G2 Dylan Falco: "I’ve gotten second place internationally, but I’ve never actually won one. So as long as I still have that goal, I’m motivated"

Dylan Falco reflects on G2’s loss to Movistar KOI in Madrid, the team’s current playoff trajectory, objective priority in the meta, and his long-term motivation as a coach.

Credit: Riot Games/ Hara Amorós

"I think a couple of our drafts had really strong early games, but became a bit more difficult to execute later on"

After a frustrating 1-2 loss against

Movistar KOI

at the LEC Roadtrip in Madrid,

G2 Esports

head coach Dylan Falco spoke to Sheep Esports about the series, the team’s current form, and the adjustments the Samurais are still trying to make heading into playoffs.

The veteran coach also discussed G2’s struggles with early-game tempo, the current value of neutral objectives such as Voidgrubs, Herald and dragons, and how the team approaches building momentum throughout the split in order to peak when playoffs arrive. Dylan Falcon reflected on his long coaching career, his motivation to continue competing at the highest level, and briefly addressed his upcoming LEC Spring Playoffs run.

What are your overall thoughts after the loss over MKOI?

Dylan Falco: “Not that happy, we didn't win. But ultimately, we weren't really playing for a difference in standings, so it was fun to watch some crazy and very close matches. It was eye-opening.

It felt like G2 struggled a bit to take initiative early, especially in the second map, and were often behind in tempo around the map. Was that more about draft limitations, execution, or something else?

Dylan Falco: I think a couple of our drafts had really strong early games, but became a bit more difficult to execute later on. I also think we weren’t fully synced up in some important moments, so someone gets caught, that leads to an objective, and then all of a sudden the superior scaling makes the game much harder to play.

Throughout the split, teams have often traded early Voidgrubs or Herald for dragon control. Do you personally value dragons significantly higher in the current meta, especially after the towers’ changes?

Dylan Falco: Yeah, I think dragons are probably looking a bit better than grubs these days. But it depends. If you have a strong team comp that can play through two lanes well, grubs can also be good. But yeah, I would probably prefer dragons.

G2 often seem to peak at the right time heading into playoffs. How do you manage and prepare the team’s progression and tempo throughout the split to ensure you arrive in the best form possible for the most important stage in form?

Dylan Falco: Well, a lot of it is conscious. We ramp up the amount we practice, the amount we seriously think about the game, and the way we approach drafts for playoffs. It becomes a lot more important. Although maybe we started the split with a couple of losses, I think we went on a pretty big win streak after that, and we are making good progress.

You’ve been coaching for many years and through many different competitive eras. What still motivates you to keep competing at the highest level?

Dylan Falco: For me, winning an international tournament would be great. I’ve gotten second place internationally, but I’ve never actually won one. So as long as I still have that goal, I’m motivated.

Do you have any specific rival in mind for playoffs?

Dylan Falco: I don’t know how the bracket will play out, but it’s always fun to play against Karmine Corp. So if we face them in the first round and win, that would be fun.

And lastly, a message for the G2 community now that you’re heading into playoffs?

Dylan Falco: Thanks to the G2 community for sticking with us throughout the regular season. Finishing third is okay, but we want to win the split, and that’s our focus now.”