At the start of this final weekend of the
LEC Versus regular season,
Movistar KOI had the opportunity to secure a playoff berth by defeating
Team Vitality. However, after falling to the Bees, KOI will now have to decide its fate on the final day this Sunday against
NAVI.
Although KOI still technically control their own destiny, they now finds themselves closer to elimination than most observers would have anticipated. Too inconsistent throughout these best-of-one matches, the team nonetheless intends to bounce back and reclaim its place in the playoffs. Midlaner Joseph "Jojopyun" Pyun spoke to Sheep Esports about his team’s difficult start to the season.
What's your first feeling after today's game?
Joseph "Jojopyun" Pyun: "I am disappointed because I think now is the time to ramp up since it's right before playoffs. I think we used this whole regular season to experiment and test how we want to play and kind of pushing the limits. And I think we had really good progress this week in scrims and identify how we want to play as a team, but we didn't show it on stage today, so it's disappointing. But it's just one game at end of the day, I'm sure we're going bounce back.
Considering the fact that you're trying and experimenting new things, did you expect that your team would be struggling like this during the regular season?
Jojopyun: I think it's regular season, so I think it's the best moment for teams to experiment and try to improve as much as possible which means having to fail in that sense. I think you have to be okay to fail in that sense but of course if you don't make playoffs then that's not good but you have to find that balance. I think we found the balance very well this week and we really know how we want to play but we just didn't show up today but I'm still very confident in tomorrow and for playoffs.
How do you explain that your team has been performing well against contenders like KC or G2 but can lose against Shifters or Team Heretics?
Jojopyun: It's just the same as last year, we lost against bottom teams and then we won the split. It's not really about if we win in a best of one against KC, G2 and then if we lose to Los Ratones. It's how good is your form in playoffs and how strong you are as a team, so it really does not matter because even last year it was the same thing. I think I am very used to this now where people overreact for the regular season. I am just confident because we're improving in the right direction and I think we're going to do well in playoffs.
Do you think your team would perform better in best of three?
Jojopyun: Yes, we have always been a playoff team in best of three, best of five team, even from last year. I think even other teams know this about us too. So I for sure think we're a best of five, best of three team, yeah.
What do you think about your own performances so far?
Jojopyun: I think I've done too much limit testing for sure. I'm dying too many times, but I got decent data to change my playstyles in between games and trying new things so now I have a very set foundation on how I want to play from going forward. Of course it's based on my champion and my comp and enemy comp but I identified the same patterns that are going to help us win so I think I'm in a really good track for playoffs.
What do you think you should improve and what kind of mistakes have you done that you shouldn't have for example?
Jojopyun: I think I should do better at using the advantages I create individually and transferring that to the team. I think this split I was really focused on laning itself and just the 1v1 itself but I wasn't really trying to transfer it to the team so I think that's the biggest change that I have to make. Of course it caused me to just die randomly because I was so focused on the 1v1s and these things so I'd say that's the number one start.
What do you think about the competition with the other midlaners this year? How would you rank yourself among them currently?
Jojopyun: Right now Caps (Rasmus Winther) is not performing well but I still think him and I are at the top. I haven't scrimmed against KC much so I don't know how good kyeahoo (Kang Yea-hoo) is so I can't really rate him but I think for sure he's at the top but I don't know if he's at the top with me and Caps. Of course KC is first place right now but I'm saying overall. I would say me, Caps and then kyeahoo, Poby (Yun Sung-won), but I would say overall form right now.
Do you think the global level in LEC upgraded this year compared to last year?
Jojopyun: I mean I think the longer the league goes the teams are always going to get better of course. But I think relative to our strength level from last year I don't feel that there's a very strong team in LEC right now. I felt like last year in winter it was KC, and then in spring and summer it was us and G2, but right now I don't feel like there's a really strong team that's kind of helping everybody to improve in this sense, and the one that teams are trying to beat right now. I would say right now the level is for sure more balanced. Anyone can win against any team. I'm not sure exactly if the level is higher than last year though.
Is there any team that surprised you positively since the beginning of the year?
Jojopyun: Yes, I think Los Ratones is pretty hype, to be honest. Because I think last year, LEC hyped up very well that me and Caliste (Caliste Henry-Hennebert) were joining the league and KC was hyped up very well too. I think this year there wasn't much hype besides LR, so I think they have done a really good job in that sense. So I think Los Ratones has been the most very exciting team to watch.
There is still a scenario where you are possibly out tomorrow if you lose against NAVI. How are you going to prepare for this game?
Jojopyun: It's the same as always. We're going to prepare the same way. Of course we're goning to study how they play and have a game plan around that but I think everyone will come in for sure very prepared.
Even though this split is an experiment period for your team and that you're aiming for international competitions this year, would it still be considered as a disaster if you couldn't make it to the playoffs?
Jojopyun: Of course, I think even though we all know that our mindset is focused on experiment and these things we can't use it as an excuse because if we don't make playoffs that would be terrible, there's no experimentation then. It's just not acceptable. Yes we're experimenting things but we can't use that as an excuse for just being bad. We have to recognize what actually we're bad at and what is considered experimenting so yeah if we don't make playoffs I mean of course it's unacceptable."
