Can TES redeem their shame?

After TES drew GEN in the Swiss stage, many LPL viewers joked that TES was doomed since GEN is widely regarded as the top favorite to win the S15 World Championship. Most LPL fans doubted TES could defeat GEN, and the outcome matched those expectations. In the crucial qualifier match, GEN easily defeated TES 2-0. This loss deeply upset many TES fans, especially since TES manager Guo Hao once openly stated that if TES couldn’t erase the "Pioneer tournament disgrace" at Worlds, he would retire next year.

However, judging by TES’s current form and performance, it seems very difficult for them to redeem themselves. TES has already lost nine straight matches against LCK teams this year and has yet to win a single game against them. Many TES fans even believe that if TES faces T1 in the Swiss stage, they might replicate last year’s DK "famous moment" by handing over wins to three LCK teams and letting them advance to the quarterfinals. (Do you think TES still has a good chance to redeem themselves? If TES meets T1, can they advance in the Swiss stage?)

GEN "throwing" and still can’t lose?

After GEN easily crushed TES, GEN’s jungler Canyon was interviewed by official media. During the interview, the host asked why GEN deliberately gave TES the mid-lane Azir and bot-lane Aphelios in the second game, as these two champions are considered the strongest in the current meta. Canyon admitted that GEN has been unbeatable in recent scrims, which caused their coach to be uncertain about the meta trends. So the coach intentionally let TES have these meta champions to test TES’s potential with them.

This statement from the GEN player frustrated many TES fans because when TES lost to KT previously, some fans blamed the coach’s poor drafting. Now, GEN’s coach willingly gave TES the strongest double carry champions in the meta, yet TES still couldn’t win. This highlights a significant skill gap between TES and GEN. Many LPL viewers also think Canyon is exaggerating and some even hope that if GEN faces AL in the future, they will also give AL Azir and Aphelios to see AL’s potential ceiling.

TES legend criticizes hang

After TES lost to GEN, TES’s former jungler Xiaotian broke down on stream. Before the match, Xiaotian believed TES had the ability to beat GEN and said TES’s loss to KT was due to poor draft choices. However, after watching the BO3 between GEN and TES, Xiaotian expressed disappointment with TES’s support Hang. He felt Hang’s performance at Worlds was off compared to his usual form in the league, where Hang doesn’t usually play so recklessly. At Worlds, Hang’s playstyle became too unpredictable.

In the first game, TES’s bot lane had a huge advantage and logically only needed to play safely. But Hang insisted on flashing to try and save teammates, which lost them the bot advantage. Xiaotian was also confused by the mid-lane Neeko flashing in to initiate fights. In the second game, Hang played Rell aggressively, constantly initiating fights despite having Mercury’s Treads and multiple mobility skills on Lillia. Xiaotian believed TES’s comp needed to be played more carefully, but Hang kept forcing fights with flashes, pushing teammates into bad situations. If Hang hadn’t rushed into fights, TES wouldn’t have lost so badly. After Xiaotian personally stepped in to initiate fights, many LPL fans blamed TES’s loss mainly on support Hang. Do you think TES losing to GEN was due to the support role’s gap?

Conclusion

Personally, I don’t think TES’s loss can be entirely blamed on the support. TES’s mid-laner Xiaonaiyou and jungler Kanavi also performed poorly in this BO3. In the first game, Xiaonaiyou on Riven was heavily pressured by Chovy in the first 10 minutes. In the second game, although Xiaonaiyou had an early lane advantage, Kanavi messed up a play which led to multiple deaths. I feel TES’s mid-jungle duo needs to return to their previous aggressive "Pioneer tournament" style. If TES gets eliminated in the round of 16, will JKL consider retiring next year?