TL;DR
- CoreJJ’s arrival transformed Team Liquid from domestic champions into legitimate international contenders
- His MVP-winning support play created crucial map pressure and enabled Doublelift’s carry potential
- Champion pool versatility with Tahm Kench and Galio became TL’s strategic foundation
- Team Liquid faces critical style matchups against G2’s creativity and SKT’s disciplined approach
- Success at MSI depends on adapting CoreJJ’s playmaking to international competition
The 2018 Mid-Season Invitational remains a painful learning experience for Team Liquid’s organization. Despite securing their inaugural LCS championship that spring, their international debut exposed significant gaps in competitive readiness. The transition from regional success to global competition proved more challenging than anticipated.
Team Liquid’s performance at the previous MSI highlighted the difference between domestic achievement and world-class execution. While elite teams like Kingzone DragonX and Royal Never Give Up battled for the trophy, TL struggled to maintain competitive form. This setback fueled their determination to rebuild strategically rather than make reactionary changes.
Worlds 2018 showed incremental improvement but confirmed the need for roster upgrades. The offseason brought calculated moves, including mid laner Nicolaj “Jensen” Jensen and former world champion support Jo “CoreJJ” Yong-in. These signings represented targeted solutions rather than wholesale changes.
COREJJ, SPRING MVP
Integrating championship-caliber talent presents unique adaptation challenges, as demonstrated by Bae “Bang” Jun-sik’s transition to 100 Thieves. CoreJJ’s integration succeeded due to his adaptable playstyle and communication skills. His experience with different team dynamics proved invaluable during the adaptation period.
CoreJJ revolutionized Team Liquid’s support role through proactive map movement and calculated aggression. His roaming patterns created consistent pressure points that opponents struggled to counter. This playmaking approach unlocked Yiliang “Doublelift” Peng’s full carry potential, transforming TL’s bottom lane into a consistent threat.
The synergy between CoreJJ and jungler Jake “Xmithie” Puchero established map-wide coordination that became TL’s competitive advantage. Their tandem movements consistently generated advantageous engagements and objective control.
Team Liquid secured their third consecutive LCS title, earning CoreJJ Spring MVP honors in his North American return. His guidance becomes crucial against international opponents who employ diverse strategic approaches.
THE DRAFT
CoreJJ’s champion selection prioritizes initiation capability, map mobility, and crowd control utility. Tahm Kench emerged as his signature pick, becoming the most frequently banned champion against TL throughout the season. The Abyssal Voyage (R) provides unparalleled strategic flexibility for cross-map plays and emergency repositioning.
Galio serves as his secondary choice, offering both crowd control and global presence through Hero’s Entrance. These champions enable CoreJJ to influence multiple lanes simultaneously while maintaining bot lane priority.
When primary options are unavailable, CoreJJ demonstrates proficiency with Alistar and Braum, maintaining engagement threat while adapting to draft constraints. His Rakan and Zyra performances demonstrate flexibility, while Taric provides durable utility in extended engagements.
LCS opponents consistently targeted CoreJJ’s champion pool, a strategy TSM employed with moderate success during the spring finals. This targeting strategy highlights his central role in TL’s tactical execution and will likely continue at MSI.
TEAM LIQUID VERSUS THE WORLD
Team Liquid begins MSI 2019 in the Play-In Stage, facing a best-of-five qualification series. Success here advances them to the main event against SK Telecom T1, G2 Esports, and Invictus Gaming. While Play-In progression appears manageable, the main event presents entirely different competitive challenges.
Liquid excels with standard compositions featuring reliable engagement tools, as demonstrated throughout their LCS campaign. Their FlyQuest semifinal performance revealed limitations with unconventional drafts, a potential vulnerability against G2’s famously creative approach.
SK Telecom T1 employs a disciplined, structured style that contrasts with G2’s flexibility. Against SKT, matches will hinge on execution precision and opportunistic playmaking. The Tahm Kench priority becomes particularly interesting against SKT support Cho “Mata” Se-hyeong, setting up potential draft battles for the champion.
The key to international success lies in adapting CoreJJ’s playmaking to diverse regional styles while maintaining TL’s core strengths. This balance between adaptation and identity will determine their MSI 2019 trajectory against the world’s best teams.
Action Checklist
- Establish early game priority through CoreJJ’s roaming patterns
- Secure Tahm Kench or Galio in draft phase when available
- Coordinate jungle-support movements for objective control
- Adapt draft strategy based on opponent’s regional playstyle
- Maintain standard composition foundations while incorporating strategic flexibility
No reproduction without permission：Game Guides Online » CoreJJ is the key for Team Liquid and NA at MSI 2019 How CoreJJ's strategic support play transformed Team Liquid into North America's MSI 2019 contender