TL Josedeodo: “In the end, we have to win against everyone, so I don’t care who we play.”
Q: That was close to elimination — did you feel like the team was getting stressed?
Josedeodo: Yeah, I mean, I think there was a point of the game where I was watching our map and I was like, “Why are we 5 people mid every wave? Can we push one side lane so they stop coming 5 people mid every wave?”
I think that was the part that was like, “Damn, we’re really stressed at this point of the game.” And I mean, it makes sense. It’s almost like playing a Game 5 — everything is on the line, sort of. If you lose, you’re out.
I understand why we [got] stressed, especially as a new team. I think that [new issues] show up when these games happen, so it’s good that happened right now, for me. I think we can learn a lot from this win. I mean, if we would’ve lost, then there was so much we could learn — at least for next split — but it’s good that we got to win [despite] this type of pressure, finding the engage on Aphelios. I think that was really good.
Q: Does it feel like the league is really close? Every matchup feels close, with the exceptions of C9 and SR.
Josedeodo: Yeah, I mean, honestly, I think on paper we should be one of the best, because, mechanically, I think we always come in clutch. I think that’s what’s in our favor right now. [In terms] of how people play the map, everyone plays very similar — I don’t think there is a team that plays the map different compared to [the others]
I think the only one that does different stuff is C9, but it’s like because they play the map to punish people fast and play at a faster pace; that’s why they’re the best ones […] I think that’s what makes them good.
But I also think that comes from experience as a group, like, they’re a group that’s been [together] — they only changed one player — and I feel like they’re also playing the same idea all the time. For us, sometimes we have some disagreements when we lose. When we win, it’s like we’re on the same page.
So, it’s hard to tell when we are doing bad things. Right now we are looking to the small details to get better, [but] I think we’ll have a lot of time to improve that kind of stuff.
I think if we can solve these little differences that we have, we’re probably going to show up really different from other teams.
Right now, our games look messy. I think this game, to be honest, if Ryze doesn’t die on mid lane, this game will be way easier — because when we had Baron, we would just drop the dragon, and then we’ll take mid-top-bot, and then we’ll have too much gold for the next Nashor to like finish the next cycle for next time.
But I think after the Aphelios got the bounty, I was like, “Ah, it’s going to be a long game.” And when we lose like two fights in a row, I was like, “Damn, are we really going to lose to Dignitas here?” That was going through my mind a bit. […]
They come from winning two games, and we come from losing a series yesterday — so we’re also kind of down. So that’s the inner bad part too. So I think that’s also like always on the underside of it.
Now that we’re in the lower bracket, we’ve already played in high pressure as a team, so that [will] help us for layoffs, I hope, because we have more info for when we’re stressed and how we want to play our approach situations. I think that’s good for us.
Q: What is going on? Why are you and LYON in the lower bracket?
Josedeodo: Yeah, I don’t know. I think sometimes that happens. I honestly think, well, [for] TL, this week of scrims, for example, we had a crazy win rate — like very crazy. Like too high.
Whenever this happens, I’m always worried that we’re going to get too confident because we think we’re probably too good.
I think that’s what happens to us — because even if we’re doing the reviews, and we’re watching what we’re doing wrong, and we’re learning too — it’s like, sometimes that happens: People get too confident.
And I think maybe that’s why we lost to Sentinels, because we were not, like, aware of certain plays, or we were trying to be too greedy, or we were trying to approach scenarios [as if] we had the amount of gold we were having in scrims.
So I think that’s [what] costs us the most, at least for us. I don’t know about LYON.
Q: Are you scrimming good teams?
Josedeodo: Yeah, I think this week, well… technically, yes, if you think on the scoreboard side.
Q: Why do you think C9 picked FLY? Even Castle, yesterday, told me that DSG would be picked by the first seed no matter what.
Josedeodo: I think it’s based on how FLY played today, but we also played with FLY and we knew that could happen, because when they made a mistake on the map, the games are very snowballed against FLY.
That’s what I thought is the biggest issue for me. […]
We do kind of similar [mistakes], but also it’s more like weird deaths, know? Our deaths are very special. […] I think that’s why they chose FLY — probably experience-wise, I think FLY should be the smart choice too, for how they play.
But I also think in playoffs, a lot of players change a lot of stuff; they change how they play the map and stuff.
I don’t know if FLY is the best choice, if I’m honest, but you know, when C9 chose them, I was like “Makes sense based on today.”
Q: Both SEN and DSG seem solid, but DSG’s even more surprising — 2 rookies, and they took down LYON. Did you watch their series?
Josedeodo: We watch a bit. I mean we were waiting — it’s funny — because I think if they will win 2-0, [our tierbreaker changes], and then they lost, and then we were watching and we were like, “Damn, [DSG] are really going to do 2-1.”
And then today, same. DIG won, so we had to play. But we were watching. I’m not surprised.
I think LYON was playing … not the best gameplay, too. And I don’t know, it seems like they’re not on the same page. Sort of similar to us — but I think for us, it’s different.
I don’t know if [that makes sense], but I think our biggest issue is mid game right now. I don’t think our problem is early game, because in early game we had a lot of leads, most of the games […]
So yeah, I think that’s why. I mean, I also think DSG is good because they play as a team, even if they might not be the best players. I think Callme is really good on their team — I think that’s [their] best player — and Castle is playing well too. […]
I know Lyonz because he’s from LLA, so I know he’s good. I don’t know Sajed […] I played with him in one scrim, and that’s it, but I thought he was normal — but he was playing with ping, so I don’t know. Maybe he’s better.
I think DSG should win, in my opinion. I think SEN is good, but top side of DSG should be better.
Q: I’m not sure who you’ll face — do you know?
Josedeodo: I think we should probably get SEN based on [my understanding]. […]
I think [the format] doesn’t matter. In the end, whatever happens, I know people always say lower bracket or winner is better — it doesn’t matter.
In the end, we have to win against everyone, so I don’t care who we play.
Q: Any further message for TL fans?
Josedeodo: Not really.
I think they should get ready, because I think we have a lot of work to do. We have two weeks.
I know today we had a normal game at the start, then it became messy. We learned a lot of how people approach scenarios when they’re stressed.
That’s really good for me to see how they react — me too, I was also at one point a bit stressed. I was like, “Damn, no way we are losing today like this.”
It’s also good for me to learn what I can do better — to not feel stressed. So yeah, we have a lot of work to do, and thanks everyone for cheering for us. I know a lot of people want us to lose and that makes sense. […]
But I think we have a really good chance of winning even from lower, and we can [make] a really good run. I just think we need to close the details and we’ll be a really good team because in fights I think we’re improving a lot too.
So yeah, we just need a lot of talks and a lot of improvement as a team. And that’s it. I think, in two weeks, we can probably work on all the mistakes — people won’t expect that we’re going to be as good as we [will be].
Header Image Credit: Riot Games
