Team Liquid: Jensen Interview – Veteran Players, Tight Gameplay, Focused Preparation Propels Team Liquid to First Place

We’re a few weeks into the LCS and the dominant teams have already begun to emerge most notably Team Liquid. With the addition of Cloud 9’s premier mid laner Jensen and the support of Samsung Galaxy’s World Championship winners in 2017 CoreJJ, they have arguably the scariest looking roster of all the other teams. Rounded out by top laner Impact, jungler Xmithie, and the ever vocal Doublelift, Team Liquid holds their position as a top contender in the LCS. 

League of Legends history has shown you can add all the biggest names on your roster that you want, but that doesn’t mean anything without the proper mental and game preparation. With only a minor slip up against TSM last week, I fully expect Team Liquid to continue some of the cleanest professional League of Legends Play North America has to offer. Jensen, in particular, has been a major bright spot on the team in my eyes, coming off an outstanding run from essentially worst to first in last year’s LCS and made it all the way to Worlds Semi-Finals against Fnatic. He always holds a threatening presence to opponents to where if he disappears off the map for even a second, teams scramble to try to predict and defend where he could be heading. I had a chance to chat with Jensen and learn exactly why Team Liquid is practically unstoppable so far.

Team Liquid Mid Laner Jensen – Photo credit to 1UP Studios

Brock: You guys have arguably the most star-studded roster of the LCS this year. What are some of the key things that you think have made you all play so well together so far?

Jensen: Everyone within the team is a veteran and everyone knows how to play their role extremely well, I think a lot of new teams struggle due to lack of experience and how to close out games and what not, but since everyone has been playing for a long time and is a top player within our roles, we make a lot less mistakes than other new teams.

Brock: What’s been a key component in your hot start this season?

Jensen: I’m not sure if there is a specific key component, I think everyone is just playing really well and we are on the same page as a team.

Brock: Any other teams you’re keeping a close eye on in terms of who to specifically prepare for?

Jensen: Right now there isn’t really any team that is looking strong in my eyes, but I expect the competition to rise near playoffs.

Brock: Do you take any notes from other region players to either implement their techniques into your own or learn of ways to strategical give them a challenge? What is this process like for you?

Jensen: I watch a lot of LCK, LPL, & LEC vods, and our analysts will help us as well if there’s something that we need to implement in our gameplay. So far most of our strategies has just come naturally from what we’ve learned throughout our careers.

Brock: Do you have any secret pocket picks that we might see in the coming weeks? A sneaky Neeko pick perhaps?

Jensen: You’ll just have to wait and see. *smiles*

Brock: Anything else you’d like to say to your fans and your approach to the LCS this year?

Jensen: Thank you for the continued support to all my fans – from those that followed me from C9 to all the new ones since joining TL!