SKT’s Surprise Substitutions Cause Worry for Fans
SK Telecom T1’s decision to bench four players, including their star mid laner Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok, during their match against MVP came as a surprise to many. However, this is not the first time SKT has made substitutions in their lineup.
The team has been known for experimenting with different team formations by using substitute players, especially during the Spring Split of this year. Even the iconic SKT support player Lee “Wolf” Jae-wan was temporarily moved to the jungle position for a few matches.
While the use of substitutes against MVP wasn’t unexpected, it was still alarming, especially after MVP’s top laner Kang “ADD” Geon-mo hinted that Faker hadn’t been participating in recent practice games.
For the past year, Faker has consistently performed at a high level, carrying the team when other players struggled. However, this time he wasn’t able to save SKT from their loss. Benching both Faker and the AD carry Bae “Bang” Jun-sik for the first time this year left fans feeling desperate.
LCK caster Christopher “PapaSmithy” Smith summed it up well when he said, “The question is what did we learn and what does it mean for [SKT’s] next game in a couple of days. The answer is not really that much.” This statement perfectly captures SKT’s use of substitutes throughout the year, which has been largely ineffective.
Many fans and experts are starting to doubt SKT’s ability to make a comeback without making significant changes to their roster. However, finding suitable replacements during the regular season may prove difficult since most players are already under contract with other teams.
SKT’s options are limited. They can either continue working with their current players and hope to find a winning combination, or they can take a risk and bring in fresh talent from the Korean amateur scene. However, time is running out as the Summer Split is already underway, and SKT has tough matches ahead against teams like Griffin, KT Rolster, and KINGZONE DragonX.
With strong teams like Gen.G and Griffin on the rise, SKT may face one of their toughest challenges yet in securing a spot in the LCK playoffs.
SKT, substitutions, Faker, MVP, Spring Split, LCK playoffs, roster changes