G2 Labrov on the LEC's top two: "We're as good as the LCK and LPL teams"

Meanwhile the rest of the LEC looks more homogeneous, with MKOI notably out of form. Does that lack of day-to-day competition worry you when it comes to preparing for international events?

I wouldn't say so, necessarily. The level of the LEC isn't that bad, honestly — with NAVI, GX, Vitality, even Fnatic in scrims are decent. There are a couple of decent teams. It's just that us and KC are a level above

We're as good as the LCK and LPL teams, and that's why it feels like a bit of a gap.

But the rest of the teams aren't that weak, and we're still scrimming them, improving and focusing on ourselves. So no, I wouldn't say it worries me.

Compared to the start of previous splits, you've been sharper as a team in the regular season. How do you explain that — have you changed something in your approach?

Since Perkz joined we changed a lot in the way we practise and treat practice in general, in how we communicate, a lot of things. I'd say that helped for sure. But also we're in good form — we've been playing a lot of top teams from Korea and China, so our individual form is still really good. That's also why we're having a good start to the Summer split.

Hans said in an interview that one of Perkz's goals was to make you scrim with more productivity — bring back the scrim culture the team might have lost along the way. Do you see it that way?

Yeah. We've been scrimming for around two weeks with Perkz now, and we've already had a lot of talks about how to make our scrims more productive, what we need to change and focus on. Because in the past, it's true, I don't feel like we had the best scrim practice — not because of the other teams, fully because of us. We were focusing on the wrong things, we weren't the most efficient. So we've changed a lot of things and we're looking for ways to improve on everything in the game.

Perkz said himself that he talks to you during scrims. How does that work?

Sometimes he just talks. I remember last time, we'd all based and he said, "Okay guys, just go botlane and dive" — so we went bot, the enemy team aced us and we lost the game. [laughs] But sometimes he shares his ideas. For example, if we'd been talking about or practising one specific thing beforehand, he'll remind us to "do this" and it just clicks in everyone's head.

I think it can be good. It can also be sus. He likes to yap sometimes, so it's somewhere in between.

Hans also told us that you were a bit slow on the meta reading, and that it cost you at the EWC and against KC. What's your take — do you feel you've caught up?

We’re a bit slow, maybe. But honestly, the meta still wasn't super clear. If anything, at MSI we were only playing AD carries bot; we didn't play a single AP mage, even though Hans is very capable of it. Then at the EWC we started playing them on stage, and it actually looked good. And here in Summer, I feel like the meta still isn't figured out — every team in the world is trying things and working it out.

On an individual level, what's been your biggest improvement since the start of the season?

When it's a bit of a crazy game — like when I got up top lane in game one — I know how to adapt better now. When that happens, the game naturally becomes a bit of a fiesta, and when I was facing that at the EWC and in scrims I was definitely a bit lost sometimes. Now I'm more aware of those crazy game states.

Earlier this year you said that, compared to last year, you actually feel this team can win Worlds. What makes you say that, and what changed between the two years?

I truly believe it, I'm not coping when I say this. First of all, my confidence: when I joined G2

I really feel like I can be the best support in the world, and we can be the best team in the world.

I've scrimmed and played a few international games and I can see — “oh wait, I'm actually beating these teams, I'm at this level, I can be better”. We made the First Stand final, top four at MSI. I think it's actually possible, and I'll make sure I do my best and give everything I can so that hopefully we make Worlds. Let's not be too cocky, because even in the LEC, if you have a bad week you can lose everything. But I'll really focus on the Summer split, give everything and have no regrets.

Last one, a little prediction game. Playoffs are coming up — and since you're basically in, along with KC, which teams do you see qualifying with you?

Honestly, it's hard to say. I'd like Vitality to qualify — they played well today too, and I'm close with Carzzy