CLG Mid Palafox on LCS 2023 Spring Losing Steak
There was a saying for CLG that once went, “win one game and then give fans false hope”. While it is certainly a bit too early to start drawing conclusions for CLG in the LCS 2023 Spring Split, things have been rough for CLG after their 2-0 start to the split. Now, they enter week four on a four-game losing streak as they attempt to claw their way back up the standings and rekindle the level of performance seen from the team back in the LCS 2022 Summer Split. Yet, even though the record may not be a good reflection of the team, CLG midlaner Cristian “Palafox” Palafox believes that this current losing streak will help the team grow once they get past it.
In this interview, we speak to Palafox about why he feels CLG is on a losing streak and how they can work through this tough period.
I wanted to ask how you were doing mentally after the four-game loss steak because you have still been performing decently well. After a strong start in week one, talk to me about how you have been feeling throughout the past week.
Yeah. I mean, I'm just gonna compare this to like, our first week. I think that we were all really focused and kind of like, playing for the team. I think that right now, for whatever reason, like, let's say, you know, obviously best of one's like, you can make mistakes, it kind of sucks to make mistakes, but I think that everybody kind of feels like they might need to do extra. Me personally, I think I don't really do too much. But I think everybody is kind of just putting a lot of pressure on themselves to perform. The game is pretty easy if we look at it from a slow perspective. So pretty much to summarize, I'm glad the losses came early. I think it's actually probably better for us as a team. If we get past this, then it'll be pretty easy for us to perform when we get to playoffs.
I did want to ask you just a bit about the pressure aspect, because of how well CLG did at the end of 2022. Going into like a schedule where I guess it was against teams that were not as high in the standings, do you feel like there was pressure because of that?
I don't think so. I mean, I think that there's a lot of egos for sure. It’s not like there are egos in terms of blaming each other often. It’s more that we think we are better than somebody else. So yeah, there is added pressure that we should be beating them or we shouldn’t be losing, or that we should have a bigger lead. In general, sometimes players feel if the lead isn’t big enough on stage, they tend to be greedy or have a want to build or push that lead. I think a lot of games get difficult because that’s what you’re thinking and you are not actually focused on how you’re supposed to be winning. At the end of the day, like me personally, I don't care about like looking like so much better than my opponent I care about, like, how I'm actually going to win the game. So at least for me, like I don't really feel that pressure as much.
CLG kept their entire lineup from the LCS 2022 Summer Split together.
This was a team that stuck together. There weren't really any changes made to I believe the coaching staff and the players. So, I just wanted to see if you feel any in-game dynamics changed even if the roster on paper stayed the same. Are you taking more of a leadership role? Is there anything the team is doing differently in 2023?
I think we were just building on the boat we have in 2022. I think it (League of Legends) has become a game where there isn’t really a shotcaller anymore. Let’s say there are roles or certain champion picks that have agency in the game now. Depending on who’s playing those picks or whoever is doing well, they become the shotcaller. All five of us can be a shotcaller for that specific game if we are all performing well on a given day. We’re all playing the game in a way that we feel is going to get us a win. I think if you have the most agency in the game, you just naturally become the one talking the most.
That makes sense, it’s like how some supports would take a backseat on champions like Karma, but be a lot more vocal on a champion like Leona or Alistar. It seems like it is all dependent on the game now as opposed to designated roles.
Yeah, I definitely feel if I am playing a champion. I am thinking about what their win condition is going to be. I think the game changes drastically and I am thinking about what we need to do to win. If I am playing a control mage, I am just thinking that we need some vision and we are going to chill. If we create a good scenario, then that could change, but really knowing your role depending on your champion is important.
Something I wanted to just quickly ask you about was your growth as a player. You are a player that has experienced some of these highs and lows as a player in the LCS and Academy. Talk to me about how your mentality towards low periods of play has changed compared to when you were a player on OpTic Academy or earlier.
Okay, I don't know if you know the history of OpTic Academy, but like, let's say in the second split, I got my first taste of highs and lows quite literally. We went 6-0 to start the season and then went 0-11 or something like that. That actually helped me out a lot as a player to temper my emotions when things aren’t going well. If you win or lose, everybody’s just trying to find a way to continue improving. I think that after going through something like that, you do a lot more thinking about what to fix. You look at the reality of the situation and see that if something isn't working, maybe you aren’t doing it correctly or you need to build on it more instead of just switching things up every week.
It seems like the team in general or you specifically, have a level-approached to losing streaks because of your experience. Next week, you are going to have FlyQuest, Liquid, and 100 Thieves in that super week. Do you have any final words just going into that upcoming week? Does the approach change a bit? Or is the focus mostly on playing your own game?
I think the best thing I can do as a player is to improve myself. Yeah, I mean, the best thing I can do as a pro player is to improve to a point where I’m essentially not making any mistakes. I feel that I can give better feedback to other players when I am making fewer mistakes because there is some form of respect. If I am making fewer mistakes, It’s easier to give feedback. I think I just want to improve my own position so that I can give feedback to my teammates easier.
Where to watch League of Legends LCS
Viewers can tune in for week 4 of the LCS 2023 Spring Split through the LCS Twitch and YouTube channels. The LCS 2023 Spring Split super week will take place on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday this week. Be sure to also check out our LCS 2023 Spring Split week four predictions before the matches.
