SEN Impact: “If they lose and come [to Brazil], who’s gonna win there — it matters [more], you know?”
Q: That must’ve been a really tough series to play, from your perspective.
Impact: Like, from my perspective, I guess it felt like we could have gone to Game 5. It felt really close, especially in the last couple of games. […]
Last game, it should’ve been Game 5, because our team comp is, like, much better than them [at] “How to play the game,” because they’re kind of a mixed comp. I mean, I feel like they’re both kind of mixed comps, but I thought we have the advantage in side lane, because we have Kai’Sa, so Aatrox and Sylas cannot pressure that much […] and we can group easily.
So I think if we group, we are strong. I think we kind of made the critical mistake at dragon timing that Kai’Sa died in mid. And in last fight, we missed Viktor’s E-R on Yunara when I flashed. But still, maybe it’s better to not look for that angle, my flash R angle. We can kite a little more and see, because they have to suck in. […]
Thought today’s games were close — because the first game we can win also if we don’t die in our jungle. because we make the miracle fight one time, [so] we could have certainly won if we 10% play better.
Q: What did it feel like playing against Inspired? I know you two discuss the game fairly often.
Impact: I thought he’s smart. I mean he’s the same. I just kill him. I’m not thinking Inspired. I just keep thinking why I f***ed up the 2nd game – the Jax one.
[In the Yorick game], it’s not a counter if we do not ward level 1, because, we don’t know where he started. We actually had no information that game. As Yorick, I was winning hard — I mean that matchup should be winning hard early, but after I died 3 times, I’m like “OK, they gave up drake [for] Gwen.” […]
I shouldn’t die the first time. I think that was what made the chain die 2nd, 3rd times. First time was kind of critical and […] I think the Yorick game was actually good because I prefer it to a loss — I think we won the pick-ban, in my opinion, that game.
Because even if I’m 0/4/0, I can push my own lane. That’s a problem for them. Even if Gwen is fed, Gwen has a hard time against Varus and Anivia. Just generally, I’m happy with how we played, but I don’t like how I played — in my individual play.
I think I made [the clutch play] in the Renekton game — I think I played well, in my head. But the 2nd game, I played bad. I just think I solo lost the game.
Q: Were you watching for Dhokla’s picks, like Vayne? She was banned at least once, I think.
Impact: Yeah. We banned Vayne because [Aatrox] is kind of useless that game in my opinion until late game. For that situation. I thought Vayne is more annoying, because even [with] Kai’Sa, we can’t do much against Vayne, cause of Flash Ghost.
They have a [problem], because they picked Mundo too, [in the] team comp we went Skarner, right, 3rd game. I think we did not plan to pick Yorick, that’s why we banned Vayne — because Yorick is good against Vayne I think. We banned Vayne, because we were looking Sion,[and] I told coach, “That’s not good. They have Gwen.” I think that was a miscommunication [in] 3rd game. Still, we won the pick and ban in 4/5, but we can be better, because in that one, we should not [ban] Vayne I thought, but not bad.
Q: You’re still going to America’s Cup, which is pretty exciting. How much do you know about that?
Impact: No idea. I know I have to fly soon. On Monday, 16 hour flight. […]
I think my plan is … Today I lose the Jax-Ambessa matchup because I don’t play [enough of] that matchup. Now, I want to make a clear goal about the early game situation so I can play better. Because, I still believe I can play better.
I think I just was not comfortable when I picked the Jax. I know Jax the champion is better than Gwen in that situation because they picked Yone, but still — I need more practice, I guess, to make better [decisions]. I know the information, but I can make better use of it to be more comfortable. In the key loss, today too. That’s why [the only] thing I didn’t like [was] my individual play. I think teamplay-wise, we were doing better than them.
Q: Do you think C9 will beat LYON in the finals?
Impact: Maybe, but I feel like against C9, we didn’t do anything. I feel like we just tried not to fight them much — […] it can be mental pressure or someone’s condition was bad, I think.
Our support-jungle, if our condition is bad, it’s hard to play, because they’re doing the most talking. Like me, HamBak, and Huhi have to guide lane to play the game, but if [our] condition is bad, it’s hard to play. I think that’s what happened in the C9 game, in my opinion. I mean, C9 is a strong team, but I think we [should] not be losing like that, 0-3.
Q: So, C9 wins tomorrow?
Impact: Maybe. I’ll be honest, I don’t care that much about who’s going to win [the LCS finals] tomorrow.
Q: Well, you’ll face the loser in the America’s Cup.
Impact: Oh! True. I think LYON’s going to lose. […] I feel like, OK, I think LYON is up to [how Saint plays] against APA, in my opinion, because I think Saint has a bigger champion pool. So, if they play very well… I think Saint was kind of bad today, in my opinion. I think he didn’t do well [against us], in my head. Azir game he played well, I think, but still. […] I mean, not like against TL. Like against TL, he smurfed.
Today, I thought Inspired played well. Dhokla played well in some moments. Not in the Gwen game, I think his Gwen game can be better. I think it is up to top and mid, because I feel like Thanatos is actually a better laner than Dhokla, so he has to play strong champions. I think that’s how he plays against momentum because [strong champions] don’t matter if enemy team’s laner plays well.
I think TL is kinda weak macro right now, you know? LYON is smart about their planning, I think.
Q: It seems like C9’s mid-jungle has been really coordinated and high-level, at least on-stage, right?
Impact: I think they’re good at making play when I see that, but their problem is I think they path too much. I like LYON’s style more. They’re flexible.
I feel LYON actually play the smartest way possible because of Inspired [in] early game especially. It’s like because everyone is [pathing] top to bottom. Their plan is different. They start raptors, or start red, or change bot to top.
Q: But C9 always paths the same, you’re saying?
Impact: Yeah I think so. That’s why I think Thanatos, these days, is not a strong laner in my head. He’s good, but does not get resources that much these days.
Q: How do you keep good condition for the America’s Cup? You won’t have the TL facility this time.
Impact: I don’t know. I mean, maybe we’re going to ask TL, I think, if we can use [the facility] or not — because they’re not here. […]
We already have — our performance coach is for Olympic players, so he just gives us [advice], like trying to sleep earlier, starting today, until Monday, so we can match the Brazil time. He makes the plan well, so we’re gonna follow that.
Q: Well, you’ll get a rematch against C9 or LYON in the America’s Cup, right?
Impact: I mean, [that match] actually matters. If they lose and come [to Brazil], who’s gonna win there — it matters [more], you know?
Who cares before? Everyone cares after.
Q: Any final message ahead of Americas Cup?
Impact: I learned a lot this split. I feel like I have to think more about champion pool and play [some] champions more, but I feel like I should [prepare more]. I think [some of our] decisions are good; how we play, I think we improved a lot. I think people can see that how we play, the teamplay-wise, is getting better and better. I think this week, people can see that our strength of teamplay is so much better than last week.
We’re hard to beat, you know? I think even if we’re losing, we are not going 25 minutes open, we’re going to 35 minutes because we try to find a way to win the game, always — even when we’re losing.
And yeah, I think that’s it. I thought this is kind of good for us, how we play. I think we are improved a lot. […] Rune page matters, and pick-ban matters most now. That’s my focus next time we play. I believe my team can play better and I need to play better to win the next split. That’s it.
Transcription assistance from @earlofsquirr3l
Header Image Credit: Riot Games
