. Coming into the 2024 World Championship, T1 has “awakened,” and their bot lane has had more opportunities to shine.
A dynamic Keria has returned with Bard, Renata, and Pyke. A Gumayusi receiving more resources, being targeted by opponents with three AD carry bans, shows just how incredible his form is. In the match against Gen.G, the high performance of this duo helped T1 secure a comfortable position, while also “sealing” the Peyz – Lehends duo on the opposing side.
Faker Speaks Up at the Right Moment
In the match against Gen.G, one bold move that T1 “dared” to execute was allowing Faker to use Akali and Yone – champions that typically serve as the primary damage dealers, requiring high processing speed and skill. If it were a regular opponent, everything would be fine. But on the other side was Chovy, and these choices showed that T1 dared to make unexpected drafts, with Faker showing he could effectively operate champion matchups that are no longer his forte later in his career.
In fact, Faker even made a mark with a “blood fountain” solo kill on Chovy or a situation where he nearly took down the opponent’s Ahri while using Sylas. If Faker continues to maintain this style of play in the upcoming match against BLG, specifically against Knight, T1 will have additional advantages for victory and complete their glorious path.