100T River: “I like Sniper, but he’s [struggling] right now, so I feel sad for him too.”

Q: Right now, it’s likely you’ll face C9 next week. It’d be pretty tough to go TL -> FLY -> C9. Does the format weigh on you at all?

River:  We already talked to Riot, but they said it’s just normal.

So I don’t know. We should play against Team Liquid, FlyQuest, and now C9. And then it’s just hard – [a] bad show for us. 

Q: How do you evaluate your chances against C9 after this week?

River: Of course, we can win against C9. Even today, against FlyQuest, we could win the game, but we made some mistakes, and then [the] game was hard.

Of course we can win against C9 next week. 

Q: What do you think is going wrong with the team? 

River: I feel like our strength was teamfighting or engage.

But in this meta, sometimes you have to play a front-to-back comp, like Sion, Trundle. And I felt that a front-to-back comp is not our style, because we are good at engage. So after last week against Team Liquid, I told our coaches I think we should play just our style. The last game — with Vi, Aurora, Kaisa – we could win that game.

Q: What about it being your last year? Sniper and you have talked about it now. Last split, you told me there’s a 99 percent chance that you’ll enter military service next year.

River: To be honest, I didn’t wanna say I’m going into military service next year, but somehow, Sniper said it in an interview, told everyone about it. 

I’m not sure about military service, so I wouldn’t have said it to everyone publicly, you know? I said it after Sniper said it. [Technically], no one said I have to do military service this year […] I just don’t wanna let the Korean military know, I guess.

Q: Do you think the team’s thinking about that, or that it’s 100T’s last year? Is that getting in anyone’s head?

River: 100 Thieves is out next year, right? So people care more about that. 

Before the season start[ed], we said together, “This is our last split for sure, so let’s just do our best.” 

We are doing just our best now.

Q: A lot of people think that’s what hurt the team’s confidence?

River: No, to be honest, that’s just cope. We are coping about that. I think we just lose many games on the stage, and then we just don’t have confidence [in] ourselves, not because we are [going to be] out.

And we don’t trust each other right now, I feel like. I’m not sure how to fix it. I’m not sure. 

Q: What about hanging out outside of the game? Do you do anything like that to build synergy?

River: Just, like, [getting] food. [And], like, night blocks.

Q: How are those going? Is it still “100T perma-sprinting it in scrims”?

River: Last split was like [that].

We are trying hard, but we’re still losing, you know? So, I’m not sure.

Q: So morale is pretty low? 

River: Yeah. [Our] game quality is pretty good. I think right now, every team is winnable, […] except FlyQuest.

Q: Do you think FLY’s better than C9? What makes them so good?

River: Yeah. I’m not saying [it’s] unwinnable, but they are map pressuring, and they are using [the] map really well. It’s pretty hard to play against FlyQuest, because I feel like Inspired and Busio are everywhere. […]

Q: Anything else interesting you want to talk about?

River: I’m not sure I can say this, but right now we have Dhokla as a coach. I think next week, he well be 6th man for our roster. He could play, but I’m not sure I can say it.

Q: What’s the logic behind the decision?

River: Recently, Sniper hasn’t had confidence in his own gameplay, he’s just following the team’s call.

So he’s lacking confidence right now — even today, […] after the game, he looked really sad. It’s up to the coaches [to decide on substitutions], but I’m not sure. I like Sniper, but he’s [struggling] right now, so I feel sad for him too.

Q: Why do you think his confidence has waned?

River: I think in League, when you are [a] rookie or have low game knowledge, the other four teammates always give feedback in game or after games. 

Like Srtty, too, on Dignitas. Everyone gave feedback to Srtty. Everyone gives feedback to rookies. So he doesn’t [absorb] anything, because it’s too much. They’re saying too much. You don’t remember, or you forget what teammates or coaches said, and your confidence goes down.