LYON Isles: "Losing like this against an opponent who played like this is a huge failure"

LYON’s League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) Lock-In playoff qualifications have complicated after their series against Disguised. After a second consecutive defeat, they finished with a 1-2 record. As Shopify Rebellion lost their match on Sunday, the Pride avoided the Last Chance Qualifier match. A few minutes after the game ended, Sheep Esports sat in an exclusive interview with Jonah “Isles” Rosario LYON’s support. He shared the standard his teammates set during scrims, reuniting with Kim “Berserker” Min-cheol, Kacper “Inspired” Słoma’s leadership, and his lack of knowledge on pastries.

Jonah "Isles" Rosario: "I am really frustrated. No shade intended, but losing like this against an opponent who played like this is a huge failure. During the third game, I played a big part in our failure. The way these games looked, even the way we won the second game, was not convincing. The way we lost during the first game was extremely convincing. There were a lot of things I could have done better, particularly in the third game. There are a lot of small things throughout the game that pros, to the standard we hold ourselves [to], should know. There’s a lot of reflection and work I have to do. It’s not just me, it’s across the team.

Isles: There will be pressure when you share a team with good players, but that’s also motivation. LYON has a lot of good players, which is why this [result] feels so frustrating. The level I have been performing doesn’t reflect the level I should be at. The pressure to perform comes from the standard your teammates set. Especially during scrims, they have consistently demonstrated a high level of gameplay, and as a result, standards are high. Mistakes happen, like I did today. It’s something you have to work on.

Isles: The problem each individual has is how we holistically view the game. Players are missing base timers, rotations, and timers. These mistakes are preventing us from playing even games due to our problems during scrims. Playing with a team that has really strong laners, where you create advantages through 2v2s and 1v1s, sometimes scrims don’t look like stage games at all. This affected my performance on stage today. When I get into situations I am unfamiliar with, I am unsure of what I should and shouldn’t have done. This doesn’t happen all the time, but it’s part of the mistakes I made today. I wouldn’t say it’s bonding because the atmosphere behind the scenes has been good. I can't speak for the other players, but I haven’t had anything affect me. The things that we have focused on in scrims haven’t been the problems on stage. The things that would lose us scrims aren’t the things that made us lose stage games. This is the second week it has happened, as some of our games against Cloud9 had issues that ultimately led to the outcome. I need to work on viewing the bigger picture of the game.

Isles: The person I met in 2022 has greatly developed as a player. He has a broad view of the game, especially of his own game. He is equipped to understand where he is in the game: if he is behind, ahead, or when to pressure the lane. This has motivated me, especially with the feedback he has given me. He has opened my eyes to things I wasn’t aware of before. Regardless of getting set back by losing today, I’m still really happy I have the opportunity to play with him. He is still the strongest mechanical botlaner in the league, and he has the knowledge to back it up.

Isles: Inspired definitely leads the team. His opinions are blunt and straightforward. He doesn’t really hold back, which is something I enjoy. When uncertainty rises, he understands that people can make mistakes. Sometimes, we’re not sure if we should do this [play]. He doesn’t always have the answer, but a lot of times he does. It’s really good to have someone like that who reads the whole game flow really well. Today in the series, he didn’t put a foot wrong, which is something Inspired does so well. He holds everyone else accountable. Other people make mistakes that ruin his game or ruin the game overall because he sees it so clearly. He is very vocal about it. We have already talked a lot about the last game and the second game. There’s still a lot of work to do, but it’s great having someone who pushes you along, even if it can be… I have thick skin, and I can take some criticism. It doesn’t hurt my feelings to be shouted at every once in a while. It’s the same situation I mentioned with Berserker: it is an unreal opportunity to play with a player of Inspired’s caliber. I have nothing but respect for him and the way he plays the game. I don’t mind someone who is as direct as he is.

Isles: Management has been great with me. We had some problems with visas. One of our video producers acted as a manager for a while. He was awesome, shout out to him. There is a grand fan base behind the Latin American league, and I’m glad I have been blessed with the opportunity. I appreciate the love the fans have given me. Like any sport, the audience drives the league and the teams. I’m always grateful to the fans.

Isles: I’m not exactly a dessert dictionary. It was definitely a disaster in some ways, but I don’t know how to represent that."